Collage Paintings
More than torn paper or paint, these art pieces reflect much study and insight. The initial impact of color, joy and freedom draw attention as closer interaction unfolds their stories.
She Has Done a Beautiful Thing, Mary of Bethany
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was eating dinner. His indignant disciples complained of the waste. But Jesus said, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.” Jesus so valued what Mary of Bethany had done, whenever his good news would be preached from then on it would include her thankful act.
The River of Life in The New Jerusalem
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse.There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. Revelation 22:1-5
Fine Art Prints available for River of Life: River of Life Fine Art Prints https://fineartamerica.com/featured/river-of-life-joan-c-thomson.html?product=art-print
The Lord is My Shield
Ensnaring vines bearing painful lies that have been repeated about women through the ages surround an old picture of Eve (from a print by Albrecht Dürer) that I’ve brought forward to represent all women. Spoken by prominent people from Buddha to the early church fathers, even contemporary church leaders, these words are often still believed by many men and women, keeping them from following God’s truth. Additional “fiery darts” bearing more accusations are portrayed as mathematical “greater than/less than” symbols, with the “less than” end pointed at women—these can become so common that we accept them without thinking, as with the “arrow” which looks like hair barrette. But that’s not the end of the story.
“Eve” has a serene countenance because she has the Word of God ”hidden in her heart;” she knows the truth of, “There is neither…male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) I’ve made her heart in the shape of a shield, the “shield of faith” with which to “quench flaming arrows.” (Ephesians 6:16) Surrounding “Eve” is a bower of red hibiscus. In Spain, I was told that the local name for the flower translates to “flower of peace.” We can be at peace while fighting the Enemy’s lies when we take the Truth of the Word of God deep into our hearts.
The Key to the Treasure
In prayer, I once had a picture in my mind of a pomegranate and a key. Looking to the Bible for the significance of keys, I was drawn to Isaiah 33:6, “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.” I’ve written this Word in the cosmos, the “Y” of Yhwh embroidered in golden threads surrounded by scarlet points.
The pomegranate, traditionally containing 613 seeds, represents to the Jews, “the 613 things that God has asked them to do” or the Law of Moses. In Christian art through the ages, the pomegranate has represented the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus’ death and resurrection fulfilled the Law! Within is the “rich store of salvation, wisdom and knowledge.” The key I used as the model was given to me representing “new beginnings.” Here, it stands for the “fear of the Lord.” I modeled the banner hanging from the key, after one I saw in Spain.
At the bottom, I’ve collaged images of clocks set to times around the world. Layered over them are images of Spanish architectural elements that I’ve hand-printed (my Nicaraguan neighbor said they look like the insides of a pomegranate). On the left, I’ve painted, in the manner of textile design, grape leaves with two stages of pomegranate blossoms surrounded by “heavenly” gold.
Knock and Keep On Knocking
Jesus told the story of a persistent neighbor who needed food for his unexpected guest as an example of how we are to pray and not give up! Finally, the man got out of bed because his neighbor kept knocking and knocking
When Jesus said,“Knock and the door will be opened,” he didn’t mean a tentative, “little girl tap,” but the Greek word translated as “knock,” means to knock hard. The verb tense, I’m told, means to keep on knocking--depicted in the collage painting by two sets of the same doors. We are to pray hard and keep on praying until our prayers get results (Matthew 7:7,8).
I’ve collaged and painted two sets of the same doors to indicate repetition. The palm trees represent the Tree of Life. The golden yellow of the background is for God’s glory, red—the blood of Jesus, blue—heaven.
““So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.””