Emma Behl

Invitation to Grieve

As I prayed about what to paint, a song criticizing Christianity came to my mind. Christians are often believed to be hypocritical, unloving, judgmental and probably boring too. When God brought to mind this song, I began to cry. In fact, it felt like I was crying with God as he grieved for those that don’t know his love yet. I lamented over what our culture says about the church, and I grieved that the church has made many mistakes in revealing him. Grieving is part of reconciliation. The closer we come to God, we realize how kind he is and how we are free to fall apart with Him in a communal lament. This painting is an invitation for all those who have ever felt like they have to be strong when they just need to fall apart. This painting is for anyone who feels like God doesn’t see you or grieve alongside you. You are invited to be human.

$700 | mixed media (acrylic, vellum paper) | 30 x 40

About the Artist

EMMA BEHL has always asked questions that challenge the status quo, which is often the job of the artist. Many of her paintings start with painful questions that she has for Jesus. Like a conversation with him, Emma's work is rational, as lines, colors and positioning of the subject come onto the canvas. Somehow, everything must be neat and understood. Similar to her questions about hardship, there is a phase in the process when it’s time to “let go” in the artwork. This is a time of worship, freedom and forgetting the rules. There are answers to her questions but often, those answers only come with surrendering. With the use of scribbles and freedom to color outside the lines, this means Emma must give herself permission to be a child again.
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Emma Behl

Invitation to Grieve

$700 | mixed media (acrylic, vellum paper) | 30 x 40

About the Artist

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