Dyana Hesson

Christmas Alive




Twenty-two years ago, Randy and I volunteered ourselves and our very cranky, colicky, two-month-old baby Sydney to act as Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus at Red Mountain Community Church’s “Christmas Alive.” 

This is the only photo I have of that miraculous night. It was miraculous because our baby actually slept peacefully in the manger. No crying or fussing, as was her way. As children laid toys and pretend money in the straw beneath “Jesus,” Sydney was fast asleep, oblivious to the Bethlehem night unfolding around her.  

When families approached and realized we were real people, and Jesus was a real baby, their countenance would change. For many, emotion would sweep over them, and tears would trickle down contemplative faces as they beheld the scene before them.

I remember the sunset that night. The warmth of the day sank in the west; cold, brisk air descended into the grassy basin. The sky filled with jewel-tone hues that saturated the sky and then faded slowly, giving way to a deep indigo, spotted with twinkling stars.  

The village was full of visitors, and there were shops to visit, Roman soldiers on horseback, and livestock milling about. The air was full of the smells and sounds of the first Christmas, which, by the way, also took place in the desert.

Although historically we know the wise men not pay their respects to Jesus until many days later, in this Arizona reenactment they would be arriving at the barn soon, and visitors really enjoyed that spectacle. We hoped Sydney would not break “peaceful-baby-Jesus” character, and enjoy their visit too. 

I remember looking up at, watching for the kings, and taking in the faces of the visitors, when I noticed one small face in particular.

“Anthony?” I said aloud, and realizing that I had just broke character, thought quickly about how I might recover from the blunder. But it was too late. Young Anthony stood there in amazement, marveling that Mary, the mother of the savior, had just muttered his name. 

“I’m really glad to see you tonight,” I said, because that was the truth, and I thought both Dyana and Mary would likely say something welcoming like that.

I knew Anthony because, that summer, I had also volunteered as a helper during vacation Bible school. I waddled around pregnant with a group of about six kids, ages six to ten-ish, from activity to activity for a week. Some kids were there because they wanted to be. Some kids were just dropped off. My feeling was that Anthony fell into the second camp. He was hesitant to enjoy the week, but I kept at it, involving him in discussions, helping him with his crafts. Truth be told, I am always attracted to the outcast kid in a group; the kid who acts out, or is shy, or looks uncomfortable in their own skin.

By week’s end, I saw a little change in Anthony, and I was praying he understood the beauty of God’s grace and love for him. 

And on this night, he was standing in front of me, not just dropped off, but with his family. Who, by now, were also getting emotional that Mary knew their son. 

Antony approached baby Jesus and laid his pretend Bethlehem coins at Jesus’ manger. And now I was tearing up. This moment, this tangible connection with a historical event, this appreciation of God among us, this joy and expression of love; this was Christmas. 

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6 NIV

Wishing you peace, hope, and love this Christmas season, and a childlike faith to believe. 

Dyana Hesson

Dyana was born in 1966 in the Gold Country of California. There she was always happiest outdoors. Her weekends were spent visiting the local nursery and working on the natural landscaping of her family’s home. When she was 12, her father gave her a camera. She began photographing all that was interesting to her; the trees, the flowers, and the natural landscapes.

After a short stay in Southern California (where she met and married her husband in 1985), she moved to Arizona. Although the climate and landscape varied drastically from that of California, the inspiration did not.

Dyana became interested in painting as a way to express things that she couldn’t through a lens alone. She chose oil as her medium because it possessed a fluid quality perfect for the subjects she was painting. She began to experiment with thin layers of carefully blended paint, and the results were luminous. She earned her degree in Art at Arizona State University in 1991 and graduated Magna Cum Laude. After a four year detour to southern Michigan, Dyana and her family returned to Arizona. She continues to live in Mesa with her husband Randy, daughter Sydney and Dog Boon.

Dyana is always in search of her next painting. She takes long hikes in the desert and mountains, and frequently visits botanical gardens across the country. She feels she has the most success when she has the luxury of bringing her subjects home. She then has more time to study them and combine them with other elements. Using only natural lighting in her paintings, timing and weather are always factors.

Dyana is most excited about using her art to glorify God by drawing attention to His creation. She feels that the relationships and opportunities to serve with her art have been the most valuable aspect of her career.

Dyana is a proud to be a Signature Member of American Women Artists, Founding member of the Phoenix Zoo Art Committee, and Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine Master of the Southwest, 2017.

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