The Meaning
As most of my artwork reveals, this piece shows the dichotomy between heaven and hell, and the choice of freewill between them.
Sea Dragon
“Grace Under Pressure” reveals the fall of human relationships that go down with deception of the Devil (Sea Dragon).
Demise in the Fall
Among the clouds of the dragon smoke are two fallen humans headed for a plunge into the sea. The skull and bones testify of the devil’s deception leading souls into a sea of death.
Glowing with Grace
The people (with a glowing yellow outline) who have awakened to realize that they are falling into the depths of the sea of death below.
Revelation of the Fall
After realizing their impending demise, they cry out for help to a God they had never truly known.
He Hears Their Cries
He hears each of their cries of helplessness from conviction and immediately sends His angels to catch their fall, despite their lack of vision in the thick smoke blowing from the nostrils of the sea dragon.
Eternal Leap into Trust
Inside of God’s cloak are embryo’s representing a new life and new beginning for each and every person who dares to take the eternal leap to trust in Him which goes in an unexpected direction. The smoke that comes out of the dragon’s nose represents all the deception, lies, and fear that humans face every day and keep us in the dark and away from God’s authentic kindness, love, and friendship.
The Process
Again, I am influenced by Michelangelo‘s work in the Sistine Chapel, which to me, reveals a timeless spirituality to human beings who behold it. Marc Chagall once again influences me, especially within the color scheme I develop on this piece.
Wiping Effects
North America, the ocean, and dragon smoke all use “the wiping method” which I continue to develop.
I dip a brush and a cloth in odorless mineral spirits to then wipe different shades of blue and black away from the canvas. After fully dried, I go back over the clouds with a light dry touch of yellows and reds blended. I do the same with the sea, but with a thicker dry white paint to express the splashes of the sea above and around the dragon. I did a similar wiping effect in my painting, “Open Rebellion” which represents death behind Christ and His cross. You can also see this in “Scottie’s Apocalypse: Redemption” where the background clouds with the ocean signify where Scottie escaped death many times throughout his childhood and adolescence.
Concave
I attempted to show the concavity of North America separated from the oceans on the earth as well as the bloody red and yellow horizon underneath the clouds of dragon smoke.
On the Jagged Edge
Behind God and the humans is another jagged-edge style (in red with yellow outlines), which I continue to develop with each new illustration. I start with pencil, outline it with black, wipe it in a circular motion, let it dry, and fill in my colors from there.
I hadn’t done a painting where I used this technique of painting God like this since I did “Creation of the Blues” over ten years ago. I was surprised to have gone that long since being influenced by Michelangelo in this way.