Joanna's Beauty Routine Painting

I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, where I currently reside. Over and over again, I find myself observing people, my friends, family, and neighbors. I’ve always had a strong urge to paint them, but for a long time, I didn’t know why. As I grow older, I am beginning to understand the strong influence which my Christian faith has not only on my artwork, but every aspect of my life. When I look at the people around me, I am reminded that each and every person is made by God and bares his image. When I draw or paint people, I try to represent them as I find them. My subjects are dressed in casual clothing, in the environments in which I typically engage with them, and are going about the ordinary tasks of life. I look for unique aspects about each individual to emphasize in my painting such as characteristic body language or facial expressions. We humans tend to remember the unusual or significant events of life and mark time by them, but the vast majority of our lives are comprised of mundane moments and tasks. While the inspiration for my paintings may seem insignificant, these are the moments of which life is made. One of my greatest ambitions is simply to notice and learn to be grateful for every second. Drawing and Painting are slow processes. This allows me an extended time to meditate on the sacrificial love of Christ for the individuals I am painting. I think God puts certain people in our lives at specific times as an opportunity for our sanctification, to teach us to love others, even if we do not want to. Through this artistic exercise, regardless of how I may feel about my subject in the moment, I am seeking to actively orient my heart to “love my neighbor as myself.” In so doing, my focus is not on my ability or inability to love that person of my own will. Rather, I seek to better comprehend the incomprehensible: that while I was an enemy of God, Jesus died for me. In this light, loving the people around me is not only my duty, but an act of gratitude.