Ephesians 5:8-17

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
    and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.


(Click on a box if you wish to read the chapter)






Sleepers ‘wake I 

April ‘22, 8” x 10”, Colored Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake II 

April ‘22, 8” x 10”, Colored Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake III 

April ‘22, 8” x 10”, Colored Pencil


Sleepers ‘wake IV 

April ‘22, 8” x 10”, Colored Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake V

April ‘22, 8” x 10”, Colored Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake VI

April ‘22, 8” x 10”, Acrylic on paper


Sleepers ‘wake VII 

May ‘22, 8” x 10”, Black colored pencil

Sleepers ‘wake VIII 

July ‘22, 5” x 7”, Watercolor Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake IX 

July ‘22, 5” x 7”, Watercolor Pencil


Sleepers ‘wake X 

July ‘22, 6” x 9”, Watercolor Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake XI 

July ‘22, 6” x 9”, Watercolor Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake XII

July ‘22, 6” x 9”, Watercolor Pastel 


Sleepers ‘wake XIII 

July ‘22, 5” x 7”, Watercolor Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake XIV 

July ‘22, 12” x 15”, Acrylic on canvas

Sleepers ‘wake XV

October ‘22, 2 x 3.5”

Colored pencil and gold calligraphy ink


Sleepers ‘wake XVI 

September ‘22, 8 x 8”, Watercolor Pencil

Featured in the Angad Arts Hotel’s 7th Biennial

Sleepers ‘wake XVII  

October ‘22, 5” x 7”, Watercolor Pencil and Pen

Sleepers ‘wake XVIII

October ‘22, 8” x 11”, Colored Pencil


Sleepers ‘wake XIX

September ‘22, 5” x 7”, Watercolor Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake XX

August ‘22, 6” x 9”, Watercolor Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake XXI

October ‘22, 5” x 7”, Colored pencil


Sleepers ‘wake XXII

October ‘22, 2.5” x 4”, Colored pencil and gold calligraphy ink

Sleepers ‘wake XXIII

October ‘22, 3” x 4.5”,

Colored Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake XXIV

November ‘22, Colored Pencil, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake XXV

November ‘22, Watercolor Pastel, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake XXVI

November ‘22, Watercolor Pastel, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake XXVII

November ‘22, Watercolor Pastel, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake XXVIII

November ‘22, Watercolor Pastel, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake XXIX

December ‘22, Watercolor Pencil, 6” x 9”

Sleepers ‘wake XXX

December ‘22, Watercolor Pencil, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake XXXI

January ‘23, Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake XXXII

January ‘23, Watercolor Pencil, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake XXXIII

January ‘23, Watercolor Pencil, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake XXXIV

February ‘23, 5” x 7” Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake XXXV

February ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake XXXVI

February ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink


 

Sleepers ‘wake XXXVIII

February ‘23, Pencil, Pastel, Marker and Gold Calligraphy Ink, 6” x 9”

I created this Sleepers ‘Wake in correlation with a piece of music written by my dad, Leonard Payton. In January, I arranged a new setting, heavily inspired by Michael E. Owens (weblink). While working through the arrangement, I found myself having difficulty sleeping as I wrote a dance, of sorts, that followed the music. The dance was not performed by people though. It was performed by pencil, pastel, marker, and brush strokes in collaboration with symbolism. You can read the full artist statement here (weblink).


Sleepers ‘wake XXXVII

February ‘23, 5” x 5”

Colored Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake XXXIX

March ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake XL

March ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil


Sleepers ‘wake XLI  - A Lost Sheep, Found

March ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake XLII

March ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake XLIII

April ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink


Sleepers ‘wake XLIV

April ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake XLV

April ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil, Gold Calligraphy Ink and Black Pen

Sleepers ‘wake XLVI

April ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil, Gold Calligraphy Ink and Black Pen


Sleepers ‘wake XLVII - Blue Hour

April ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake XLVIII - A Lost Sheep, Found

April ‘23, 5” x 7”

Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

 

Sleepers ‘wake XLIX

April ‘23, 10” x 15” Colored Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake L - A Lost Sheep, Found

April ‘23, 5” x 7”
Colored Pencil, Gold Calligraphy Ink, Thread, Black Pen, and Trashcan Particles



Sleepers ‘wake LI 

June ‘23, 5” x 7”, Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake LII 

June ‘23, 5” x 7”, Ink


Sleepers ‘wake LIII 

June ‘23, 5” x 7”, Ink and Watercolor Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake LIV 

July ‘23, 5” x 7”, Ink and Watercolor Pencil


Sleepers ‘wake LV 

July ‘23, 5” x 7”, Pencil and Watercolor Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake LVI

August ‘23, 5” x 7”, Ink and Watercolor Pencil


Sleepers ‘wake LVII

September ‘23, 4” x 6”, Ink and Watercolor Pencil

Sleepers ‘wake LVIII - He Makes My Sorrowing Spirit Sing

September ‘23, Ink, Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink


Sleepers ‘wake LVIX - Blessed Are They Who Mourn

October ‘23, 4” x 6”, Ink, Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

Sleepers ‘wake LX - For They Shall Be Comforted

October ‘23, 4” x 6”, Ink, Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink



A Visual Prayer to Always Be Thankful I

September ‘22, 3.5” x 2”, Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

A Visual Prayer to Always Be Thankful II

September ‘22, 5” x 7”, Black Ink, Watercolor Pencil and Gold Calligraphy Ink

A Visual Prayer to Always Be Thankful III

October ‘23, 5” x 7”, Black Ink and Watercolor Pencil



Emmanuel, That Is God with Us

December 2014, 2” x 3.5”, Black ink

 

CHAPTER FIVE

Psalm 13:3-5

“Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, ‘I have prevailed over him,’ lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”


Sleepers ‘wake LXI

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXII

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXIII

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake LXIV

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXV

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXVI

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake LXVII

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXVIII

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXIX

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake LXX

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXXI

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXXII

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake LXXIII

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXXIV

January ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 4” x 6”

Sleepers ‘wake LXXV

March ‘24, Watercolor Markers, 5'“ x 7”


CHAPTER SIX

Psalm 91:15-16

“When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”







Sleepers ‘wake LXXVI

April ‘24, Watercolor pencil, black ink, gold calligraphy ink, 5'“ x 7”


CHAPTER SEVEN

Psalm 16:11

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”


Sleepers ‘wake LXXVII

April ‘24, Watercolor pencil, gold calligraphy ink, 7” x 10”

Sleepers ‘wake LXXVIII

April ‘24, Watercolor pencil, gold calligraphy ink, 7” x 10”


Sleepers ‘wake LXXIX

May ‘24, Watercolor pencil, gold calligraphy ink, 7” x 10”

Sleepers ‘wake LXXX

May ‘24, Watercolor pencil, gold calligraphy ink, 7” x 10”


CHAPTER EIGHT

In progress


Sleepers ‘wake LXXXI

April ‘24, Black ink, 7” x 10”

Sleepers ‘wake LXXXII

July ‘24, Watercolor pencil, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake LXXXIII

July ‘24, Watercolor pencil, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXXXIV - By the Waters of Babylon

July ‘24, Watercolor pencil, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake LXXXV

July ‘24, Watercolor pencil, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXXXVI

July ‘24, Watercolor pencil, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake LXXXVII

July ‘24, Watercolor pencil, gold calligraphy ink, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake LXXXVIII

July ‘24, Watercolor pencil, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake LXXXIX

August ‘24, Watercolor pencil, gold calligraphy ink, 5” x 7”

 

Sleepers ‘wake XC

August ‘24, Watercolor pencil, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake XCI

August ‘24, Watercolor pencil, colored pencil, gold calligraphy ink, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake XCII

August ‘24, Colored pencil, gold calligraphy ink, 5” x 7”


Sleepers ‘wake XCIII - No

September 2, 2024, Watercolor pen, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake XCIV - Joy and Grief Are Sisters

September ‘24, Colored pencil and pencil, 5” x 7”

Sleepers ‘wake XCVI

October ‘24, Colored pencil and pencil, 5” x 7”


Psalm 127:1

Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.


Isaiah 26:19

Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.


Mark 13:32-37

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”


1 Corinthians 15:16-22

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.


Ephesians 5:8-17

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
    and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.


1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.