Something New by Susan L.

  The Friday art group at the centre, in keeping with the pen and ink theme, was learning how to do illuminated lettering. Not that I am an expert, it was simply a chance to introduce another way of using liquid inks. We designed our initials and will colour them in next Friday using gold and various other colours. In true Sue fashion, I had to finish mine right away.
   I've been inspired to take it to the next level and illuminate part of Psalm 91. It's been a crucial piece of scripture over the last little while that has helped me find some peace during the worst of the storm.
  This even went as far as making myself a quill pen from a wild turkey feather picked up a long time ago. That didn't work out so well but I have a better idea about how it's done. (Thanks to the internet.) Next spring, when the neighbourhood Canada geese are moulting, I'll go out and pick up some wing feathers so I can try again. I didn't use the quill but relied on a regular gel pen to do the black outlines.
  I drew out the various images on graph paper and when satisfied, did a trick learned in art college. Scribbling over the entire back using a soft, dark pencil then lightly wiping it down with a small piece of tissue creates a poor man's carbon paper. When the image is drawn over, while being held in place with some masking tape, it transfers to the good copy.
  It will take some time to finish. Painting all the details is tiny and meticulous work. It isn't meant to be rushed but instead the hours spent give an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of the verse, to memorize it, and to celebrate God's word.
  Somewhere or another I learned that the monks would intentionally leave one mistake on each page. Perfection, they believed, was only for God. What a wonderful way to illuminate God's grace for us imperfect humans!
  "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south." Ps 107:1-3