From the Archives

I painted this WAAAAAY back, maybe in 2003?  I had just begun to paint, somewhat seriously, trying to decide if I really wanted to do this art-thing or not.  My grandfather, who was an artist himself, and had always encouraged my art pursuits, had died and I was left...bereft, almost.  So, it was a lovely shot in the arm to dabble with something and have it end up looking fantastic in a frame!

This particular piece ended up being a door prize that was given away at a women's retreat held by my church.  I'm mildly concerned about that, because I'm pretty sure I painted it on a block of wood, instead of on a canvas.  Which means, that as our Colorado climate dries out that wood, it's gonna split!  I might need to try to re-paint it on canvas if the wooden one goes south!

I called this "Picnic".

A Home-made Greeting Card

I finished this greeting card this morning, and it will shortly be in the mail.  It's a nice thing to be able to make my own cards....except that it takes far longer than running to the store!  No matter.  It's a good and beautiful thing to pray for the recipient while I draw.  It feeds me, maybe transforms me, and makes me slow down considerably.  Even the small moments like drawing a card, are moments when God is ACTIVE.  And I am thankful for that!

Who Are You?

I just finished a Christmas commission for a friend.  She asked me to do 6 canvases, all 12 inches square, each one speaking to some beautiful truth in the lives of her family members.

It raises a question:  if you were to choose one word, and maybe one image, to describe yourself....or to describe what God has done in your life, what would it be?  It's a curious thought to ponder.  I love how my answer would have been different 10 years ago from what it would be today!  God's activity in my life is SURE.  STEADY.  FAITHFUL.  KIND.  For that, I am thankful.

Oh, Boy!

Yesterday a friend of mine entered the presence of her Savior.  It's a glorious, heart-breaking thing.  Her suffering is OVER.

I was reminded of when my grandfather died.  His suffering was also over.  My aunt wrote this poem in tribute to his passing, and so in 2003 I was inspired to paint a response to go with it.  I picture any who follow Jesus as trapped on this dark earth, passing through significant pain, into God's glorious light, with arms raised in praise.  I find the last stanza of the poem so fitting for the death of my friend!

'Oh boy'

Spoken in dark

moments

at night,

on his narrow cot

the body tired

and sore

weary of this life's

weight.

Gravity, it seemed,

increased

upon the small frame.

'Oh boy',

spoken often enough

that dear friends

knew the phrase.

'Oh boy'

Whispered

in the quietest

breath, last minute,

upon his bed of death,

facing the unknown journey.

Tired,

weariness increased

beyond endurance to see.

And then....

'Oh Boy!'

As he enters the realm of heaven

and stands before his Creator,

in glory

standing among the throngs,

worship upon his lips,

gravity lifted,

arms raised, pain free,

in Adoration.

Oh, Boy!

-written by Diane Hintze

September 2, 2003

I Shall Again Praise Him

Today I turned on the news and my heart immediately broke.  This is my response.  Swept by the winds of a broken world, I KNOW I shall praise my God again.  I sat on the couch and inked this while listening to the news reports.  My Lord, glorify Your name.  Redeem even this wretched story.

Coloring Between the Lines

I spent the  morning coloring.  And I tried real hard to stay inside the lines.  Honest.  I sorta went out here and there.  The whole thing has this delightful childish feeling to it!

This is a re-make of a canvas I did for my church.  I liked it so much, I decided I'd do a smaller, tweaked version for myself.  You notice the "Peace" is in the stinging rain....and the "be still" is in the depths of the sea.  Both places prompt fear and doubt.  The words of Jesus speak today to our hearts just as much as they spoke 2,000 years ago to the literal sea.

Peace, my friends.