Exhibition

  HOME

  About the Curators

  Thumbnail Gallery

  Directories
        
by Artist's Name
        
by Diocese
 

  ARTISTS

  Wilfredo Benitez-Rivera

  Patricia M. Brown

  Ferris Cook
  Brie Dodson
  William Doughty
  The Rev. Canon T. Mark   Dunnam
  Episcopal Relief &   Development
  Ann Finch
  Dawn Glascock
  Gary Gorby
  Francine Halvorsen
  Melanie Chambers   Hartman
  C. Robin Janning
  Nancy B. Johnston
  Sr. Claire Joy
  Marcia Stevens Landry
  Jerome Lawrence
 Julee P. Lowe

  Mary Melikian

  Nan Nalder
  Margaret Adams Parker
  The. Rev. Ellen Francis   Poisson, OSH
  Anne Randolph Rechter
  Ann B. Rhodes
  Ginny Runge
  Lorna Effler Savizpour
  Donna Shasteen
  Delda Skinner
  Lynda Smith-Bugge
  Kathy Thaden
  Barbi Tinder
  Alice R. Turcotte

  Karen Wheeler

  COPYRIGHT

Gracious Spirit      Jan Neal, Curator           presented June 13, 2006

 
 
 

 

 
Blissfully Unaware
by Lorna Effler Savizpour
(Acrylic with oil on canvas, 2002, 48” x 36”)
Grace Episcopal Church - Ocala, Fl
efflerart@aol.com
 

 
As a child of God, we go through life blessed, for the Lord is our refuge. It's a beautiful morning, a young woman is walking down a wooded path, the sun is shining, birds are singing, flowers blooming, the air is filled with fragrance and butterflies. Each day is a gift from God! The young woman leisurely walks along, "blissfully unaware" of all that is going on around her. All she sees is the beauty, however, there is more present: "We fight not against flesh and blood, but against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world". -- Eph. 6:12. Some of these are found in this painting. In one of the trees is a monkey, which represents the lusts and temptations of this world. A red-headed woodpecker: symbolic of the ever-present devil. Also, an arrow carrying slanders and evil plots, and written on the trees 1000 and 10,000. "You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day ... A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. Only a spectator shall you be, as you witness the reward of the wicked." --Ps. 91: 5, 7-8. Look at the young woman's feet, they are not touching the path, but are strangely just above the stones. In the stones we find camouflaged a lions head and serpent. As written in scripture, "Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place. There shall no evil befall you ... For He will give His angels charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways. They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and serpent shall you trample underfoot." -- Ps. 91: 3-13 Unbeknown to the young woman and to us, every day we are surrounded by evil and temptations in the natural, and in the spirit world. But as a child of God, our God reigns! He sends His angels to help us. His Holy Spirit goes before us, and guides us down the right path that He has chosen for us, shown by the symbol of the dove. The sun represents the Son of God shining upon us, lighting our way. Looking upward we see two leaves with eyes, the eyes of God portrayed. He is above all, sees all, God has it all under control, we walk in His love ... and we are blissfully unaware! In His Word, God promises every child of His that, "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation".

   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
   top of page
 

©2006 The Episcopal Church and Visual Art