A gift of creativity
As a child (around age 10 I think) I went to a Saturday morning art group. It was here that I learnt some simple lessons about how to draw. I later took Art GCSE which I enjoyed, but art was always in the background of my life. It wasn’t my first passion - that was music as I was growing up, and continued to be into my early adult life. I still picked up a paint brush from time to time, but it was sporadic. In my thirties, I still had the set of acrylic paints that I was given as a teenager, along with a couple of old sets of pastels and watercolour paints. But slowly, I began to draw more regularly, mainly with felt tips and as part of my prayer. Over a couple of years this practice grew and my art journal began to be filled. Then one year, I went on a prophetic art retreat, and things changed.
The art retreat was fun and challenging, and over the week a desire grew within me to share my art with others. I found myself exploring the idea of creativity and how I felt God possibly calling me in my prayer journal:
“I think broadly yesterday opened my eyes as to how God uses our creativity. God speaks to us, we create. But then if we share, it can become a gift to another, and God speaks through it in different ways to different people. In one way, I love this, I’ve wanted to share things in the past, but I’ve been afraid people won’t ‘get’ them. … But allowing God to use our creativity to speak to others, I’m up for that! … What I’m more excited about is how you may be calling me to use this stuff - to be able to give away and bless others through my creativity.” 29 May 17
During the week, I spent some time praying about the gift of creativity that God had given me. It wasn’t an easy time of prayer, but a significant one. It was a time of recognising the gift God had given to me, and then offering it back to him. I then sensed God respond to me with the words “Just you wait for what I’ve got to show you.” Little did I know that I’d end up with a creative ministry 5 years down the line.
“As I surrendered my heart to you, gave you this creative gift back again, you met with me. You are here. As painful as it was, I am so grateful. It is yours. This gift is yours to do with whatever you want. ‘Just you wait for what I’ve got to show you’” 31 May 17
When I returned home, I created the image above in my art journal as a reminder of that significant time. Having offered God back this gift of creativity, the next step was to ask him how he wanted me to use it. After the retreat, my creative practice began to grow and develop. I painted my first canvas (the armchair), as well as many other images. I also began to share my pictures with my church, giving them away to those who wanted them. Over the years my confidence (and hopefully my skill) has increased. I’ve learned to continue painting from my prayer, from my life experiences, and then to consider whether to share that painting with others. It’s a delight to be able to share my art, whether it’s giving small pieces away, sharing them on this blog, or selling prints or originals. I hope that in some way it blesses you. It appears to be how God is using this gift of creativity he gave me!