
Art:
This Ink with Pen & Brush was completed last week using a stock photo of an abandoned English stone farmhouse with broken-down stone fences. I hope someone will one day give it a new life.
I chose it for today because the original photo was nearly as dark as I have rendered it here with Ink. Today, Dark and ‘Light’ are opposites to us. I want to focus on ‘Light’.
Thought:
Choosing ‘Light’
HAVING ‘LIGHT’ as a future blog ‘Thought’ has been a subject on my mind for some time. I’ve invested time thinking about ‘Light’ and its meanings. When should I use it for a blog? Early mornings I read from the Old and New Testament. Recently I came to these words from 1 Timothy 6:15,16…God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. There it was…“unapproachable Light”…it’s time to write the blog!
MY Disclaimer
FIRST A DISCLAMER: ‘Light’ is that relatively small part of what can be detected by the human eye from electromagnetic radiation occurring over an extremely wide range of wavelengths. I am not a physicist. I am an artist. An artist’s consideration of ‘Light’ is imperative. The artist has an aesthetic appreciation of the visual world. Through the sense of sight, ‘Light’ is a primary tool for perceiving the world and communicating within it. To think about a few basic lessons in the visual art world may help frame the main point of this week’s blog.
Absorb and Reflect
VISIBLE waves called ‘Light’ become visible when they contact a surface and are either reflected or absorbed. When all those visible waves are absorbed, our human eye sees what we call Black. When all are reflected, we see White. An optical prism reveals three primary hues (colors): Red, Yellow, and Blue. Mixing these three produces the hundreds (if not thousands) of hues our eyes can see and comprehend. That could be an interesting subject for another time.
Unapproachable ‘Light’
ONCE AGAIN PAUL’S comment to young Timothy: God…who lives in unapproachable ‘Light’ …whom no one has seen or can see, brings to mind Moses and the burning bush of Exodus chapter 3 and Mount Sinai in Exodus 34:29 Then Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.
AT JESUS’ transformation in Matthew17:2 There he [Jesus] was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the ‘Light’. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. John 1:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:5 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
The Apostle Paul was on his way to persecute followers of Jesus. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. Acts 9:3 It was so bright that it temporarily blinded him. To you and me…For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6
What Speaks to Me
AS AN ARTIST here is what speaks to me in this Thought about ‘Light’. God our Heavenly Father who loves every one of us is not visible to our human eyes. Often when God wishes to be ‘seen’ by humankind he appears as/in what we call ‘Light’. Remember White is all the visible wavelengths being reflected from the object it touches. Moses reflected God at Mount Siani. Jesus reflected the Father on the mount of transfiguration.
FOR GOD who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 The more time I spend with the Holy Spirit of Jesus the more of Gods reflection will be seen radiating through me by who I am and what I allow Him to do through me as I following Jesus.
Who am I reflecting today?
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16