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To live and enjoy every day to its fullest, use my gifts to help others, I travel to wherever passion finds me.

What Will She Paint?

So many friends I met here...!

Monday, November 09, 2009

DOUBLE TAKE - Sunday Painter Part 2

 Have you ever done a double take? (for the ones who don't know: you see something, and it's so shocking that you can't believe what you saw, so you look again!) And horrors - it's true. You saw it right! That's a little how I felt becoming a Sunday painter.


 ©18 x 24 Watercolor, St.Germain

 How did you become a Sunday painter?
 Writers have called artists "prophets" because in a time of societal changes, the artists are the first to show it in their work Often this is seen in their style and approach to painting.

The whole decade of the nineties was a turnover, starting 2months before the new Year of 1990, with the fall of Communism and. culminating in Sept. 2001 as a monumental change.  Since then several levels of society have not been the same. 

In the nineties, my family went as well through some big changes.  Suddenly  my  small friendly watercolors changed from one day to another into working in oil on 24 x 30 inch canvas with sober and semi-abstract forms. The change was big because I had never ever painted with oil before!

That whole story is written on one of the pages of my website www.stgermainart.com

Seven years later (2004)I went to a mid size conference (about 1300 people attending). The day before, I knew that I knew that I knew that one of the speakers was going to speak about multiplication. 
Don' t ask me how I knew. I did not have a dream, or vision, nor did I hear I voice from heaven. 
I just knew!
In the course of the day I remembered that a long time ago I had painted 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. (its the story of the feeding of the 5000  where 5 loaves of bread were being multiplied, enough to feed 5000 men and their families).

I thought it was very strange, and never heard of people doing that,  but had decided to take that painting with me. Needless to say, I also felt conspicuous. It's rather difficult to hide a 24 x 30 inch painting under your coat or sweater!



© Five Loaves and Two Fish, 24 x 30, Oil, St Germain

The next evening, I was sitting on pins and needles, thinking what if you are wrong? Nevertheless, as soon as the speaker said that multiplication was going to come the coming year, I stepped out of my seat and brought it to the platform. To my astonishment  the speaker was not even surprised. 
He saw me coming and started laughing, saying, "Oh, I love those prophetic people." Then the people in the video booth, showed the painting on a big screen (about 8 x 10 feet) on the platform. And a ripple of  "Ooooh" went through the audience.

And that was how I became a Sunday painter.

Now I had passed this hurdle, I was more confident  and asked the pastors who were in charge of this conference if I could paint on Sunday, and they accepted. 
First I painted in Mott Auditorium, and then in the Ambassador Auditorium, both in Pasadena, CA.


Since the story will get too long, hold on curious ones, in the next part of the story I will come to that painting with the birds:)

29 comments:

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

What an experience Jeannette to have foreseen the subject beforehand.

I really LOVE this one my friend!! It is SO different and unusual.

Well done on a GREAT work of art!!

Zuzana said...

I absolutely love the first paragraph as I so know what you mean.:)
Your paintings are lovely and I love the way you use your words as well.
xoxo
Zuzana

Unknown said...

Love both of these Jeannette, but especially the five loaves and two fishes. Just incredible!

Angie Muresan said...

That is awesome! I don't believe I have ever experienced anything as prophetic as that.

Gaelyn said...

What an uplifting experience Jeannette. You were definately on the right path. I really like both these paintings, especially the first one. And I'm looking forward to hearing about the bird painting. You are certainly gifted.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

Your paintings are delightful, and THANK YOU for following me from one old blog to a new one!

DUTA said...

You certainly "stole" the show from the speaker/s. I bet your painting activity was more interesting to the audience than the speeches.

Both paintings in your post are lovely.

Jeannette StG said...

Joan,
Thank you Joan, you are kind:) About the business of foreseeing- it sometimes gets me in trouble (meaning at places I don't choose to be LOL) - no wonder they say "ignorance is bliss!

Jeannette StG said...

Zuzanna,
You having traveled much, I can imagine that sort of a thing (double take) is very familiar to you LOL
Thank you, but I wish I was better with words (meaning English!!)

BTW - thanks for your email - please give me a few days to answer:)

Jeannette StG said...

Jane,
Thank you Jane! Appreciate you taking out time, knowing that you're very busy now:)
Hope the decorating-painting goes smoothly!

Jeannette StG said...

Angie,
It may sound enviable, but this is how I see it: the more we receive, the more responsibility it carries with it:) like I said to Joan, ignorance is bliss!

Jeannette StG said...

Gaelyn,
The older I become, the more I begin to understand that we may have a mix of talents/gifts, but one is stronger than the other (I hardly have to do anything for these paintings, but labor hard for my landscapes:) )

Jeannette StG said...

Gary,
Thank you, Gary:) I wouldn't miss your blog for anything - I would miss all your mischief and upbeat way of viewing things!

Jeannette StG said...

Duta,
I hope I didn't "steal" the attention away - but I do know that people remember things better with a good illustration (which my painting was in this case)-
so if it was stealing, it was a good steal:)

Rudee said...

I'm on pins and needles (multiples) waiting for the next installment. What a wonderful story.

Jeannette StG said...

Rudee,
Thanks Rudee. As long as it's knitting needles and not sewing needles, LOL
You know I sat on those clear plastic ones once, and they broke! Guaranteed that I went to the store to get some others in exchange!

Dimple said...

Jeanette-Thank you for the visit and comment(s). I like the header, too. Good thing, since I put it there!

I know what you are talking about-- being a prophetic artist-- and when I saw the painting of the birds and read the words on it, it brought me to tears. I am anxious to read more about it.

God bless!

crochet lady said...

Interesting start to Sunday Painting. Can't wait to hear more.
What's the story behind the mulitple face painting? It's a wonderful image.

Jeannette StG said...

Dimple,
What you are and others are saying is worth all the effort, hours of prayer, preparation and sacrifices.

Sometimes I still can't believe that this came to me. But how can you say "No" to God, since he's the giver of the gift in the first place?

Dimple said...

Well, you COULD say no, but it wouldn't be a good idea!

Jeannette StG said...

Dimple,
Fortunately for us, he changes our attitude and our feelings, so in the end we'll say YES :)

Irene said...

That's quite an amazing story, Jeannette. I hear too many of these things to think of them as coincidences anymore. There is such thing called fate and the road we are supposed to take.

Jeannette StG said...

Irene,
Yes, I wouldn't have chosen this road for myself, LOL, but whenever I like to throw in the towel, it looks like this is the road I'm supposed to take:)

Now we're on this subject, Irene, I hope that you think enough of your art to get it out to where the people are!

Beth Niquette said...

When God has gifted an artist to do His work--doors open wide and things happen which defy explanation. Lovely work.

Jeannette StG said...

Beth,
Thank you Beth. I concur wholeheartedly!I like to pull all of my blog friends with me in this new view of the horizon:)

PJ said...

That's a beautiful story Jeanette. It looks like you've found your niche.

S said...

Hey~! What a wonderful story - it must feel so strange to "forsee" something! I have never experienced it before. I love your first watercolour (especially all the facial expressions)!

Jeannette StG said...

Sreddy,
For me "to foresee" is really like doing a "double take"! After that occasion it has happened more, but it is still every time a double take, LOL.
Thanks Sreddy, what I like about it that one eye is also an eye of the next person -it's one of those things that come to you once in a life time!

Jeannette StG said...

Paula,
I almost would say, my niche found me, because I wasn't looking for it, or desiring it. Just seeing the effects it has on other people, make me want to continue it:)