Color Me beautiful

By Hazel Holland

I painted this impressionistic watercolor as I thought about what it might be like to live among the colorful plants and interesting sea life in a coral reef.  The octopus kind of happened by accident because his wavy arms (or are they legs?) seemed to fit with the flow of the water and graceful movement of the surrounding sea life environment.   But I may have gotten carried away just a bit with the seaweed thing!

Knowing ahead of time that we were going to be getting some hot weather today... supposed to be 102 and even 110 in some places around here, I thought I would paint a scene of life in a cooler place!

To see a larger copy of this artwork click here.

Come Swim with Me

By Hazel Holland
  

I painted this impressionistic watercolor as I thought about what it might be like to live among the colorful plants and sea life in a coral reef.  The octopus kind of happened by accident because his wavy arms (or are they legs?) seemed to fit with the flow of the water and graceful movement of the surrounding sea life environment.  But I may have gotten carried away just a bit with the seaweed thing!

Knowing ahead of time that we were going to be getting some hot weather today... supposed to be 102 and even 110 in some places around here, I thought I would paint a scene of life in a cooler place.♥

To see a larger copy of this artwork click here. 

Swaying to the Music

By Hazel Holland

This impressionistic watercolor portrays another world that we don't see most of the time unless we go deep sea diving.  As I was painting this I imagined the aquatic plants swaying in rhythm as if they were playing in a symphony.

I chose rainbow colors for the ocean water because I think these bright colors bring hope and tranquility to our hearts.  They also bring back memories of the beautiful sunsets and sunrises that we have watched  and admired from time to time.

What a loving God we serve who created such beauty and color for us to enjoy.  Makes me want to dance and sway to the sound of the music that I hear in my heart... the music that all nature sings in response to our Creator God! ♥

A Shower of Joy

By Hazel Holland

Did you ever feel so full of joy that it felt like you were being bathed in a shower of pure joy?  And just to be clear... I'm not talking about the liquid joy that comes out of a bottle that we use to wash the dishes.  I'm talking about another kind of joy that surpasses anything you can buy at the supermarket. 

I'm talking about a gift of the Spirit that is so real and so empowering that it promises to wash away every negative thought and remove every vestige of doubt that we may have about God's love for us.  For in His presence there is fullness of joy!  Daily He refreshes our spirits by His beautiful gift of joy! ♥ 

To see a larger copy of this art print click here.

The Beauty Inside

By Hazel Holland

Remembering how much fun it was teaching geology to my elementary school students years ago, I thought I would try my hand at altered watercolor art.   So I painted this abstract watercolor and then altered it to create what you would see if you cut a geode in half.   I'm pleased with my first attempt!

If you didn't know what you were looking for it would be really easy to pass up a geode.  For it just looks like some rough, brownish-gray lump of rock that you wouldn't look at twice... that is until you get to look inside and see the marbleized wonder that happened beneath the surface of the earth.

I love geodes because they remind me of people... especially the beauty that lies hidden below the surface inside each one of us.  Sometimes it takes the hard knocks of life for us to get past the discomfort of being seen for who we really are.

And we are the most beautiful to God when we take off our masks and allow Him to hold us close to His heart.  For He sees past our rough exterior and ugly outer defenses.  He sees the Pearl of great price that He has been looking for.  We are worth everything to Him!♥ 

To see a larger copy of this art print click here.

Beauty Below the Surface

By Hazel Holland

As I was painting this abstract watercolor I was experimenting with painting many circles of different sizes and colors while leaving strips of color between them to create an interesting effect.  Then I decided to try my hand at altered art with the painting and this was the result.

It reminds me of the beauty of many rocks and stones that are hidden away below the surface of the ground.  At first glance they usually look dirty and ugly until they are washed clean or cut to expose their hidden inner beauty and worth.

So often the beauty of rocks and minerals and precious stones isn't seen until they go through the process of being cut and chiseled and polished.  Then they become beautiful jewelry that we eagerly wear on our fingers and around our necks to make ourselves look beautiful.

But I think sometimes we forget about the beauty that lies hidden below the surface inside each one of us.  Sometimes it takes the hard knocks of life for us to get past the discomfort of being seen for who we really are.

We are sons and daughter of God who are the most beautiful when we allow Him to hold us close to His heart.  For He sees past our rough exterior and ugly outer defenses.  He sees the Pearl of great price that He has been looking for.  We are worth everything to Him!♥ 

To see a larger copy of this artwork click here.

A New Perspective

By Hazel Holland

As I painted this watercolor the other day I wanted it to have a beautiful rosy glow about it.  I wanted it to speak hope to people's hearts.  So here's looking at life through rose-tinted glasses!

Although I see the ugly way people treat one another at times, and I experience the sad and hurtful moments of life like everyone else, I cannot set up camp there.  I am an optimist at heart, not because I never experience feeling down or being depressed, but because the scandal of grace that began at the cross has forever left an indelible mark upon my soul.

Jesus Christ extended His love towards you and I when we didn't deserve it.  The ladder of grace reached down to us when we were too busy climbing up the ladder of power.  That's why we as believers must dispense grace wherever the Spirit leads us.  We are called to be the "salt of the earth" as we season our culture and our world with the preservative of the gospel.

Through all the ups and downs of life I know that when I look through rose-tinted glasses, I will see life from a new perspective.  I will see the grace of God as the glue that heals and mends people's broken hearts.♥

* To see a larger image of this art print click here.

Field of Dreams

By Hazel Holland

I began this impressionistic watercolor with the idea of painting a nest of bird's eggs hidden in the tall grasses. I wanted it to be a loving tribute to the loyalty of the mother quail that I observed in my back yard for many weeks.  Apparently she found a safe place to build a nest in the tall grasses that grew behind my garage, and she refused to be sidetracked or intimidated by anything.  Her only mission was to focus all of her time and attention on keeping her eggs warm until her fifteen dream babies would hatch...

I'm sure that when the quail discovered that little hill of tall grasses growing behind my garage, they saw it as a "field of dreams".  The surrounding weeds didn't bother them at all.  They only saw a safe place, hidden from view, where they could build a nest and be fruitful as God intended.

Even though I have big dreams to create another English garden in my back yard, parts of it still look more like a field of weeds than a field of dreams.  Of course I know it will take time to make my dreams a reality.  As I was thinking about this, I was reminded of the Scripture that tells us that we are God's field.  

Yes, He has planted us in His field so that together we will produce much fruit for His kingdom.  Daily we have unmistakable evidence that the kingdom of God dwells within us and is among us.  We have been planted by the Lord for the display of His splendor so that the aroma of His grace may spread to the uttermost parts of His field.♥

 (Scripture references: 1Corinthinas 3:9; Isaiah 61:3.  The nest of bird's eggs will become another painting!)

To see a larger copy of this art print click here.

The Aroma of Grace

By Hazel Holland

While I was painting these watercolor flowers today I was reminded that Christians are called to be the aroma of grace in this world.  But the message of God's love for sinners is often drowned out by our images of ungrace.  Sadly all others see and smell of us at times is the scent of ungrace.  Perhaps that's because Christians are increasingly perceived as religious moralists who want to control other people's lives.  

Thus, our real challenge as Christians, particularly here in the USA, should not be to try and Christianize America, or any other country for that matter, but be God's hands and feet as we share His heart of love and mercy for all people.  That's what Jesus did.  He attracted the most unlikely people... the moral outcasts of society.  And let's not forget that it was NOT the notorious sinners who called for His death, but the moralists. 

Jesus came to establish a new kind of kingdom that could co-exist in Jerusalem, and also spread into Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.  That's why in one of His parables He warned that pulling up weeds may also destroy the wheat along with the weeds.  So He advised us to leave all judgment to the one true Judge. 

Although Paul had much to say about the immorality of individual members of the church, he had little to say about the immorality and abuses of pagan Rome.  Both Jesus and Paul concentrated not on the pagan kingdom around them, but on the alternative kingdom of God.

So this leaves us with a very clear message of what we as believers need to be focused on.  We're not called to restore morality to the United States, but to concentrate more on spreading the aroma of grace from the kingdom that is not of this world.♥

To see a larger copy of this painting or order a print of it, please click here.  Then click on "Art Print" and you will be shown the different sizes that it comes in.

A God-shaped Hole

By Hazel Holland

As I was painting this abstract watercolor and letting the colors run at times and bleed into one another, I asked God to help me paint something beautiful that would point people to Him.  It wasn't until I was finished with the painting that I saw the doughnut-shaped hole, and immediately was reminded that God has created a God-shaped hole inside each one of our hearts that only He can fill.

Sometimes we get to hear the words of famous people who describe the emptiness of life inside of them as a gaping hole.  All their talent, success and fame do not satisfy the gnawing emptiness they feel inside... The inner thirst they have craves for something more. 

How about you and I?  How much of our lives are also spent trying to fill this God-shaped hole in our hearts with things that do not satisfy?  Do we also have an inner yearning for something more?  Of course God knew we would experience this aching void inside our hearts outside of a loving relationship with Him.  That's why He offers us the security of Himself. 

Yes, there's a God-shaped hole inside each one of us that cannot be filled by anyone or anything other than God Himself.  "You have made us for Yourself, Oh God, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You alone." ♥

To see a large copy of this artwork click here .

God's Kaleidoscope

By Hazel Holland

As we drink from the Living Water may our roots grow deep into Him,

and our lives reflect the colors of His grace.♥

After I finished painting this watercolor I was reminded that grace is all around us and shows up in the most unexpected places.  So often it's displayed through the lives of the most unlikely people, and comes free of charge to people who don't deserve it.

I feel sure that Jesus must have been aware of our gut level resistance to grace because He talked about it a lot in parables without hardly ever using the word.  He saw grace everywhere.  His Father's world was a place where the sun shines on those who acknowledge Him and those who don't.

On the other hand, because we are so accustomed to finding a catch in every promise, it is sometimes hard for us to believe that Jesus' stories of extravagant grace included no catch phrase that would disqualify people like you and me from receiving God's love.

God didn't wait for us to come to Him.  He became a Man and came looking for us.  He came looking for the sick, not the well.  He came for the unrighteous, not the righteous.  He came for those who betrayed him... like the disciples... like you and I... and His response is always like that of a lovesick father.  He rejoices when one of His "real" kids repents and returns home.

Jesus is GRACE.  He made the first move by coming to this world.  And in spite of the fact that we live in a world of sin, it can never disrupt the flow of God's grace. For grace does not depend on what we have done for God, but rather what God has already done for us!

God is grace.  God is the One who loves.♥

To see a larger copy of this artwork click here. 

Tears of Joy

By Hazel Holland

As I was painting this watercolor that is both impressionistic and abstract, these particular verses of Scripture began flooding my heart. "When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, our mouths were filled with laughter... our tongues with songs of joy...  Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." Psalm 126:1-6

Then I remembered how the Spirit had prompted me to use this particular passage of Scripture in the introduction to my book, "The Naked Truth...", a book that I wrote and published on Amazon three years ago.  This book deals with the spiritual healing that God wants to bring to many of us who have been unknowingly involved in an incestuous family system within a church setting.  Trying to hide the family's dirty laundry from outsiders has caused a litany of human wreckage in so many lives.

The desire of my heart is to let the Lord uncover the roots of pain and dysfunction that have entwined themselves around our hearts, and thwarted many of our attempts toward spiritual healing and a healthy intimacy with God.  Although we may have wept tears of sorrow for what seemed like a night, God's promise to us in the gospel is that His tears of joy will flood our hearts in the morning! ♥ 

To see a larger copy of this artwork click here.

Fiery Splendor

By Hazel Holland

This is an impressionistic watercolor that I did a few days ago using wet colored tissue paper and watercolor paint.  Although I didn't know what the outcome would be for this new way of watercolor painting, I wanted to create a background of fiery warm colors because I sensed God's heart of passion and love for His children. 

So I began to let some of the colors run like water because I wanted to create the effect of God's love raining down on us.  However, I intended for this to just be the background for a painting where I would actually put in more details.

Then I decided to flip the painting over and low and behold this was the result--a forest aglow with the fiery splendor of sunset on a lake.  Everything was reflecting the colors of His agape love!  God's love raining down produced a forest of beautiful trees. 

Like these trees, we are designed to bring glory to His name as we reflect the beauty of who He is.♥ 

To see a larger copy of this artwork click here.

You Are the Apple of His Eye

By Hazel Holland

As I was painting this impressionistic watercolor I was reminded of David's words in Psalm 17:8: "Keep me as the apple of Your eye. Hide me in the shadow of Your wings."

I believe the psalmist used the symbol of an apple to illustrate the roundness of the pupil which is the most sensitive and delicate part of the eye. Because it is so vulnerable it needs constant protection.

I believe God is telling us that we are like the pupil of an eye because we are vulnerable and in need of His protection.  God is trying to show us that we are at the very center of His care and concern. He wants us to know that nothing that ever happens to us is ever hidden from His loving and watchful eyes.

Although bad things happen to all of us at times because we live in a sinful world, God promises to be with us in the difficulties and hardships we face.  Sometimes He intervenes in our lives to spare us heartache, but most often He allows us to go through the pain as He holds us close to His heart.  Either way we may know that we are never left alone in our circumstances, because His watchful and loving eyes will always protect our hearts.♥