Advent 4 (2013)

This seems fairly self-explanatory. I used soft pastels for this piece based on Joseph’s dream after he finds out Mary is pregnant.

I started with my lightest blue and green to keep the background from being stark white. I used the side edges to lay down the color and then a chamois to blend and remove excess chalk.

Then I added the dream edging in black and the letters, which I smudged with my finger. An essential part of my traveling art kit happens to be moist wipes so I can clean my fingers after finishing with the oil and soft pastels.

The image to the left is created using markers and draws on the ancient practice of lectio divina. After reading Psalm 80, I wrote down the refrain “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts, let your face shine that we may be saved.”

I then change color and size of marker as I write questions that occur because of the text. After each question, I sit quietly and think for a bit, which sometimes raises another question. I think it’s more important to write the questions than the answers because I might later read it and come to different conclusions.