I experience a state of consciousness quite common but nonetheless magical.

It is the same state of being experienced by meditating monks, gardeners, bricklayers and word processors.

It is being in the flow, engaged in a task that occupies me fully while freeing me to channel the creative gift.

In this state of grace the painting begins to take shape seemingly of its own accord.

The finished painting is a record of an event. The event being the creation of the painting. The painting is not a representation of any one perception of the event.

Rather all the senses plus memory, hope, and emotion are expressed in the artwork.

God's gift is not only the skill to portray these events but the awareness of the full range of their existence.