When I first met Ally, I saw in her a living painting awaiting artistic expression. Her parents and I shared a common faith in Christ, and I was most pleased when they supported my desire to portray Ally using the enduring medium of oil on canvas. In “Blossom in Ruins: Ally at the Scottney-Hever castles in Bath, England,” I chose to juxtapose youthful innocence and weathered antiquity. Notice Ally’s downward glance of contemplation, the stability of her thumb on the sweet pea flowers, the passive repose of the palm of her other hand, the strength of her supporting leg, and the backward step of the other. Fine detailing is evident in the headband, the roses on Ally’s velour crimson dress, and the geraniums, irises, and wildflowers. The ancient walkway leads to a darkened portal of mystery. This painting could be considered a bridge between 19th century French realism and 21st century global realism. Did you notice the cracked planter with the carved cherub? Did you find the variations in the architectural sandstone in the archway, the building, and beneath the geranium planter? I particularly enjoyed the green ivy gently caressing the immovable, hewn sandstone along one age-worn corner.
The depth of the preciousness of childhood is found in the verses with which I signed the painting in 2011, Matthew 18:3-5. “And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.’”
