The original vision of this image came to a friend of mine during pre-service prayer at Vineyard Ottawa, when the worship team was being prayed for. One person had her hand on the worship leader's head, palm up, and another standing nearby also had their hand palm up, but under the worship leader's head. My friend saw the image of the oil pouring on the top hand, overflowing onto the leader's head, and dripping down into the other person's cupped hand. The oil looked so real that he wanted to reach out and try to catch the overflow from the second hand.

When I asked about WHAT the oil represented exactly, he said it was more important to note WHERE it was coming from.

"The oil is a provision from the Lord. Whether it's anointing, blessing, gifting, something tangible - it's flowing from above in abundance".

I created a painting of this image, and then was commissioned again to paint a second version. The painting attached is my second commission.

The man who commissioned this second piece wrote a lovely email about it and wrote most poetically: "It feels like a visual representation of "Oshimiri Atata," that eternal fountain/river that never runs dry, with each hand becoming both a vessel for receiving and giving grace."

In painting it, I tried to represent a full range of both ages, sexes, and races, to indicate the inclusiveness of this receiving and giving. It's for EVERYONE to participate in.

About Marion Aiken:
As for me, I'm a bit of a "paintbrush for hire". My background is in Scientific and Technical Illustration, though I've never officially worked in that field. Nevertheless, a passion for detail and accuracy shows up in my realistic style. While I admire art that is a portrayal of Biblical events, I just get lost in worship while surrounded by Creation. I'm constantly in awe of the work of God's hands, and love to point people to the brilliance of it by recreating elements of it in paint.

I view my art as a bit of a secret agent that, like a room-freshening spray, hangs innocently on a wall - perhaps in the home of unbelievers - and on a time-release schedule regularly, invisibly "poofs" a squirt of Holy Spirit into the atmosphere. This way, the art can speak to hearts over time, as the Spirit directs, in ways I would not know the person needed. It is my prayer that my art functions as an agent to help transport people's hearts into God's Kingdom, through the glorious mystery of gazing upon Beauty.

Marion Aitken (Dagenais) serves as part of the leadership team at Vineyard Ottawa, alongside her husband, Alian.