A long time ago, in a room far away, I started a painting. Actually it was probably here, but why spoil a first sentence with accuracy? The painting was done from imagination and using various photos from the internet of long winding roads for inspiration. Initially I imagined the picture being life like and realistic. However, my painting skills are not up to that and so after consulting with artists in a Facebook group I belong to I decided to go for a more abstract look.
I thought you might be interested to see the development of this picture. Here’s the selection of photos that I printed out and had pinned up. I like the top middle one best, followed by the one to the right of it.
I wanted the road to be a winding as possible, turning back on itself to represent the sense of getting nowhere and going round in circles. I wasn’t thrilled with my first effort and so asked advice. I had already worked out that the sign post was in the wrong place and I thought a rainbow would be good somewhere. So I put it on the Facebook group to see what people might suggest. I also printed it out so I could draw on it.
People in the group were encouraging and I proceeded with improving the sea, the signpost and road colours and putting in the oasis and sun.
I practised rainbows before committing one to the painting. I had found a good tutorial on YouTube.
The next decision was where to place it. I wanted to incorporate the images from another picture into this one. I had drawn it a while ago when meditating on the verses 11 & 12 of Psalm 30 “You have turned my mourning into dancing and girded me with gladness”. God has done so much inner healing from the psychological and emotional damage from various sources over the years, much of it from my teenage years.
This is why I put myself dancing on the beach wearing yellow and the rainbow coming down to the signpost. A yellow dress is significant because of the yellow dress incident in my childhood. I had been given a hand me down bridesmaid dress from my older cousin. I have never been a bridesmaid, but that isn’t the point, I digress.
I had been to a party in the dress and my mum told me to get changed before going out to play. I was disobedient and not only got a good telling off but a good old fashioned smacked bottom that left an imprint on my mind for many years. I had been left with the impression that mummy doesn’t love me, I’m a naughty girl. It was only after this had surfaced a few years ago that I was able to receive healing. I am now free from that inhibiting false information. When I had been doing some work on my inner child, I referred to her as Bess, which is what I was called as a young girl.
And so the painting was declared finished. I wasn’t 100% happy with it. I thought the clouds and sun didn’t look right, but I also think you need to know when to stop. So I did and signed it. Now I have a cover picture for my book I am ready to publish the first stage – the pdf of of pictures and prayers. All I need to to is write a blog post to let people know it is there and actually upload it to the site. That’s a job for another day.
Elizabeth Jones' Diary 