Dove Painting

So the same pastor that asked me to do paintings for the church hallways asked me to complete a painting for his office.... Well he didn't really ask he just brought out a canvas that he had been working on at a worship Christmas Party, I looked at it, shook my head and took it home to fix it. Not because I think that the painting was terrible but because this pastor is a great guy. He has invested in the hubs, helped him become a better worship leader and is passionate about developing the "little church" aka the church at your home. Challenging men to lead their families in worship at home. He also is a really great hymn writer hence the pages from the hymnal.

Original Painting

The painting possessed great sources of inspiration a dove and hymnal pages. Luckily I have boxes of hymnals in my classroom that the teacher before me inherited. So I had the pastor look through and pick out the hymn that he liked the best. He chose Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.

Jesu, joy of man's desiring,

Holy wisdom, love most bright;

Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring

Soar to uncreated light.

Word of God, our flesh that fashioned

With the fire of life impassioned,

Striving still to truth unknown,

Soaring, dying round Thy throne.

Through the way where hope is guiding

Hark, what peaceful music rings;

Where the flock, in Thee confiding,

Drink of joy from deathless springs.

Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure;

Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.

Thou dost ever lead Thine own

In the love of joys unknown.

So I developed this sketch (see below). I knew that I wanted to layer hymnals on top of each other and carve into them. I knew I wanted the background to be the pages filled with the lyrics from Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. I also knew I wanted to scrap the old canvas entirely because I have a personal aversion to working on canvas. I much prefer boards, the harder surface is sturdier, which allows me to do things like carve a giant bird out of hymnals.

Sketch

So I cut a 4'x2' board and carved the first layer of the dove.

 

Board, Dove and mismatched socks

Then I dyed the hymnal pages a red-brown color, attached them to the board and stained the pages blue with an outdoor stain that I had left over from a different project. I sealed the board with shellac and attached the dove to the board.

Board with dyed pages and stain.

 

Board with dove and my freaky feet.

I then added two more layers to the dove and carved in wings. However, the painting looked a little boring so I added a landscape of olive trees. The landscape follows the wingspan of the dove and adds more visual interest.

Olive tree landscape

I'm still not finished I think I need to add another hill on the right and one more tree. Right now there are four trees and I can't handle it. I don't like even numbers in a painting. I need them to be odd. I also have a thing about the number 5, multiples of five etc. I hate it when things are not scheduled in increments of five or even timing things. If I am doing timed drawings with my students I have to time them in increments of five. Sometimes I will tip extra at a restaurant so I can get then total balance to a multiple of five. What can I say I'm weird... I can leave dirty dishes in the sink but I can't handle it if things aren't scheduled in increments of five.  

I post a picture when its done. I plan on finishing it next week so I can put it in an art show that I'm hosting my school featuring the work of my talented kiddos.

Show card.