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For me by Rebecca Newell
- Rebecca Newell
I paint and teach because I love it. It’s messy and fun. It allows me to build relationships with inspiring people and helps me translate my humanity. When asked what influences my work, I have to reply, “My faith, my students and a list of artists whose technique excites me: Frida Kahlo, Kurt Jackson, Russ Mills and Klimt.”
I’ve been painting ever since I can remember but it was as an adult that I realised two things: I can express my opinion through my work and I can communicate with God through the process. Creativity became my prayer. Like all steps of faith, the path has been rocky in places. Once, when disgruntled at a setback, I announced to a friend that I was no longer going to paint any pictures with God in. Some months later, I realised why my friend had laughed. You simply can’t take God out of creativity. We have a creative God, who is present in all things! Recognising that has allowed me a greater freedom in my work. It has allowed me to explore less obvious Christian images.
For me by Rebecca Newell
As I began the background works on this painting: meditation, prayer, studying the bible and sketching, I began to except the reality of the physical destruction of Christ’s body.
On reverse of card: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
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‘For Me’ took over a month to work on but only a couple of days to paint and it represents a significant point in my own Christian understanding. As a child I had imagined myself doing something noble to help Christ as he carried the cross to his crucifixion. Understanding, as an adult with a certain amount of life experience and mistakes behind me, I realised that I had in fact nailed the hands of my most precious friend to the cross myself. My whole perspective changed as the weight of what Christ did for me hit me. I felt angry that Christ had done this for me initially. Then the reality sunk in – it was him or me. I recognised for the first time the wholeness of God’s grace, forgiveness and love. It was awe-inspiring. The knowledge of Christ’s resurrection washed over me with a new understanding of my humanity and the immensity of his grace in being my friend. ‘For Me’ features in ‘Your Bible’ by Redemptorist Publications and hangs at Queens Ecumenical College, Birmingham
Lighthouse by Rebecca Newell
The verse on the back of the greetings card reads, "Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me." Psalm 31 : 3
Trust by Rebecca Newell
Whether we are experiencing spiritual highs or lows, the acknowledgement of Christ’s place should be the same. Whatever mountains we are climbing or whatever clouds we are flying on our foundation remains rooted and steadfast.
The verse on the back of the greetings card reads, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3 : 5
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I painted this picture at Easter when my spiritual experience can feel very intense. Last year I did a very personal picture of Christ on the cross, painted from a place of penance and prayer. I realised that I cannot always be in a place of such intensity and wondered what it must have been like to feel far away from Christ,even when He was actually living amongst us. Is the message changed by our feeling of closeness or distance? I don’t think so.
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