Angels and Kings

Artist friend DL Tolar (Donna), shown above with her work,
"Where Angels..."

---While most of the paintings on this blog are mine,
I did not create the above painting.
I bought it from the artist, DL Tolar, aka Donna Tolar.---

Mid October I was helping the Povey and Tolar studios sell their artwork in the Wimberley art studio tour. I had fallen in love with one of Donna Tolar's pieces last year, so, of course, I had to buy it this time around. Shown above, "Where Angels..." by DL Tolar, is now happily situated in my home. I am so grateful to Donna for painting this moving "self-portrait", for it seems to express how so many of us feel.

Inspiring, evocative, troubled, hopeful and tender--this work confesses a stirring narrative of the human condition. I find my stories in her struggle. Do you see yours?

She reminds me of how we want to prevail in all we undertake, but we often feel that we fall short of the opportunities we are presented with and, in fact, may do more harm than good. Our prayers and dreams may feel muted and out of reach unless we discover that we hold the power to remove what binds us--ourselves. Or, we may interpret ourselves as puppets or pawns in the stories of so many others who suffer us to be their heroes, princesses, kings and angels. Like Jacob in the Old Testament, wounded and alone, we wrestle with our angel--our brokenness and pain, our fallen hopes and dreams.

Although this piece does not celebrate the victory or even paint rosy expectations, there is exquisite beauty and grace in her desire to keep at her post throughout her striving. I have known many such angels in my life.

What will be your story in the painting?