SHEPHERD
artist statement
"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever."
Psalm 23
STATEMENT
Sometimes life feels isolating. Sometimes it’s overwhelmingly chaotic- with no moments to breathe and no moments between.
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In between. These are the moments that I love. These are also the moments I hate. I avoid them at all costs.
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In between moments can be big or small. It can be the thirty seconds between start and stop on the microwave. It can be the eight minute walk from one class to another. It can be the two months of waiting for what job happens next. In between is the unplanned… the uneventful… the mundane.
These are the moments when my mind races. When I can’t hide from inner dialogue anymore. When everything hits me all at once- when I look for something to distract. When all I want is for the next thing to start immediately, for life to hurry on, for the waiting to stop. I just hate the in between.
The beautiful thing is that I also love the in between. This is because the in between is where I most easily meet my Shepherd. A Shepherd who is Provider. Protector. Guide. Someone who sits with me in the waiting. Who nudges me forward, gracefully showing me where to go. Who sits in the storm of anxiety with me and calms it in an instant.
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Somehow these overwhelming storms become something serene. Something alluring. Something beautiful. Something holding true peace.
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These pieces were created in moments of stillness and slowness. In moments of recognition of who my Creator is. Light, watery washes of paint mean lots of time drying between layers, lots of time sitting and waiting. Combine this with minimal marks and now this is a contemplative process– a pause–a moment in between.
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The in between is often the only peace in each day, characterized by the refreshing feeling of sitting in the hands of my Shepherd who is the ultimate care-giver. The only one who will never let me down Who never fails to provide, or protect, or redeem. Who knows the worst parts of me yet still loves me the most. Who brings the wandering home.
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Who simply wants to be with me- always. Who is with me in the in between.
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This is peace. This is the In Between.
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All Inquires please fill in the contact form below
or email chelseaann511@gmail.com
