Artist bio

I was always interested in art at a very early age and became focused on watercolors while attending school in Chicago, IL under the instruction of Irving Shapiro. I feel art is an extension and expression of myself and who I am. Combining my love of art and my love of wildlife has made my work even more fulfilling. Whether I am in the field taking reference photos or in the studio painting I truly enjoy what I do. I hope I always convey that appreciation of the beauty that surrounds us and show the many things God has blessed us with. Whether it’s portraying the innocence of a child, the wrinkles of an elderly person of a life well lived, our beautiful countryside and the wildlife within, keepsakes and mementos of the past, or my own visual interpretation, such as Ephesians 6, I feel inspired each day to try and best use my talents to share with others. I was blessed with parents who supported and encouraged me to follow my dreams of becoming an artist and a husband and family who continue to encourage me with that dream. God has truly blessed me! N/A

Title

“The Battle Belongs to the Lord”

Medium/Genre

Painting

Artist Statement

In this particular piece I used watercolor and brushed in some gold leaf which I had yet to use in my past works. I felt that the artwork needed something to highlight and embellish the name of “God“ as well as the angels wings. Using gold leaf helped reveal some of the symbolism that I wanted to represent and, for me, could not be portrayed by just the use of the watercolor pigment. In making the angels wings I "pulled out" the pigment with a wet brush, which I do a lot in my painting process. I used liquid frisket to save the white lettering.

How it fits into contest

As humans, much of the ways that we use to understand different concepts are metaphorical; we have trouble putting our thoughts into words, but we can use symbols, parables, and comparisons to drive our points home. In much the same way, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians describes the ‘armor of God’ that is necessary to fight the unseen, yet full-fledged spiritual battle going on in this world today. In my depiction, I wanted to emphasize the unseen. Specifically, the suggestion of wings in the background represent the spiritual forces that, though we cannot see them with our eyes or touch them with our hands, are around us at all times as the battle rages on. The man, garbed in genuine 1st-century Roman armor, is reminiscent of all of us. The armor itself of course symbolizes the tools described to us in Ephesians 6; his sword is drawn and ready for use, as should always be the case with the Word of God. He’s glancing back at the suggestion of the wings, in deference perhaps to the fact that even if he is as prepared as possible with the armor of God, he is nothing without the power of God that is over him.

Credits

N/A

How to Purchase this Artwork

Original Watercolor-unframed size 17”w x 20”h
Contact through my website at www.dianewunderlich.com

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