from left; “Green Visor”, 1994; “Artifacts | Fishes S & P”, 2024. see more artwork on Sarah‘s website: www.sarahkennedyirwin.com

“The Lord has been our dwelling place in all generations.”

—Psalm 90

Sarah grew up in Western Pennsylvania until she was 12. Both her parents’ families have long histories in that part of the country. She grew up knowing her Dad’s parents, her mom’s mom, and her great-grandmother.

Growing up near multiple generations of her family had a deep impact on Sarah. Even after moving to Texas with her family when she was 12 she and other family members visited Pennsylvania many times creating even more memories. She even moved back there as an adult to live and work for a time before she met me years later. There are paintings (by Sarah) on the walls of our home of her grandparents as evidence of those cherished years.

One of those paintings is a moment Sarah captured of her “Pap” – her Dad’s dad – sitting on a red swinging bench in a moment of respite from yard work, his hand gently laying on the arm of the bench as he calmly looks at Sarah. The surrounding field of green – probably of the many plants he himself has placed – is echoed in the green tinted brim of his hat squarely placed on his head, the green swath of light spread across his eyes and nose. He looks content. He looks happy. Like an old King sitting amidst his kingdom.

Since Sarah changed her status with Cru she has been painting more as an act of ministry and to exercise the gift God has given her. One of her favorite kinds of subjects are still-lifes. The current series she is working on is called “Artifacts”. The subjects are things she’s collected either from her own discoveries or given to her by her grandparents—all center around ceramic items used at mealtime like salt & pepper shakers or cream pitchers.

In the early 90s, musician Michael Card released a series of albums inspired by the Old Testament called the Ancient Faith Trilogy. In his last album, The Word, there was a song called “I Will Bring You Home” sung as if God were singing to His people Israel. At one point Card sings, “I will be your home”. Our true home is in God expressed tellingly in the first chapter of John where it says:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us

In The Message it reads, “…and (He) moved into the neighborhood”. I heard one way you could translate that line is “…and He pitched His tent among us”. In Christ, God not only came to live with us, He became our very home, because nowhere else would we find meaning.

As Sarah paints these “artifacts” she is sharing with viewers where she found home, in her parents, grandparents, and the God they loved and served. She is also inviting viewers to consider where it is they find home. Because anything less than God is inadequate. For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven. — Hebrews 13

Blessings-