In the Beginning A New Blog

My Daughter has done a wonderful job of writing her blog. Her entries are interesting, informative and humorous, her language is poetic, her heart devoted to her children and husband, and of course her photos of my grandchildren are superb. She adds stories, and photos on a regular basis. Lori has inspired me to get my blog in gear, and my mind dusted off, and my typing fingers limbered up and ready to write. I would like to start being a regular contributor to my own blog that I started last year, so here goes:

My heart belongs to God my Savior, my family and my passion for painting and poetry. I want to proclaim God's handiwork through my art work, and if someone can be encouraged to follow Christ at a deeper more spiritual level, I would feel my purpose for life would be accomplished.
My story starts when I was 5 years old and felt the divine pull of my heartstrings to accept the truth that I had been taught in my home and Sunday School class, that God loved me and wanted me to accept his precious gift to me, his Son Jesus. After many years of faith and doubt being interespersed with obedience and sinful disobedience and distance from God, I turned 50 years old. It was then that I had an epiphany, while spending 2 hours on my knees, pleading with God to show His face. All the verses, chapters, the entire book of the Bible is true. So many times I would read God's Holy Words and try to dissect it, root out the negative, and discredit what was the truth, and it only led to frustration. Once my mind was devoted to reading God's Word looking for looking for treasures and nuggets of knowledge that could be used in my daily walk, it became a delight to read the Bible, a passion to seek His words of wisdom, a challenge to try to be obedient to His will for my life. I was praying in earnest about my love for watercolor painting becoming an obsession, and I needed to know if it is God's will that I continue to paint and someday earn a living doing it. I can truly say God gave me a sense of confirmation that I should continue to pursue my love for art and poetry. So since it is God's will, he will provide as I start my new journey as a Heart fully created artist for the Lord.
Let me start by giving you some Bible verses from God's Word that deal with hearts, fully created by God.

Colossians 2:2-3 (New International Version)
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

1 Kings 8:61
But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Psalm 106:2
Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise?

Later I will go on to some of my paintings and explain why I painted, and wrote the poetry behind them. We will see if anyone has read this far.
Thanks for reading,
DJ Bates

Poetry, Painting and Praise

Poetry Painting and Praise

Paint and Poetry onto paper do pour
Ideas and illusions I cannot ignore
Mood and medium master my mind
Keeping it creative and one of a kind

My love, my desire is to see color flow
On paper my rainbows all seem to glow
These creations are but reflections of light
Our Creator above makes all things right

I pray my passion my purpose my peace
Is to serve my Savior and never cease
Praise and gratitude in my heart does evoke
To honor God's name with every stroke

by: D J. Bates

Art in Bloom, art exhibit.

Hi all, 

I have to tell you that my "Art In Bloom" art exhibit at the Lauritzen Gardens had to be a success. For anyone to have braved the heat and the wind and the lightning and the thunder and the downpours they have to be a hardy breed of enthusiasts. Saturday was blazing hot, the hottest day of the summer, Sunday was a monsoon, but I had a fun time. Actually sold two paintings and a couple of prints and cards.

The most fun was having Sheryl there with me, and my kids and grandkids coming to enjoy the gardens too. They asked us to "demonstrate" our craft, so I was painting a pink hibiscus and someone came up and said she had to have it...so I sold it. I had to finish it first so she walked around and came back, and the painting was ready to take home.

Jim helped me wrap my most recent painting in plastic on Sunday morning, and that one sold just after I set it up too.

All in all with the "trading" for trinkets, artist connections and a possible gallery interested in my artwork, I would say it was a successful first show in Omaha.

The Perfect Rose

Transported to another dimension this Perfect Rose was

Transplanted into a garden of wild roses

Transferred to the blank canvas by the painters brush

Transformed by the glory of God's grace

Transfixed the blood red bloom was pierced for our

Transgressions forgiven by His death, hung on the

Transom, the crosspiece which represents the

Transverse structure on which our Lord was hung

Transfigured into a change in form Jesus was

Transfused into the light of the world

Transparent for all to see, the clear way which is

Transposed into the language of love

Tranquil as the scene might be

Transcends our vision for hidden in the leaves

Translated from Heaven as the Lamb of God, His

Triumphant return we so anxiously await

Transient people though we are, soon we will be

Transported to our future resting place by the

Transpiration of His precious blood through the

Transition of His death, burial, and resurrection

Thank you Lord for all you do and say

Taking on our sins in a most graphic way

Thoughtfully providing an escape when we stray

Thoroughly loving us every day

I am a Watercolor Artist who also loves poetry, or a Poet that loves painting. God is The Great Creator, any thing we create is only a reproduction.First I conceived the painting, a Perfect Red Rose surrounded by wild roses of many colors, with a heart shaped “crown” of thorns intertwined around the trellis. Hidden in the thicket is a lamb, hard to distinguish unless you look for Him.This is a tribute to God who designed the universe, and an imitation of Gods inspiration given to the prophets of the Old TestamentHe is the Rose of Sharon ... Like a lily among thorns…He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed. We, like sheep, have gone astray each of us has turned to his own way…

The Perfect Rose

Psalm 51:10

Artfully Created by DJ Bates

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

Artfully Created by DJ Bates