Quiet confidence

Dear friends,

At the end of this writing, I share the steps I took to paint this landscape. If you follow the simple instructions, I think it would be fun for you to try. This method would also be fun to share with children. But first, here is a bit about the text on the card:

The words on the front of the Quiet confidence Art Card are:
In returning and rest you will be saved; in quietness and trust is your strength. (Isaiah 30:15)

The devotional on the back of this card expounds on this verse:
The Lord’s message is unchanged throughout the ages – In returning to Him and resting in His grace, we are saved. We are saved from our sin, our brokenness, and our mistakes. We are saved for eternity.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God...” (Ephesians 2:8)

In quiet reverence, we trust in His grace and strength and are strong.

The Hebrew word for trust is bātah. It means to rely on, feel safe, be confident in, unconcerned; not wishing, but expecting. Bātah is deep resting in secure love.

In many Psalms, David’s quiet reflection on God’s goodness diffuses his rage and fear. He feels safe in the presence of the Lord. “In peace I will both lie down and sleep for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8)

“Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me.” (Psalm 131:2)

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore, my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him.” (Psalm 28:7)

“I love You, O Lord, my strength.” (Psalm 18:1)

This prayer is not on the card:
Father, I return to Your words every morning. They are life, health, shalom. I trust You. I rest in You. No matter the storm around me, You are my Fortress. I am secure in Your love.

The Quiet confidence Art Card Story:

In the mid-1980s, I attended a women’s conference with friends high up in the mountains near Estes Park, Colorado. One day, we decided to take a watercolor class in town. I cannot remember the name of the teacher, but he instructed us step by step. We simply followed each instruction exactly as he explained them.

When we walked into the classroom, each desk had a piece of watercolor paper taped to a board so it would not buckle from the water. We each had one paint brush, a jar of water, steel-blue watercolor paint, a palette to mix the paint and water, a blow dryer, and a razor blade.

First, we soaked our paint brushes in the water. We started the painting at the top of the paper and worked down with each step. With each step, we added less water to the paint, which made the paint darker and darker.

Here are the 7 steps as our teacher gave them to us:

We painted the 1^stlayer – the sky.
We used a very light wash of the paint.
Then, we dried it (so the wetness would not mix with the next application of paint).
We painted the 2^nd layer – a distant mountain.
We mixed the paint a tiny shade darker than the sky.
Then, we dried it.
We painted the 3^rd layer – a mountain in front of the distant mountain.
We mixed the paint a shade darker than the last (as you can see in the picture).
Then, we dried it.
We painted the 4^th layer – the smaller mountains and trees in the foreground.
We mixed the paint the darkest shade of the steel blue, almost black.
Then, we dried it.
We painted the 5^th layer – the water.
We mixed the paint a shade slightly lighter than the dark steel blue.
Then, we dried it.
With the razor blade, we etched into the paper to remove portions of the water to create the appearance of a reflection on the water.
We painted the 6^th layer – little bits of brush and grass silhouettes in the foreground.

So, there isn’t much to this painting and yet, it conveys a peaceful tranquility that reminded me of Isaiah 30:15. In 2015, many years after creating this landscape, I created the letters for the verse.

First, I painted each word of the verse with a large, pointed brush and lavender watercolor paint. The pointed brush allowed for thinness and thickness in the letters. I painted the words large (and inch high) so I could add detailed intricacies in the flourishes. To do this, I used large sheets of costly Arches watercolor paper (the best and only brand I use).

After scanning the landscape artwork, I placed it in a file for the printer. Then, I scanned the letters and applied them to the landscape in a layer.

The Quiet confidence Art Card is part of the Quietness Collection available at Flower Girl Greetings.

Quiet confidence

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