Enlightenment

The Story Behind Enlightenment

Of all the moments captured in The Firmament Collection, this one feels the most like a personal reminder—a sacred invitation to stay awake, to keep watch, and to tend the flame I’ve been given.

Enlightenment began as a loose sketch, but the more I painted, the more it revealed itself as something deeply rooted in scripture. I kept thinking of the parable of the ten virgins, waiting in the night for the arrival of the bridegroom—some prepared with oil in their lamps, others left scrambling when the time came. I thought of Jesus’ words in Luke 12:35, “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning.”

The woman in this painting leans toward the soft glow of a single candle. She isn’t in a hurry. She isn’t distracted. She’s present—watching, waiting, tending the light. There’s both strength and softness in her posture, as if she knows that the long night requires both.

The dreamy, muted palette—warm earth tones, layered drips, and softened edges—wraps the scene in a kind of quiet expectancy. You can almost feel the hush of the moment, the way waiting often feels like standing on holy ground. Created in mixed media and finished with oils, the textures themselves echo the endurance it takes to keep faith alive through long seasons of uncertainty.

For me, Enlightenment is more than a painting. It’s a meditation on trust—the kind that doesn’t waver when the night feels long. It’s about staying ready, tending what’s been placed in your hands, and believing the light you carry matters—even when no one else can see it.

Part of The Firmament Collection, this piece invites you to pause, to watch, and to remember:
The light is still burning.
You are still here.
And the story isn’t over yet.

Specifications:

Series: Firmament, Duality of Transformation

Medium: Mixed Media

Size: 11”x14”

Framed original mixed media oil painting on gallery wrapped canvas. Ready to hang.