I painted the works for All Things Great And Small during a season when my heart was tender; things going differently than I wanted. While disappointment has its place, dashed hopes can chip away at a person, and I knew that rather than standing under a shroud of clouds, I preferred to search for some sunny spots.

I took that rather literally and went outside. A lot. In the outdoors, scenes of hope abounded: perseverance in the old trees, resilience in the volunteer plants, a confident ease heard in the hum of cicadas. ⁠A new sense of calm began to settle into me and my spirit was lifting. It was confirming what I’ve read in Scripture: “if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you?” (Matthew 6:30).

Through these paintings, I hope the viewer looks down at the flowers and looks up at the trees, remembering their stability, even amid fragility. Look up, look down, listen! There is wonder and growth everywhere, and we get to be a part of it.