"Abigail, you're addicted to the creative process." — Ted Rose
I inherited two brains in one. My mom is very artsy in an abstract way, and my dad has a very logical and engineering mind. Most of the time this is a plus and gives me a pretty unique approach in art and in life too. Sometimes these two different perspectives do fight though, my abstract side says, “hey let’s do this and do it this way,” and my logical orderly side says, “stop that makes no sense!” So, then that leads to me figuring out a way that is both. What my friend has dubbed “logic that is only logical to you.”
Another major influence on my life is being born and raised just outside Nashville, Tennessee. Being constantly surrounded by lush green trees and grass had a major impact on my love for flowers and nature. Even before I became an artist artist, I would say one of my main influences was “God’s Nature.”
In college, I got an art degree and loved getting to learn so many different techniques. I fell in love with the process of creating. One of my professors, Ted Rose said “Abigail, you’re addicted to the creative process.” The actions behind the art piece are my favorite parts of art. It is rare when I have a complete picture of what I am going to paint/draw before I start the process. I like to solve it like a puzzle and draw out the fuzzy ideas that come into my mind.
It was here, at Cumberland, that I developed my signature technique of using both charcoal and acrylics at the same time. Even though it was a total accident and came from a hate for graphite and doing an assignment “wrong.” My professor gave an assignment to create a layered painting, draw a layer, paint over it, etc. and in his defense, he did use a graphite pencil in his example. But he didn’t verbally SAY we had to use graphite, so I reached for my far superior medium—my charcoal pencils! I can still almost hear Ted now as I think about when he walked up behind me during this painting. “Abigail, honey, are you using charcoal?” I was way too into the process of this piece to change anything, but I said, “Am I supposed to be using charcoal?” To which he replied, “It will just smear and blend more.” I was totally fine with this and in fact this is what I love about charcoal. So, I continued on with my work, having no idea how important this moment would be years later.
With all this becoming an artist by trade should have been an easy choice. Nope! Even with my degree in Fine Arts (I like to call it my degree in creative problem solving) I actually was pretty against the idea of creating art with the intention to sell it. I put too much of myself and worked too long in creating it to sell it. It was too personal. I was going to teach or work with kids in some way.
But God had other plans and placed the question “what if you did?” and I said “No!” for years. The question stayed though. And I started to not hate the idea. And in 2024 is when I started to paint with the intention of selling.
In July of 24, I painted my painting titled “Known—Psalms 139:1-2.” This is the painting that started the rest. This is the painting that started me putting scripture with every painting. This is the painting that became the example of WHY I now paint.
I had been painting for awhile with the intention to sell at this point but was still struggling with the idea of selling, because that meant each painting had to be good. I got so overwhelmed with this pressure that I was placing on myself. I reached a point where I just needed to paint for fun with no expectations on the piece. So, I started to paint the bright pink background of “Known” and was praying during the process.
In those moments I felt I heard the Lord say “You’re fully known. I know you to your deepest.” And of course, this made me break down crying more than I already was. God knows me to my deepest. He sees my deepest thoughts. He sees my deepest fears, desires and goals, all of it. He was preparing for me and everything I would need to be an artist.
Even down to using the technique of charcoal and acrylics from college, for the bird flying over the wildflowers. I had been playing with this technique, but it was with this painting that it was cemented as my signature. In a way, God was showing me even in this He knew me, because I couldn’t pick between the two, and He gave me a way to use both.
I knew what I had heard during that moment was from scripture, but I didn’t know where. In searching for it I found, Psalms 139:1-2 “Oh, Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up, you know my thoughts even when I'm far away.”
This moment was so amazing, I wanted it again, and again, and again. It was here that I realized that I wanted other people to have their own moments like this with God. So yes, I do realize the irony that before I didn’t want to sell art because it was too personal, and now it’s even more personal but that’s the reason I must share it now. God definitely has a sense of humor.
I started to paint for more moments like this with God. And God started to use my painting to teach me so much about trust, surrender, His provision, and lately about grace too. All things that I am still learning with Him as I have been doing art full time since May of 2026. I am still unsure and scared but I know God is right here painting with me. My prayer is that the artwork God and I create together will be an encouragement to whoever sees it. That God would give someone their own special “Known” moment through my pieces.