A Gift of Blessing

A while back I was asked to commission some paintings for some parents as gifts to their kids. I must say, this was the most touching, personal commission I have done in a while, if ever.  I think this gift is beautiful. The parents wrote letters, prophetic and encouraging words and blessings over each of their four girls. So unique and personal, it was just simply beautiful. I cried while painting them, so lost in worship, so overcome by the presence of God, the love that these parents have for their girls and love that I have for my own son and little miss or mr on their way. I incorporated their names and the letters written by each parent and painted in worship to listen to what God was showing me about each of them and what they and their name meant to Him also and were expressed visually on canvas. The importance of a name. Wow. the one you choose for your tiny person when they are born that has so much to say about who they are and who God has called them to be. There is SO much in a name.

This seemed to be a work in progress, first the parents writing of the letters then me waiting in the timing to paint them, waiting on the right moment in worship to paint them with Jesus, and I'm so glad I waited. Doing this forced just wouldn't have turned out the same. I think this is an amazing gift a parent can give their child, something personal, from them, that expresses their heart, and deep love for them individually and press in really deep into that little spirit, the love and security and blessing.

If you are interested in commissioning a similar project please email me at sinnott07@gmail.com.

beautiful increase

"day 47" the beautiful increase 72 x 48

I have been working on this painting for a few weeks now and it is finally finished. funny enough I knew it would be completed on this day.  day 47. Devin came home this day. we have a new addition to our family on this day,  my heart is alive. i am taking flight. I learned to trust this day.

Catch the Fire

I looove conference time, watching lives be changed forever, being filled, growing, God doing some really amazing things,  and it just lights a fire under you all over again. It also gives me some time away from little man and life and just rest in quietness with God. Painting doesn't have time restrictions or interruptions I can just get lost in it with Jesus, completely clear minded and think about nothing else. Which is so great b/c we have so much to talk about right now. 

 Along with A LOT more one of our topics of our conversations: giving. Specifically on both Luke and mine’s hearts, bless us, so we can bless others…. We have been going through a tough time lately, this month taken a real hit, and at the same time, being challenged by God to really follow our hearts to give and trust His provision. How on earth do you make that work? At the same time we have been feeling like it has to be a real significant amount to give or maybe it just doesn’t matter…but not having that big amount to give.. and funny enough having a stronger desire to help others than even myself, b/c as desperate as situations can be, there is always someone that has an even greater need. (it’s pretty complicated in this brain right now..) 

Something happened that broke me this weekend. On Saturday a woman that had been sharing her heart with me earlier in the day, a woman that obviously lived in amazing obedience and trust that God would take care of her (I always really admire people like this), that came to this conference on very little money just trusting in His amazing provision b/c she felt He told her to come, handed me a note while I was setting up to paint for the next session. I opened it up and a few coins fell out into my hand. My heart just broke, I knew she had so little.  I was quickly reminded of the woman that gave only a few pennies into the offering bucket b/c that‘s all she had to give, but she gave out of a giving heart. God pressed into my heart, no matter how little, it is all significant. Don’t be concerned with how it is possible, I am your provider.   Here this woman gave me the little she had. $1.11, in trust, b/c God told her to give it to me.… I want faith like that. 

Since we have been married, we have amazingly survived, off very little, and we never had a doubt that God wouldn’t provide. Why is it so easy now to fall into fear? On Saturday we had LOOOOOOONG talks and i am working though it. I painted 4 pieces on Saturday. I really just felt to stay and paint the whole time. So I sat at the front and painting nearly all day. Just pouring out my heart to him of everything that has been on my mind. With a wave of emotions from heartbreak to Joy, with worship and in intercession i painted and painted and painted and painted. It was a good day. I woke up on Monday with a whole new mind set, feeling good, secure, trusting, loved and just happy.

Here they are, 

‘Bless us’

24 x 36. Gallery canvas,

Newsprint (scripture), acrylic and oil pastel

SOLD

‘So we can bless others” (not sure of the official title on this one yet.)

36 x 40. Gallery canvas

Newsprint (scripture), acrylic and oil pastel

‘DAY 44, Blessings’

20 x 40. Acrylic on Canvas

A woman came to me saying , this painting, its blessings!! Multiplying, coming down, they all look different in many ways, shapes and forms, they never look the same! I liked it, so it stuck.

‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ –Worshipping Hands

18x36  Canvas

Newsprint (scripture), acrylic and oil pastel

I’m pretty sure this one will get the paint over, it didn’t turn out like I hoped so If you want it let me know. I will give you a great deal… Like 50$ (so I can buy a new canvas instead)

Circles and Squares...

for kate, 20 x 40

I got the opportunity to paint with a friend this past week, Trayc Dudgeon, something we have only done a few times before but is always interesting to see what comes about. Circles and Squares... 2 completely different styles forced to come together to create one piece. I originally came across the Concept a few years with a friend and fellow artist Elisabeth Heidinga during a conference - live painting. We challenged ourselves and felt really strongly that we were suppose to work together on the same painting. Some amazing things happened that day and we kinda shocked the church, 2 artist - known as such an individual craft, sharing a canvas, working together. It was a huge message about unity in the church and how God designed us to work as a body and not individuals. Since then I have a great time doing collaborations with other artists. It is such a unique experience. And really amazing freedom to paint and not feel threatened or competition but only as success if you surrender and work together in Unity. On Thursday,Tray and I  paintied into the night, had a great time talking,  catching up, drinking wine and painting and created these 2 pieces for 2 special friends and their 30th Birthdays! Girls I hope it was incredibly special, you both are very wonderful.

For Lindsay, 20 x 40

and by accident they fit together.... now if that doesn't say a whooole lot about using our creativity and how God wants to use us together... I don't know what does.. that is kinda rad. "Day 36"  20 x 80

jack is helping me paint the really big one I am working on now.

His creativity has no limits.

So... here is it 41  days later, i am still painting.. i had a slight pause there but it's back.  My colour pallat has changed again but it is vibrant. Something about this all coming out. it amazing to me the pallat changes over the years. Oranges with the jazz series in to blues and moody beiges and browns, but now reds and yellows and purple and green! I am excited for the vibrancy coming out of me. new life, new beginnings, new  something, over flowing, exploding out of me.  my work is so much about the process of my heart, my mind, my spiritual journey i'm excited to see what this is all maturing into.  I still feel to paint, paint paint paint, paint vomit... let it all out and then look at it and see what you ate for breakfast. (lol grosse) but my point its fast, its flows, it comes out violently, and i just need to get it all out to feel better. My studio is quickly filling and it is wonderful to see life overflowing out of me again..


“well you pick me up and you spun me around and you set my feet on solid ground - Hallelujah! – B/c you’re so good, your soo sooo good”  I have had this stuck in my head for about 3 days. And along with it has come painting! Ahhhh. i really do love painting. I finished up the last (for now) red painting, 'day 23', and continued in the same style and ventured into a new pallat. i get glimpses of what this is all about but i have yet to have the revelation of what it all means. I believe every stroke, every colour, the placement, the movement,  he can speak to you about. And there millions in every painting so how exciting is that, that's a whooole lot of talking and learning and growing.  I am stopping myself from evaluating. from thinking if it is good or not. I have been learning (and it has been an ongoing battle)  that my value is not determined by my work, or # of sales i have. It is my heart. and really that's all that matters.Though I'm still waiting on the big revelation but i get bits and pieces.  A little bit about babies, the womb, intercession, getting down to the beginning, the cellular structure, the basis, trust, rapid multiplication of cells in new life, umm a whole lot of stuff that is connected but not connected, but I assume will come together, but it has led me to a place of hope. Where things are taking off, in flight, there is some kind of release, a new season.

You know as artist we easily get caught up in the "is it good enough?" the thing is, It is not about being good - it is about self. it's about your heart. It is about growth. It is about being true to your heart and letting every part of you flow out in whatever medium it wants to. so it doesn't matter if its good. Just let it go and be secure in you as an artist and let go. Create without judging your self,without fear. Create for healing, for spending time with God, for just expressing the beautiful person that YOU ARE!  I am inspired, I am motivated. I want to create. The past couple years I have been collecting. Books, materials, canvases, different mediums, papers, scratch boards, and printmaking, encaustics, a potters-wheel, clay, photography equipment. It has all been stirring in me to create, but just brewing without action. His creativity is limitless and I think that He wants us to create limitlessly (is that a word? ) so ours should be too! This has been a pretty big internal battle for some time for me.. I have been holding myself back for wayyy to long from doing some things that I absolutely love.

Again there  is so much happening, our situation hasn’t changed but my mindset has this week. We will live. Life will move on and I just have to remember that God is in control.

"DAY 23"24 X 48

In this piece I noticed the changing of shapes, less round and becoming more oval, like wings, fluttering, and the next picture I saw that caused me to pull out a canvas I have been sitting on for a while. A 72” x 48” gallery canvas. I love it. (I would paint this big every time if I had the space to store them.) I began to paint washes and washes and washed, over and over colours layered, I am still going, and I am loving it. I miss painting this big!!! It is about freedom. In that trust, taking flight.  I will post it when it’s done but it is still in progress in painting and in my heart.

replace fear with curiosity

I found this picture and i absolutely love it. it kind of enbodies all of me right now.. You may or may not have known that I am a complete fanatic about photography. viewing GREAT photography feeds me, it somehow just pours into my spirit in a way that somehow not even painting does.  I would fill my walls with stunning photos that take your breath away. I have already started my collection with a stunning photo by Samantha McAndrews a great Barrie photographer, and a few beautiful orchid pieces i have loved for many years by Trayc Dudgeon, a brampton based Photographer.  I cannot wait to continue piecing works together to hang. I envision a wall in my house combined with art and photography and special pieces all over the house. You know I have been selling for a while but I just love art and photography so much I really want to start collecting more of others work. There is something so unique about original art, special, something that you can never replicated and the combination of great photography with original paintings, ahh it just makes my heart sing!

So how does this all to in to replacing fear with curiosity...? Well i finally decided to put away my fear and explore with curiosity and let my heart FREAK'N SING! Since High school I have been incredibly drawn to photography and a strong desire to make photos! Something has been holding me back. Afraid to step on feet, offend people, fear of the equipment, not enough knowledge, etc etc. its been about 15 years.. and  a million reason that I have told myself why I can't. Cautiously I dawdled in helping in some weddings, and did some fun shoots of my own but really didn't get in there. But as a creative person ad locking down even one part of your heart that wants to express itself is self destructive!!  and wanting to explore ALL of my creativity, it is killing me that I have been holding back for so long. So with the encouragement of many wonderful friends and family I picked up my SLR I bought 2.5 years ago and have never learned to completely use properly, and enrolled in a photography class at Sheridan College, part of the photography program there. 2 classes in and I am so excited!!!  I have learned SO much already and actually challenging myself to explore and be curious!!

So i guess this is to all of you that just are making up SO many excuses as to why you aren't trying something you love. Just pick it up and try! what have you got to loose? You are only stopping yourself from growing and learning and expressing your heart and having some great conversations with God! He has SOOO much that He wants to show you and create with you. So Replace your fear of the Unknown with Curiosity and Take off in Flight! 

Art in the Junction

Well it is that time of the year again. The Junction. A GREAT little creative community in Toronto that i love to be apart of and show in each year. Unfortunately this year Junction Arts Festival was canceled, but a local shop owner that I have come to know over the years allowed me to come put up the new series anyways. Last weekend I headed out and brought over my work to hang in this funky little space. If you are in the area, go for a walk have a latte and crema coffee and stop by! The Hair Lounge, The Junction, Toronto.

more paintings... keep spilling out

new works from the new series keep on coming.. I find the transformation of shapes interesting. I am fascinated by the cellular like structure of them.  I felt to name them the each they day how old Devin is the day i painted it. Works will be showing soon in the Junction at a little hair salon I have shown at the past few years called 'the hair lounge', Toronto check it out if you like. I am happy to hear feedback, as I still am unsure what they are all about,  and love that one has sold already!

 day 13
30 x 30 acrylic

 day 14
24 x 48 acrylic 

day 15.. am
16 x 20 acrylic 

 day 15 pm
16 x 20 acrylic  

in progress
10 x 30 acrylic  

and now the big one!!!! 48 x 72

my heart is shaken and my hands can't stop paintin'

i have written so many posts these pasts few weeks, but unable to continue a full thought or maybe too personal to post. My heart aching, from a prayer I prayed 'show me your heart' but then flooded with  an intense amount of emotion for almost every situation I encountered. Up for entire nights, crying and praying for families or situations and eventually being unable to deal and trying to express, and being overwhelmed that I became emotionally constipated, all just stuck inside of me brewing.. Trying to talk to God, paint, do anything to talk, but i just continued to be more and more bunged' up..

Craziness filled my lives with STUFF.   family stuff, friends stuff, work stuff, health issues and scary situations swarming in my brain and in my heart and then one day without expectation, it came to sudden hault. On Aug 11,  8:30 am a call that changed our lives.  he was here.. the tiniest more perfect little guy. My nephew Devin Joshua was born at 29.5 weeks gestation in the NICU, just 3lbs 4oz.  I won't share all of the scary heart-wrenching details that changed me. but here I stood broken. afraid. desperate. nothing else mattered other that asking Jesus to to intervene. to save the life of this little one.

So bottled up, alone and Jack sleeping I began to paint. Paint from my heart paint in worship. paint in prayer, in intercession. Broken, I just began to baul my eyes out and just pour out everything onto this canvas. . All that stirring came started to finally spill over.  as the tears poured so did heart and my brush didn't stop moving. my entire being became a dance of an interceding warrior, dancing with angels, to fight for this little guys life. Strange shapes emerging, a new colour pallet, still insure what any of it meant i didn't care I kept painting. my brain began to sort thoughts, make sense of things, i continued to paint, canvases are filling my studio and here I am 11 days later, and I am still painting. my heart is shaken, my hands can't stop painting. little Devin is getting bigger, growing stronger, he is such a miracle, he is breathing on his own, off the iv, nearly back to his birthweight, blowing everyone away with his progress. He has such divine purpose and calling on his life. Ah. what amazing words have been spoken over him.  God is showing me incredible pictures of the 2 of them, that I can't wait to paint. I thank God he is alive and grateful for everything.


So here we start a new unexpected series... August 11

"Day 1" 48 x 48, acrylic on canvas

"Day 3" 12 x 48, acrylic on canvas - SOLD

"Day 4" 24 x 48, acrylic on canvas

"Day 8" 20 x 20, acrylic on canvas

"Day 11" 30 x 40, acrylic on canvas