EL RAI
EL RAI
El Rai, acrylic on canvas, 30" x 40", 2025.
This soul-stirring acrylic work explores the artist's personal journey from the depths of apathic despair to the restorative realization of being seen by the Creator.
Titled "El Rai," the piece features a lion looking head-on at the viewer, representing the omniscient presence of God and serving as a visual expression of the moment God met the artist in a place of deep depression and hopelessness. The artist’s use of a warm palette—ranging from pale yellows to deep, radiant oranges—symbolically emulates the glory of God's presence radiating through her during a season of healing.
Technically, the translucent, gestural washes of the mane contrast with the finely rendered, steady gaze of the lion’s eyes. The inclusion of subtle catchlights within the pupils gives the gaze a "living" quality, affirming a presence that is active and attentive. This technical juxtaposition conveys a fluid presence that exists independent of time, yet remains fixed on the individual in every moment.
The subject’s forward, unwavering focus serves as a resonant reminder of the truth found in Genesis 16:13—that even in silence and wilderness, we are never truly alone, for He is the God who sees.