My Story: Artists and Sunsets

This post will allow you to understand my crazy obsession with sunsets.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” ~ Genesis 1:1

I realize that all of you, whether you or a Christian or not, have probably read/heard this verse a million times. It’s so overused that often times artists like me – who have no idea where their artistic talents fit into the whole scheme of things – don’t even think of this verse. Let’s read it again, the emphasis is mine:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

From the very beginning of time, creativity has existed. The world started with the wonderfully mysterious work of art that we live in today, which also means that it was started by an Artist. THE Artist, to make myself clear. His very words were the paintbrushes that created the galaxy, the mountains, the oceans, the trees. He didn’t do it all at once. He took His time to make everything beautiful. The most special thing of all is that on the last day He worked, He abandoned His “paintbrushes” and He used His very hands to form us. 

I am an artist too. I started drawing people, dogs, houses, giraffes (don’t ask me why…) and other random things when I was two years old. There was no reasoning, I just did. It’s something that I’ve always done. But it wasn’t until recently that I truly understood why I love to create things. It’s because I am made in the image of God, and part of that is His creativity. It’s such a special gift that He has given me and I get to take part in something that has been done since the very beginning of time. 

Here are some of my favorite pieces that I've created:

When I am creating something, and I get really into my work, I tend to start using my hands in different ways. I like to blend with my fingers, dab paint, and even mold things sometimes (Hint: This is why my Instagram name is TheGirlWithTheArtFingers). Something that I must get across to you – it’s hard to explain unless you are also an artist – is that my best works of art are always the ones that I am the most involved in. The ones that have meaning or stories to them, the ones that I used my own hands to form and not just tools, the ones that I poured my heart and even my soul into. Although Arthur Miller is talking about writing, his quote sums it up well: “The writer must be in it; he can’t be to one side of it, ever. He has to be endangered by it. His own attitudes have to be tested in it. The best work that anybody ever writes is the work that is on the verge of embarrassing him, always.” This is something that I have discovered through both creating art, and writing for this blog.

“But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” ~ Isaiah 64:8

Doesn’t the same idea also apply to us and God? As Isaiah 64:8 says, He formed us with His hands. He poured Himself into us. He gave each of us stories that are still being told. He gave us our own free will even though it endangered His Kingship at an individual level. His character has been tested in His relationship with us yet still He has remained holy and pure. He gave His own life up for us so that we, His prized creation, could be restored to Him. There was nothing worth saving because we had destroyed ourselves into an ugly ruin, yet He wanted us back, and isn’t that “on the verge of embarrassing” (as Miller put it)? But it’s so beautiful that it’s the greatest work that has ever been done! 

Now, I know you must be wondering, “What does this have to do with her loving sunsets?” Well, I’ll tell you. Sunsets seem to have this weird effect on artists. I was once talking with several of my friends who are artists but aren’t Christians and I was surprised to find out that they all shared in my obsession with sunsets. What kills me is that they don’t know why they love them so much! But here is why: artists are drawn to sunsets not just because they are beautiful, but because sunsets display the artwork of the Ultimate Artist. We are made in His image, we are made in His likeness, and we can sense His creativity even when we don’t understand that sense (like my artist friends). It’s amazing to me when I watch a sunset that I am literally seeing God paint the sky! I can see His work of art unfold before me. As the sunset changes, colors that cannot even be captured on camera come and go as the clouds move. No sunset is ever the same. 

(This sunset was in Wyoming)

 (This sunset was in Montana)

 (This sunset was in Washington D.C)

(This sunset was in Myrtle Beach)

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” ~ Psalm 19:1

Rainbows symbolize the promise that God will never flood the earth again, and sunsets promise that God’s work isn't finished. He is still creating, day by day, and moment by moment. If God cares so much about the sky that He wishes to create beautiful things displayed upon it daily, imagine how much more He cares about what He is creating inside of you? And if you allow Him to, He will make you beautiful.