"Beauty for Ashes" No. 1 - Purified Gold
18 x 24 inches / 20 x 30 inch framed
Mixed Media on paper; watercolour, charcoal and gold leaf
“What has passed through the fire may emerge refined, shining like gold.”
Part of my Beauty for Ashes collection, Purified Gold is an original mixed media artwork inspired by the promise of Isaiah 61:3—that God gives beauty for ashes and brings redemption where there has been loss.
The peony rises from a bed of charcoal, a quiet reminder that even the places marked by grief, disappointment, refining, or surrender are not beyond God’s restoring hand. What has passed through the fire is not forgotten. In Christ, it can emerge transformed, carrying a beauty that could only be formed through His faithful work.
Created with watercolor, charcoal, and genuine gold leaf, each medium intentionally tells part of the story. The charcoal represents ashes, refining, and seasons that have been burned away. The watercolor reflects surrender, fragility, and the gentle movement of the Holy Spirit. The gold leaf speaks of redemption—God restoring dignity, beauty, and purpose to what has been entrusted to Him.
The unfinished circle of gold surrounding the flower serves as a symbol of God’s eternal presence and His ongoing work of restoration. Redemption is not merely a moment but a journey, one that continues as He makes all things new.
Purified Gold is the first painting in the Beauty for Ashes series, where each flower represents a unique testimony of hope. No two blooms are alike, reflecting the deeply personal ways God meets each of us in our own story. Yet every painting points to the same truth: nothing surrendered to Christ is ever wasted.
May this artwork serve as a reminder that the ashes are never the final chapter. The hands of God are able to bring forth beauty, healing, and new life where it once seemed impossible.
“To grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit…”
Isaiah 61:3 (ESV)
* NOTE: "Beauty for Ashes" collection is being sold as ORIGINAL ART only. If you would like to commission a specific flower, please request here.
Original artwork, watercolour, charcoal & gold leaf on paper. Adding a beautiful custom frame will give your new painting added elegance.
