Red Puma

Red Puma - Watercolor on Canvas

Do you find my Red Puma odd and strange, or exciting and interesting in a unique way? We

artists are sometimes called odd, quirky, unusual, funky, and even weird. It's really okay...if we are expressing who we really are and who God created us to be. In contrast, however, creating art simply for shock value or to get attention only undermines true artistic expression. The source of inspiration and purpose matters.

Here's the story behind Red Puma. I was talking to my art students, asking, "What should be

our next project?" Middle and high school students are so wonderfully odd and quirky, often

thinking outside the box. So, my student Emma F. says, "Let's do a painting where one side is

normal, and the other side is different, creative and weird." I said, "I love it!"

This idea truly inspired me. I went home, got out my watercolors and painted. Red Puma came

to life, both in my mind and on the canvas. How freeing and exhilarating to paint one side really detailed and representational, while painting the other side so wild and colorful! I am excited by the concept of keeping correct anatomical design intact, yet at the same time creating a vivid, almost abstract puma world.

But, some people don't get the painting. They don't love it. In fact, some "art experts" don't

appreciate it, and frankly, they have rejected it. This doesn't bother me very much. Why?

Because, this is how I see it and live it in my imagination. I loved those hours I spent exploring that bright puma jungle as it spilled out onto the canvas. It's why I paint. And I am satisfied with it.

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. Galatians 6:9 NLT