“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord” Psalm 100 v 1 (KJV) is just a great music scene with the teddy bears proving PA and percussion. They are all our instruments and all three children are in orchestra’s playing a variety of instruments including flute, clarinet, drums and percussion. All three of them play the piano too and will learn the guitar. This image was great to work on as there is more ‘LOUD’ in the bible on musical worship than quiet! Just read Psalm 150.

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit” Proverbs 21 v5 (NIV) shows the need for preparation and diligence over a long period of time to see a result come through. And yes we actually grew the beans (and ate them) that the children are watering. Peter is checking an encyclopaedia of Gardening to help them in their weeding and feeding. The bears all get in on the act still though safe in the tractors trailer.

“All hard work brings a profit” Proverbs 14 v23 (NIV) We were put here to work prior to the fall and this image shows how to work as a team. That there is a reward for hard work (you just don’t know how much) and that sometimes amongst a working day the odd disaster can trip us up (the loose hose) but we have to work through all the issues that confront us. I used this painting for a bible study on work for West end and City business men during my Kensington show.

“Your education is your life - guard it well” Proverbs 4 v13 (GNB) This painting is very special to us, my wife Sharon and I, in regard of homeschooling. I painted this just before we started homeschooling and the original now hangs in one of the rooms that the children use as a study room. see more detail of this painting

The painiting does focus completely on the idea of learning and acquiring a breadth of knowledge on a variety of subjects. Math, English, Geography, Art, Music and textiles are all covered in this ’school’ scene. All the elements in the painting have a story and people tend to find their own bit that they associate with or love. The map though is one of the major favourites and this took me days to paint! I average about one square inch an hour when doing the detail work on my paintings. I actually got this estimation from this painting as the school desk was a full eight hour day to paint. The desk itself was from the primary school that our children went to. They were clearing out all the old wooden tables and we needed a school desk and they allowed us to have one as they were just being scrapped! Real wooden school desks! When we approached the teachers about our decision to homeschool they were great and fully supported our decision and had been expecting it. The school has one of the prints and I painted book illustrations on their library wall which are on my site on my portfolios page (Thursfield Primary School). The table was a great reminder for us of their very early years of education. Though now, sadly, the table is no more as the boys continue to grow (if only you didn’t have to feed the eating machines!) and could no longer get their legs under the table!

The scene overall has many facets of education within it. There is geography with the globe and wall chart that Peter is studying, the books down on the right hand side cover Astronomy, The works of Shakespear, English to French dictionary, Music encyclopaedia, the art of the American West and a set of ‘old’ leather school books covering all the major topics from sciences to math to English to the Colonial Empire! As we come across the image the two teddy bears are looking at fabric samples of an appropriate colour with Baxter the Dog teaching the Walrus how to spell from my English dictionary that my wife Sharon bought me for a wedding present (hand marbled paper, gold leaf, slip case and real leather. Still smells fantastic!). John, working extremely hard at math, is being watched over by wise old owl ‘Hooty’ while Hannah is doing slightly more complex math on the blackboard (which has a little art on it too). Even the Amadeus the honey bear is getting in on the math on the Mac (My first studio Mac which is ten years old and I am still using today!). Though his math is online with technology but still appropriate to him. Bee x Bee + Flowers = HONEY! He is a one track mind honey bear after all, just like Winnie the Pooh. Amadeus is also using one of my Study bibles for a mouse mat too! The whole essence of this image is that we have to study to grow in knowledge (Jesus did) and study scripture and apply it to our everyday lives for all of our lives. As the scripture the painting is based on says, in regard of our education, we are to ‘guard it well’ which means for all of our life we are to constantly be learning and be willing to be taught.

This painting is a joy to me, along with the other ‘Stepping Stones’ images, as it is a great part of our family life and has the essence of what family life is all about. Especially as we homeschool now too. Living out a life of faith as a family, training up your children in Jesus, Scripture and an education is a real blessing and privilege. This painting “Your education is your life - guard it well” holds so many memories for us and that is what homeschooling does. It shows what shapes and influences us as people by what was handed to us from our parents and by what we hand down to our children and grandchildren. Ultimately that should be a life based on Jesus and scripture.