"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.

 

At Christmas, love is all around.

"Across the years, I will walk with you in deep green forests and shores of sand, and when our time on earth is through, in heaven too, I will hold your hand. xoxo"



About a week ago, I found this amazing quote whilst on my searches through the neverending net. It immediately made me think of the amazing woman in my life that I will marry in five short months, and how much she truly means to me.

So, of course, I thought of designing a painting around this quote and surprising her for Christmas. I could only work on it while she was at work, and made sure to clean up all my painting jazz every day before she got home, so she would be none the wiser! I designed it around our bedroom colours, so it could hang above our bed. All the text took me quite a while to paint, but I was very happy to finish in time!! I think it was a success...see pics for proof. :)

The final painting; 12" x 36", acrylic on canvas.

I am in awe at the blessings in my life.
Merry Christmas to one and all!

Paintings for the kidlets!

Further to a post a while ago, about designing some paintings for kidlets.... here are how the finals turned out! What fun; I'd love to do more like these. And the best part - the kids loved 'em! That's means the most to moi :)

12" x 24"; acrylic on canvas.

16" x 16"; acrylic on canvas.

11" x 14"; acrylic on canvas.

The Soul Striders

Here's a quick little logo job I did a couple days ago for our church's dragonboat team.

Go Striders!

UPDATE: The race was this past Sunday, Sept 13, 2010, and the team did a great job! Here's a couple photos from the event!

Hawaiian Hooligans photos

Click on the photo to see an online photo book of our adventures in Kauai, Hawaii for a film festival last November! What an amazing trip on an amazing island!!

Life changes :)

So much happens in life, you can never plan it! Mine has been really busy the last few weeks, I'm working on some paintings and story ideas and all that jazz...but click on the pic above to see what has been taking up most of my time..... :)

Evolution of a painting....a la Moulin Rouge.

I went away to Winnipeg Beach this past week to take on the [ad]venture of doing a large-esque painting for my cousin Brandi. We were chatting in her hot tub a few weeks ago, and she mentioned that they are looking for a big piece of art for their big blank wall, and me being the ever-eager gal with a paintbrush, I volunteered myself to take on the task! Good thing she trusted me :)

Here's how it all came together. Painting is good for the soul!

After I designed the painting on my computer, from pieces of photos and vintage French paintings, I printed out a life-size template in letter-sized panels, to transfer onto the canvas. [Which is 5 foot x 3 foot.] This is me outwardly saying ACK! I am going to paint this! :) I love a good challenge.

This is in Wpg Beach now, getting it all set up to start the painting process!

Smiling with a blank canvas! [Before the work began :) ]

Gettin' all the paints and pallettes and brushes and jazz ready to rock!

I mixed the background colour, and began to give it a good thick coat! I love painting with a big brush, it's so liberating! [I am a painting geek, aren't I?]

Lookit the speed of my brush, it's like SuperBrush!

After the bg colour dried, I began the arduous process of measuring and uber-carefully transferring the template onto the canvas. Since it was in pieces, and had so much detail, I had to make SURE it was completely accurate. I didn't breathe much through these few hours!

Yay, finally beginning the painting, near the end of Day 1!

It's tough to paint it in portions, mixing and fixing as I go... just because I know how I want it to look at the end of it all, and it's tough to push through the ugly unfinished stages!

Finished the gal in the corner, now moving onto the big letters!

Big brush on the big letters.

It's starting to come together, yahoo!

Now the tower is getting close to done, minus the windmill....

Phew! The windmill is done, WHAT a seige of little straight lines! No breathing there either :)

I took a little lying down break to stretch my back, it's tough to hover over a big canvas, as I found out!

Done the dancing silhouettes...moving onto the last big corner with the 2 ladies on horses.

Startin' on the horses now....stay in the lines, stay in the lines....




Gettin' closer....

Finishing off the wrap-around edges!

Done!! A view from the one side....

....and the other.

Yay! No longer a blank canvas! 4 days & a lot of paint later :)

Yahooooo! Done-o! I learned a lot, and it definitely encouraged me to paint more! I am super pumped it turned out, since I have never painted anything this big before.

Onto the next creative [ad]venture...