Get to Know My Style
This gallery is a great place to get a feel for the style of my painting and also my storytelling that goes with each piece. All of the artwork in this gallery has been sold, but I am always working on new pieces—commissioned ones and also scenes and stories I want to create. The best way to see work currently in progress is to follow my Instagram stories and message me there if you’d like to inquire about it. If you’re interested in commissioning me to create a painting that tells a story you’d like to see on your wall, let’s talk. Thanks for stopping by!
STARS IN THE SEA
24x30 Acrylic
THE STORIES STAY
24X30 Acrylic
CITY ON A HILL
24X30 Acrylic
KEEPER OF THE KEYS
8x10 Acrylic
THE FIRST FOREST (CREATION)
24X30 Acrylic
(1st of a 4-painting commissioned series)
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” ~ James 1:17
There once was a forest where nothing died. The trees grew tall but didn’t crowd one another or fight for their place in the light. They lived in the light as did everything else. A great and gentle King ruled the forest and everyone loved him. The two children who lived there were no exception. They delighted in the King and he delighted in them. Sometimes they walked with him or rode on his broad shoulders as he told them stories about the forest and the many mysteries it held.
The children knew that the forest was full of wonders, and none of them were forbidden. Except one.
THE DOOR TO DARKNESS (THE FALL)
24X30 Acrylic
(2nd of a 4-painting commissioned series)
“For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” ~ Romans 1:21
An ancient tree grew deep in the forest, and in it was a door. This was no uncommon thing as there were many doors in the forest. Some lead to outer space, others to underwater kingdoms or cities in the clouds.
But this door was different. The King commanded that it must stay closed, for opening it would surely lead to darkness and despair. So the door remained shut and locked…until one day, an ink-black bird gave two children a key to the door. “The King is keeping the best part of the forest to himself,” squawked the bird. The children knew the law. They knew the King. But they wondered—could an even more wonderful place lay beyond the door? So they unlocked and opened it.
Instantly, long black ribbons of smoke slithered out of the door, wrapped around the children, and pulled them into the darkness. Away from the forest. Away from the King.
But the King’s love was more powerful than the darkness…
THE KING’S LIGHT (REDEMPTION)
24X30 Acrylic
(3rd of a 4-painting commissioned series)
“The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those who were in the land and the shadow of death, upon them a light dawned.” ~ Matthew 4:16
The children fell down, down, down. They fell into a shadow-world of hard edges, of gears churning relentlessly forward, of laws, and contradiction and confusion—there they walked and crawled and finally sat, in the darkness.
But the King loved the children with such a powerful love that no door was strong enough to keep him out. The darkness weakened and gave way before his brilliant light which chased after the children into the shadow-world and poured down on them like water. Wonder returned to their hearts and minds. In the King’s light, they could see more clearly.
They still saw a world of hard edges, of gears churning relentlessly forward, of laws, contradiction and confusion. But now, bathed in the light, they also saw glimmers of the King everywhere they looked. They were filled with hope and joy, but also with deep longing for their old home in The First Forest.
HOME (RESTORATION)
24x30 Acrylic
(4th of a 4-painting commissioned series)
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’ And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’” ~ Revelations 21:3-5
The King’s light exposed paths through the dark world which
the children couldn’t have seen on their own. As they walked along these paths they found work that needed doing—tightening a loose gear or replacing a bit of pipe. Since the children didn’t know the purpose of the gears or pipes, sometimes their work seemed pointless. But they came to believe that in some mysterious way, the work they did was truly done for the King. More mysteriously still—as they worked in the light, the King was working on them.
One day the King’s light lit a path that lead to a dead end. The children were confused. Until now they had never found a boundary to the dark world. It had seemed to spread out limitless in all directions. They tried walking back the way they’d come, but it was too dark to get very far. Clearly, they were meant to be at this place. They pressed against the wall, looking for a way through, but it was all hard stone—unbudging. Had the King’s light finally run out?
Suddenly, the gears which had been grinding along in their usual way began to slow, and then stop. Silence filled the dark world. Then came a foreign sound—the sound of a forest. The children heard leaves rustling, bird-song trilling, the wind blowing. They jumped at the tickle of grass growing beneath their feet! The wall before them split open into two arched doors. In that moment, the children knew they were home. The First Forest embraced them and spilled into the vast dark world, making everything beautiful.
And so the King, whose love was more powerful than the darkness, had brought the children to an end that was a beginning.
INKLING THE SQUIRREL
20X20 Acrylic
Lucilla sat for hours in the twisty tree. There she listened to Inkling, the Woodland King, tell tales ofgirls and boys, dragons and towers, castles and courage. But her favorite stories of all were of the Night Rabbit— that mysterious rescuer who springs from the shadows, leaving a trail of sparkling hope behind him.
RESCUE FROM THE OLD SONG
20X20 Acrylic
The old song was one of creaking limbs and cold torrents of air. It held the forest captive. The trees were bare, nothing bloomed, and all seemed dead as a snapped twig. A girl grew up in this sad, lonely place and the old song filled her heart. One day a bird flew into the forest—a simple brown bird—not much to look at. But as the bird sang, it’s song filled the forest like water fills an empty cup all the way to the brim, and it overflowed into the girl’s heart. And everything changed.
CHRISTMAS MOUNTAIN
10x10 Acrylic
UNLOCKED
10x10 Acrylic
A GOOD WORD
20X20 Acrylic
Cinderella. Her life was bleak— a cold, gray world of obligation and poverty. But a good word changed everything. A good word can remind us of who we are or who we want to be. It can bring color flooding back into the black and white world that imprisons us. It can awaken wonder. A good word transforms the hearer.
AMELIA AND THE LOVE BIRD
20X24 Acrylic
Amelia stood at the edge of an enchanted forest. The Edge was beautiful—sparkling in sunlight. But Amelia was afraid to move beyond The Edge where shadows cloaked the forest in deep mystery. She might have turned back if it weren’t for the bird—bright as a red paper lantern. As soon as she saw it her heart gave a tug. Somehow in that moment her heart was linked to the heart of the bird. So she followed it. She had no choice. But if she’d had one, she still would have followed. Even to the end of the earth.
WONDER
24X30 Acrylic
Have you ever felt small and insignificant? It’s an unpleasant sensation. For me, it comes when I compare myself to other people who are more successful or beautiful or impressive than I. But have you ever felt that magical sort of smallness that comes from standing at the base of an enormous blue-green mountain? Or staring up into the branches of an ancient, mossy tree? That is a different kind of feeling. It’s the kind that whispers, “You’re small and special. You’re a tiny treasured part of a vast and beautiful plan.”
A MEETING OF MINDS
20X20 Acrylic
Don’t you love those blue-sky days when the clouds are extra puffy and the birds are singing all around? It was just such a day, the first day of Fall, when a little girl noticed a large blackbird eyeing her from way up high in her favorite climbing tree. It was only a bit peculiar how carefully he watched her, and only slightly more peculiar how desperately he sang as he watched. But it was wonderfully strange when his song turned to words calling her up! up! up! He sang:
Come, be swift!
Not a second to lose!
Climb barefoot—
Never mind your shoes.
I need your help.
There’s little time.
Climb up and we’ll have
A meeting of minds!”
ELSEWHERE
20X24 Acrylic
Some children are constantly reminded to pay attention. Their minds just won’t stay in the room with them. Their thoughts wander from the classroom, out the window, to a place that I call Elsewhere. It’s an underrated and generally unwanted talent to to travel so swiftly with one’s mind. But what adventures those children are having at the moment their classmates are copying a mathematical formula from the blackboard! They might be on the high seas with pirates, or wandering through a magical village beneath a mysterious mountain. I wonder...what if someday classes are offered to unimaginative children on The Art of Daydreaming? Then some kids will be told many times a day to stop paying attention. I’ll tell you where you can find classes like that—Elsewhere.
IN THE HALL OF THE MUSHROOM QUEEN
24X24 Acrylic
My brother and I were making believe in the woods behind our house, when we heard a voice talking low and ordering someone about. My brother and I crept quietly, and peaked from behind a tree. There on a mossy throne of rock, we saw the Mushroom Queen. We spied on her for half an hour arguing what to do, when suddenly we realized she was spying on us too!
DREAM
20X20 Acrylic
Have you ever thought how curious it is that up above all the solid things of earth, drift the soft billowy clouds? What a contrast! The clouds teach us to wonder. They teach us to consider the sky—how big it is and how small we are. They teach us to dream.
DRAWING NEAR
24X30 Acrylic
Have you ever seen fireflies lighting up one bit of woods while the rest of the forest remains dark? I wonder what draws them to one place over another? The two children in this painting are drawing near to just such a spot. A point of land across the water is lit up like Fairyland. It has called them to come and explore. The night is dark but their eyes are fixed on the lights ahead. What will they find when they set foot in that sparkling place?
BLESSED ARE THE FEET
20X24 Mixed-Media Acrylic on Gallery Canvas
(Featured in my book "And The Light Comes In")
Most days, I go about my life focused mainly on the things and people around me, and whatever tasks are at the top of my to-do list. I usually don’t live my life as though it’s a story unfolding on a turning blue-green planet in the middle of glittering outer space. The amazing fact that I or anyone else exists at all rarely crosses my mind. I wish it occurred to me more often. If it did, I would likely be a little more bold with the storyline of my life. I think we all have important things to say and do—encouragement to give, forgiveness to offer, hope to share. That’s what this painting is about. The boy is awake to the fact that he has a role to play in the world around him. He’s being bold and courageous.
IN AWE
24x30 Acrylic
LISTEN!
24X24 Acrylic
If you listen faithfully, you’ll hear the robin’s song. And if you let it lead you, you’ll find a robin throng. A whole congregation singing joyfully, in a bird sanctuary In a spanish moss tree!
FISHING FOR STARS
20X24 Acrylic
(Featured in my book "And The Light Comes In")
A reflection lies between heaven and earth—smooth as a pool of glass. It’s no wonder a boy mistook it for a lake. He came to the In Between searching for Bluegill Bream and Largemouth Bass. Won’t he be surprised when he catches stars instead! Stars, moons... maybe even a world or two. Anything is possible in the In Between.
LEAP WITH THE FROGS
12X12 Acrylic
Dance with the butterflies, buzz with the bees, hop with the bunnies, sway with the trees. Twirl with the wildflowers, jump with the trout, waltz with the dandelions—try it all out! Sing with the birds, leap with the frogs, stretch with the kitty cats, run with the dogs. All of this, up in the blue—I can do it, and so can you!
INTO THE CLOUDS
20X20 Acrylic
The girl in this painting was having a perfectly ordinary day until she looked up. What a sight! The sky is so beautiful she’s distracted from all the ordinary thoughts that were recently swirling around her head. I wonder if she realizes she’s off the ground? When I fix my mind on Heaven, my perspective broadens. The world around me looks different than it did, leaving me quicker to forgive and more open to love.
THE GLORIOUS FLIGHT TO COME
24X30 Mixed-Media Acrylic
(Featured in my book "And The Light Comes In")
This is a painting of the hope of Heaven and how that hope chases fear away. See how the one little girl has her arm around the other and is pointing heavenward? I think everyone needs a friend to do that sometimes—to remind us how lovely the sky is, how big God is, and how loved we are.
INVITATION TO WONDER
18X24 Mixed-Media Acrylic
(Featured in my book "And The Light Comes In")
HOP WITH THE BUNNIES
12X12 Acrylic
Dance with the butterflies, buzz with the bees, hop with the bunnies, sway with the trees. Twirl with the wildflowers, jump with the trout, waltz with the dandelions—try it all out! Sing with the birds, leap with the frogs, stretch with the kitty cats, run with the dogs. All of this, up in the blue—I can do it, and so can you!
A GAP IN THE CLOUDS
20X20 Acrylic
fun to sail through the clouds? These two boys would be quick to say it’s only fun if you know where you are. The clouds can be disorienting. Thankfully at this moment they’re catching a glimpse of clear night sky. I believe God loves people. I believe He loves me. But these beliefs are always slipping out of my mind. I’m distracted by everyday circumstances. I forget to truly love others and I forget that I’m truly loved. Reminders come into my days often—sometimes through the words of a friend or the lyrics of a song. These are like a gap in the clouds. They set me back on course and give me hope.
WALTZ WITH THE DANDELIONS
12X12 Acrylic
Dance with the butterflies, buzz with the bees, hop with the bunnies, sway with the trees. Twirl with the wildflowers, jump with the trout, waltz with the dandelions—try it all out! Sing with the birds, leap with the frogs, stretch with the kitty cats, run with the dogs. All of this, up in the blue—I can do it, and so can you!
THE NIGHT RABBIT
18X24 Mixed-Media Acrylic
(Featured in my book "And The Light Comes In")
I’m amazed at how a kind word, an inspiring story, or even just a good walk under tall trees can lift me up out of brooding, sad thoughts. One afternoon, as I was going for one of my long walks under tall trees, I was thinking about how suddenly darkness can lift—even when it seems like it could go on forever. That’s when I envisioned The Night Rabbit. It immediately made me smile—that shadow-black bunny, with a shimmering glow of hope around him. He represents all those wonderful thoughts, and beautiful scenes that can sneak up on you even as you were right in the middle of a brooding, sad thought. I believe God sends those hopeful ideas and that’s why they’re powerful. I love The Night Rabbit!
STAR CHILDREN IN THE MOON TREE
20X24 Mixed-Media Acrylic
(Featured in my book "And The Light Comes In")
I’m scared of heights. I realized this years ago when I was at the tip top of a terribly high roller coaster—that part where you’re moving slowly but you know you’re about to be moving quickly. That’s when I knew I preferred moving slowly and being low to the ground. My most unfavorite height would be if I were an astronaut in outer space looking back at the earth. I would miss the green so much, and the sounds of birds chirping and children laughing and life happening. There are times that feel a little bit like outer space. Loneliness feels that way to me. I hate loneliness. I hate it like I hate heights. This painting is about life glowing bright even in those outer space times. It’s about choosing to look for good, sparkly, hopeful thoughts right in the middle of the darkness.
PRAYERS FOR THE CITY
8X8 Acrylic
What a beautiful sight— way up high—looking down on the city below. From so far away, you can't see the messiness of everyday life. But it's there. Inside the houses, down the streets, in backyards, and alleys, in cars and under trees—people are in need. What if we prayed for the people as we passed by? If we remembered to pray, what amazing things might come next?
UNDER THE SLEEPING TREES
20X20 Acrylic
The girl in this painting is a believer. She believes that Spring is coming—that the trees are not dead but only sleeping. And so she walks, sometimes boldly and other times timidly, always in the light of the promise of Spring.
GLOW
30X40 Mixed-Media Acrylic
The lights in this tree are stubborn. They insist on burning their low, steady light in celebration of life. Life—with its green, growing hope. The lights won’t wait for blades of grass to reach up from the ground. They won’t wait for leaves to dot the branches of the twisty tree or for the sun to break through the gloom. They celebrate now—in the hazy darkness—because they know that dawn is coming.
VIEW FROM THE STAR TREE
20X20 Acrylic
Violet stood at the base of the star tree calling up to her orange stripy cat. "Fiddle!" she cried (the cat's name was Fiddle). "If you come down, I'll give you a saucer of milk!" But Fiddle completely ignored her. Violet decided to climb the star tree. She was irritated with Fiddle for ignoring her, and she scolded him as she climbed. But when she got to the branch where he was sitting, she forgot her irritation. From here she could see the cloudy sky stretching out in front of her like a dream. No wonder Fiddle didn't want to come down. So from way up in the star tree, Violet and Fiddle watched the clouds together.
DRAW THE HEAVENS NEAR
10x10 Acrylic