Psalm 91 is one of my favorites and I return to it over and over at certain points of need. It is a powerful expression of trust in God and in His protection from harm and evils of many sorts. I love expressive imagery with birds, and my understanding of the “fowler’s snare” has grown during the past couple years.
Bird hunters in that era mostly relied on trickery.
~Source
One common tactic was to trap younger birds and place them in cages to lure others.
The bird-catchers would hide themselves, or their nets,
to surprise the animals and entrap them.
Below is an original acrylic on canvas painting (35 x 35 inches) that I want/need/am hoping to sell as soon as possible. I want to try a different approach with this piece–I’m estimating the shipping would be able $50-$75 on this, depending on the location. If you are within range of me, pickup is possible. If you feel drawn to this piece and would find it personally meaningful for you to have in your home or office or to gift it to a friend, family member, your church or other setting, I would ask that you message me with an offer on the piece. I will allow some time (maybe several days) to pass to consider offers and then respond.
I know that times are hard economically, and I am in urgent need to pay essential bills here–some that are past due. I would rather move this piece quickly and it find a good home, than hold on to it hoping to get some exact price. I have so many pieces here for sale–things I was personally inspired to create that are looking for a home and a sale.
I plan to start a periodic post of “Fresh-and-Stale-Art-Sales” and ask that my clients and friends might consider making an offer on something. I always appreciate commissions and custom work, but the sale of pre-made, uniquely inspired and created items helps me more than many clients may know or understand, to keep me moving forward in this current situation! Thank you for your consideration!
I created this Psalm 91 artwork over a period of months…I had a large canvas I acquired somehow (I think someone gave it to me or it was at the curb among other discarded frames…I love to salvage/repurpose and many people discard “ugly” mass-produced art at the curb or otherwise and this was such a canvas…) and I began using up leftover colors from other paintings I was working on.
Acrylic paint will dry up and I’ve come to enjoy ending a painting session with smearing colors on a re-purposed canvas and creating abstract forms until I decide what I think it should progress to. I recall listening a lot to Psalm 91 read aloud, and another YouTube version I have found that I appreciate (see link at the end) a lot around this time over a year ago when this painting was first taking form.
Somehow I decided I would make a colorful bird escaping/flying free from a fowler’s netting, and would periodically write out the words of the entire Psalm in the background of the piece. I wrote the Psalm in a somewhat random manner, going through it 2-3 times as I recall, covering from different angles and interspersing colored glazes and paint in the process. Almost like building a lasagna or sandwich!
It is not meant to be read in the sense of traditional calligraphy but instead is a more abstracted presentation of the Psalm where one’s eye can pick up on various phrases/words. The central image and painted text alerts the viewer to the overall context/focus of all these smaller, painted words.
Below is a photo of the finished work, and a short 2.5-minute YouTube link to see some of the in-progress photos set to music. Also, prints of the piece can be purchased on my Etsy at this link.
Thanks for looking and reading! Please feel free to share and do not hesitate to make me an offer. Don’t be shy–the amount that you feel you could afford in you “luxury” budget may turn out to be easily accepted and there be some type of win/win situation for this piece to find a forever home!
Psalm 91 (NIV)
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on 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.”
