Strength to Overcome

LEAH DAVIS (COMMISSIONED THE PIECE):

"My desire was to share this image with others searching for hope in overcoming addictions. We do not have to battle this evil serpent on our own. The Savior through His atonement has crushed the head. It is through this blessing that we and our loved ones can support, withstand, and faithfully seek the strength to overcome. I am grateful that James had both the patience and talent to work with me to beautifully portray what had blessed my mind in a time of great sorrow and trial as I watched my best friend struggle with addiction. I am a believer that hope should be shared."

Leah Davis, who is a single mother of 5, attends BYU-Idaho and will graduate in April '10 in Communications. Leah plans to pursue a Masters Degree in Instructional Design.

The proceeds from original artwork and print sales will help towards our graduate programs.

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS FROM THE ARTIST'S STUDY/PERSPECTIVE:

This piece has been one of the two hardest paintings I’ve ever completed up to this point, mostly because of the difficulties associated with turning a very abstract concept, involving unique elements, into a concrete though metaphorical reality in paint. It was a pleasure to work with Leah Davis, who commissioned the piece. She had a clear vision of this image which has given her much hope during great adversity, and wanted to bear her testimony through getting the image onto canvas with my help. It has been a mutual effort, and I have certainly contributed enough to feel I too am testifying of Christ through the piece. Ultimately, it was made very clear to me however that I did very little of myself and that the Lord has blessed the work and strengthened the hands that made it. I can truly testify of both the opposition as I worked on this painting, and also the feeling of Christ overcoming discouragement, doubt, and fear. In everything from a little case of lack of motivation to the most heinous sins and fiery tribulations, Christ has overcome all enemies to our salvation and joy through His atonement and redemption, if we will but turn to Him.

SCRIPTURES

13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it* shall bruise** thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
* Hebrew: He, referring to the Savior (see quote by James E. Talmage below)
** Hebrew: To crush, grind.

CES INSTITUTE MANUAL, JAMES E. TALMAGE

(Heading of section in CES Pearl of Great Price Institute Manual, p.14) "Moses 4:21. The 'Seed of the Woman' Refers to the Savior, Jesus Christ"
" 'Adam, the patriarch of the race, rejoiced in the assurance of the Savior's appointed ministry, through the acceptance of which, he, the transgressor, might gain redemption. Brief mention of the plan of salvation, the author of which is Jesus Christ, appears in the promise given of God following the fall—that though the devil, represented by the serpent in Eden, should have power to bruise the heel of Adam's posterity, through the seed of the woman should come the power to bruise the adversary's head. 3 It is significant that this assurance of eventual victory over sin and its inevitable effect, death, both of which were introduced to earth through Satan the arch-enemy of mankind, was to be realized through the offspring of woman; the promise was not made specifically to the man, nor to the pair. The only instance of offspring from woman dissociated from mortal fatherhood is the birth of Jesus the Christ, who was the earthly Son of a mortal mother, begotten by an immortal Father. He is the Only Begotten of the Eternal Father in the flesh, and was born of woman.' (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p.44)"

BRUCE SATTERFIELD (BYU-IDAHO RELIGION DEPARTMENT), EMAIL 23 JUN 09

As noted, the Hebrew word can mean either to crush or to strike at. What is being portrayed is the antagonism between man and snakes. The snake strikes at man’s heal while man strikes back by trying to crush the head of the serpent. That is the symbolic portrayal.

The Hebrew word in question in this passage is pronounded shuf or shoof. Shuf is used in regarding both the serpent and Eve's seed. The passage could be translated, "He shall strike (crush) your head and you shall stike (crush) his heel."

The word shuf is found in three passages in the Hebrew bible. The first is the one you are considering: Gen. 3:15. The second, is in Job 9:17 which translates the word as "breaketh": "For he breaketh me with a tempest [storm]". The third is in Psalms 139:11 where it is translated "cover": "If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me." That gives you a lexical idea of how the word is used.

Certainly the Genesis passage is fulfilled in multiple ways. At first, the contest is between Eve's offspring (mankind) and the Serpent's offspring (wickedness and any who participate in wicked things). Note the similarity between Nephi's vision of the last day an these verses. In 1 Nephi 14:10, Nephi saw the Church of the Devil. The angel described this church as "the mother of abominations." That is, Satan's kingdom produces abominations or wickedness. Therefore, in one sense, the seed of the serpent is wickedness. The serpent would continually be attacking the heels of Eve's offspring (mankind) through wickedness. The heel could represent the foot or feet which symoblizes the direction or course of life which men persue. The Lord places enmity or natural hatred and conflict between Eve's seed and the serpent's seed. This is initially accomplished through the light of Christ which creates a natural contrary nature in man with evil. Man is always in conflict with evil because of his conscience.

Secondly, the Genesis passage is fulfilled in Gethsemane, on the cross, and in the tomb where Christ (the seed of Eve) battles the consequences of the fall of Adam and each man's individual fall. We could say Christ "crushes" "breaks" or "covers" (using the three ways the bible uses shuf) mankinds sin as well as Satan's battle against mankind. In this battle, Christ must battle the advesary (the Hebrew word is Satan) and crush his works.

Thirdly, the Genesis passage is fulfilled at both the second coming and at the end of the millennium. Upon the second coming, Satan and wickedness are delivered a crushing blow when his influence is not longer felt during that thousand years of peace. And at the end of the millennium, the final crushing blow is delivered when Satan and his followers (the Serpent and his seed) are cast off forever (see Revelation 20 [particullary verses 7-10], D&C 29:22-23; 88:110-111].

FROM THE INFINITE ATONEMENT BY TAD CALLISTER AND FINAL THOUGHTS

Shortly after I commenced the painting in earnest, and before it was completed, I read in full the marvelous book The Infinite Atonement by Tad L. Callister. Therein, he described the atonement in an interesting way that I had never thought of before, and which I feel relates very much to the nature of this painting. He said that the Savior's "suffering must have been more than a resigned submissiveness or a fist-clenching 'taking of the stripes.' It must have been more than a defensive 'holding of the fort' or raising of the shield to ward off the fiery darts of the Evil One. Part of the Savior's atoning quest must have included an element of conquering, an offensive struggle of sorts. ...There was a need to rescue and deliver souls from 'the chains of hell' (Alma 12:11). This part of the battle may have necessitated an invasion of Satan's turf, perhaps even an intrepid trespass into the dark abyss of the Devil's domain. ...The Savior's redemption was a one-man rescue mission to deliver the prisoners of all ages from death and hell, of which Satan was the ever-so-vigilant guard." (p. 129 of The Infinite Atonement)

Truly, never did Satan more bruise the Savior's figurative heel than during the awful hours of His atoning sacrifice. Never did the Savior more resolutely and completely crush the serpents head than during that very same ordeal, after which He rose to glory, having redeemed us all. Thank God for Christ’s victory over fear and death, and may we “contend…morning by morning” (D&C 112:5) on His side!

Daniel 2:44-45

In the Old Testament, we read of one King Nebudchadnezzar, the great Babylonian king of the 6th century BC, who beseiged Israel and exiled her upper class citizens to Babylon in the east. Among these exiled Israelites was Daniel, who was chosen to be trained by the wise advisors of the king in his own Court. One night, Nebudchadnezzar had a dream he did not understand. When his wise advisers and magicians could not reveal the dream or meaning to him, he ordered all wise men and the like (including Daniel, a wise man in training) killed.

When Daniel found out the cause of his impending execution, he implored the king give him time and he would interpret the vision. Parenthetically, it is interesting to me that he asked the king for time, which was, by the way, granted him. Revelation does indeed take time. It is hard to accept that fact when it seems like we need a inspiration immediately, but the Lord won't leave us in our time of need and can "lengthen...time", "soften...hearts", and otherwise allow our faith to be tested and strengthened even while the whole time He knows that we will be fine.

Daniel went home, prayed, and asked his companions in the Lord that were with him to also pray. That night, the Lord revealed the dream and its meaning to Daniel, who then revealed these to the King. Everyone's lives were spared; Daniel, praised and revered.

That's the general story, and explains the bottom half of the drawing. The crux of the message is in the dream itself.

The king sees a great and curious image or statue, with a head of gold, breatplate and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, and feet of iron mixed with clay. Each of these represented an earthly kingdom or empire (Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, and an unknown subsequent group of kingdoms). A stone is somehow cut out of a mountain, "without hands," rolls down and strikes the latter kingdom, toppling and destroying to powder the whole image. The stone then rolls on, becoming a mountain and filling the whole earth.

If there is a God, and that God will return to us one day--or rather us to Him--then it is perfectly logical and expected for all temporary earthly kingdoms to then have an end; His kingdom and glory will fill the whole earth. We would all do well to seek out that God, the King of kings, and to do it in this life. I for one want my heart to be with God and His kingdom, which will last forever, and not set on the world or its kingdoms.

This does not discount patriotism in any way--it simply prohibits the worship of anything worldly or temporary, really anything which will have an end. Or as scripture affirms, "Wherefore, be subject to the powers that be, until he reigns whose right it is to reign, and subdues all enemies under his feet."

I believe in God, and in His justice and mercy. He justly gives authority to men, priesthood, to set up His kingdom on earth. He requires all who desire to unite with Him that they join His earthly kingdom or Church through baptism. But He mercifully leaves no one out. If there is one unique diamond of truth that sets the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints apart, it is this: all must be baptized as Christ Himself taught, but all men and women who did not have that chance in this life to accept that baptism and gospel, are not lost, and will be given that opportunity still. They are not saved in ignorance, but through learning and accepting the gospel at a later time, in a very special way which the Lord has revealed.

I pray as did the Savior so long ago, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."

"But [Joseph] Refused"

Genesis 39:7-9

"And it came to pass...that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, "Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

I used no direct reference for this drawing, also for my Drawing From Imagination class, but wow did I spend hours looking at hieroglyphics, photos I took from Egypt, and other online photos detailing Egyptian pillars, furniture, and clothing. I did the drawing traditionally, and the value (shading) in Photoshop.

I would like to eventually paint this and use it for the above mentioned Seminary Scripture Mastery reference. What a powerful verse and lesson on resisting temptation!

The amazing thing to me about the scripture is that Joseph was not suddenly "jumped" from behind and his garments ripped off when he ran--just as we are not usually tempted in big ways but little ways first. It was not until several verses--and days--later that she "caught him by his garment," and he left it in her hand, "fled, and got him out." Rather, we learn in verse 10 that, after this initial and less forceful temptation by Potiphar's wife which I have illustrated, she continued to tempt him, "day by day". But (and note the "or" in the next phrase), "he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her or to be with her."

Never in the history of this planet has there been so much temptation to replace love with lust, "secretly" view pornography, and commit other moral transgressions. We would all do well to, as Joseph, "hearken not" to temptation and refrain from such terrible sin. But we be far better if we would follow his example in refusing to even "be with her"--in other words, to avoid the very environment that breeds temptation.

I personally know that the Savior's love and power can overcome Satan, lust, and weakness, even when we are tempted "day by day".

Peace in the Middle East

This drawing, done for my Drawing From Imagination class, depicts "Downtown Jerusalem" at the time of Christ. "Downtown", or one of the busiest places in the city, at the time was actually right outside the walls of the Temple of Herod, which walls you see on the right (the entrances in the background and above lead to the main court of the temple). The open doors would have been shops. Christ is meant to be a focal point of the piece, though obviously the dove in the foreground is just so big that it has to be the primary focal point. As a friend pointed out and helped me articulate, the doves may well represent the Holy Ghost's workings among the people at the time of Christ, who gained a testimony of His divinity by the power thereof.

As the class title suggests, I had to create this piece using just the laws of one-point perspective, my imagination, and some limited, indirect reference as desired. I used artists' renditions from aerial views of Herod's Temple from a book I got while in Jerusalem, as well as several photos I took while in Jerusalem that greatly aided me in the drawing, though I still had to totally reconstruct it myself.

As far as my process goes, I did a fairly finished pencil sketch, scanned it, and then edited and added value to the piece on Photoshop, trying three different ways of lighting the scene before deciding on the "sunrise" value comp (very bottom), which I took the time to finish (very top).

Upon This Rock

Matthew 16:15-19
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Referring to this scripture, the Prophet Joseph said, "What rock? Revelation."

How will you come to know Jesus as the Christ? What is the difference between knowing Him as your Savior, and merely knowing about Him? How is that saving knowledge revealed? Could Peter have led the Church of Jesus Christ without revelation? Authority? Priesthood keys? Can you follow the Savior without following His living prophet? Come unto Christ—through all of the means He has appointed.

I tried to include some aspect of every part of this scripture into the dynamics of the composition, color, and lighting. The event took place at Caesarea Philippi. While there on a study abroad this April, I basked in the lush beauty of the place, which is located near some rocky, towering cliffs. I also took several photos, three of which I combined to create this landscape. Christ taught His apostles in the outskirts of the Roman city, located near an important spring that fed into the Sea of Galilee. Because of the high location geographically of Caesarea Philippi (some 10-15 miles north of the Sea of Galilee), I feel there could be some symbolism in the Lord's choice of setting when He pronounced this crucially important statement. Every lake has a source, and if it were to be cut off from that source it would dry up. Similarly, Christ's Church must have a living source, and not try to rely on past revelation or past authority alone. The Lord's prophet is, for us, the spring from which the Lord's guidance comes for the Church collectively. Then, both he and we receive individual revelation pertaining to whatever sphere of responsibility the Lord has given us. There is much more I could say about the scripture, but I'll refrain for now. Suffice it to say there is deep and rich doctrine about revelation, priesthood authority, and ordinances contained in these verses.

I couldn't fit into one entry all of the little miracles that have happened to allow things to come together for this painting: the right models and costumes showing up just at the right times, the right pictures falling into place, and the miraculous timing of its completion. It took just under 80 hours to paint, which I had to squeeze into 9 days working around the clock. I thank the Lord, who definitely helped me.

This is also the last painting for my BFA show, which anyone is invited to attend of course. The opening reception is this Thursday, November 20, from 7:30-9:30 pm, at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg, right outside the Spori Art Gallery. On display will be the originals of this and the previous three paintings illustrating Seminary scripture mastery scriptures. Hope to see you there!

Ascend into the Hill of the Lord

These are some photos of my painting process, after getting all of the design worked out and transferring the drawing to the canvas. I put on some thinned down paint just to get my basic pencil drawing more clear and lasting, then basically block in one area after another, though I do try to paint a few of the darkest darks and lightest lights at the very beginning so that I can keep my relative values more accurate.

My roommate Dave posed for this one right outside the Rexburg Temple (the temple depicted here), though of course in the painting he is in his bedroom merely preparing for and pondering the temple. I appreciate Dave's example as that of many others who appreciate and understand the sanctity of this sacred place. Such persons, though imperfect and ever striving to remain worthy of entrance therein, can only gain the knowledge of how special the temple really is by qualifying as the Psalmist described: by simply having clean hands, through refraining from sin and repenting, and pure hearts, through obeying and emulating Christ in desires as well as works. My stake president taught me something interesting recently. He said, referring to the temple, "I know of no greater symbol of the Savior than that rock on the hill." I worship often in the temple and love the peace I feel in that sanctuary, where one may truly come to know Jesus Christ. I hope that in this painting my affection for my Savior's House is apparent.

Psalm 24:3-4
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

How is a temple like unto a hill belonging to the Lord? What makes it His holy place? Are His temples holy because of the quality of materials used in their construction alone? Because of the quiet hush and white clothing found within their walls? What makes you holy?
Who must clean your hands? Who must purify your heart? Is your conscience clean, pure, and white? Ascend into, and not merely unto, the house of the Lord.

Spirit of Revelation

What do you feel when the Holy Ghost speaks to your mind? To your heart? When was the last time you recognized a prompting from the Spirit? Why did the Lord cite the specific example of Moses parting the Red Sea, of all other possible examples, to describe the spirit of revelation? How urgently did he need revelation at that time? How urgently do you need it now? Do you seek heaven’s light? Open the curtains.

This painting, the 2nd in my series of Seminary Scripture Mastery scriptures, definitely needs to be seen in the light of the scripture upon which it is based. Doctrine & Covenants 8:2-3 reads: "Behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now behold, this is the spirit of revelation; this is the spirit by which Moses led the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground."

I believe this scripture and painting can teach some important truths about this exhibition’s theme, “Remembering the Great Things of God.” To remember God’s works and goodness in the way He would have us remember them, we must first come to know of their power and truth through the Holy Ghost. Mere cognitive knowledge, devoid of a witness from the Spirit, is insufficient to produce a lasting effect on the soul such as to cause one to truly remember as “great” the things God has done for someone in their own life, or in the lives of others.

When, however, the Spirit bears testimony to the mind and the heart of the truth and grandeur of God and His works, there comes a powerful and lasting impression, one that, nurtured and developed, can grow to become as powerful as the confidence Moses felt in the Lord by the time he reached the edge of the Red Sea so many years ago.

At that moment, when he and the children of Israel were seemingly trapped between the hosts of Pharaoh and the waters of the Red Sea, and when the children of Israel “were sore afraid”, I have to believe that Moses remembered the Lord’s great works up to that point, and the promises made to him personally, including the promise that he would be “made stronger than many waters” (Moses 1:25). There is the lesson for all of us today—that to remember such things in our times of need is to dispel doubt and fear, exercise faith, and invite the kind of revelation that will produce miracles in our lives. When the Lord instructed Moses to tell His people to “go forward”, I believe that remembering the great things of God gave him the kind of faith in Christ that prepared both his mind and his heart to receive the revelation to part the Red Sea and lead His people onward to the promised land.

The girl in this painting is studying the scriptures, and remembering the great things God has done for His children. The Holy Ghost, manifest in the painting as light, wind, and fire, dramatically fills her mind and heart, the same as it did for Moses. We when feeling the Spirit do not usually experience the outward drama of these symbols—fire, wind, or bright light. Inwardly, however, the Spirit’s influence does feel uniquely warm, enlightening, and moving. We should all feel the Spirit bearing witness of Christ and His wondrous works as we study the scriptures, ponder, pray, and in all endeavors, remember the great things of God.

I would simply say additionally that much prayer, work, and indeed revelation and guidance went into this painting and came from it. I, by simply looking at it, can remember "the great things of God" as they have been manifest to me recently in my own life. I suppose that this alone means my efforts have not been in vain.

The painting has taken months to complete. The concept in general was quite given to me as a sudden rush of ideas culminating in an image that was then refined to become what it is now. I used two models that are both shining examples to me of members of the Church who live their lives according to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. It was all painted in the somewhat crowded oil painting room of Brigham Young University-Idaho’s Spori building. I am indebted to the help and counsel of many able teachers and students there, and of course I am ultimately indebted to God and His grace.

That's the chief lesson I learned while doing this painting—how utterly weak I am alone, how insufficient any work is without “The Touch of the Master’s Hand”. I have yearned for years to paint something that will really inspire members of the Church, and felt so deficient for so long because of a lack of sufficient training in representing the figure, in controlling oil paint, in color and design and composition. Since I have been working harder at those things, and trusting the Lord while moving forward, I have been getting better at speaking the language of art. I know that it is a gift from Him. Without question I know that, in my experience creating this painting, as in life in general, “it is by grace we are saved, after all we can do.” (2 Nephi 25:23).

Feast Upon the Word

This is based on a scripture in 2 Nephi 32:3. It is the first in a series of four 24" x 36" paintings illustrating one scripture from each canon within the Seminary program's Scripture Mastery scriptures. There is plenty of symbolism, and again I will leave it to you to find it. However, based on the comments of those I've shown it to in the past, there is probably more than you think. Keep looking. And I hope that this captures, to some extent, the kind of feeling we should all have when we really study the word of God, and let it nourish and fill our souls. I believe we as a society eat not only too much actual junk food, but that we feed our minds and spirits with a lot of junk as well. Let us "feast upon that which perisheth not". Then, lest we become unfit for God's kingdom, let us exercise and use that knowledge, those spiritual nutrients and commandments, through service and obedience!

2 Nephi 32:3
Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

Do you have a spirit within you? Must it be fed? With what frequency shall you feed it, and what shall the main course be when you do—the Savior’s milk, bread, fruits, and meat? The world’s processed imitations? Will you merely look at the Savior’s words, or will you ponder and chew on them, swallow them, make them a part of your very being, and exercise faith in Christ that the nutrients go not wasted? You are what you eat.

The Devil's Favorite Color

This particular painting was originally inspired by a scripture in Moroni 7 (see if you can find out which verses apply). Though Satan's efforts to thwart God's plan will never prevail, unfortunately he gains great hold over the hearts of those who do not give heed to their conscience, the light of Christ, and the Holy Ghost. To those who are not seeking after absolute truth, even the laws of God which uphold and govern all things, any pleasant lie will do. It has been said, "If you do not stand up for something, you will fall for anything." When it comes to each individual choice that we make, there is simply no such thing as a good gray. It's either white, or it's not. Interestingly, in the realm of white light, we find that a prism reveals many beautiful colors within that light. I believe that is how we are different, by choosing which colors to emphasize within the bounds of the God's laws. Though there can be many right choices within the realm of white, there is no such thing as a gray choice that is acceptable in God's sight. The media today is aiding Satan in leading us through all the shades of gray and into the darkest black. The next phase and perhaps another possible painting is calling black white, and white black. Satan somehow is duping people to believe that evil is good, and some good is evil. Only the honest in heart who do not ignore guilt when they are faced with sin, and repent to let the Savior bring them back to the white area, will finally live with a Perfect God forever.

Blog Purpose

The purpose of this blog is to allow me space to write all that I want to write about work that went into my more involved paintings and/or lessons learned while doing them. So for most everyone, I assume that
"reading this blog = slow, boring death".
For me however, its a great place to post things that Ill cherish and want to remember for a long time. My other blog, featuring mostly images and minimal text, is jamesjohnsonart.blogspot.com.