Christian Artists and the Fish Symbol "Ichthys"

When I first was diagnosed with cancer in 1989, I thought that perhaps I would die from the disease, seeing both my parents passed from cancer, just at the age of 60. 

I really started to think about my life and my purpose, why God spared me and how I could use my life to express my gratitude to the Lord. I thought about who I was, my family and my forefathers. I became very interested in my genealogy, especially since I had no parents to find out about the past, I had to rely on my memory of stories told to me, including information from my aunts in Germany and Austria.

When I researched my family history, and looked up many items I had inherited, I found that not only where my parents artists, but on my paternal side my Grandmother Georgianna Ives was from the famed "Currier and "Ives" family, her family where the clock makers...my maternal greatgrandmother was also an artists, she lived and displayed art in Paris France.

  To this day I get emails from people who are related to the Ives side of the family that have told me that their Ives where artists.One of my thoughts was, how I regretted not having painted more, not having expressed my inner belief.

I had prayed and asked God to show me what He wanted me to do with my life, and one of the thoughts that came through daily was my art ability...I kept on getting these words in my head "God gave you a gift, the gift of expressing yourself though the art medium"  That's when I decide to paint again, even though I specialized in horses I started to paint images of all animals, displaying my art in local Galleries and the Library, I was accepted into various art shows, like American Academy of Equine Art, Draft Horse Classic, Harness Track of America Auctions, and many more.

At this time I started to incorporate a small angel or cherub in my large paintings and signing my name with the Fish logo (Ichthys)   I felt this was a way that I could "plant a seed" when someone askes what it is or what it means, and that you where not afraid to say that you where a Christian, and that the logo signified your dedication to the Lord.

I also decided that my income from the Sales of my art would be donated to "Spreading the Word of God".  I found a Ministry "IN TOUCH MINISTRY" and "THE WORD FOR THE WORLD, USA"  they translated Bibles into different dialects in many languages...I found my niche'!