Hear Joni’s inspiration behind the painting “Silent Witness.” If you need some peace and quiet, take a moment to listen in to this program and take a look at Joni’s art piece.
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Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, always sharing hope!
And not only hope, but joy and peace and quiet. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? And in this frenetic, crazy, loud, fast-paced world – I mean, your heart aches for a little serenity, right? I know mine does. This past weekend we were at a busy intersection. There was gridlock, drivers were angry, horns were beeping, we were waiting for the light to change while the car next to us was blaring rock music; even with its windows rolled up [and ours, too]. There inside the van, I closed my eyes. I breathed deeply. Finally, the light changed, and we left the heat and noise and frustration behind. You know, it’s funny how as Christians, there’s a tuning fork within us that just does not resonate with rattling noise and blaring horns. But we do resonate with things that fill our hearts with hope, joy, peace, and quiet. And when it happens? Your soul doesn’t want to let the moment go; it feels so “right;” you sense you are near to God, and you want it to go on forever.
You know, over the years I’ve had beautiful moments like that. Once, a long time ago when I was still on our family farm in Maryland, I took a walk one night in the snow-filled woods behind the farmhouse. I felt safe because the moon was full, and I could pretty much see everything. And I just stopped and listened. The woods were silent, and it was cold, I could see my breath. The peace and the quiet was a little like well, James 4:8, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” The Lord felt so near in that moment. Now, that was over 50 years ago, and I’ve never forgotten that moonlit night. I’ll soon forget about that intersection. I’ll allow noise, but I will always remember the quiet moment in the woods.
Years later I recalled that walk in the woods when I started doing paintings holding brushes between my teeth. That moment became the inspiration for a watercolor painting. Now, for me, a quadriplegic, watercolors are very challenging. But I went ahead, soaked a large piece of watercolor paper overnight. The next morning, I had my friend flatten it to the board on my art easel. I quickly sketched the snowy woods, the clouds, the moon and then I had my friend turn the composition upside down on the easel. And I daubed wet, brown paint and let it trickle down, making little streams on the paper. Then turning the composition right side up, voilà! I had my trees. I painted a few deer walking out of the woods. I didn’t try to make the deer anatomically correct; I just went for their ‘attitude,’ as it were. Just a few clues, but enough so that you would know, ‘Aha, that’s a deer!’ I wheeled back from the easel and decided to call my new painting, “Silent Witness.” Because everything – from the snow-filled woods to the deer – all of it is a witness of the peace that God brings to every serene moment. A lot like that night I went for my walk.
I explain more about my painting, “Silent Witness” on a video that I did recently – and I’ve posted it today on joniradio.org. In the short video, I also describe how I worked in watercolors to create the clouds in the field covered with snow. And if you’re interested and you want to enjoy the painting, I’ve put a link to our store. It’s all there at joniradio.org. So, today, if you are in need of a little peace, quiet, take a moment to see my painting and the video at joniradio.org today. And don’t forget James 4:8, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”
© Joni and Friends