Oil on Panel
20″ x 16″
Available
Psalm 119:11- Thy Word I Have Treasured in My Heart
Here in the United States Bibles are a “dime a dozen.” Over one million Bibles are sold per year, yet, Bible knowledge is pretty minimal if you talk to the average person on the street.
In Africa, the Bible is not as available. Those who receive Bibles treat them like gold. This painting portrays an African Christian who treasures her Bible. She carries it everywhere and holds it close to her heart as she turns her eyes heavenward. She shares the Good News about Jesus Christ to those she comes in contact with even though it puts her in grave danger.
Thy Word I Have Treasured in My Heart is painted on masonite board coated with five layers of Renaissance marble gesso and supported on back with oak strips of wood. The majority of the painting is in the blue-grey ten-value azuraccio palette. I chose to paint the Bible in red to symbolize the blood of Christ shed for our sins. The Bible, the word of God, is painted at the Golden Mean ratio both vertically and horizontally because it is the focus of attention.
After one year of drying I will coat it with several layers of damar varnish. It should last hundreds of years and can be passed down to future generations if treated with care and kept out of direct sunlight.