Angel Original (2017): Regaining Consciousness 18×24

This original still gives me chills, three years after its creation. Before this painting began, the angels had some very specific requests. They wanted this one to be different in size and shape (the biggest I’d done!), and for the watercolor paints to be mixed with water from Lake Superior. What!? How was I supposed to do that? Well, it turned out a friend’s parents were on the shores of the Great Lake and were willing to bring some holy water home. Holy wow. And though I was nervous about painting on a much bigger canvas than usual, I decided to just trust the angels wouldn’t lead me astray or give up if I made mistakes. They sure didn’t. It was a painstaking process to paint every detail, but I love how it turned out — and am routinely moved by the message they delivered once it was finished…

REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS

How will you know you’re no longer asleep?

When everything moves in slow motion

and also at the speed of light;

When you embrace your place in the universe

only to find the universe churning within you;

When you allow the walls you’ve built to crumble

and rejoice is feeling so secure;

When drop by drop, personal truth extinguishes

age-old campfires built of lies upon lies;

When you’re magnetically pulled into bigger dreams

and can finally sleep like a baby.

This is how you know you’re wide awake.