This painting took 6 months of work and struggle as I tried to capture the essence of an amazing vision I was given in church during the Sacrament. I could see with my eyes the Savior and it was so shocking and surprising to me. His eyes met mine and I was mesmerized with those amazing, love filled eyes. All other features were hardly noticed because I could never take my eyes from His gaze. He walked towards me and lifted his hands to the sides of my face and suddenly the vision was gone.
This was followed by a long painful recovery from a knee replacement and months of struggling with asthma caused by Long Covid. During that time, I wondered and pondered over and over that amazing vision. When I had recovered, I had a strong impression to paint what I had felt and seen.
I struggled and painted many versions of this painting, and each time I knew my results were inadequate. I took a photo of each new attempt and became very discouraged. One night, after painting all day, I went to bed in tears, determined to scrape and sand it all off the next morning. As I got in bed, I became agitated and weirdly hyper, feeling like I should go back to my painting and work. I struggled against that compulsion and even took half of a sleeping pill, which had no effect. A half hour later, I took the other half of the pill. Still, it didn’t work at all. I gave up and went to paint again. This time was amazing; I was given impressions and was tutored all night without feeling any of the fatigue from the night before. When the sun came up the next morning, I knew I was on the right track. I still had much to do, but knew I was getting help. That tutoring continued as I struggled for months.
Finally, I finished and knew it was accepted.
I know He lives and loves us more than we can comprehend, and I know he enables us to do what He asks us to do. In the struggle, we are immensely blessed and His loving eyes are upon us. We can always have His Spirit to be with us if we always remember Him.
Original artwork of Oil on Board 24 x 36. Painted 2024.
