Seraphim over Sunset Waters - Story Behind the Painting

When I set out to paint that night...

Things had been really stressful

It had been a little while since I had painted

I painted it in the days leading up to the first anniversary of my mom's death, which I was dreading.. anyone relate?!?

I put a movie on, probably for sound, and started painting.  I wasn't really watching the movie but kiddo and son were at my in-laws and I didn't want the pressure of figuring out what to paint, and wasn't sure if I would be more into painting or the movie, so I had both options available.

I had no preconceived idea of what the painting was to be, I was painting over a previous version of a painting that to me was not what I wanted it to be, and so I just picked a color and started painting.  Because this painting is horizontal, I decided to paint horizontal as well, long brush strokes across the painting, going with instinct for what needed to be there.. switching colors, switching brush technique, switching brushes, etc.  And as I painted, it came to be.  

I was happy with the result (helps when you are not married to the outcome) and honestly, was surprised at the result, because I hadn't intended it to turn out the way it turned out.  And I really didn't expect anything profound to come from it, as I wasn't really prepared (in my mind) for something profound to come of it.

For context, back when my mom passed, a couple of my mom’s friends had talked to me about what happens after someone dies... how they get to heaven...

You know, the things you don't think about until someone extremely close to you leaves the planet....

And I was comforted by knowing that she was taken care of and not alone in that process.

I wasn't sure what to call it.  So when I looked at the painting, and a couple other people who provided feedback had similar responses to what I thought it was about, I knew it represented my mom's time being ushered from this earth to her heavenly home.

Hence the title referring to that process, Seraphim over Sunset Waters.  Seraphim referring to angels bringing her home, and sunset waters, referring to her time on earth ending.

So I introduce you to… Seraphim over Sunset Waters...

To remind us that there is a plan in place for Believers, that we do get ushered from Earth to Heaven when our time on earth is done and the ones that go before us and at our time, are not alone.

Anna

Seraphim Over Sunset Waters - Original Painting by Anna Elliott, June 2018

Originally Published October 3, 2018