Summer Duet

 

Summer Duet

©2018 Ruth Borges

18"x36", Acrylic on Canvas

Some years ago, I brought two same-sized canvases to a studio art class. I set them side-by-side and started painting them in complimentary colors, alternating between them at each stage. When my instructor walked by and saw them, she said “oh, it’s a diptych!” I wasn’t thinking about a diptych, I’d never done one before, but I liked the idea, so I gave it a try. I’m happy to say this pair never morphed like some of my other paintings. It was a straight forward process of laying down background colors and quick brush marks. One canvas I dressed in blues to greens, and everything in between. The second donned a varied range from pinks to reds to violets. Both were accented with yellow, orange, and white brush marks throughout.

Once completed, I set them side by side. The colors and movement seemed to suggest the concept of lyrics and melody. I titled the diptych “Summer Duet”. I also named one canvas Tenor, the other Soprano. At that time, it didn’t cross my mind to consider what they might be singing. I simply saw Summer Duet as the perfect pair wearing complementary outfits. I was happy with that, and off I went to work on other paintings. A little more than two years later I began to wonder, “so what have you two been silently singing all along?” I studied one, then the other, and heard my mind whispering “Tenor and Soprano sing the song of God to each other.” That thought not only opened my eyes to a new layer of meaning, it also raised the metaphor to another level. I realized the words to the song were God’s perfect qualities and unfailing promises. I imagined two colorful voices singing with transcendent hope and joy. A heightened confidence in God’s unfailing character flows in and through them in a holy immersive experience of sight and sound. They catch a glimpse of God’s glory. They hear God’s voice.

Of course, unless it’s a musical production, we most likely will never see even the very best of buddies bursting into song, reminding each other of God’s exceeding goodness. But just imagine spirit-filled friends, speaking words of truth and grace to each other during dark times. Then, imagine hearing those words of faith rising like a song before the Lord as He delights over them with singing! God’s love made complete.