Good morning!~

I have a new, just-off-the-painting-table piece to share with you! My latest rendition of “The Annunciation”. I’m happy too that I finished it just before the Feast of the Annunciation on the 25th as well.

This painting came together very much as a meditation. When I first say down to paint it, the only plan I had for it was that Mary would be sitting on the steps of a garden with a drop spindle, looking behind her as the Angel Gabriel approached. As I worked, the garden began to take shape….I ‘built’ the stone walls and the landscape beyond. As I worked I thought of more and more elements to add— the dove of The Holy Spirit sits on a nest woven of wheat amongst the grape vines as a nod to the Eucharist. On the hills in the far distance I painted little sheep, surely watched over by a just-out-of-sight Good Shepherd.

This painting is done in mostly cool colors of blue, purple and green– rare for me as you know I love a good splash of folksy red! There is a bit of warmth in the skin tones, highlights of the grapes and the embroidery of Mary’s apron.

I also worked to ensure that the expressions on both the angel and Mary were kind and gentle. I’m not a fan of renditions of the Annunciation where Mary looks scared or fearful. To me, that evokes anxiety and fear and that’s not something I think that moment is about or like to meditate on (although to each artist their own!) That’s just not something I’ve ever wanting to create and put out in the world– the world does a good enough job on its own creating those emotions.

I hope you enjoy this piece, and at the moment I do have the original available for sale in my Etsy shop. Prints will come in the near future.

Thanks so much for your visit today–

Take Joy!~
H