Holy Ground

This painting titled “Holy Ground” was inspired by the account of Moses in the book of Exodus. Moses, who had been raised like a Prince in Egypt, had to flee after it was discovered that he had killed an Egyptian. He arrives in Midian and remains there for 40 years. While he is out tending sheep in the wilderness, he notices a bush that is on fire but it is not consumed. As Moses approaches the bush, God calls out to him to remove his sandals. He is told that the very ground he is standing on, is Holy Ground.

As a child, I heard this narrative so many times growing up in church that it became too familiar. I became desensitized to its significance. In my memory, it was also presented as an isolated event without much context. A random story that didn’t translate into real life. It remained a cartoon cut out on a felt board. Later as an adult, trying to make the connections, I started dissecting the Bible trying to see how the 66 books fit together as a whole. The accounts that I remembered as a child, were no longer isolated threads. They became illuminated threads that were woven together to make a beautiful tapestry.

“Holy Ground”, was painted as visual reminder to myself that God is omnipresent. He cannot be contained by the 4 walls of a church and He is too big to be held by the mental constraints that I have assigned to Him. He can, and He will show up wherever He pleases. If I am sensitive to His voice God can speak to me anywhere. If I listen expectantly, He will guide me and show me His will. As with the burning bush, He is able to burn away all of the compartments that used to keep my life fragmented. I feel whole, and I’m not consumed.

“Holy Ground”, 48”x24”, Oil on Canvas, 2015, Private Collection, AZ

Technique

This painting is a culmination of many years of experimenting. I experimented using oil paint, drips of turpentine over layers of linseed oil and paint. I also incorporated metallic oils to get a shimmering effect.