This artwork is one of the abstracts I have created since coming to live in Charlotte in 2017 and making a deliberate decision to restart my artistic career after many long breaks I took to raise a family and have a traditional professional career. I could never do abstract art before coming to Charlotte, sticking to Illustrative and figurative work, realism and portraits. However, this time it was different for me, and in Charlotte, I was able to be free enough having left a stressful life behind in New York, to explore color, texture, spontaneous composition and technique.
My spiritual side had grown through my years of adulthood. Since 2012, I had begun to have strong spiritual experiences and encounters with the Spirit of God, and I wanted to empty and pour out all of the inspiration I was feeling to create and to express the wonder I felt haven been given "inspiration" by those encounters while also wanting to heal from past traumas. I believe that in being creators as artists, God has given us gifts that are a microscopic part of the Essence of Himself, the Greatest Creator. His own creative ability is Magnanimous and we should honor His Greatness, and His Compassion he extends to us in this life.
In creating my abstract works during this time period of 2017 to 2018, I would ritualistically be mindful about relaxing, clearing away all the distractions and becoming one with the Spirit to marvel at God's beautiful colors we as humans can only imitiate while I created artworks. I use all of His visible creation He blesses us with as my references: the blue ocean that is sometimes green, the blue skies, white clouds and white surf, various colors of sand, green trees, many colors of birds and other marvels of nature. I pull from my memories of childhood when I travelled the sandy shores of many beaches and the coastline of my native country, Trinidad. I am a witness to His amazing creations and I find the PROOF of His existence in all I see around me. Charlotte to me was like God's land, an Eden, more so than the New York concrete jungle I had lived in, and the Inspiration in Charlotte was and is great. I am reminded of the song "How Great Thou Art", my Mother used to sing while doing her chores, and indeed God is the Greatest!
I am a Muslim Believer who converted from being a Catholic Christian most of my life up to age 58. God granted me guidance and led me to this new faith practice, and I feel humbled and exalted in knowing that he thinks about me fairly often, it is a beautiful feeling. My experiences and my knowledge of the Gospel and Christian scripture is strong, particularly having a love for Psalms, but the Qur'an I only began to read in 2018 and I now see that "the Recitation" only supports the Scriptures God sent before, as one continuous conversation he has been having with humankind. There is a verse (an Ayat) in the Qur'an in Chapter 55 that is repeated 31 times and states: "and which of God's favors will you deny"? Here, you is plural meaning that many will deny God up until the end of times, and the verses are also asking us how can we deny God's presence, compassion, mercy and grace in our lives for all that he gives us everyday? Just look around and you will see endless proof that he exists as the Consummate Creator. So I am Inspired and I hope to Inspire others as an artist and creator. I intend for my work to Praise God and to speak to the viewers heart and soul. I am contually inspired by landscapes, seascapes, skyscapes and the heavenly realms: the planetary system, and images we see of our vast universe and galaxies that God alone could have created. How could one not acknowledge and praise the God of All of Us, who made you and made me? I intend for my work to continue to be influenced by nature in all forms and to be spiritually expressive. This abstract piece shows the idea of the strength and force of the deep and powerful ocean with blue and green colors and white froth, created spontaneously from imbedded memories that floated out of my memory banks, an emptying of my soul ongto the canvas. It also expresses a divine nature using blue and green hues, a nod to the folklore of Yemanya the ocean spirit, and ultimately the artwork Praises The One God who created all things.

Ephesians 6:10-20 verses say: "Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power." I believe that the inspiration for my work, nature and the power of the ocean expresses the beauty and the wonderment of God and what he has created: colors, powerful oceans, beautiful skies, in perfect order and balance. My experiences inform me that strong faith in God can help one to overcome any type of challenge, test or battle, and that one can be assured that "yeah, though you walk through the valley of the shadow of evil, you shall have no fear". My strong faith in God and wonderment at His creation was the intention in creating this piece and ultimately expresses that real faith in God, steady and strong faith in God, is better than anything one can possess in this life, as He will answer your call when you stand strong and steadfast. The artwork is an example of proof of God's existence all around us, and a reminder of the forces of nature that God has created, and of God's presence within us. When we see and know God's power it becomes easy to rely on Him for all things, to stand strong in the face of tests, and with increased and unwavering faith in God, we can face off against anything, as god will give us the Guidance and never let us down. Finally, "Pray that I may declare it fearlessly", means that when one is sure in faith and steadfast in knowing where all help conmes from, one can declare it fearlessly, not being afraid to invoke and praise the name of God. I hope that my artwork is inspirational, and shows the emptying of my soul in creating an abstract that give homage to a small part of God's creation, the ocean.

First I thank God, the Almighty and Creator for giving me the gift of art and for presenting this opportunity to me to submit artwork to Engage Arts. I can also thank my father (deceased) who used to take me on car rides to the countryside of Trinidad when I was a little girl before migrating to the US, where I would see the beautiful coastlines of beaches and the Caribbean sea and gulf of Paria. I have wonderful memories of those times. I also can thank my Mother (deceased) for letting me go with my brothers down to the river near our home in St. Joseph to bathe and swim in the crystal clear waters, trusting that I would not drown on my brothers' watch.

To purchase Rushing Through in God's Earth, 2017, Oil on Canvas, 24" x 48", cost is $1,250.00 (the artwork will be delivered framed)
Artist can accept Zelle payments by using cell number 917.392.2909
Square payment: invoice will be created and emailed to buyer for purchasing through credit card. Call or text artist to request payment through Square if interested in purchasing via credit or debit card.
I can also accept Cashapp registered to Jemma St Lawrence, Username: $Jemsaint3

Only original art and prints upon request.