Finally, I am in the vocation that I was born to be in. To be one of God’s paintbrushes and heed the call of Pope St. John Paul II in his 1999, Letter to Artists. A call to stir that hidden nostalgia for God and lead into the infinite ocean of beauty where wonder becomes awe, exhilaration, unspeakable joy! I am beyond blessed and incredibly humbled with this gift. It took most of my life to finally get here.
One of my favorite scripture passages which I reflect on while in my studio is John 17:11 “… And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.” Simply… You and I are one. A message I once experienced in a vision. While I create something out of something, God creates something out of nothing and all Praise & Glory belongs to Him! I am just a messenger and I am blessed to be one of His paintbrushes. Another favorite is James 1:17 which reads “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or a shifting shadow.”
When I am in my studio, I am in “monk mode” like a hermit, silent and remain in constant prayer. As I begin to paint, I listen to the following songs, in this order (followed by the Rosary and Divine Mercy at 3pm or especially at 3am, guided by the Hallow app):
- Gratitude by Brandon Lake (Chosen Performance)
- He knows my name by Francesca Battistelli
- Holy Spirit by Francesca Battistelli
- The Lord’s Prayer by Matt Maher
- So Will I (100 Billion X) by Hillsong Worship
- Captain by Hillsong United
- Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence by Scythian (My favorite version of this ancient song)
- Gregorian Chants by Benedictine Monks (On low volume and remains 24/7 in my studio until another new paint session begins)
The 1st song reminds me as I paint to never forget that my parents prayed for me to be born (almost died in utero); I was consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and named after my mom, Mercedes (she’s called Mercy or Ched and I am known as Merci – for my every breath is a prayer of gratitude).
The 2nd song captures how I feel about secular recognition – it’s not important because what truly matters is that “I am famous in my Father’s eyes” who is my Lord, God and King – my Heavenly Father.
Anyway, I will be uploading my favorites as I finish them. Meanwhile, enjoy the Art and many thanks for dropping by … PEACE!
PS
Now there exists a wikiart page about my work, please take a peek at https://www.wikiart.org/en/merci-f-mccoy
