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Pray and Paint Gallery

This gallery is dedicated to the artists who have attended the pray and paint workshops,
All the paintings were inspired during prayer, they each have a message and are works of art regardless of artistic training.

During the meditative praying, I received a number of images from God.

Firstly I could picture His face, His essence, I then had repeated images of trees and plants, my final image was that of a kind of whirling wind, which I felt represented the Holy Spirit.

For me the message I felt I received from God was that I was like a plant growing towards Him. The flashes of yellow and purple at the top represent God in my paintings. As I grow towards Him and seek Him, He will come sown on me, filling me with His grace. The Holy Spirit, who dwells inside me and around me, develops my growth. The Holy Spirit in my painting is the whirl of blues and purples, stirring me up in a sense. As I grow and mature towards God =, I leave the sin and the ‘rubbish’ behind.

I have found an incredible sense of peace during the workshop, and as a young Christian it gives me so much joy and encouragement to know that God is with me and answers my prayers.

Wipe away tears;

Behold! I will wipe away all tears from their eyes.

This is the thought I started with – it grew bigger.

We are in a difficult place in our church at present and we are searching God for guidance for our future. We are coming to the end of a ministry and over the last few years we have only lost members and congregants. We are now only two elderly ladies left, with four members living at a distance. We have, in the last few years transformed our buildings into beautiful spaces for worship with more work needed. We are weeping for our past failure, our present plight. Do we have a future?

Living around our little church are many who weep without hope or comfort: some are sleeping or ignorant of God’s love: they should be weeping! Some have looked to the cross and tears are turned to joy.

Even the cross weeps for those who will not be saved, but the glory of God is still shed over the earth. In His mercy He still reaches out. He has a plan for our little church. If he does not wipe away our tears now, He will do so at His coming!

Light in our hands

During the quiet time I saw a light with hands around it, it was so bright.

I didn’t finish the picture in the time but I will finish it at home








 

The cross in the light

During the meditation I saw a light (as many of us in the group did), in the centre of the light was the cross with a heart in its centre. While I painted I continued to pray and found incredibly that I was being guided inwardly. At one point I was not happy with a part of the picture but felt I should continue and then wet it all with a sponge, the result was, as I had wanted. I also felt very significantly to put my fingerprint on the heart in the cross.

When I first did this painting, I felt a little unsure because I had painted a similar picture previously. However when I put the two side by side I could see they were different, in fact the second seemed to be a follow on from the first.

Radiant heart

I had been experiencing many struggles,
what I saw spoke to me about how the heart of Jesus
is able to penetrate all hardship and shine upon us








 

No one sees

I saw that even though Jesus is shining like the sun, there are many who are looking the other way and just take no notice. The dove represents the holy spirit

JESUS

During the meditation I could see the figure of Jesus,
completely white with an array of colours radiating from Him.










 

Welcoming heart

I did this in two stages, the first picture is of jesus and me with our arms open wide to all who are on their way to him. They are different colours according to their degree of nearness to him.

The second picture is the completion, all are in the fold and the doors have closed creating the shape of a heart.
 

WORSHIP

The one word ‘worship’ encapsulates everything in this painting.

Two dancers

In the quiet time, I saw two dancers with arms raised in praise. I wanted to create movement and texture so I used a paste Kate had brought.

 The day after I was looking at two postcards that I had bought previously. The amazing thing about them was the colour in each of the card. It was identical to the colours on each side of the painting I had done. The postcards when placed at each side looked as though they were part of the picture.

God's Heart

We had a reading about the depths of the well of God the day before,
in the meditation I was thinking about this and saw that the heart of
God was right underneath everything; it was at the depths of the well

Jesus, the centre

 In the meditation I saw a picture of Jesus as the centre of everything,
with the rays of colour coming from Him.

God has His hand on everything (the egg).

The Lord carries us all on our (His) journey.

While He lets us have our freedom, He is there to stop us from falling and support
(carry) us when we need it.

I found the pray and paint afternoon relaxing and therapeutic,
even when it didn’t go quite how I wanted it to.

 

Glen
 

The first picture was one, which I didn’t want! I wanted God to give me another. It wouldn’t go away and so I stuck with it! It took me back ten years to a time of depression and burn out. Exhausted in bed one dull, grey February day, totally alone and in silence when I became aware of the reflection in the window. I was looking at myself lying in someone’s arms. I couldn’t see the face, but knew it was Jesus. The image faded, but I held on to the picture over the coming months knowing that I was being held in the loving arms of God.

When the picture wouldn’t go, the Father gave me a different text – the words of Jesus – “I am with you always”. He is still with me in the good time, the bright days. The Father gave me the other picture, which I’d asked for, a bright day, a small boat on the sea. Although I may at times feel overwhelmed, with too much to do, like a little boat on a huge sea, I know that God the Father is with me and through His Spirit He will give me what I need to do His will.

Stephen Skinner

Two dogs on the beach

During the time I was listening a being quiet, I felt I was being told to be peaceful and peace for me is watching dogs playing on the beach. My picture is like a child’s picture; I am a new Christian so this seemed right.

 When I got home I received an email from the lady who painted the ‘dogs on the beach’

 Dear Kate, when I got home after the workshop and looked at the picture, I realised what it was telling me. In 2002 I had to have one of my dogs put to sleep, she had been very ill and was 14 years old, but still I have questioned whether it was the right thing. Then last year another of my dogs, who was 13, had a stroke and again I had to make the decision to have her put to sleep. It has been something that I have asked God about and I feel that at the workshop he gave me the answer – when I felt he was telling me to be peaceful, I thing he was letting me know that both dogs are at peace, and that I should now be at peace with my decision.

I just wanted to let you know that I felt I understood my painting now. Thank you for Saturday – I really enjoyed it.
 

The morning of the prayer and paint workshop, I had been reminded of the footprints poem, and how the Lord carries us through the difficult times of our life.

During the workshop Kate had asked us to be still and listen to the Lord, as we prayed I saw a dark tunnel, with a light at the end of it, not knowing where this was going to lead me.

First I chose what to paint on…plywood, it was a bit rough and needed sanding, as I sanded in the silence, each rub made me cringe as I tried to do it quietly….but this reminded me of my sin, and the Lord gently smoothing me/ moulding me into what he wants me to be, and ready for His service, I set out to paint…with what, a nail brush?

As I painted the tunnel, the Lord reminded me of the footprints poem, and though the tunnel be dark, He was there with me, on a journey, (through the valley of the shadow of death) there are times when He carried me, and there are times when we walked together, and there are times when we stopped by the pools of still water psalm 23

If I had more time I might have added a track away from the Lord, when I have chosen to make my own way through life

I am not a painter, but this painting has spoken a lot to me since painting it, and constantly reminds me that the Lord is with me

Ruth Bishop

"God is with you in the storms & brings you through to safe harbours and the journey continues in His Light and Presence".

Pat Straker

"Worship the Lord with all of your heart"

Ken Ratcliff

   

Eclipse.

Like the sun, God is always there even when life's pressures seem to block Him out.

Even though He may seem hidden from us, and we cannot feel His Presence, He still cares for us and watches over us. if we keep looking with all our heart, we will find Him again.

                                                                                                                                                                    Jayne Roberts