Perseverance

Of course I’ve long known that, for many collectors, there is an inspirational quality to my art. I have been told how much the paintings have meant in times of distress, and I feel blessed to be able to offer my good friends that spiritual comfort. But I must confess that I’ve never set out to create a painting that explicitly illustrates a foundational live value – until now.

Perseverance, the first in my Life Values Collection, is truly something new for me. Call it a homily in paint and canvas. When I began to write about the lessons I’ve learned in living, I came to understand the connection between my beliefs and art. Perseverance is inspired by a real moment of doubt and determination. Sailing in a friend’s schooner far out beyond Monterey Bay, we found ourselves swallowed in a fog bank unable to see the shore. I wondered whether, if a storm broke out, we would have the courage and faith to make our way to shore.

The storm does strike in Perseverance; thunder crashes, sails billow, waves toss the fragile boat. We see that the clouds are about to break. The sea will calm; the sailor’s perseverance will soon be rewarded by a return to God’s safe haven. Like the dove that flew to Noah as a sign of God’s provision, seagulls circle above the boat in my painting as a reminder that safety lay just over the horizon. Perhaps this painting can assure each of us that if we can simply persevere, God’s hand of love will soon disperse each storm we face.