Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 5
September 1, 2023
Art Unboxed Acrylic Payne’s Gray
In watercolor I enjoy using Payne’s Gray, however today, I believe for the first time, I used it in acrylics. I had already mixed my grays for the roof of the structure, but I needed a shadow color. This was when I noticed that there was a Payne’s Gray in a very nice set of acrylics.
The set was a gift from a dear family member and friend. The tubes are vibrant and high quality, but I hadn’t opened that particular color yet. With it I was able to add my shadow, and enhance some of my other mixes.
There’s not an absolute rule on this. Often people caution against using a gray or a black because it may be tempting to rely on them rather than mixing a color. However it can be used effectively to enhance a gray or green that youve already mixed.
Mixing a green is good because it provides variety in your greens. This is especially true in grass because it looks unnatural if all the grass is the same shade of green. Also if your grays have no variation, it can look plain. That doesn’t mean that you have to mix everything, but that convenience colors should be a starting point rather than what you end with.
It can however be a guardrail for consistency if you need to remix a color later. Often the challenge comes when you have to match a color you’ve already mixed. If the gray you used to mix with your green is the same gray, you’ll stand a better chance of getting to the same color you had previously.
For me, mixing colors has been less about a set of rules, and more about a road and a journey. There are colors I have on my palette that I wouldn’t want to paint without. Prussian Blue, Venetian Red, Yellow Ochre, and Payne’s Gray to name a few.
Whether they’re in the tube or mixes is less relevant. This is because they’re all going to be mixed in some form, either on the palette or the canvas. If you’ve never used Payne’s Gray, or haven’t used it in another medium I would encourage you to try it.
You’ll find it’s more than a convenience color, or a way of getting there faster. Think of it more like an SUV rather than a Ford Focus. You can get there with either, but one is a more comfortable way to travel.
With Me In The Winepress – Ephesians 1:13-14
We hope you enjoy this week’s excerpt on Ephesians 1:13-14.
Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV)
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
John 14:18 (ESV)
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Regarding David, when you see someone from a foreign nation attach themselves to Israel during the time of David, it was because of David specifically. They transferred their entire future to one person, a giant killer, a warrior, a worshipper, a Prophet, and a King. They did so because of David, and David did so all because of God.
The shepherd boy from Bethlehem would be a type and shadow of The Child born in Bethlehem. As believers, we can very much identify with those who followed David from a strange land left everything behind. They had a right to be in the new land solely because of their relationship with David.
We have the opportunity to experience Ephesians 1:13-14 solely because of our relationship with The Son Of David. Their seal was David had invited them to be a part of his kingdom. Our seal is when Christ’s Spirit invited us to be a part of His kingdom. His fleshly sacrifice redeemed us, His Spirit seals us to live a new life and look to an eternal future.
The Word explains that The Promised “Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance”… God gave Himself as the Pledge that we would be with Him one day when everything is complete. Until then He gave us His Spirit, He gave us Himself in the form of His Spirit to empower us to live victorious lives.
We never have to worry about living this life alone. It’s why Jesus said in John 14 that He would not leave us as orphans, He would come to us. Everything about being a Christian, the entire aspects of The Kingdom of God, and a walk with Jesus is about Him being with us, and each of us being with Jesus.
He gave His life so we could be with Him, and that we could be with Jesus. His concern isn’t where we came from, or what condition we were in. His focus is who we are in Him, where we are, and where we’re going with Him. It’s when we lose sight of that relationship when we open ourselves up to danger.
This is dangerous beyond the fear of backsliding or growing cold on God. There is discouragement opportunities in the distance that we can allow between us and Him. The more distance between us, the more we can notice the waves. The more distant His voice, the louder our fears.
It not only affects us negatively, it hurts Him. It’s tempting for us to tell ourselves, The Lord understands, and He does. Yet understanding doesn’t mean it isn’t painful to Him when we neglect Him.
When we allow distance in a relationship, even unintentionally or with what appear to be justifiable excuses, we bring pain to The Master. When we’re too busy to spend time with a loved one, it hurts. I admit that I have failed Him so many times, but I’m striving to do better at this, to get rid of anything that distances me from Him.
Being close to Jesus doesn’t mean we always know the answer either. The more in tune we are with Him, the easier it is to be okay with where He is leading us. We may not always understand it, but the closer to Jesus, the more okay we are with questions.
Distance isn’t about answers, it’s about awareness. The less aware of His Presence we are, the more likely we can be to miss the next step we’re supposed to take. Missing His voice through distance, besides being hurtful to Him and to us, it can also cause us to miss the needs of someone else.
When more in tune with Jesus, we’re more in tune with the needs of others. The danger of distance affects not only our relationship with Christ, but our ability to minister to others. Whatever limits our connection with Him limits us, and limits our effectiveness with others.
First and foremost I don’t want to hurt Him through allowing distance. Second I don’t want to hurt others by being out of tune. Finally I don’t want to live a life where I’m farther from Him than I have to be.
August 31, 2023
August 30, 2023
August 29, 2023
His Light, My Candle
Psalms 18:28 (KJV)
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
I love this verse, it’s been a comfort to me more times than once. Today was a morning with its challenges, and when I went to prayer, I didn’t feel that my words were sufficient. Thankfully I was reminded that my prayer doesn’t depend on my words but His answer. Later in the day this verse came to mind.
I noticed a few things about it that I’d like to share. First David said, in talking to The Lord, Thou will light my candle. It’s His Light, and my candle. If we didn’t face challenges where the world could see us shine, they couldn’t see His Light. The wax and the trouble will melt away, The Light will endure.
Next David said The Lord My God. It’s His Light, but He’s my God! That means two things, first His Light will shine no matter the obstacle, and since I am His and He is mine, I am safe! To be His candle, for He is The One lighting it, I must be in His hands.
Lastly, it’s my darkness, meaning my trial. My eyes may be dim, but His are not. He can see clearly, because He’s The Light. The candle’s purpose isn’t to navigate the darkness, but to lighten the room. I don’t have to figure everything out, I just have to shine in His hand. I’m His candle, and He is my Light!
August 28, 2023
WIN
Recently I went to a secular website, which shares public domain images, and typed in only the word win. Among the results was a man standing at a cross with his arms raised. I looked it up, this site has no religious affiliation but it returned this result.
Now you can argue search results and everything else, but the fact is, the results speak for themselves. In the twenty first century, from space exploration to AI and everything else, Jesus is still the answer for the world today. Our win is at the foot of the cross, because that is where we begin to follow Jesus!
