DESPAIR

     While on a trip in England I noticed this interesting door in the Cotswold Village of Burton on the Water. I snapped a picture of the door with future plans to use it in a painting. When looking at the door I also noticed that a name of the homeowner was on the top of the door. An idea came to mind for my painting. I painted the first of a two series painting with the word Despair at the top of the door. The light is off and there are dead leaves on the ground.  To understand the full meaning, this painting needs to be hung side by side with the next painting.

     In the next painting the word Hope is hung on the top of the door. In this painting the light is on, symbolizing company is welcomed. Jesus is standing at the door getting ready to knock. There is no door handle because Jesus will not force entry into your life. He does not take away your free will. You must choose to open the door of your heart from the inside. There are no dead leaves in this picture because Jesus represents new life. There are six rays of light shining down on Jesus from the lamp representing man. Jesus is the seventh ray of light because He is the Light of the world.

     These two paintings are painted on 16″ x 20″ Utrecht premade boards covered with Belgian linen. They are painted using the ala prima method. It was coated with five layers of damar varnish after one year of drying.