Visual Bible Study

Last winter I took a Visual Bible Study workshop with Debby Topliff (http://debbytopliff.com) which turned the direction of my art back to biblical inspiration.

Debby has a passion to make the Bible come alive. She believes that when you slow down and sketch what you read, you notice details and patterns that facilitate God's Word taking root in your heart and being imprinted on your mind.

I have returned to my study of the parables along with other Bible passages.

This is a preliminary sketch of the parable of "The Sower, the Seed and the Soil" (colored pencil on black paper). Mark 4:1-20

And this is my second version (paint, thread and beads on fabric mounted on wood) The picture of the sower sowing the Word of God is in the center under a glass cabochon. The blue ring represents the seed (the Word) that is snatched up by the birds before it can take root in the heart. The next ring represents the rocky ground where it perishes and cannot take root due to troubles and persecution. Then next row represents the thorns (the cares of the world) which choke the plants so that they do not bear grain. The outer ring shows the good soil where the seed grew and produced a crop, that is a life that is growing in the Lord.