Acrylic on Masonite Board8 x 10
I think I was going through an identity crisis. For awhile the idea of self portraits plagued my mind. I was fixated on the idea of doing multiple self portraits that show different parts of my personality or who I wish I was, etc... I only had enough focus to do 2, thus showing my sporadic ADD side of life. In this painting, I really wanted to do something with ASL (American Sign Language). While serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I met some deaf people and fell in love with the deaf culture. I remember the first time I told the story of Joseph Smith when he saw God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ in ASL. The beauty and visual interaction of the language helped me better understand the feelings Joseph Smith was feeling as he was searching for Christ's church. They were feelings of love, desire, hope, confusion, and yearning for something you know is there yet you just can't find it. I believe those are feelings we all have many times in our lives as we search for truth of who we are and our relationship with our Heavenly Father. I tried to illustrate those feelings in my painting. I am the person signing "wanting from God" in ASL. There is a light coming from the upper right to show that God always answers our heartfelt prayers and satisfies our yearnings.
I love this one, and how it is totally you through and through. Love how you included ASL and how you showed it in your picture. The hands are beautiful. Love the coloring and the woods idea. I really like the glow that really does make you think of God answering our prayers. This piece is touching, spiritual, helps us relate and understand you, and shows how much of an amazing artist you are.
ReplyDeleteLaura