"He has called you by name"

Several weeks ago, I was talking to my friend about helping her with a painting for her bedroom wall. She wasn`t too specific, just a few things she wanted added. She told me her colors that she was using in her bedroom, so I kind of had the background colors in my mind to start. She told me she wanted it to represent how God had been with her this last year as she was walking the hardest journey that she had ever had to walk. During it all, He had been faithful. He had provided all she needed to get through the year, single, with her children. And one more thing, somehow, she wanted her life verse to be on there... Isaiah 41: 10, "Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." First, I got the canvas wet so the paint would spread better, just with a wet brush, then...for the background, I used the blue, grey, white and silver a bit, acrylic paints with the palette knife to cover the whole canvas.   After I got the background done, it sat, and sat... for a few days.... I just didn`t have the next step clearly in my mind. then.... it sat a bit longer... Finally, I painted the back of her with her children on it. It was ok, but just a bit too cutsey to have for her bedroom. Then it hit me, to do the face that I have become accustomed to drawing, but in a different light... Kind of muted and not let the face be the main attention.. So, I muted in the people I had drawn, so you could barely still see them, but left them, to represent the past year, that it was over... We all know the past, we can`t do anything about, it is gone, but it is our choice what we make of the present and the future. So with that in mind, I sketched her face with the faded ones in the background, and added some usual mixed media things.... LOL... stencil, spatter paint, and drips and more layers... Did her face, in a variety of colors, keeping with the theme colors.... and then... added some stencil flowers around her face, in her hair. I think they were my favorite part. I haven`t used them much, but when I used modeling paste on top of them with a palette knife, they were so crisp and clean. When that dried, I stained them a bit.. Here is a close up look at her face as I was finished..  then all of the additions.... and more stencils...  I added her gold cross necklace and the words...and called her finished.I took it to my friend last week, and she received it with a hug and tears....My part in this memory is done, but she is just beginning this new life of hers. My prayer for her is that He will continue to lead and shower her with blessings of friends to help her walk through this trial and to become who He wants her to become.Happy Sunday!! linked with Sunday sketches   http://bluechairdiary.blogspot.com/Have a wonderful new week!!Love,Jane