Collection: Light in darkness
There's an old Chick Flick from the early noughties staring Mel Gibson as a cocky chauvinistic advertising executive who develops an uncanny ability to hear what women think.
This isn't a movie recommendation but rather a confession that recently I have felt (not heard!) other people's pain and despair.
This series of paintings that form a new exhibition at Foxhill House and Woodlands were born out of prayer for people who were in pain and despair.
Through a number of hurting situations ranging from those close to home to chance meetings with strangers, I have felt in my being a painful empathy.
As I've been moved, I've responded through the only way I know: Painting.
The brush has become my weapon for prayers and as I have painted abstract forms and playfully allowed the paint to flow and create new patterns, my despair has turned to hope. The light breaking through the dark depths I have felt.
It hasn't been a cathartic experience, rather an intercessory one.
Within this painting process, I have been strengthened by meditating on scripture. The Bible is jam packed full of verses that speak of light that can't be overcome by the darkness around it. For example in John's gospel, chapter 1:
'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.'
A paraphrase of the Bible puts it like this: ' What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out.'
This new series of paintings have been a meeting place of:
1) Carrying peoples pain in prayer. Through a mysterious act, of which I can't quite explain, I have somehow vicariously brought with mark making and colour, intercessions on behalf of those I am burdened by.
2) Celebrating light shining in darkness. This has been a declaration of hope. Daring to stand on the ancient promises that I have encountered in The Bible and declaring them for 'now' into desperate situations.
3) Combining the mystery of how 'God made flesh' is also the one who made all things: Galaxies, mountains, sinews and molecules. All things. This maker of light is the One who stands side by side with nail scarred hands with those who find themselves in the darkest valley.
The process of creating these abstract paintings has on occasion taken weeks.
Some of the paintings contain many layers of paint, varnishes, glues and I have used new materials to my creating such as pastels, acrylic inks, powder paints, pigment, acrylic paint, gold leaf, metallic powders and spray paints. I have also used lots of water to organically move the paint on the canvas and to unveil the light beneath the layers of darker colours.
So, what is my hope through the paintings? My prayer is that you will look deeply into them and encounter the mystery of the One who is the light in darkness. The One whom, whilst creating the cosmos, is also the one who comes to share in our sufferings and is here to hold us.
