ECVA - Claudia Smith - Stories from the Road

Safe Haven

Mixed media

Artist Statement: No story on the road would be complete without including God’s wondrous gift of trees—they often line the way. How could it be otherwise? Their supreme significance and symbolism are woven throughout the Bible. The Bible begins with a tree (Genesis 2:9), and ends with a tree (Revelation 22:14-15- 16). Ultimately, Christ dies on a tree for our sins. This sacrifice intimately links us to the existence of trees for our salvation. And where there are trees, there are birds. Every kind and species of flying birds are mentioned on the first page of Genesis. In the New Testament, when Jesus was baptized by John, the skies opened and God’s Holy Spirit descended like a dove. Major, and even minor events are marked by the appearance of trees and birds -- even down to the awareness and value of a small sparrow. Jesus brings this up time and again; Matthew reiterates it (6:25:27): "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life - what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" This message, and The Spirit of God is at work through Jesus. His teachings are a mantra: may they come on wings of Hope; may we carry them in our hearts From The Road, and through whatever trials and graces await us; may we be as trees—strong of trunk, with embracing branches. If we are open, God is right there with us each step of the way—as well as a step ahead— welcoming our renewal and return.

Bio: Claudia Smith lives her passion, whether it be with her artist’s brush, “found materials” or writer’s pen. It’s been a constant source of joy from the time she could clutch a crayon. Upon graduation from Michigan State University with a degree in Art Education, she taught for several years. She ventured into the commercial world of interior design and freelance work, but never lost her love for creating fine art; her oil paintings have been featured in galleries, private collections and municipal buildings. Although she continues to work in oils, her current work is often centered on her artistry of incorporating natural "found materials" into her art pieces. She loves the dimensional effect offered by their many forms and endless possibilities. Each piece reflects the reverence and respect that she craves to capture. The love and drive of these feelings often spill over into an accompanying poem, thus supplying her need to create with words, as well as paint.