October 2022 Art Update - Offering my Artistic Labor in Prayer for You
October 2022 Art Update
October is my favorite time of year! I turned 27 years old and all of the leaves have turned beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and dusty red. Nature’s best color palette!
Read on for updates on the Holy Name triptychs, my personal Narnia project, and a request for your prayer intentions.
Holy Name Triptychs have begun!!
I’m SO excited to have the first 3 of 10 panels total in my studio. Let me tell ya, these big boys are monsters! I had to get rid of some pieces of furniture to make room!
Starting with the Pentecost triptych, I primed the wooden panels with a light yellow tinted exterior primer and used a projector to trace my designs in brown interior house paint. The final panels were actually shorter than I anticipated in my design, so last minute I had to add a few extra characters. But I think this adjustment helped a ton to really emphasize this large group of people.
Once traced, I began blocking in the lights and darks, working from back to front. I’m trying not to get too detailed in this stage, but I just can’t help myself! It’s necessary to get the colors down to see what you’re working with and then you can work on refinement, but I often feel like it’s the ugliest stage of the process.
Ultimately, I really love how this is proceeding! After 1.5 years of designing and planning, it feels so good to get the paint down.
Narnia Illustrations
After a break from personal projects, I have found a little bit of time each day to pursue my “Narnia illustration project” in my Oatley Academy mentorship.
In an effort to grow my illustration portfolio for publishers, I have decided to compile a series of illustrations for The Magician’s Nephew. This particular scene is Diggory and Polly flying over the newly created Narnia on the back of Fledge the Flying Horse.
As you can see, I’ve been redoing the composition over and over again with little adjustments here and there. My goal is to explore different styles and compositions in an effort to land on the “theme” for the rest of the series and for my own personal style. These are all mechanical pencil or ink and watercolor.
Prayer Requests
I need your help! Lately I’ve been listening to stories about the saints and the ways they poured out their hearts and lives to save souls and help the needy.
Some saints like St. Mother Teresa and St. Martin de Porres were eager to help the suffering person in front of them and help in more obvious physical ways. Other saints like Padre Pio and St. Therese of Lisieux were more “removed” from the world in cloistered convents or even exile, but still helped the world through their prayer and spiritual battle.
Though I am a lay person, I’ve felt an invitation to approach my isolated studio as a sort of “cloister” convent. God-willing, my finished works of art will invite people to Him through their beauty, but even the work I do to complete them can be a force for the salvation and healing He wants for souls.
I would love to use this isolated space, time, and labor for prayer - specifically for you all who support and encourage me. Will you please consider sending me a request for what you’d like prayers for?
In the Google Form below, feel free to be as detailed or vague as you’d like, but I will take these pains and problems to the Lord as I paint. If you’re comfortable with me asking for a word from the Holy Spirit for you, simply check the box and I will send you a response if I hear something.
Jesus hears our prayers as soon as we utter them, but I have come to learn that allowing others to listen, pray, and intercede for us is a great gift. Allow me to be that intercessor for you.
Hire Me!
I am planning on offering a small selection of prints for sale in November (in time for Christmas!). If there are any works of art that you know you want a print of, please let me know!
I will be also be open for commissions and custom projects (like bedroom/nursery murals) starting January and beyond. In the meantime, I’m available to do consultation calls. Click the button below to get on the calendar!
Thank You!
In October, things have really settled into a new rhythm of work. I can truly say I’m living the dream! And I realize I can’t do that without all of you who have supported and encouraged me, bought my art, commissioned me, and referred me.
I am so grateful for your support and hope following my art has given you a little bit of beauty among the noise.
Onto November and Turkey Season!
-Mattie
