:Hudson River School Art of Connie Tom

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"Behind the Seens..."

A long time ago, I prayed that my art could somehow be used to bring honor and glory to God. Then in my mind, I dismissed this as not probable, thinking--art is something frivolous. It's not something you really have to have. But this desire still remained in my heart.

I was exhibiting with the Silver Dollar City Traveling Art Guild at a mall in Oklahoma City at the time. I had my booth set up in the center aisle of the mall. On about the third day of the four day show, a lady and her husband, I'm guessing in their late fifties to early sixties, came up to my booth and started complimenting me over and over again about an eagle in flight painting that I had on display. It was a different painting than the one shown here. It was a little humorous in a way, because the lady was the only one who did the talking and the "raving on" about the painting, all the while saying, that they would like to get this painting for her husband. But her husband hadn't said a word. I was thinking inwardly that "she" was the one who wanted the painting, not him.

They would walk off and then come back again several times. Finally, she asked me how much I was asking for the painting. I told her. She said they "just could not afford to pay that much for the painting. They seemed like such a sweet couple, that I lowered my price to alsmost half the price and they bought the painting. They asked if I would mark the painting sold and they could leave it there with me while they did some other shopping. Of course, I said yes. I was glad they got the painting.
They weren't gone long, only about five minutes. They had only gone around the corner to a Christian Book Store and came back with a walnut plaque with a gold plate on it. Etched on the plate was the verse from the Bible in the book of Isaiah 40:31 that says, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall rise up with wings as an eagle. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint..."
They were so eager to show me the plaque, saying, "Look! This is what this painting reminds us of. We are going to hang this plaque beside this painting." I thought again of this desire that I had had, and thought "well...Maybe it's not so improbable after all." I was delighted.
Again the lady reiterated that they were buying this painting for her husband. He still had not said a word to me. I thought to myself, "You are buying this for yourself because your husband hasn't said a word." But I didn't care which one the painting was for. I was glad they liked the painting. So they paid for the painting and walked off. They did seem very close to each other I had noticed.

So the show got over, I packed up and came back home. About four days later, I received a phone call from the lady who had bought the eagle painting. She said, "You know Connie, I just wanted to tell you how much we appreciate our eagle painting. We've called our kids in, we've called our neighbors in, we've called our friends in to see the painting. You see? I have leukemia and the doctors have told me that I have less than two years to live. It's been very hard on my husband and me, financially, mentally and emotionally, knowing we're going to be separated. So I bought this painting for my husband, to give him strength, for when I'm gone.
I felt just like the blood was draining right out of me. I didn't know what to say exactly. "I'm sorry," I said, "I'm so glad you like the painting."
I decided right then, never again to say that even a painting could or could not be used for a purpose of God. Also not to try to guess the motives behind buying a painting, much less what kind of powerful effect that it could have on each individual life. I just pray it will be a good one like this one was. I also accepted my desire then, as as my destiny.