There are TWO notes I want to highlight about the medium and materials: One is the fact that under those paintings are several layers of other paintings that have been attempted and then scraped down. Not just a few layers- a LOT of layers. These scraped down layers built up a wonderful texture of which I was able to overlay and burnish with gold leaf, - and this created a distressed patina and a beautiful surface to begin applying the final colors! I wanted to mention this because the act of building up and then scraping down reminded me of the sanctification process we all go through as God’s children on this journey of ours. And that brings me to the second note which is the use of gold. Have you ever noticed how Gold is used all throughout scripture? from the gold under the river flowing out of the garden, to the gold used in the temple of the Israelites, and the gold described being used in the new Jerusalem. Each panel is overlaid with gold to represent God’s continuous and meaningful co-creation with us his children. He is making us into a new creation, refining and burnishing us into a wonderful rich (and dare I say - aged!) patina. Gold represents the treasure hidden inside each of us (which is The Holy Spirit - that same spirit who is with us in the peaks and valleys of life, and even who was there with me in the quiet of my studio co-creating along side of me). Gold represents the riches of our inheritance because God himself is the source of all abundance.
The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is a really cool picture of this whole concept - because it is by faith we journey with our great God, by faith we trust in his promises, and by faith we join those who have sojourned before us - so I will conclude with verses 13-16 from that chapter - “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a City.”