May 14 2025

Eternity
Oil Paint on Canvas 24×30 in. 2025
Being eternity minded, i paint. Working as though not for man, but for God. Not desiring the glory of man, but of God. That He be glorified in all i do and through his servant many will come to salvation in Jesus name.
I was recently very refreshed as i came again to this place of eternity in my heart, knowing all of this world will fade, holding to the hope of eternity i paint with draw from there, selah. instilled with freedom, joy, love. And really it’s quite fun – making praise to my maker, fulfilling my calling.
Painting without form, I think about Moses reminding the Israelites of when God spoke to them from the fire over Mt. Sinai, how they saw no form, and warns them to make no idol; may it be so. We are made in his likeness, and we not far from him. He is a jealous God, there is none like Him, none beside Him, Mi Kamocha Adonai. May my art never be like an idol, but let it be like the songs of David, and let it be like the work of the tabernacle made by Bezalel and the other artists who were blessed by the Spirit of God, let my art praise the LORD. All you nations, praise the LORD!
Though this body fade, my Spirit will dance on high forever, with Him who is light.

Bjorn ∞ ♥ ✞

April 15 2025

I thought i’d like to make a blog post. I haven’t in a while. While our days are short, and fade we will like the flowers of the field, how full they feel. Maybe i’m writing poetic-ally because i’m not sure what i’ll talk about, just got an inkling to write and share some pictures. First picture is

my bible, the word. Because God is faithful, no matter what. When i consider my days, this life, i have to be reminded this life is not my own, this life is God’s. Who am I? Did i fill my lungs with breath, did i call my soul to inhabit this flesh, did i make this body, do i have anything i can call my own, anything i can point to and say, ‘yeah that’s mine’? No, no i do not. Every breath is a gift. I lay my life down as a living sacrifice on the Lord’s altar (romans 12:1). I say, your will your way Yahweh. And i watch, i listen, with all my being, all that’s been entrusted to me – i seek the LORD, nearing ever so near to him, and walking faithfully with Him. In so many little ways does this come about. And no matter what, he is faithful.

Bjorn ∞ ♥ ✞

February 28 2025

I took this picture this morning. A calm Friday morning, teeming with glory. This is my tried and true bible, my oldy goldy, since 2016. The word of the Lord is forever. Amen

Bjorn ∞ ♥ ✞

February 27 2025

If the LORD doesn’t build the house.

those who build labor in vain.

Psalm 127:1

Now if the LORD my God who made me and made me for himself and made me to accomplish his will isn’t in it, i don’t want it. I just pray your will your way Yahweh.

For who/whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world. Ans this is our victory that overcomes the world – our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God?

1 John 5:4

There is no other name, no other way, than through the son of God Jesus to the almighty maker of heaven and earth, our Father, Yahweh.
My maker made me to make. He made me a painter. This i do faithfully, for he blessed me with his Spirit to love through me for the salvation of many in this art. I believe what he says he will do. He will exalt me high and i will change the world. But i’m just dust and blood with my face to the floor without you Lord. I praise you Lord for you have looked with favor on your servant. Here i am, all and only yours Lord God.

Sitting in my bedroom studio, it’s all a gift i’m giving back to God, multiplying talents, greatly praising the great One, playing my skillful psalm.. i make some deep light observations and put to practice new old techniques. I want to share with you my technical observations! I want to share with you what i’m learning!

i begin with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

The background is done in raw umber, a ‘green’ brown. The figure is done in burnt umber, a ‘red’ brown. Using raw umber for the background and burnt umber for the figure allows for a nice balance of cohesion and contrast. The raw umber lightly applied tends to yellow for highlights, while thickly applied tends to blue for shadows. The burnt umber lightly applied tends to orange for highlights, while thickly applied tends to purple for shadows. Thus, ‘completing’ the color wheel in the underpainting, which to me brings a satisfaction both visually and intellectually. I could go on about the symbolism, purpose, possible arguments/responses, and research of the image as a whole and it’s finer elements, but for now i just wanted to share the technical observations as they supplement the painter’s practice.

as far as symbolism goes I will tell you the branch in his right hand symbolizes, us, those who believe he is the son of God, our Lord, our Savior. He is the true vine. There is no life except in him (John 15). He’s mourning and praying for those he will leave behind on earth (John 17), even though he is always with us (Matthew 28:20)… The cupped left hand symbolizes the cup he must drink, enduring the sin of all people, paying the price, the just death for all our unrighteousness, to satisfy the just wrath of the father, who will turn his face from his son. What unfathomable anguish. The waterfall symbolizes the immensity of this cup he is willing to drink. No greater love is this, than he who lays down his life for his friends… notice all the drop of blood falling from him near his left hand.

as far as arguments go.. Jesus may not have had long hair like all your religious paintings have you believe. I am challenging people’s ‘religious’ view of Jesus and people’s modern ‘spiritual’ view of Jesus, so we may know Jesus Relationally. He is a real person, he is the son of God, he dies and rose for us, he loves us, he longs for relationship with us. I know no better place than with him, thank God i will be forever.

now let’s go on to further insight into painting, okay. That painting of Jesus in it’s pictured state is an underpainting. So is this one of Jesus’ crucifixion.

In this piece, Jesus’ Crucifixion, i was inspired by Caravaggio’s practice. In the Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane piece i was inspired by Leonardo DaVinci’s practice. Let me tell you what i learned in Caravaggio’s practice, which is a process of reduction. Imagine 1,2,3 squares of values (shading of light to dark) 1 is lightest/highlights, 3 is darkest/shadows, 2 is midtone. I’ll come back to this. The figure’s form is first sketched out as an outline with marks for all the little details too. Then i do a basic 1,2 value rendering, (you can see this by squinting till you just see light and shade). I paint in my shades and leaving the blank white canvas as my lights. Once this drys, I deepen my shades into their darkest with the 3 value, covering over all my little details even. Then with my clean brush dipped in a little bit of paint thinner turpentine i stroke over the shadows pulling back the deep shadows into the midtone, revealing the light underneath by process of reduction. So effective. Just wow. The organic forms depict far more natural and real in reduction detail shading than by addition. If you want further study, visit this article: https://issuu.com/caravaggioexhibition/docs/final_caniglia_caravaggio-cc_issuu#:~:text=This%20technique%20of%20using%20a,in%20just%20a%20few%20sessions

also Caravaggio usually uses dark dark backgrounds, with high contrast, perfect for the crucifixion scene.

so you know, and pray too as well please, i’m working toward an eventual show called The Gospel. Here’s my sketch for the Resurrection. There will be many more pieces too. Some completed, ready as underpaintings, sketched on canvas, as notebook sketches, and as just ideas.

Now let’s move forward. I am making multiple pieces to the point of completed underpaintings, but i’ve not yet the sure ability to glaze color overtop. Color glazing is the necessary next step in this technique of painting i’m undergoing. So i said let’s practice! I got a new portrait going…

Think of painting in 3s

form

value

color

Form is the outline. Value is the shading. Color is, well color, the hues of light playing on the physical. I’m trying to master each compatibly.

so i begin with the form. A pencil sketch outline on the canvas.

I sprayfix the graphite of the pencil sketch. Then do my Value in burnt umber overtop.

Now i begin glazing the color overtop… mind you i’ve only done this successfully once in my portrait of Jesus, the portrait that changed how i paint. See, i’m self taught, no formal training, never took a drawing or painting class. God blessed me and told me to create for him and that’s all i needed to get going. I first saw pure light, the color. So i would paint the color first, and the value and form would find their way. Over the last almost 7 years my process has refined. My depictions have become less abstract in form, and more realistic, though always full of Spirit, the most important ingredient, God’s very nature, Love.
soi begin glazing color overtop in my newfound practice, resurrected through my study of the renaissance, and how i failed terribly to do it well. I learned davinci’s mona lisa had some 32 layers of oil paint. What!? No one has that kind of patience today. But patience is an attribute of God and so i want it. And so i fight and pray to be slow to anger as i impatiently mess the whole piece up trying to do 20 layers in 3 layers. It doesn’t work. I learned my lesson. When it’s good and well done, stop, step back, let it be, let it dry and come back. Don’t force it further out of some prideful grab for perfection right away. Be patient. Thank God, through prayer and having learned my lesson, surrendering to the Lord and his way, the piece came back around and i found a nice stopping place for the night.

If i want that rich deep translucence and solid form and wonderfully rendered light, i’ll be patient, i’ll let this dry and come back and continue to paint layer by layer of paint. For now though i’m going to finish that Psalm i started with…

Psalm 127:1-2

1 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. 

goodnight, God bless you, dearly beloved child of our Father

Bjorn ∞ ♥ ✞

February 8 2025

I’m painting everyday, walking in the way God’s prepared for me, for the salvation of many, to create art to share who God is.. i don’t ‘blog’ much but we got some nice shots the other day so i’d like to share and say hi. God is great and greatly to be praised. I intend for my work to be as great as possible, that my light may shine bright before you and you give glory to our Father in Heaven. The more i study and practice, the deeper, more realized and time intensive my practice has become. This piece you see here is over 8 months old, the hours add up to hundreds. But no matter the work i do, if it’s not in love, in Jesus, in God, it’s vain, thank the Lord he’s blessed me giving me his Spirit to create and bless. This painting is a depiction of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The moment of anticipation and prayer before going to pay the price, the just death i deserved, so i could know him for life eternal. I love what i do, who i do it for, and who does it all through me. Thanks for keeping up with me and my work, i love sharing with you all and hearing your kindness and encouragement. I can tell you God is faithful, he told me people would come to the Lord through the art and i’ve seen it now, praise the Lord. Heaven is rejoicing and so am i.
I will bless the Lord at all times, the Lord’s praise will always be on my lips
in Jesus name amen

Bjorn ∞ ♥ ✞

January 20 2025

I’m laying thanking our God for such a great love, the gift of grace.

Turning in now after painting this scene of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene.

while i’m here i’ll update with visuals on two recent art shows i’m sharing my work in. Grateful. I realize i’ve grown greatly. Thank you God.

that painting of myself as David there was especially fun to work on. I made it by the grace of God in two weeks over winter break, during the holidays. Everyday was sleep in late wake up fully rested, paint all day, go to a party with the church and/or family.
i’ll show you a closeup of the self portrait as David so you can look for the little flock of sheep, the psalm, the battle, all the little details. How great is our God that we are his masterpieces made to create masterpieces.

I’m really thankful for that holiday time. Our church is grown so close. God’s love is so full for me and through me. Here’s some recent gifts to church friends i made..

I know the Lord has us working in his field. A field of souls. Ans the harvest is ready. I’m seeing salvations. Prayers are being answered. I am your humble servant Lord, make me no will of my own, your will your way Yahweh, always.
And great things are coming too. I’m hoping and praying and seeing success for my application to ASU’s MFA program in Painting. Lord willing i will get in.
today i finished these butterfly wings for a fundraiser benefit to homeless people..

These wings are named quite a long name, a name i’ll leave you with and say goodnight now, ttys…

“The butterfly’s wings beat like the LORD’s heart for every tribe, nation, color and tongue to know the LORD our God is One, abounding in love for everyone.”

Bjorn ∞ ♥ ✞

December 15 2024

A ballad of exaltation and a drawing

in the Spirit

typed up because i know you can’t read my handwriting :

thank you Lord, for showing me your glory. I wept. Oh, the power of your love. I can scarcely take it. My body crumbles under the weight of your glory. I bow down and worship, chest to the dust. I am overwhelmed by your presence. I can only sob, and when your grace and me matches your glory, I praise you Lord.

I prayed Lord asking you to reveal your love to me as you did at first, so you have. My insignificance is fully revealed in a glimmer of your light. Eternity fills me, I am ecstatic, high, at once I’m one with you Lord. There’s nothing to compare, I am complete. But still, I am human, I cannot hold it, and the devil torments and lies. I tried to hold on, but I end up paranoid, question if I am even real, I’ve gone crazy, but I must remember your word, Lord. Your love is never failing, eternal as you are, never changing. Save me, Lord, for your name’s sake, for the sake of your first and forever love, Lord, save me.

Inextricably linked is the gift of the artist to paint. In the same manner, my eyes are open, I see everything at once. Every hidden things revealed, spirit, and corporeal worlds overlap. Like thick, rich, viscous, molasses syrup I cannot swallow all I see. All I see is too much, too overwhelming. You cannot swallow the ocean in a straw. Still, I try. I paint as a gifting is fully present. like I’m shot full of heroin, in the presence of God, but only for a short eternity, I cry, and I sing, exalted, knowing i’ll fall the heights i reach. But God is merciful in His loving kindness. He gently carries me down on his wings, setting me again into the dust, still glimmering with his glory. O be still my heart, my soul will ever know You are God, You heard my prayer.

Bjorn ∞ ♥ ✞ 

December 1 2024

My family and I traveled to Chicago for STRUT’s 15 year anniversary world aid’s day runway show in downtown. I had 10 models walk my painted garments. We also visited the art institute of Chicago. I enjoyed walking around the impressionist works wearing my painted coat. I drew some eyes for sure. Humbly i’m just dust but God breathes His Life Spirit into me to shine with His same Love Light through the works of art i create. I thank God i see my work in parallel with the old masters of the museum. This is the good work prepared beforehand i walk in, by grace through faith. Truly, my help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. All glory to God.

Love, Bjorn

November 29 2024

This is where I begin my blog. This humble hideaway on the internet will be my place to document art events, what i’m working on, and what God’s doing in my life. I pray the Lord blesses this blog, in Jesus name, amen. May this be a good work walked out in His grace, for His glory. I intend to post pictures with short text commentary’s every so often. Stay tuned.

God bless

Bjorn