The above pictures are part of a large collection of paintings & drawings that my father has put together over the years. The pictures I have added here, are from a couple of villages around the town where I spent my teenage years. This last picture is of an old school friend's home which is by the canal. I used to love visiting her home in the summer months. The house inside is beautiful with old fashioned beams, a large family kitchen, open fire in the lounge - yes, I am sure you get my drift by now - but oh, I did love it. In her garden there were geese, ducks and a large vegetable garden, plus if I recall correctly, one or two fruit trees.
Anyways, as a family, there were often times we used to go for drives in the country and my father would quite often take his sketching pads & pencils plus on occasion various paints with him. I used to enjoy just sitting with him and watching him draw and/or paint. Watching his work start to take shape and be transformed from a few squiggly lines to a country cottage or country church. There were often times that photos were taken and he would just work from these images. At home, he would set up his easel (which he had made himself) and just quiety work away until he was satisfied with the finished picture. This would vary from a few hours to, at times days. If he wasn't happy with "that" particular project, then he would continue until he was satisfied that he had achieved the look he wanted and/or needed.
My father was in a lot of ways, a perfectionist especially in his art. He was also one whereby drawings/painting he did had to be drawn to scale. The majority of his work was done in watercolours and in pencil form. I remember a time during my early teenage years whereby he would use stencils especially on black board (there is a special name for this technique but the name alas, escapes me)!
He specialised in watercolours and as far as I can recall never went down the "oil" route - this he left to my brother. The majority of my father's art was along the lines of country scenes with a few still life pictures added in here and there.
I also remember a few exhibitions that he used to hold at the local town library- my father would then spend days upon days preparing for those exhibitions. Everything that needed to be done in readiness for such exhibitions was all done by my father with no help. Art was my father's passion which brought vast amounts of joy for him especially after he retired. As you can imagine special occasions, such as birthdays, Christmas and so on were very easy as all I had to do was pop into the local art shop for gifts!
God has begun a good work in us and has by no means finished - oh no! We are being changed and molded unto Him on a daily basis. When we handed our lives over to Him and became "born again", this was a new beginning, a beginning of work on our hearts. He saves us as we are, but hey guess what, he certainly doesn't leave us there. He changes and molds us step by step, little by little and does so on a daily basis (Phil 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete until the day of Jesus Christ"). He sanctifies us, therefore will contunue to do so until His return - then we will be complete & perfect in HIm.
