O Holy Night

I created this angelic-themed painting as a Christmas card for my family this year, inspired by master color palette and composition “Night And Her Train of Stars,” by Edward Robert Hughes. As I worked on this painting, I would pray for my family that seeing this artwork might bring them a little comfort and peace in these troubled times. I began to see myself as a servant to the work and what a privilege it was to be alive today so that I could make one more painting as an object of light in the darkness.

I completed“O Holy Night” surprisingly on the day of The Great Conjunction when the stars aligned in the heavens for the first time since The Middle Ages. I began to see the timely significance of stars in my painting and the elements of angelic and earthly air lifting the viewer high above the earth. I was reminded of the Psalm 19:1-6 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour fourth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world.” As a visual artist, I too make silent works of color and light inspired by Creation, demonstrating the power of communication beyond speech.

The simple act of looking up at the stars is a way of acknowledging life’s mysteries as part of an infinite divine order in the universe. No words, just a moment of pure connection. As a person of faith, it has been the hardest yet most transformative lesson of my life, to accept the mystery of what is unknown and often painful in earthly life. To say yes to these troubled times. To let go of my “right” to know why and demand justice. To surrender like the Virgin Mary, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Let it be done to me that I might serve this artwork, serve this moment, serve this gift called life. O Night Divine - the mystery of God come to earth as a child - O Holy Night. I surrender to these mysteries and more; this is the way.

May God Bless You & Keep You This Year & Always,

Daniel