Everyone has a story. My story is one of pain and heartbreak. Never believing I was worthy of being the first one picked, but settling for being the last one picked - if at all. Most of this wrong mindset comes from a traumatic childhood: parents divorced when I was 8 years old, leading to years of emotional abuse and neglect by my stepmother. I had no hope for a brighter future until I left that home after I graduated high school. I should say that I barely graduated high school. I didn't know it at the time, but I had severe learning disabilities that caused tremendous difficulties with reading. I didn't read a book cover-to-cover until after high school.
In my early twenties I had become a Christian. A man invited me to a small group Bible study at his house. This man ended up spending three years discipling me, guiding me through study of the scriptures, and helping me to understand and practice spiritual disciplines. One time I shared that I had trouble reading. The group prayer for God to unlock my brain and He showed up! Since that night I've been able to read and write just fine, although there are still residual effects from this ailment that plague me from time-to-time. I still mis-spell words, switch letters, and transpose numbers once in a while.
At the core of who I am I want to edify others and help them draw closer to the living God. During the Bible study I would often see vivid images in my mind when I prayed for others. As I began painting I found that I could use the gift I've been given to put those images on canvas for others to see as well.
I tell stories by painting them so that others can be moved by them, but that's only the beginning of the story. People are able to blend their story into the visuals of my work and be moved more than I could imagine. It becomes a partnership of creativity that is unique for each individual.
When people first started to ask about my work, the number one question was always: What does it mean? I used to flip the question around and ask they it means to the person asking. However, I soon realized that they were drawn to a piece because they wanted to know more about my story or the "why" behind the painting. I now see this question as a way to reveal my heart to others. The get to learn a little about my journey, how God has used me, and then connect that back to a personal experience for themselves. I've had people share that my work has brought them back to a fond memory, transported them to a new place in their life, given them courage, hope, peace, and even brought physical healing to their bodies.
Let me be clear, I do not believe that I am a healer. However, all of my work is created through prayer and partnership with the Holy Spirit, so it doesn't surprise me that miraculous things take place when people see them. In fact, I expect people who see them to have an encounter with the Living God. From this perspective, there is always so much more to each piece than that I put into them. That is what makes them special. This partnership between me, the Holy Spirit, and the viewer is what connects people to my work.
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