More and more I have come to love the feeling of being creative – working with images and creating visual art.  However, I did not really begin the journey to learn about art and how to integrate artwork of my own and those of others with my spiritual life until just over 10 years ago.  So I thought it might be nice to go back in time and share with you a description of my very first art in spirituality workshop back in 2006.  That year, a group called Illuminations, led by my friend Stephanie Visokay, began meeting periodically at my parish to explore art as a means of inner discovery and prayer. Participants were given the opportunity to examine the seasons of their lives in the context of the liturgical seasons. I had not had any art training at the time and had limited experience in praying through art, other than occasional doodling in my journal, so I was a little unsure about how that first morning would progress. However, I had read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, so I had already embraced the belief that we are all artists in one way or another and I decided to plunge right in anyway.

After a short introduction, we spread out with paper, scissors, glue, and other art supplies and began our creative work. I started with a background of blue construction paper (which has faded and now looks purple) on which I glued a large green circle. Then, taking small pieces of colored tissue paper, I arranged them randomly, orienting them in various directions on the circle. I focused my attention on enjoying the art-making process and I observed how beautiful the colors looked, with one transparent layer over another. And as I moved the pieces of tissue paper around, I found that the picture changed again and again. While I was doing this – playing with the colors, I had no idea what I was making, what might come out of it, and how to complete it. How was I supposed to find meaning in my creation when it just looked so random? Noticing that I was judging my art image and feeling a little lost, Stephanie simply suggested that all of the elements I needed were already there.  And suddenly the surprise of it hit me and I knew exactly what it was – a kaleidoscope!

I certainly had not expected to receive such a concrete symbol/image, and I really didn’t know exactly what to make of it. After some time for reflection and journaling, we met together as a group and everyone gave a short explanation of what they felt their artwork was asking them to become aware of. Many of the art pieces were undeniable images of awareness-of-self-in-connection-to-God. But when I looked at my artwork, I was startled and a bit disconcerted to find that I could not identify a place for God. Where is the God who surrounds and sustains me with empowering love? The green circle?  The blue background? The answer came during the final part of the workshop, which was a ritual witnessing of the artwork. Each person named her art and the others meditatively witnessed it by reflecting back word images and phrases. It was then that I received a great gift – one of the word images for my kaleidoscope was “dancing in the light.”  And I finally realized – God Who is Everywhere is the Light that shines through the kaleidoscope and I am the glass pieces that dance in the Light!  How beautiful and surprising is the God who holds us in love.