Listening to music from the Middle East and painting "Jesus talks to the Woman at the Well"

Been wanting to paint this theme for many, many years.

Finally got some time, a deep sense of peace & gratitude from recent events,

And imagined the scene after studying John 4:4-26 

Got brand new paint brushes and even a palette!

This is one of my favourite stories because it shows how Jesus crossed the barriers of race,

social position, and the sins of a sinner to interact with them!

My notes for the painting: 

• Jesus was walking from Judea to Galilee, HE chose the route through Samaria because it was shorter although Jews did not usually travel through Samaria
• The intermarriage between Jews and foreigners had resulted in a mixed race called Samaritans
• Jews considered Samaritans impure and they wanted to have nothing to do with them
  
• The time was noon
  
• The place was the village of Sychar. Sychar is located in Balata village on the outskirts of the Palestinian city of Nablus in the West Bank
  
• Jesus was tired from the long walk and he sat down beside a well. Known as Jacob's well
  
• The woman drawing water at the well was of the hated mixed race, known to be living in sin
• No respectable Jewish man would even speak to a woman in this circumstance
• Jesus asks her for a drink of water
  

Read  John 4:4-26 for the rest

 

 

Listening to Shalom Aleichem which in Hebrew is a greeting meaning

"Peace be upon You"

In Arabic, Salam alaykum means exactly the same thing!

"Jesus talks to the Woman at the Well"

18"x24" oil painting on canvas

 

 

Muscari

 Muscari are native to Eurasia.

In a few weeks these blue urn-shaped flowers resembling grapes,

Will start growing out of the ground in our backyard

They are also called grape hyacinth because of the shape

They are so beautiful, i'd never pluck them to put them in a vase

I imagine this is how they would look like in an emerald green vase!

Muscari

16"x20" oil painting

Listening to Tchaikovsky and painting Anna

I'm no good at painting portraits.

I prefer to paint landscapes, yet I keep trying to paint portraits

This is one of a handful of portraits I've done till date

 

I've been listening to Tchaikovsky since I was a child growing up in Africa.

My dad had a fantastic collection of Classical music which he would play for us.

This is the Hymn of the Cherubim (Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, Op. 41)

This has to be one of the most difficult paintings I've done, 

And that's what happens when you aren't good at painting portraits 

😊

"Anna with the Orchids"

16"x20" oil painting on canvas

Anya the Cardinal

 Today a cardinal came by for a few minutes, 

and said,

"Thank you for the sunflower seeds,

It's cold and I'm hungry.

But why do you humans fight with each other?

Don't you have enough seeds and water?

Please stay away from people who only feed themselves"

"Ok", said I, 

"you are beautiful and wise, can I take a photo of you and show my friends please?"

😍

 

Peace!