In this blog, I will be talking about the art process of creating Acts 2:46 Kitchen Garden. This handmade miniature illustrates my encounter with Jesus Christ in October of 2023. I openly confessed my hidden sins to my mom about my struggle with pornography, masturbating, and lying. Before I arrived at this open confession which was very hard for me to do, this project was sitting on my desk about a year before as the Lord was leading me by grace to this open confession to move forward in completing this artwork as a testimony for His glory. I had been led by the Holy Spirit to read my bible, set up a consistent day and night prayer, and slowly received grace beginning this journey with God to grow spiritually.
Acts 2:46 Kitchen Garden
This project’s original intention was worldly in that it began with an imaginary scene inspired by my childhood memories. I was just seeing this as a hobby away from my architecture studies. The ironic part was that on an emotional level, I began this because I held resentment against someone who made me feel bad about my childlike nature. And not just this one occurrence, but in general I struggled with resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness all my life that led me to my sin. I had a hard time forgiving somebody that did anything to me and I was harsh on myself and unto others. After Jesus found me, his humble love taught me in the desert that remembering these old burdens and my old mindsets needed to be left behind to align to his perfect will for my life. Not knowing that God was working all things for my good intentionally crafting this project for His purpose to be brought about of this art business. Eventually, I would leave behind my university plans and turn my hobby into my full-time job.
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.
— Acts 2:46/ English Standard Version (ESV)
Bible Verse Inspiration
Making Process with Prophetic Significance
The base of the miniature model is made by hand and most of the miniatures are from my childhood Barbie dollhouse. I just painted the miniature pieces to customize them. For materials, I used foam board, cardboard, wood popsicle sticks, craft paper, and materials such as foam balls, foliage, cotton swabs, paper clips, and jewelry.
Craft Details
Process of why I made it using the bible verse to guide decisions
This project idea began with the intention of making the kitchen. However, as I was studying out the bible verse the Holy Spirit led me to add an extension to the kitchen by adding a living room to represent the grace received in our hearts illustrating the Holy Spirit traveling into these spaces as representations of our heart chambers to have them changed and beautified by the tender mercies of Jesus Christ to live a life of surrender in worship and praise to God from the sins He just rescued us from.
When I added the living room, the floor design is intentionally curved to look like a “3” shape to represent the days Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Then I took ideas from architecture of how the main places of a house of gathering and community are the living room and the kitchen. The kitchen is the place where intimacy occurs actively or is considered the “heart” of a home. All of this was the Holy Spirit confirming to me the direction of design of this to create a miniature that is about the wholehearted continual worship of God in gratitude and sharing our most treasured possession with others: our testimony of God’s goodness in one’s life with a glad and generous heart.
The roof was inspired by a modular design where the angles of the surface are tilted to make them appear as if they are moving. And the Word inspired me to create the roof as if it were fabric mimicking a tent moving by wind and having a delicate feel to it to represent the humility of one’s heart laid down for God. The Holy Spirit reminded me of how the tabernacle of God is like a tent that houses His presence. I had a challenge with keeping the wooden shed exo-skeleton structure upright because it’s being supported by one wooden pole but then I added paper clips to make it sturdy, keep it clean from clutter, and stay aligned to the kitchen island. I knew that I wanted to create a roof that had two elements- one that is delicate to represent humility and one of wood to represent sheltering to have a contrasting composition that showcases the love of God shining in our hearts when we are genuine in our repentance because He becomes our safety and security in our moment of vulnerability.
Lastly, the garden idea was also another addition to represent the blood of Jesus Christ covering our life when one repents illustrated here as a red wall. The wall is covered with a lot of imperfect paper shapes to show Jesus Christ rescuing taking our imperfect and broken lives and transforming them into a beautiful masterpiece for His glory. Then to capture this idea of how the light of Christ encounters us in our desert I made holes into the wall to have the lillies look as if they are springing outward.
Miniature Highlights: Bible Cross-References
Green Tinted Wall- Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
Abstract Hebrew Wall Art- John 15:26 (CJB)
When the Counselor comes, whom I will find send you from the Father- the Spirit of Truth, who keeps going out from the Father- he will testify on my behalf.
• deriving meaning from number “7” signifying fullness, completeness, the filling of the Holy Spirit, and perfection
• turning the Hebrew letters (שבע), not the true translation of the word ‘perfect’ but taking letters out from this Hebrew word. Letters are turned to the right side 90° reading in vertical direction starting downward to up
Design Inspiration
Stove Time Clock- John 6:35 (CJB)
Jesus answered, “I am the bread which is life! Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever trusts in me will never be thirsty.
Mountain top Embroid- John 6:68 (CJB)
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord to whom would we go? You have the word of eternal life.
Please bear with me as I get used to sharing my thoughts and ideas online. I find myself better at writing out my thoughts instead of speaking them out loud because I’m not used to being open and vulnerable. I spend most of my time alone in my head doing this with the Lord and listening to music. I mean this was my happy place and quiet time away from everything but I know that the Lord wants me to be here sharing what He inspires in me for the encouragement, comfort, and inspiration of others. So, I’m here for you quite literally crying on camera despite being in an uncomfortable place of having to share my art. I didn’t prepare a script or plan out what to say in this video anymore because I did have a bible study writings to share for this but I felt that the Lord wanted me to wait for the day and hour in where He would lead me to speak in this video so I decided to wait. That’s how it went on the day I woke up to record my voiceover. I felt the Presence of God in my room while recording and I knew I had to keep it completely unedited and as I was trusting in the Lord that this was the way I needed to speak. But for now this blog makes up for the things I missed saying in the video. By the grace of the Lord, I’m also developing the vocabulary to speak the way I should lead by the Holy Spirit because I blank out when put on the spot but I’m slowly learning my voice and style in the Lord on how to explain my art thought process.
Watch the full youtube video here
Final Thoughts
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through this blog. I hope you enjoyed reading through this project just as much as I did making it and that you found inspiration and encouragement in Jesus Christ. I love you so much with the love of Christ and remember that Jesus Christ loves you more! See you in the next one!