Colors set to music: Stained Glass by Keith Green

I grew up listening to Keith Green's amazing music and much of it has inspired my painting. I am thankful for every note.  Enjoy!

The Last Supper Progression Day FOUR

I still didn't get around to adding Judas today. But I did finish the flowing water and wine behind the other disciples.  I wanted to symbolize the wine at the last supper, the shed blood of Christ at the cross, the water he used to wash their feet. All these ideas ran through my head as i painted today . . . so I added three sections of purple, blue and red flowing across the canvas.  


I also changed the tall thin disciple in the center.  That is  Peter. He is having a conversation with Jesus about feet washing.  You can read it in John 13:1-10.  I think this is when Peter finally understood who Jesus was and I wanted him to look like he was worshiping God's Son.  


 ¹ It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
 ⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
 ⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
 ⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
   Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
 ⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
 ¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.


So that's why he looks different today...  still don't know what to do about Judas yet.  I'll try at him tomorrow though.

Last Supper Progression Day FOUR
By Cheryl Harris White
Acrylic on Canvas
30" x 24"

The Original Prodigal

About this same time, I attended  LEAD training, an amazing training conference at the Howard Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership at DTS. The four main goals of this week long training were to:

• Affirm God's design and work in your life
• Discover or clarify your life dream
• Identify and address core hindrances
• Develop a game plan to facilitate fulfillment of your life dream

Basically, what I got out of this week was that, God would not have put this talent in me or this insatiable desire to create and be creative, if He didn't want me to do something with it.  Yes, it was difficult at times, and frustrating when I failed, but I could and should keep working at it.  The workshop leaders there strongly encouraged me to continue to pursue painting and see where it lead.  The result was this painting.

Original Prodigal
by Cheryl White
Acrylic on Canvas 24" x 36"
Not Available

I decided to try this same palate knife technique again with the theme of the Prodigal Son.  I made the father figure in yellow and formed his arms in a circle hugging his son, bent over in repentance and humbled by his fathers's unconditional love and forgiveness. I wanted it to look kind of like a stained glass window.

I love this theme because this story is at the core of how I myself relate to God.  I am continually humbled and amazed by the unconditional forgiveness extended to me no matter how hard I fall or or deep I plunge into my own prideful indulgence.  This is my first of many attempts at this theme and it turned out better than the last one which was somewhat encouraging.  I'll show you more Prodigal Son paintings later and more that look like stained glass as well.

Also at this time, I began to search for a painting mentor here in the area and became involved with VAL (Visual Art League).  I met some very talented artists and began learning as much as I could.  I actually brought this painting to my first VAL meeting and was so encouraged by that experience.  I loved having a group of skilled and experienced artists to meet with and learn from.  More to come.

Mary Did You Know

Mary Did You Know?
by Cheryl White
Acrylic on Canvas, 24" x 36"
No Longer Available

I painted this one next. Mary Did You Know?  This is Mary and Jesus obviously.  I'm a mother, and thinking about her life just amazes me.  This captures the moment Jesus would be telling her good bye before he left home and began his public ministry which would ultimately lead to His crucifixion. He knew the price of what was coming, but still chose to do it... because He loved us.  

I know this moment between them isn't written in the Bible, but I decided to paint my version of what it would look like if it did.