I attended a brayer workshop with Michelle Zindorf last Saturday, and it was wonderful! I’ve long been a fan of her website and I’ve made my own poor imitations of many of her cards. At the workshop, she encouraged us to develop our own projects. Notice the landscapes. Pay attention to sunsets.

So after copying a couple more of her projects over the weekend, I decided to venture out on my own. Since it was the middle of the day, watching an actual sunset was not possible, so I looked at pictures of sunsets. And I saw the pictures in a whole new way. I noticed the layers of color, the shade and the light. I wondered what colors would combine to make that particular shade of blue, that shadowy deep purple. And I began applying and layering colors on paper to see what would happen.

This focus on color was very soothing to me, and it provided a connection to the Creator. The abundance of color in the world is one more gracious gift from God, and it is a blessing to pay attention to it once in awhile.

So, here is the practice for this week:

1. Watch a sunrise or sunset . . . or find a picture of one.
2. Pay close attention to the colors—the way they blend and separate, where they are light and dark . . .
3. Use the medium of your choice (ink, colored pencil, watercolor, acrylic, crayon . . . ) to reproduce the colors as best you can.
4. As you apply color to paper, give thanks to God for the abundance of color and the depth of beauty in the world.

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. ~ Psalm 113:3