Life to Life

I choose the title, “Life to Life,” for two reasons. The first is because over the past year I have been captivated by what the Bible says about heaven, or what is to come after this life on earth and into life amidst the full glory of God. The second reason is because I am emphasizing life itself. I don’t want to say, “Life after Death,” because as Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25-26). Although my physical body will perish, I will continue from life in Christ now on earth and then to life in Christ in Heaven; therefore, going from life to life – always living, never dying.

Prophesying what is to come, the book of Revelation speaks of how God makes everything new; including a new heaven and new earth. God also creates a city called the New Jerusalem where he makes his dwelling with his children. In this city there is no temple, for God and the Lamb are its temple. It has no need for sun or moon for God’s glory is the light and the Lamb its lamp. From the throne of God and the Lamb flows the river of living water. On each side of the river stands the tree of life. Its leaves are for the healing of the nations. Every tribe, nation, people, and tongue is there, and “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Heaven is an amazing place, and I can’t wait to be home.

With this imagery from scripture and my simple desire to experience heaven, I have decided to create an art experience in which someone could feel as if he or she is entering into another world that holds the characteristics of heaven. In Revelation 21:5, God says, “Behold, I make all things new.” In this experience I desire to make things new and fresh. By new, I don’t just mean something that hasn’t existed before, but also something that is not worn or used but in its original condition.

Biblically speaking, this original condition that God had in mind for earth and all creation was without death, curse, sin, and evil, but with overflowing life, birth, joy, freedom, activity, and goodness. Basically, I want to emphasize that newness is good. Therefore, I use my imagination to create these worlds and objects that are new in visual form but also with these good and exciting characteristics of newness as well.

As I mentioned before, Revelation speaks of how there will be no need for the sun or moon, since God’s glory will be its light and the Lamb its lamp. Light is also an element I use in these paintings. Often I put the light source within the painting, as if light is an object itself. Sometimes it is shining like the sun, or objects actually glow with light from within.

Since I am trying to create an environment, I also have decided to have an element of music and sound with these paintings, so that the characteristics of light, joy, newness, birth, and activity could come off the canvas and actually be something in the air around the viewer.

Lastly, I have placed the diptych, Death and Resurrection, within this series. This is because it is by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we have access to God, his forgiveness, and the hope of eternity.

I hope this body of work encourages each viewer towards the hope of glory and could inspire one to not merely think of God’s love, but to accept it fully by asking Jesus to come into your heart; for He desires to call all of us home.

—Kyle Paxton