Hope

Madeline Rands

oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches

Made possible by a grant from the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts, Art for Uncertain Times project.

Her face is illuminated with bright light…

Lately I have been thinking a lot about what this pandemic and its uncertainty means for my relationship with God and my own testimony. The one conclusion I’ve come to that gives me immense hope and peace is to remind myself to keep an eternal perspective. Although everything that’s been happening is causing grief, pain, heartache, loss, stress, trauma, and general turmoil, it is so important to think of the bigger picture — the plan of salvation. God has a plan for each of us, and remembering that we chose this life, and all that comes with it, gives me so much hope. In the premortal existence, I saw all of the things that could happen to me, including this global catastrophe, and I still decided that the end goal would be worth it.

Hope illustrates this eternal perspective. It is a woman peeking through a curtain, with dark and threatening clouds visible behind her. She is curious and earnest, and as her head pokes through, her face is illuminated with bright light. This reminds viewers that as we think eternally and glimpse beyond the veil, we can remember that all of this is worth it. —Madeline Rands, 2020

Maddie Rands

is completing her BFA in studio art from BYU this year. Her reason for making art is best summed up by Maya Angelou, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” You can follow her @maddierands.art.