"Nasar"

When I set out to make any new artwork, my goal is express a thought or idea stirring within my head, but also to create something that is visually interesting on its own, with or without any additional information about my concept or technique. However, I like to share my thoughts with anyone who may want to know more:

Journaling has been an important part of my morning routine for many years now. Taking a few quiet moments to get my thoughts down on paper is an enriching experience, and a way that I connect with God in my prayer time. My journal entries inevitably morph into a dialogue with God; I write, and then allow Him to speak to my heart in that still, small voice that usually gets drowned out by the busyness of the day. Selfishly, the pages are filled with personal intercessions regarding my own circumstances, situations, and issues. It’s a place where I can be totally honest and pour out my heart to God. I think that’s why I am so drawn to the Psalms; they are like King David’s prayer journal. David was continually praying for God’s help in his own life: “Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught” (Ps. 55:1-2). The verses are filled with a very human voice that I can always identify with and relate to. Among the sacred poems and songs are prayers that exude David’s dependency, desperation, and love for God. Another example is found in Psalm 18:1-3, “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies”.

Several of my most recent works have been structured around concepts that incorporate my journal entries. “Nasar” is based off the idea of the Psalms as a prayer journal. The Hebrew word nasar, here translated “keep,” is used many times in Psalm 119 to stress the necessity of "keeping" (guarding, protecting) the various kinds of instructions in God’s Word: testimonies, statutes, laws, precepts, and commandments.

With “Nasar”, I first created a background by staining a piece of white vinyl with coffee and various colors of ink. Aesthetically it makes for a more interesting surface to work on and poetically, it suggests the way the Word of God covers and transforms lives that have been stained with sin. Passages from the Psalms were digitally printed onto sheer fabric and adhered to the vinyl. Each line of text was extended to the edges of the vinyl and literally provided the guidelines for the way the entire piece developed. This symbolizes the way the text also provides moral guidelines for my life, and also represents a journey from the external self to the inner man, the spiritual part of oneself. The nearly 400 hours of hand stitching was a very repetitive, yet spiritual experience. The mandala-like, circular patterns radiate an intensity of color from bright red to pale pink, and cover the text. As I stitched over each word with thread, I felt as if I were ingesting the words; taking them in, meditating on them, and hiding them within myself. In doing so, I was reminded of Psalm 119:11, which says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You”.


"Nasar", 108" x 36", hand stitched vinyl, digitally printed fabric, 2009