The thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was a small and passing thing: there was Light and High Beauty forever beyond its reach. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings.

To paint nature allows me to observe and study it intimately, discovering hidden treasures of beauty and design that are easily overlooked in this busy, mostly urban culture we live in. It is my goal in painting to bring these details into focus for myself and others and inspire awe and joy for the natural world we live in and for God who made it all. If I can cause myself (and hopefully others) to see beyond the obvious, to really look at all the amazing detail and design, the intricate way things fit together and work, the awesome elegance and beauty of life, then that is a good beginning. If out of that discovery there comes the sweet "longing .... to find the place where all the beauty came from"; to long and look for a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ who gives all good things and wants us to live life to the fullest by knowing Him; then we are on our way.

Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.  But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you?    Matthew 6:29, 30

It was when I was happiest that I longed most...The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing...to find the place where all the beauty came from. C.S. Lewis, Till We Have Faces

 

                                                    Elements of Beauty:
Though not an exhaustive list, these 6 elements are some of the most basic qualities found in a thing of beauty.

Design · Detail · Function · Balance · Symmetry · Elegance » Beauty