CarbOthelo pastel pencil on paper
2009
For the final task of a drawing class at Redeemer University College, my classmates and I were asked to visually reflect on what it means to us to bear the cross of Christ in our lives. The symbol chosen for us to work with was the “wingspan” of a person—an image that hints at the paradoxical nature of following Christ in that to become free we must take up the cross.
This piece is a reflection of my own struggle to find my place in God’s mission to bring the goodness of the Kingdom to a very broken world. The image depicts water changing into wine: Jesus’ first miracle on earth (John 2: 1-12) and, I believe, a powerful symbol of the nature of God’s Kingdom. I believe that finding my place in the Kingdom will be a lifelong gradual process and I hope that my experience of the joy and celebration of Kingdom life becomes ever more potent. The precarious balancing of glasses on my arms is also symbolic of the incredible task that is set before those who follow Christ; but all things are possible with God. Therefore, I humbly offer myself to His service with my head bowed and my hands open.