Saturday, December 11, 2010

Father of Lights

During W4T link group meeting today we read prayer from Stormie Omartian "Just Enough Light for the Step I'm On" and read James 1,16-18   

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 1718 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  

As Sue found and read those verses for us, the song Father of Lights, that I haven't sang now for several years  came to my mind. And as we prayed and shared what Jesus as Light means in our everyday lives, how His Light is the constant, no matter what is going on in our lives, we became very much aware of God's presence. 

Later in the day I was singing and listening to the song Father of Lights when creating in prayer this painting:









and here are videos with painting



Tuesday, November 16, 2010

"Journey on the rainy day"

I realized that I needed to take more time to stop and to paint... I was feeling somehow really low and realized that I kept myself busy without taking time to  paint and pray... so here is the first painted prayer from today - it's my "journey through the rain" and next paintings would be coming later today, as I paint them... the second prayer painting is about journey through the desert, and I am just half way through painting it - as we needed to go and pick up our daughter Daniela from school... She is happily watching David Attendborough now, so I can continue my prayer painting journey and she might come and join me later here in the attic for some more creativity and art. Her faith is really inspiring, I want to learn from her - to trust in God and to let myself rest in His loving arms.

Here is prayer 1 - Journey through the rain


and I just completed two more prayer paintings, while Danielka came to join me, to make sure I am not lonely in the attic and drew in her sketch book happy piggy and cow and horse.

so my prayer painting 2 - Journey through the desert :

 and painting 3 - Hope - new openings:







prayers with art at St.Paul's 2007

"BLESSED BE YOUR NAME"
JOB 1, 21. 

PRAYER AND WORSHIP AT ST.PAUL'S CHURCH AT FAMILY SERVICE SUNDAY 19.8.2007





Monday, November 8, 2010

Reflections on prayer painting

I enjoyed the evening of painting prayers and reflections... As usually, when I start painting, images keep coming and it is nearly impossible to stop. There is so much inspiration! Yesterday W4T session, morning service in our church, evenings spent searching internet for information about use of creativity in worship, reading, praying.... and writing the prayer journal. So often words can't express what I feel, paintings can and I am not really able to explain, describe the process - how it happens that I paint prayers. For me painting prayers is a special God's gift, undeserved, given with such a great generosity... God's creativity is the most amazing inspiration for me. 

And I started to read again Henri Nouwen's The Inner Voice of Love, book I used to read and reflect on and draw prayers inspired by reading, for many years.... Reading about the ways other people express their faith is very inspiring, I read few websites and blogs about gifts of prophetic painting. I am not sure whether I would call my paintings prophetic, I think, being me, I would like to do more reading, more researching and more praying.... Paintings are prayers and it is up to God to speak through my paintings to others.... I am not good in finding scientific definitions... Although I still argue with view of someone I spoke to few months ago who was strongly arguing that scientist and artist cannot be one person... at that time I felt too intimidated to express myself... but very soon I was able to think clearly again and remember so many artists - scientist... my biggest inspiration is Leonardo da Vinci - in ways he connected, explored art and science... 

Another inspiration came from reading Freeman's book Gifted Lives, its both inspiring and challenging... but that is another long story and I haven't done much prayer paintings about that :)

I will add paintings here tomorrow, its too late to start process of scanning and organizing images and I would like to keep this gift of being still before God, being amazed by His love and his creativity...


 

Calling

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Prayer paintings for Pete's W4T project

Prayer paintings for Pete's Worship 4 Today project: Walking the Via Transformativa



The beginning

In this blog I would like to share my journey of exploring creative worship. I was greatly inspired hearing from my husband Pete during the last year what God has been teaching him through participation in  Worship 4 Today course.  As I painted prayers to illustrate Pete's project, I was really blessed and God opened new doors for me.  Since September 2010 I began participating in the course Worship 4 Today as well and found it very inspiring and life giving. I would like to listen to God and learn through and from others, explore new ways of worship, share my prayer art and find the ways of supporting creativity and hidden gifts in people around me.

http://www.prayer-art.jbs-art.co.uk/


and

more images are at my Flickr photo album