Welcome to Sophie's Nature Art!

After a long break, I would like to present my latest painting to you today. It's not a great work of art, but a birthday present for a dear friend. She is something very special. She was born in Cheshia, currently lives in Germany, studied English, but her heart beats for Switzerland. It doesn't get any more international than that! But just as great as her love for Switzerland is her love for the mountains; for the Swiss mountains in particular and for the Matterhorn in particular. She has photos of the Matterhorn from all possible perspectives and formats hanging in her apartment. Only one thing was missing: a painting of the Matterhorn. But that was about to change for her birthday this year! 

A suitable motif was quickly found. There was just one problem with the whole thing: I can't paint mountains. Only in the distance, without much detail.

But all the rocky outcrops and edges, the play of light and shadow in a mountain are beyond my artistic abilities. But I told myself that you grow with your challenges!
So I bravely took on the Matterhorn! Painting it was as difficult as climbing this mountain must be for an inexperienced hiker. 

The basic shape was quickly created. But as I feared, I failed because of all the nuances. I often painted over the mountain and started all over again. Until, in desperation, I got out my palette knife and simply went over the mountain with different colors and then reworked a few details with the brush. Suddenly the mountain was finished. I was very unhappy. But I thought I'd paint the forest in front of it first and then maybe it would look better. A friend gave me the idea of adding some fog to the picture. That was a good idea. Because that way I could cover up a few really ugly areas with the fog. 

As unhappy as I was with the mountain, I was all the more surprised by the Swiss flag. When I started painting it, I thought I wouldn't be able to do it. But in the end I was really surprised by the result! I've been painting a lot of clothes recently and it seems to have paid off with the flag.  

Finally, a Bible verse should not be missing. As it was already quite late in the evening and I wanted to present the picture the next day, the text was very short and simple and therefore somewhat incomplete. 

But at least I have succeeded in creating a unique piece with this painting. Time and again, I go through struggles when painting, experience failures and ask myself how I can ever produce a good picture. But in the end, most paintings surprise me in a positive way. Often I can't even believe that I painted them. At such moments, one of my favorite Bible verses comes to me from 2 Corinthians 12:9 in memory: 

And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. I will gladly boast of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell with me. 

Even more satisfying than the process of painting is the moment when the future owner of the picture sees it for the first time. Especially if it is a surprise. There is also a suitable Bible verse from Acts 20:35b: 

It is more blessed to give than to receive.  

So painting is a double pleasure for me. The process of painting and creating is very enriching, as is giving the painting to someone who appreciates it and is happy about it. 

Below you can see a small postcard that I painted at the same time as the Matterhorn. I sent this postcard to a person I didn't know as part of a Secret Santa campaign. However, I also received feedback that this little card was a particular source of joy.