Art and Life Collide in “Quail from Above”.
Every once in a while, I have the pleasure of seeing my life mimic my art or rather, illustrate a principle that I have painted. In this particular case, it was in April of 2023, and I was eagerly counting down the days until my daughter was to give birth to my granddaughter. We were about 8 days out. As an artist, I typically have to rely on various streams of income. I had a show hanging in Cary, NC that had been up for several months with not a lot of feedback. I was also teaching at a local paint and sip company in 2 different locations and having so much fun. Thinking that we were still 8 days out, I requested off the following week from both of the studios. “No problem”, I thought, “I can make it work”. Little did any of us know, my granddaughter was on her way that very night and made her entrance the next morning. When my daughter summoned me to meet her at the hospital, I scrambled with excitement to move my schedule around. I would be out of work a lot longer than I expected.
Two days later after my granddaughter arrived, I was packing my car to go join my daughter and her husband at their home. I would be staying almost 2 weeks to help out with late-night diaper changes. Unexpectedly, a notification on my Etsy App made the sound “cha-ching”. Remember the show in Cary that had very little feedback? Someone had just happened to be stopping by on their way through town and bought a fairly large iris painting of mine. As I communicated with her about shipping the piece to Virginia, she bought 2 more paintings which made 3 in all. How does this relate to the “Quail from Above” you might be wondering. I’m glad you asked!
The obvious answer, this is one of the 3 paintings that she purchased. The not so obvious answer is the meaning behind the painting juxtaposed with this particular season in my life. “Quail From Above” was originally painted in 2019, referring to the account in Exodus. The Israelites had just spent 400 years in Egypt in captivity and Moses was able to lead them out of Egypt when God helped him part the Red Sea. Even after witnessing this miracle, they began to grumble and complain about being hungry, that they would have been better off back in Egypt. God heard their complaining, and He sent them manna in the morning and quail in the evening.
How my story collides with this painting. I myself had left a 9-5 job the year in 2022. I can’t compare it to being a slave in Egypt, but I had a sense stability and predictability working there even though it was physically taxing. I took a leap of faith when I left and started relying on art sales and teaching painting classes. This new situation was hardly predictable, but it met my needs, and it was fun. Circle back to April of 2023, I really wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to be away from teaching for 2 weeks to help my daughter. I hadn’t planned for that. BUT before I even had time to get anxious about it, God arranged for 3 of my paintings to sell to one client. It may have appeared random, but it was definitely calculated. God had sent me provision or “quail” at the very moment I couldn’t rely on my teaching income. In case I didn’t get the hint, He used the very imagery of one of the paintings that sold, to drive the point home.
“Quail From Above”, 24”x18”, Oil on Canvas, 2019, Private Collection, VA
Imagery Explained
The central focus of this painting is of course the quail. In the background, the quail seems to be coming down from the sky resting on a cushion of feathers. These feathers are meant to be reminiscent of angel wings. Above, in the sky, there are rays reaching upward and what appears to be rain droplets coming down. These symbolize the dew that became bread or manna in the mornings. The spring greens and cerulean blue were chosen to represent new life and provision even though they were still wandering in the wilderness. At times I find myself wandering in my own wilderness and need to remember His continuous and unceasing provision.