Let Your Life Speak

I finally finished the first painting for our new house we get possession of end of May! SO excited!! This simple quote has been swimming around in my heart and soul for a long time, and for me, it sums up how I want to live my life.

It's not about saying what you believe, it's about living it.

It's HOW we live.

It's HOW we love.

I want my life to speak for itself. What my friends and loved ones say about me when I am not in the room. And after I am gone, how will my life have made an impact in others? If I live authentically - in the good and the bad, and love the absolute best I can.... then I will just let my life speak for itself.

UPDATES COMING!

Things have been so busy in and out of the studio with work that I am not allowed to post. HOWever, I am working on some other stuff I can post, and WILL do that soon! Plus...working on a blog re-design.

Stay tuned!!

My story of grace.

Sunday, November 18, 2012 marked a huge milestone in my life. After 14 years of journeying and struggling with reconciling my sexuality with my faith, finding peace, and marrying the woman of my dreams... I was asked to share my story.

At church.

What a miracle that was to me! It was truly one of the most moving, humbling and blessed days in my entire life. Our church community truly loves us as Jesus does, and it moves my spirit deeply within.

Click here to listen to the audio of my story. It's the one entitled "A Story of Grace."

Our amazing church in North Vancouver, The Cove, also has their sermons available for free on iTunes here.

Also, my amazing friend Kori Ashton posted it on LesBePure - an amazing online community for Christian lesbians. Click here to see it.
 

Happily ever after indeed :)

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Ghandi

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Ghandi

   This statement has impacted me for years. Throughout my 12 year struggle to reconcile my sexuality with my faith, one thing I kept close to my heart was the hope that one day I could contribute to positive change. Positive change in how the gay community views Christians... And in how Christians view gay people. What a huge priviledge - and responsibility - to have one foot in each camp.

    Not only that - although for obvious reasons this is a large focus in my life - but I have always prayed to be a catalyst for positive-ness. That is why I love this statement. That is why I got this tattoo.
 

   Be - it is a verb. It implies action. Don't just wish it was better. Make it better.

   The - implies singular. I  do believe one person can make a huge change.

   Change - another verb. This world can be pretty messed up - but the change starts with you. And it can start today.

    What sort of legacy do I want to leave? Some paintings and drawings, sure. But more than that - I want to pour into peoples lives. Our lives are so incredibly short, and we only get one try. I want to be an ambassador of hope. Of grace. Of compassion. Of joy. Of gratefulness. Of love. As cheesy as that sounds.

    I have been treated poorly, I have been hurt deeply, I have been accused of a lot of horrible things because I choose to live my life in total honesty - embracing being gay as a Christian. People I love have written me off, and assumed a lot of things about me because of this. This tattoo, wrapped around my right wrist, reminds me every day - no matter what - to respond in love. To extend that grace that has been extended to me, even when (especially when) it doesn't make sense.

    To be - the - change I so deeply wish to see around me.

    What an honor that is.

 

Home Made Valentines for my Valentine

I painted a Valentine for Tams and gave it to her tonight. My favourite gift to give people is art.... and especially when "they" are my beautiful wife.  :)

And a couple more I made for the "series":

Water, the Hub of Life.

I was asked to be involved in a great campaign called "Art for Water". They got over 100 artists to donate an original piece, and they would all go up on an online catalog, where people could order prints. All the proceeds of the catalog are going to build new wells in countries that are gravely short on clean water.

Anyway, a thumbail of my piece is above... I was inspired by the quote above that I found by an old philosopher. Water is so integral to sustaining any kind of life, and we all take it so for granted here in the West.

Click on my thumbnail to see my page in the catalog, and peruse the many amazing pieces! It would make a great Christmas gift, and a chance to pay it forward  :)

There is beauty everywhere.

I walk through Gastown on my way to the studio here in downtown Vancouver twice a day, Monday to Friday. Many of those days, I see people who are just wandering through the streets, wearing the same worn outfit every day. They all tug at my heart, as I become more and more painfully aware that I am fortunate enough to wear a clean, dry and almost new outfit every day, under a warm jacket, carrying a backpack with a lunch, on my way to a job which pays me quite well in the scheme of things.

There is one man in particular who has captured my heart. I usually see him either sitting in Starbucks to warm up as I walk by the window, or slowly making his way up the street, just to keep moving. I believe God is opening my eyes to see true and simple beauty, in that there is such beauty in all of these wandering souls that we so easily pass by and try not to make eye contact.

This morning I walked by him once again, always attempting to look him right in the eyes so I can at least give him a smile. At least acknowledge that he is a beautiful soul, perfectly made by God, and not forgotten like he may feel. I couldn't get him out of my head, so I drew him when I got to work.

I am thankful for him, for walking by him everyday to remind me of my own humanity, and to redefine my definition of beauty.

I will be drawing more often.

That time change...

The time changed last weekend, and I couldn't believe how much of a difference it made! Now when I leave work at 5pm, it feels like 9:30pm.

Sneaky time change!!

Back to the Hoverboard!

My posting has been lacking. Life + work has been taking up my focus, and while I have a contrillion idears swimming about in my noggin, I haven't had enough time to get them on paper/screen just yet.

THAT being said.... I made a hoverboard! A friend of mine suggested that I should be Marty [a la Back to the Future] for Halloween, and since those movies are borderline an obsession for me, I wholeheartedly jumped on that train!

The pics are the proof. And now I have a hoverboard and it makes me SO HAPPY. [See above.]

Starting the process... you can see the pic of the hoverboard on my iPad - I just eyeballed it as I painted and hoped for the best!

The finished product on my desk at work - and I won Most Original Costume for my efforts, yay!

I even found the photos online from the first and third movies, as well as the Save the Clock Tower flyer - it's about the details people!

A striking resemblance!!

Love en Pariee!

I was commissioned to do a painting as a wedding gift for a couple who live in Poland, but they fell in love in Paris. One of the pics I used as a reference for them, was them sharing a Canada Dry gingerale. I was informed they recieved the painting this past weekend for their wedding, and they loved it! Yay for love and painting!

GCN 2012 Conference

In the meandering journeys of this life of mine, I have come upon an amazing ministry / organization that I believe in, whole-heartedly. So to say I am thrilled to have been able to design some of this year's conference materials, is putting it lightly. It is called GCN, or the Gay Christian Network, headed up by Justin Lee.

I have to be honest, I have not yet been to a GCN conference, but I would love for Tams and I to attend this one - in Orlando, January 2012! To find out more, click on the image above - which is this year's theme. Keep on shining your light, GCN! I am cheering you on, all the way.

Poncho = cape.

Another great line [which turned into a drawring] from one o' my favs, "Modern Family", back in Season 1. Gloria is talking to Jay about Manny wanting to wear his poncho to school, and she says to him "A poncho is just a cape that goes all the way around!"

[Insert loud chuckle here!]

Painted panda.

Fiddling around in Flash, trying to paint like I am in Photoshop. 'Tis tricky, but always fun to try new things in a totally different style than my usual....

Cheese please?

Aww... he had no idea.

Yesterday we were outside and a little woodpecker did this next door to our house. Tee-hee.

Best eavestrougher in the West. Or--central.

My dad owns his own eavestroughing bi'ness back in Winnipeg called "Quality Eavestroughing" - and it surely is! He is a major perfectionist, and is amazing at all he does. So after over 35 years of doing amazing work, he finally got voted best eavestroughing business for 2011! I decided to caricature him and his award for the occasion.

When I showed this to my dad, he laughed for over 5 minutes. His safari hat and signature yellow suspenders made this look just like him! If you knew him, you'd see it :)

Go dad!

One week Sunday!!!

It's been a long and winding, yet beautiful, journey with the one I truly love with my entire being by my side. To be her wife will to make me the happiest, most fulfilled and thankful woman in the world. I can't wait to wake up every morning and look at that ring on my finger. I am humbled and in awe of all that real love can do :)

Flickr.... finally.

I caved and joined yet another online social media...thingie. Click on the logo to peruse my visualness.

And yet....I am continuing to resist Twitter!!

Love to Cora.

A good friend of ours just had a precious little girl this week who was born with a hole in her heart. Today she is having open heart surgery, and we are sending our prayers and love to her!!

Dancing a jig.

I had some time waiting for more approved designs here at work today, so I just started sketching in Flash and this little dancing alien showed himself. Little varmint.

Go dance yerself a jig today!