Your Kingdom Come

Many of you will recognize such a familiar phrase as "Your Kingdom Come" from the Lord's Prayer, and I am thankful it is that--a prayer-- because asking God to do it is much easier than trying to achieve it myself. I have recently discovered just how deeply personal this petition is, how the Kingdom of God exists right inside of each Christian, transforming fragile paper-like creations into strong, beautiful new ones as we grow in love and knowledge of God.

Sometimes growth and transformation is painful, like when you learn an unexpected life lesson that exposes how not-nice you really are. Not-nice is an understatement, the more you compare it to how we're designed to be.....how we will be, one day, living in a New City made of pearls and jewels and precious stones.

"Your Kingdom Come: tear another strip off me"
Chalk Pastel on Stonehenge, approx 16 x 20"
© 2014 Lisa Smouter

I think I will try more drawings on this theme. I liked the mass of white paper that takes up so much more space than the pearly texture behind it. All that "white space" makes it difficult to photograph well, though. Let me know if you're interested in a print, and I'll have it professionally done up.

detail of "Your Kingdom Come: tear another strip off me"
Chalk Pastel on Stonehenge
© 2014 Lisa Smouter

If you'd like to see this piece in person, it's hanging at Flagship Gallery in downtown Hamilton (237 James St. North). It's part of a show called "A Tale of Two Kingdoms" which was in conjunction with this year's True City Conference.

Special thanks to Dr. Ted VanRaalte for this sermon, which brought me from in-church sketches to this final piece. (Any other creative-types out there find that sitting in church is great for generating visual metaphors?) Hopefully more to come!

Blessings,

LS

Spring Sketches

"Wuff! Wuff" ... my 1 year old little girl was very excited about this drawing.

Chalk pastel is an easy thing to work with when kids are around. I am a GOOD sharer. Just don't touch my drawing--or you will see my authoritative side...

Tucker (Portrait of a Boxer Dog), chalk pastel on mat board.
Approx. 9 x 12"
Copyright 2013 Lisa Smouter

To gear up for summer, kids and teens are welcome to visit the studio for a few hours of drawing or painting. It's another Studio Day, which has been a long time coming! We'll get creative with a box of TimBits...or rather, with our hearts, minds and art supplies. The TimBits can just be some good old-fashioned fuel.... :)

Please spread the word to friends or family who may be interested!

Email me for details, or to sign up.

And of course, I'm still accepting registrations for summer Art Camp! You can visit www.artandmusicstudio.com/artcamp for information or to register.

I'll be teaching at the Aldershot studio in July (2 weeks), and at Cornerstone CanRC church in Hamilton in August (1 week).

Lastly, some of you know I've recently committed to a new gallery on James St. N. The space is currently being renovated, and we hope to open in June. This means I'll be concentrating more on creating original work for sale.

This past week has driven me to my sketchbook out of need to creatively "vent" -- so perhaps something beautiful will come of it. The heart-breaking story of Tim Bosma has gripped so many of us for a week--metaphors for this injustice and pain have been piling up in my sketchbook....

Until next time...

Lisa

For and by the kids

A while ago I started singing this little poem I made up:

I'm a Mom by day,
A Painter by night,
My hubby does the dishes,
And the family's alright.

Then we got a dishwasher. 

Painting time is in short supply here, especially since my latest project is a very large acrylic--and the paint dries by the time I'm done changing a diaper :)

So here's a little chalk drawing I did last week in between daily tasks.....

Little Baby Curls (Josie Amanda)
Chalk Drawing on Stonehenge, approx 4 x 6"

I'm thinking of doing a gallery style wall in my girls' room, along with this beautifully mysterious painting done by my daughter Anne: 

Eclipse, by Anne Smouter
Acrylic paint and Crayon on Canvas board, 9 x 12"

....This has me dreaming about the summertime, and Art Camp!!....hmmm....

Till next time!

Chalk it up to an Education

It seems that all the flyers stuffed in my newspaper are announcing the return of school....

Why are they in such a hurry? Summer is in high gear, and as far as this blog goes I'm still stuck in June! Here are some photos of my latest assignment, a chalk pastel drawing commissioned by a School Board as a gift for a departing principal.

Still Life drawing
Chalk Pastel on Stonehenge, approx. 14x16"
Copyright 2012 Lisa Smouter

Remember those assignments where the parameters are so wide open, it consequently leaves your eyes wide open at night trying to figure out what to do?

This was one of those.

Good Old-Fashioned Portraiture

Annie, 2 years old.
Conte and pencil on Stonehenge, approx. 6 x 6"
Copyright 2012 Lisa Smouter

Recently I have lost the motivation to draw from photographs. 

Yup. And I'm positive that my sister-in-law (read Kara Lodder Photography) is to blame. 

Her photos are so gorgeous, artwork in their own right. The proliferation of fantastic photos of my children has temporarily discouraged me from putting all the effort into sketching from photos. 

Unless the photo is not particularly beautiful, even when PhotoShopped.