The Kingdom is Within You...

‘Hope is a thing with feathers, That perches in the soul, and sings without words, And never stops at all. And sweetest, in the gale, is heard, And sore must be the storm, That could abash the little bird, That kept so many warm.’ -Emily Dickinson

A friend of mine recently told me a story of staying up into the night plaiting a girls hair. In a non-pillow fights way, this was a beautiful image to me of the way that girls can actually be apart of each others life in an encouraging way that inspires hope and trust and love and imagination. End of mushy rant.

xx <3 Duchess 

“Hope has two daughters, anger and courage”

My scanner couldn’t quite pick up the faint pencil lines so i’m sorry about the excessive editing ha ha, but these are my latest characters.

xx Duchess 

A sketch i was playing with this afternoon. She is ironically named Allegra.
Inspired by a Tim Walker photograph.
xx Duchess 

My blue rose finished.
<3 Duchess 

Lovely afternoon with a watercolour wheel.
xx Duchess 

Quick sketch i pulled together this afternoon. I like this concept for a tattoo. The words are from John 12 when Jesus is saying he isn’t that excited about what he has to do, but ultimately his life’s purpose is to bring God glory. Jesus, what a cool guy.
xx Duchess 

Some old school sparrows with a bit of watercolour flare.
xx Duchess 

First shot at making an apron … my mother walked in while i was making it, called me a grandmother and promptly left.
I haven’t taken complete leave of my senses though, i just got distracted while i was supposed to be stitching up my motorcycle jeans.
xx Duchess 

My shot at an image that wasn’t originally mine. I just thought it was ace and had a watercolor wheel handy. It was fun though.
xx Duchess

Sketches from Insomnia,
with love.
Charcoal.
xx Duchess 

I did this painting during the sermon on new years day. My Pastors wife preached while i did an interpretive piece using the themes in the teaching. This painting symbolises how we are to be ‘like a tree planted by the waters’, the hands are God’s hands, and the tree shows the way that we should grow into God and receive the nourishment we need to grow. The black represents the darkness, or evil, that surrounds us on all sides. The white is symbolic of light and life that we receive through Christ who strengthens us, and the red is Christ’s blood, showing the sacrifice he made for us, paying for our freedom with his blood.
xx Duchess 

Day at home with the felons. We found some sharpies and everything got a little bit more interesting :]
xx Duchess