“All Are Gathered” by Jen Norton
“Hospitality is one form of worship.” -Jewish Proverb
This painting began as a demo for a workshop I was teaching with my friend Lorraine. I thought it would be a good class subject simply because it had flowers, some table setting elements and the opportunity to explore color. When I got home and continued to work on it, it began to take on more meaning for me, as my paintings often do.
I was reminded of a passage from Genesis (29:3) “Only when all the shepherds were assembled there could they roll the stone away from the mouth of the well and water the flocks.” In the story, Jacob has come upon a well covered by a large stone with three droves of sheep nearby. They’re waiting for all the shepherds to arrive and uncover it so they can drink. This is one of those obscure passages that doesn’t get mentioned often, but that carries much meaning. The sheep are waiting. They’re waiting for water to quench their thirst. Only when everyone is ready do they get to drink. If they missed the time when the well was open, they would miss out. They had to be ready.
A dinner party is like that. The table must be set, the wine selected. The food is prepared, the room decorated. Guests arrive hungry, but must wait until the host is ready to serve. Ideally, only when everyone is present and the scene is set is the dinner served.
What if we set the expectation that every dinner should be served when everyone is at the table. No eating in front of the TV or standing alone in front of the fridge. Present, with others. Would it change your experience? How?
Original 24 x 48″, Acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas, $3200
Open edition prints: 5 x 10″, matted to standard 11 x 14 frame size. $25
Limited edition canvas-wrap prints available upon request.
