We are living in some crazy, unpredictable, historic and ever changing times aren't we?!
Where do I start?
It's utterly overwhelming trying to figure out how to put my opinions and feelings into words.
This year is a rollercoaster of days when you're good, you got this, and then days when it's all you can do to just make it through the day without crying. There is so much turmoil, hate, politics, opinions, and just all around negativity swirling around right now. Always in our faces no matter where you turn!
- Don't bother turning on the news, that will ruin your whole day!
- Stay off your Facebook news feed if you don't want to feel beaten down by the incessant negative comments and name calling.
- Heck, even turning on the the weather channel is risky! Find out which hurricane is coming your way or what mass wildfire is sweeping the area!
I have to keep reminding myself that this is all in God's hands. He was not surprised by ANY of it. He knew it was coming and he knows what it will be like on the other side. We just have to have faith, hold on, and we will get there! John 16:33 reminds us,
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Last week, I had one of those bad days. I kept searching for the good and trying to focus only on that. I knew I had to get into my craft room and open my bible. I read a few of my favorite comforting verses and then decided to write. I got out my sketchbook and just started writing! I wrote down my feelings, fears, thoughts and prayers until I was out of room. It felt so good to get it out. Then, I covered it all up! Have you tried that? What you have in your heart and your private prayers is between you and God. No one else needs to see or read them, unless you want them too. But there is something so therapeutic about writing it all down and completely covering it up with art. I took some photos while I was creating this piece because I knew it would have a lot of steps and layers. Here is some of my process.
I used a large gelli plate and rolled black, grey and purple acrylic paint all over it in a random fashion and pressed it onto my page to cover up all of my writing. After drying the paint I added some random rips of washi tape around the page to add some texture.
This was so fun and simple I even enlisted a little help from my 4 year old. 😊
The purple paint was her idea, it's her favorite color.
Then I decided to add newspaper clippings from the recent headlines and topics that have caused so much upset currently in our daily lives. Such as protest damage, COVID-19 death toll numbers, distance learning and the digital divide, and a few of the recent tragic deaths that have occurred across the country. I even happen to find a napkin I had in my craft room with the words to the Pledge of Allegiance on there! I thought that was a perfect touch so I added it on there. These were so many of the dark and all consuming topics that we currently face everyday.
That is the darkness surrounding our world right now. But there IS hope. There IS a light. And that light is JESUS. So many in our world have forgotten that! They have lost sight of God and stopped including Him in their daily lives. We have strayed way too far away from his word and his guidance, and we NEED to get back to Him and Him alone! I used a circle gelli plate to create the globe and then hand painted the land. I used both acrylic paint and shimmery gelatos to create the halo around the earth.
And finally, I used the I Am stamp set along with All in All to stamp the text and focal point of this whole piece. There may by too much chaos, anger and hatred in our world right now, but there is also a lot of goodness and light! And us christians need to remain strong and remember to shine God's light, because the whole world really do need to see it right now!!
John 8:12
"I am the light of the world.Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life."
xoxo,
Stephanie Gammon
I Am
All in All
Texture Tiles 3
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