Welcome to Sophie's Nature Art!

The bride and groom like to go hiking and spend a lot of time in nature. They love the mountains. The groom proposed to his beloved on an icy cold, snow-covered mountain peak. So I thought it would be appropriate to include the mountains in the picture for the two of them. However, I opted for warmer colors and a sunset. 

The picture was inspired by a Tutorial by Angela Anderson. Lately I've been painting a lot of pictures without instructions. But I have to say that Angela Anderson's tutorial has helped me to refine my technique a little more. The misty mountains in the setting evening sun in particular have been given more depth. I also wanted to learn how to paint clouds in the sunset better. I still find that very difficult. I didn't manage it completely in this picture either because I didn't have enough magenta to be able to mix the violet tones. That's why it took me the longest to paint the sky and the clouds. But in the end I achieved a result that I was reasonably happy with. 

As I have made a habit of doing for my Christian friends, I wanted to add a Bible verse to the picture. I thought for a while about which text would be suitable. In the end, I chose John 13:35 

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. 

You can see the result here on a 40x50cm canvas:

The bride and groom have dedicated their entire life (together) to serving God. They are his followers. Jesus said that his followers should be recognizable by their love for one another. Unfortunately, this is often no longer the case in today's churches. On the contrary, there is a lot of criticism and condemnation. Everyone judges the other and thus places themselves above their brother. This is not the spirit that Jesus had. He gave up his high position in heaven to become a poor itinerant preacher and die the cruelest death. The bride and groom have decided to follow this, their role model. In their wedding vows, they promised each other to love God and to honor, love and be there for their partner in all situations. Marriage means putting your own needs aside and valuing the other person more than yourself. You no longer live for yourself, but for the other person. Those who seek the happiness of others more than their own will truly find it.  

A Christian couple who have God at the center of their relationship do not become estranged over time, as is unfortunately all too often the case today. As they come to God again and again, both individually and together, and involve him in their relationship, he can help with conflicts and stands by the couple when they face challenges. These experiences weld them together and allow a love to grow that is much deeper than just the feeling we call “love” today. It is a love that only God can give, because he himself is this love. 

I wish for every reader that they have experienced this constant love that surpasses all understanding in their lives. If this is not the case, you can pray that God will reveal his love in your own life. He will surely answer! 

During the wedding reception, I was encouraged by other guests to make a small charcoal drawing on a napkin. A shish kebab skewer was held in a lit candle until the tip glowed. The result was a kind of charcoal pencil. You can see the result here: