5x7 inch, Oil Pastel on oil pastel paper (brand : Sennelier). Framed in a 3D wooden shadow box—protecting the piece without contact.
 
I made this small oil-pastel on paper while on holiday, drawing from a place of rest and safety. Working quietly by the day’s light, I found peace in sketching Jesus with the lost sheep—a gentle scene meant to comfort and remind us we are loved first.
 
Symbolism and Meaning
- Heart — the central shape holds the scene like a sanctuary, signaling that care and belonging are at the painting’s center.
- Jesus holding the lamb — tenderness and rescue; the image speaks of personal care, protection, and the gentle reclaiming of the lost.
- Flowers and garden — signs of renewal and refuge; they frame the heart as a place of flourishing and safety.
- Blue crescent boat or cradle — a vessel of rest and passage, floating on water that takes on a greenish hue; it suggests both journey and gentle shelter.
- Ducklings — small, trusting life that follows and finds comfort nearby, a quiet echo of innocence and companionship.
- Handwritten verse 1 John 4:19 — the painting’s moral center: we love because we were loved first; the text turns the image into an invitation to receive and return that love.
- Overall composition — a pastoral lullaby: intimate, reassuring, and rooted in the promise that we are found, held, and brought home.