End of the beginning

2023 New Years Eve. As I sit on Bell’s Beach in Australia listening to the waves crash, surfers waiting to catch their next wave and the occasional passing beach wander, I reflect on this year. It was an unexpected destination today. Some of this year was like that too. The deep background roar behind the […]

t e a r s

As a 3ish year old, I was one of ‘those’ wandering children. I had even been picked up by the police once too. As a lost child, not as a delinquent. This drawing depicts the last time I remember wandering off and my first encounter with God. It was also one of last of my […]

5 9

It’s that time of the year again where anniversary days are closer together. Happy 59th Michael. That deserves some cake time for sure! I remember trying to take the goofy photo of you sanding back this window for mum in your mask, and how long it took for me to get one with the mask […]

T h e A c c u s e r

**Edited and reposted When I started painting this work I was exploring composition, layout, colour, facial expression and foreshortening. Generally speaking, I had no idea what this would look like as I begun working on it. It took about 2 years to complete once painting started. I usually have several paintings going at the one […]

p e t e r

It’s Easter Friday. Jesus’ trial was the swiftest in history. He is crucified and buried before the end of the day as the Jewish Sabbath fast approaches. This watercolour and gouache painting is inspired by the mostly unknown painting by Swiss artists Eugène Burnand. It is a painting that depicts the incredible expressions on the […]

W I T H E R E D

As I looked back over my notes for this artwork, two words stood out “Sunday’s coming”. My thoughts went straight to my favourite Easter Friday sermon by Dr.Tony Campolo. “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming”. I have included the link below if you’d like to know what I’m talking about. Withered is heart three, in this […]

S E E D E D H E A R T

This heart started as a response to the parable of the Sower and Mustard Seed parable that can be found in the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In Matthew it proceeds the Parable of the Sower. In Mark, Jesus Calms the Storm is the next account in the chapter and in Luke Jesus follows […]

F L O U R I S H

Flourish is the second heart, following on from last weeks Seeded Heart. Flourish is a depiction of a healthy heart. It is nourished, thriving, beautiful, brave, vibrant, and full of life that streams of living water pour out of. As this artwork developed the choices of plants were mostly intentional. The white lily is often […]

2 0

This year’s milestone is one that I would never have asked for. Actually each year, month, week, day, hour, minute, breath….you get the idea. As I start to write this in July for later this year I am concious that this has been in the back of my thoughts more than any other year since […]

t o m b

As I have processed the Easter season over the last few weeks this image came to mind. I was also challanged by doing an Easter image that didn’t include the “usual” imagery. This is where “t o m b” comes into being. Just as I can’t see baby Jesus at Christmas without seeing the cross, […]

p r i d e v t r u t h

Studio time today had me completing this work I started yesterday, already having insight into how it could look when finished, but not knowing for sure until it was finished. Each week for me this time in the studio is reflecting on prayer. Church today, through worshipping in song and worshipping through the word feeds […]

e m m a n u e l

“God with us” As the celebrations of Christmas become the focus this time of year, I am reminded of some things. Historically and culturally Jesus is not white. I struggle everytime I see white baby Jesus now that I understand this myself. Jesus was Middle Eastern. Historically visual translations of the bible throughout art history […]

p a s s o v e r

As the series “get us out of here” comes to an end in iso church, I am reminded of how the narrative of the Israelites leaving Egypt talked about over the last few months, has given me fresh insights into “known” scripture. This artwork has developed over the last couple of weeks. Today I’ve been […]

s t u c k

In iso church studio time today. Lots of meaty stuff in the menu. This one thing stuck. “God isn’t rescuing the Israelites for them.God rescued the Israelites for him.” He’s doing the same in all our situations. If we are honest with ourselves our focus is often, way too often, on what and how we […]

r e d

This artwork continues the “r e d” series. Started sometime ago, it was never going to be completed in a Sunday church service timeframe. Little of my work without some serious planning and stress can do that. A classic over thinker and over planner coupled with epic procrastinating skills, it’s hard to let go of […]