Monday, November 9, 2009

advent art-making













Last night a group of families got together in the church gym to connect and spend time together, share a meal, and create original paintings for our church's Advent art exhibit. I forgot my camera, so all I can show you (for now) are the pictures I took on my phone, but I am hoping to have the paintings photographed and I'll share more at that point.

Several times throughout the night I had that feeling - I call it a "pause" feeling - where I just wanted to freeze time for a moment and take it all in. An artist in his 80s smiling as he watched a two-year-old sponge paint. A family of four gathered around an easel, each quietly working on a different section of their canvas. Sisters flipping through their sketchbooks together. Three kids and their parents, new to the church, chatting with another family as they painted. A father and daughter explaining the theological themes and ideas behind their work.

God was truly moving among His people as we created in community. The paintings will be displayed in the John Knox atrium from November 29 - January 3. Come check them out!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

so VERY cool!

tamarahillmurphy.com said...

HALEY!!!
We sooo need to be friends. This looks like a beautiful event and I can totally relate to that "pause" feeling you mentioned.
We're doing something a tiny bit similar. The jail chaplain in our area let us know a few years ago about a need for prisoners to have Christmas cards and stamps to mail out to their family at Christmas. We had a couple of artists draw some designs on canvas and the church family took turns adding color to the work. We then turned the paintings into card designs and took them to the jail. We're hoping to pull the same thing off again this year. I totally love the work you are doing there this Advent. Thanks for sharing it on your blog.

Haley said...

Then we're all in agreement here: Tamara and Haley should be friends! :) Your project sounds amazing as well... I would love to pick your brain sometime. For now it is fun to follow each other's adventures via blogland!