“The Making of Our Nation”

Ekphrasis: 

I spend a couple of weeks in research before preparing a piece requiring historic elements. As these historic pieces come in they begin to form an understanding and with the help of prayer, the image emerges. 

Here we have the foundation of the making of our country which is the Bible and here it is opened to James 1: 5 “ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (King James Version) 

James 1: 5 opens the door to a future not previously considered and places in the hands of those seeking worthwhile quests divine guidance. George Washington was known to carry the Bible with him into battle and to pray before battle. This country was preordained for freedoms not available in other countries and is it any wonder why guidance came through and our independence won?

To the bottom left we have in abstract symbols of men in period cloaks in reverent prayer for their freedom. Ascending up from them are the symbolic representations of their prayers then carried by the dove pointing to the sacrifices to be made to secure those freedoms as the fight for freedom never ends with one war. 

The lamb’s head symbolizes sacrifices made for our freedom. The three globes behind the lamb’s head symbolize the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and likewise, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, all shaped into a womb for the birth of this nation. 

The quill carries our sights to the Constitution, all laid upon the heavenly altar represented by the white cloth for the lives lost in our quest for freedom. Even the farmer whose field is now symbolically carried upon water revealing the emotions of fighting the cause that had no other way to freedom. He leaves his plow, wife and children, to carry his musket to join the fight for freedom looking more upon the future of his children instead of himself. 

Let us remember the tremendous debt we owe to those who won our freedoms which we now celebrate as the adoption of the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776. We are all grafted in. Happy birthday America.

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