Sharing art & faith for Christmas

Not sure exactly where the time flies to...

Just created three different designs for Christmas cards based on artworks I just finished:

First Born Son Christmas Card by judithmonroe
More Christmas Cards

Good News Christmas Card by judithmonroe
Shop for a different greeting card template online at zazzle

Glory to God Christmas Card by judithmonroe
Browse other Bethlehem Cards

Walk of Faith

In my Wanderings blog today, I compare my walk with the dogs with my walk of faith...

river of life

I've been working on a new series of assemblage artworks that explore the concept of home - for me, I can't really think about home without thinking of my final home, Heaven. I have these works on display in my studio at the Kennedy Gallery, and sometimes the discussion gets to all that a piece means, but often not, so I wanted to share these works in detail here.

This piece is titled "River of Life" which can have multiple meanings. I live and am from the Sacramento area and we live at the confluence of two major rivers. Indeed, rivers were the reason the town was built here and still are the genesis of our drinking water, the irrigation for the agriculture here and a popular recreation location. My home town wouldn't be what it is without it's rivers.

But of course, the River of Life is also present in heaven, and Christ is referred to as living water - my true home is the reality that my earthly home faintly copies and what is even better, is that heaven will come down to earth and the earth/home God has given us to love & care for will be restored to perfection. I can't begin to accurately express all that in a piece of artwork, but that's the direction I'm heading.

and a challenge...

The closing video challenge for the creative arts worship weekend at Bridgeway.

Purpose - Closing Challenge 10/30 from Bridgeway Christian

art as worship

This was created for a special weekend of creative arts in worship for Bridgeway Church in Rocklin, where I now attend. I'm so blessed to be a part of this!

Art As Worship from Bridgeway Christian on Vimeo.

exhibit at gallery w

I've got a show up at Gallery W at Warehouse Ministries in Sacramento this month called "With Eager Hope." Here's a look at the title piece as well as my artist's statement. We'll be having a reception Thursday, October 27th at 7 p.m. where I'll give a little talk as well.

My artwork grew from the desire to walk with God in the garden, like Adam and Eve did, searching for that closeness wherever green things grow. Years ago, I thought I was looking for the lost garden and my heart ached to think it was gone forever; then while studying Scripture, I realized that I was actually looking forward to the time when God will bring heaven down to earth again, restoring Paradise and our relationship to Him. I’ve tried to envision what that would possibly look like, what a perfect earth would be like, but I know my imagination is woefully short.

Whether an artwork has Scripture in it or not, this is the basis of all of my work: looking for the tiny glimpse of what heaven on earth will look like, what it will feel like. I am constantly inspired by the beauty that God has created and encouraged by my faith in Him to look forward to the time when the full beauty of that creation will be revealed.

“But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. .. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children...” Romans 8:20,23

door to the spirit

Kathleen Ellertson is a Covenant Artist friend who shared a piece of work with me, so I'm sharing with you...

Here's what she had to say about it:

"I wanted to share a painting I did which hangs in my Aunt Ethel’s convent room in Dubuque called the Door to the Spirit. This painting was inspired by a picture I saw in an article by Joyce Rupp, a self described “spiritual midwife”. The doorway spoke to me of the various doors we must walk thru, and how we must be transformed, pursuing our union with God. The individual’s return path to Him is as unique as this view."

Thanks for sharing, Kathleen!