Okay, this project has taught me many things. One: I shouldn't have attempted PAINTING this picture. I should have stuck with what I know. Two: I forgot oil has to dry. Color pencil does not. My deadline was looming before me when I realized both of these facts and knew I would not make it. SO. . . I had to get a little creative. I still needed to finish the hand that held the stones and knew I couldn't do it in the time I had. So I cropped AND renamed it and went a completely different direction. It became more of a portrait of an individual in the scriptures. SO, here goes:
New title: Alma's Awakening.
Here is my explanation:
"Awake, my son; put on the armor of righteousness.
Shake off the chains with which you are bound..." ( 2 Nephi 1:23).
One of the most inspirational and hopeful stories of the Book of Mormon is the conversion of Alma the Elder in the courts of King Noah. Little is known of his background other than he was one of the court priests and was in attendance when Abinidi was being questioned and reviled. What we do know is upon listening to Abinidi's testimony, Alma experienced an awakening of the spirit and it's stirrings caused Alma to hear the truth of the gospel and at the risk of his own life, plead for the life of Abinidi to be spared. From this experience, Alma's life was changed forever and he became an instrument of God's power. Alma's story demonstrates God's insight into the hearts of His children and the potential that is so often hidden from others and sometimes ourselves. I have tried to capture in this portrait that moment when the spirit resonated within Alma and he stopped to listen and allow the miracle of conversion to take place.
I do not have any expectation of making it into the exhibition, but I did want to accomplish this goal. I plan to finish the rest of the painting. Despite my frustration with this new medium, I believe I will come use oil more and more. Lesson learned.
