Annunciation - Mehndi Style by Marcia Carole

Here is artist/missionary Marcia Carole's latest beautiful design in her mehndi Christmas card series, which will be available for purchase at her blog:

Annunciation, pen and ink, watercolor by Marcia Carole

She writes:

For this piece, I began with fiery watercolor yellows. Heaven has come to earth! (The rescue mission for mankind has begun!) I have used large flowers for Mary, suggesting she is a virgin, along with a typical Indian dupatta. She shows surprise in her face at this news because she has not been with a man. I have portrayed Gabriel as a creature who is powerfully breaking through into earth from heaven. I have used many mehndi symbols and forms in Gabriel's attire in order to portray the concept of rich other-worldliness. I have also suggested the presence of the Holy Spirit through the dove woven into Gabriel's attire.

Mehndi-style Nativity by Marcia Carole

The Nativity, pen and ink, watercolor by Marcia Carole

Artist/missionary Marcia Carole is working on a series of watercolor and mehndi Christmas cards based on her travels in India and study of mehndi/henna designs.  Above is the first one of the series, The Nativity.  She writes,

I am working on a series of watercolor and mehndi Christmas cards. I jumped right in with creating the nativity scene. Some of the piece developed around the flow of the watercolor. I used lots of flowering lotus blossoms representing the flowering of God's plan to recuse us through Jesus. I tried to also portray a cave, the barn of sorts, for the setting, and the unusual star assigned to mark the spot where the savior arrived.

The Nativity is beautiful and I can't wait to see the others in the series!  Check out her blog for future images and ordering info.  You can also order 11x14 giclee prints of her other recent mehndi painting, God's Story:

God's Story, acrylic on canvas, by Marcia Carole

Colorized Mehndi Tree Of Life by Marcia Carole

Here is the watercolor version of a pen and ink drawing by Marcia Carole, who recently returned from a trip to India.  She and friends from an English Institute in Varanasi painted a black and white mural of this same image while she was there.  You can see the mural here.

Here is Marcia's description of the tree's symbolism:

In the base or root system, I have symbols that represent creation - sun, moon, stars, fish, birds, mountains and water, Adam and Eve, the fruit(apple) is connected to 2 hearts with the symbol for Jesus in the trunk. The stars reappear as Abraham's promise, then a symbol with 12 swirls representing the 12 tribes. and life with the leaves going up the trunk. The Holy Spirit is the flame symbol in the branches, with fruit - heart leaves, flowing out of the flame. New life in Jesus produces healing from sin and death, so the flowering areas of the tree. I have the 12 disciples in there and early church.

You can read more about the watercolor version at her blog, The Creative Call.

Mehndi Tree Of Life by Marcia Carole

Tree Of Life, Pen and Ink, by Marcia Carole

Check out this wonderful pen and ink drawing by Marcia Carole, who is currently on a trip to India.  Marcia uses her talents to create collaged stories. She also helps others share their stories through collaged pages, story ropes & story tags.  You can read more about Marcia's ministry at her blog, The Creative Call.