Reflections

Stephanie's First Solo Show

 

This Thursday, November 15th, our daughter Stephanie will have a solo show in the cafe at the Gallery at Avalon Island in downtown Orlando. We've updated her web-page to feature some of her latest work. You can check it out through the link to the right.

This picture is one of four paintings Stephanie did for her final project while studying at the School at the Institute of Art of Chicago. She calls the set "The Hope Series". She was inspired by her summer trip to South Africa where she and her sister, Katie, worked among the poor in a village called Qua Qua. As she has gotten educated about the AIDS pandemic in Africa, she noticed that you often see faces of children. She also noticed that associated with those faces are numbers--statistics of orphans and those infected with the HIV virus.

In her paintings the numbers mean something different. They are actually pointers to books, chapters, and verses of the Bible. They are verses of HOPE. So instead of statistics of the spiraling problem, Stephanie points us back to God--the real hope for those suffering.

Father's Arms

Stephanie goes pro! The Curator for the Gallery at Metro saw "Father's Arms" at the Orlando Public Library High School Art Contest. He contacted us and asked for permission to make it one of the three featured pieces for his June-July showing. We had a great time last Thursday in the downtown arts district visiting the various art galleries for the Third Thursdays Events.

This is one of my favorite pieces. Stephanie painted this when she was just 15 years old. The girl in the painting is our second daughter, Katie. When the piece is not being shown, I have it hanging in my office. As the kids grow and start spreading their wings (like going off to Africa and stuff), I often glance up at it and am comforted to know that He has them in His arms.

Weeping King

My daughter Stephanie has been given some amazing gifts. The most precious is her passionate heart. Another, is her ability to express her heart in painting and the arts.

She recently completed "Weeping King". With some insperational music blaring in the background she expressed her passion, love, and concern on canvas.

Depicted in the painting are children who are vicitims of the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Behind them is the strong and regal King. As you look closely, a tear flows from his left eye.

I was very moved when I first saw the painting. I mean, I got emotional. I gave her big hug and just held her as we viewed the painting together. I told her, "You really have captured the heart of God in this piece."

She went on to tell me that you cannot tell if the sun is rising or setting...because the outcome of the pandemic is still not clear...

Check out the link to the right to see some of Stephanie's other work, including, "Peace" an award winning painting about the Invisible Children of Uganda.