Works of art are the fruit of human creativity

The progression of our group painting and dialogue. Photos courtesy of Sandie Anderson

FROM OUR TRAVELS:


Reflections from the Art as an Act of Reconciliation workshop

by Sandie Anderson, Bethlehem Lutheran Church 

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. We met Chuck and Peg at church Friday afternoon and got set up. We decided that since we had a managable group we would have their Keynote presentation and then give everyone a chance to paint on the World Canvas Project. Their presentation went great. I have a new understanding and appreciation about what they do in Northern Ireland and elsewhere and see how this could be really meaningful in the Holy Land. Then it was time to paint. We were to write a prayer on our square and then paint. We could do more than one square. I thought “Fat chance. Lucky if I get one done!” I looked at that square for a long time trying to figure out what sort of prayer I wanted to send out to the world, or at least to the people of Northern Ireland where this was eventually headed. World peace? Hope that their hearts would heal and be full of God’s love? Hope that mine would? Health and peace in our collective souls? Healing for my friends with cancer? I tentatively painted one square. It looked ok. So I painted two more. Driving home I felt relieved and optimistic. Those prayers were already winging their way throughout the world even though I knew the canvas was still drying in the basement at church.

Saturday morning – This was better as I knew Chuck and Peg and the rest of the participants and scarier because we were starting with a big blank sheet. It looked so pristine just lying there. We opened with devotions and a prayer. Then we had some discussion about shapes and color that helped ease the tension. Then we went to the paper to paint. There were 17 of us. Paint quietly until the bell rings. Pass your paint two to the left and move one to the right. Paint again. I was standing next to my friend Darold who is a really good artist. The bell rang and I could hardly pick up the brush. Darold was busy being artistic. I made some symbols on the paper – yikes! The bell rang and we screwed up the directions and finally moved one step to the right. Now I was painting on Darold’s images. There is no way this is going to work and it will be awful. I hate this color. The bell rang…. and rang….. and rang. Soon there was hardly anyplace to paint so we had to paint on top of other colors. Someone across the table was spattering paint. It was getting worse. Every section I painted on had too much going on and was not connected to anything. The bell rang, and it was finally over. Whew. It didn’t look as bad as I thought when it was drying on the table. I was happy I was done and hadn’t made any terrible errors.

Sunday morning – Our painting was hanging in the gallery. It looks terrific. There are themes and wonderful colors. I love it and I helped make it. WOW! World canvas with the 5th and 6th graders – It was very well received. I went there between services and had some kids and one grandfather ask me if they could paint so we set them up. They definitely had more courage than me!

Monday – Looking at it before yoga and a woman asked me if it was for sale.  Go figure! Some of the images we painted and the prayers I wrote come into my mind often – proof that they are at work. Would I do it again? YES. Do I want to go to the Holy Land with these people and watch what happens there? Absolutely. Is this project done working on me? I don’t think so, stay tuned.