Interview with an artist
Trees, rocks, water, sky, wildlife - Sheila Van Delft paints refreshment for the soul
48x36 acrylic on canvas
Near Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island – Sheila finds the forest one of the places where she recharges the best. She is so grateful to live in the country with trees all around her – and the endless inspiration they provide!
The quiet cool of a forest trail brings inspiration to artist Sheila Van Delft. As an introvert, she finds she can recharge by breathing deeply in the midst of nature. And in her work, she brings that feeling to others, through haunting scenes of groves on Vancouver Island, fog-filled vistas of the West Coast Trail, or serene views of a lone eagle surveying his kingdom.
“When I think deeply about why it’s always nature ,” she says,
“I realize that I’m painting my longing for the new earth and fellowship with God. Adam and Eve in Paradise enjoyed perfect nature with God, and the renewed earth will also have landscapes and seascapes, trees, animals, and big skies – all perfected and even more incredibly beautiful than what we enjoy here because of the redeeming work of Jesus. I long for this, and dream of this, and in my own way, must paint it again and again.”
Sheila is blessed to be able to work in art full-time – part-time as an art teacher and the rest of the time in her home studio. A typical day for her might involve: catching up on email requests and admin tasks, painting, taking a break for household tasks, taking the dog for a walk, brainstorming the next twenty paintings, painting some more, reluctantly making dinner, and then painting the rest of the evening because, really, it’s her favorite thing to do.
36x24 acrylic on canvas
The artist’s granddaughter in a field near her home in Ontario
Van Delft has been an artist since she was a child, encouraged by her parents. Later, she studied graphic design, and then even later, as a mature student, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts. Through it all, she honed her skills, motivated by Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
“I sometimes have market customers tell me that they feel so at peace when they look at my work, or that they don’t want to leave because it’s all so beautiful. I marvel at this! How can it be that what I do can have this effect? It’s all God’s hand working through my hand.”
One of the things she’s most proud of is her work as a high school teacher. Through it, Sheila nurtures her students’ ability to use their talents to share beauty and truth. Students she never expected have come up to her and admitted she made them care about art, and that brings her a feeling of fulfillment.
“When I try capture emotions like awe, contentment, gratitude, harmony, joy, peace, and wholeness in my paintings, I think others can feel that too. And that’s why I paint, so others can also feel the hopeful anticipation of the better life that is coming. I’m trying to share a bit of Heaven.”
Learn more about Sheila Van Delft's work on her website, where you can also stay up to date about the markets and other events where you can view her work in person. And she shares her work on Instagram and Facebook.
Send Harma-Mae Smit suggestions for artists to profile at [email protected]
News
Saturday Selections – May 23, 2026
"Bury the workmen" by Covie, featuring Lance Thompson
For some encouragement check out this new group – or maybe just new to me – singing about how no matter what the world might try, "the work will go on!"
Was Noah's Flood only local?
Hugh Ross wants us to believe it was. He's wrong and here's why.
The narcissism of always thinking we face the greatest crisis ever
Every election is billed as the most important ever. This bill could be the most devastating ever. This Supreme Court ruling could be the most pivotal ever. This tech innovation could be harming our kids worse than ever before.
Sound familiar? I'm sure it does. And while Trevin Wax, in the linked article, called this narcissism, I still have a hard time concluding that every time I've heard the "most important ever" or "worst ever" take, it hasn't actually been true quite a bit of the time (like the 1988 Supreme Court ruling that made abortion legal across Canada).
But I will readily concede that while this greatest crisis ever line isn't always hype, it certainly is overused. And it's important to recognize that, as God's people, to recognize too, that God is still protecting and preserving us, and, in that assurance, then to be able to proceed faithfully, and not panically lurch from one crisis to the next.
Nazis didn't break German law, so how did they get tried?
On what basis did the Allies try their Nazi prisoners? After all, the Nazis didn't break any German laws, so by what standard could a court of law hold them to account? Christians have an answer – the standard they violated is one that is above any that Man might implement. Some, as in this article, call it Natural Law, but make no mistake about the Authority behind this law – not natural but Supernatural.
Don't blame capitalism for consumerism
"It is foregoing consumption that allows one to save and invest and thus accumulate capital."
So what causes consumerism then? Part of it, most certainly, is our sinful hearts – consumerism is when we make things an idol. But government policy is also part of it. If you are choosing between investing or spending your money, then when government policy weakens the market, making investments riskier, that becomes an encouragement to spend rather than save.
Pro-choicers follow the science?
It turns out that no, pro-choicers don't follow the science. But Christians need to understand all that's going on in this video
We can, for the sake of argument briefly adopt our opponents' worldview, so we can then drive it into the ditch. In this video, the pr0-lifer is going with the pro-choicer's "pro-science" worldview to show how, when followed to its logical end, this takes the pro-choice adherents where he didn't expect to go. To put this in biblical terms, our pro-life heroine here is tearing down false arguments and everything that sets itself up against God (2 Cor. 10:4-5).
We highlight their hypocrisy: "You say you are pro-science but you're not. You're just using that as a justification, and when it no longer props up abortion, then you don't care about it anymore."
But afterwards we mustn't appeal to their fallen idol to prop up our own position. We aren't against abortion because of "science" – we are against abortion because God creates life and gives us value (Gen. 1:26-27) and therefore only He has the right to take life.
If we appeal only to science – if that's what we stand on – then what will we do when the godless decide to change their science textbooks? There are already sources all over the internet that deny life begins at conception. These statements are factually wrong, but many are masked in the veneer of "science."
Christians need to tear down the world's idols without then standing atop the same pedestal ourselves. We were created to glorify God, and it is only by standing with Him, and standing on His truth that we will ever find ourselves on solid ground, fulfilling our purpose.
Today's Devotional
May 25 - Are you prepared?
“...but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” - 1 Peter 3:15
Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-17
It can be very challenging to share your faith in Christ with others and there are many questions we can ask ourselves. Will >
Today's Manna Podcast
Redeemed and called to a new life
Serving #1218 of Manna, prepared by Andrew Pol, is called "Redeemed and called to a new life".
