Abundant Harvest

For many, the Napa Valley has come to symbolize the incredible fruitfulness of the good earth that God created. With its radiant sunshine, cooling morning mists, fertile land, and abundant annual harvest of grapes, this cloistered valley truly is a piece of paradise. When Jesus performed his first miracle turning water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee, he clearly was celebrating the overflowing of God’s blessings for those who commit their needs to Him. God is truly the giver of all good gifts, and the natural process of growth and harvest each year throughout the globe testifies to this.

In Abundant Harvest, I have portrayed a classic Napa Valley vineyard estate, complete with stately Victorian house, water tower, weathered windmill, and trailing grapevines. How pleasant to sit in the garden gazebo as the morning sun spills over the horizon and contemplate a slower pace of living. Even the ubiquitous hot air balloons that are now a daily feature in Napa Valley, testify to a pace of living as enchanting as a gentle breeze. Though nostalgic, this scene could actually exist today. My painting represents not a specific location in the valley, but an idealized vision of the timeless beauty and energy of this region.