Contemplative Painting

Contemplative Painting

Over twenty years ago my friend Glennietta gave me some paints and paper for my birthday.  I told Glennietta that I was not an artist.  She said she was not asking me to be an artist.  Simply put paint on paper. If you want to splash some purple, splash purple.  See a green that grabs you, paint that shade of green.  Just play with it. See what happens. What I discovered when I did this simply process, when I got out of my head, and just slipped into creative, messy, paint play, I would enter into deep soul work. It is amazing what shows up on the paper.

For two and a half years, I have been leading Contemplative Painting at the Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, Texas. We gather, introduce ourselves, choose some colors that speak to us, do a brief meditation, and paint.  At the end of our time, we share what the experience was like - what (or who) showed up, what we felt, what we see in our paintings and in the paintings of others. It is always a soul-filled experience.

We gathered last Wednesday afternoon and Thursday evening. Below are the paintings that came forth from me. When I start, I never intend to paint something.  I just put paint on paper, then the next paint, then the next.  Something comes.  The two colors that spoke to me first were blue and yellow. So that's where I started.

In this first painting, I see a tomb or a cave. I see a green dancing flower or girl. To me, this is about new life is about to break forth after a time in the cave or the tomb. Each person sees what they see. You may see something else.

                                      

 In the second painting I did, I see the resurrection. I am green, springing forth with power. (Is this the same green figure from the first painting?) I am rising up. No more holding back. I saw the yellow and brown as the cave I was springing out of.  My wife Crysta saw the brown as the energy, the angels gathering with me.  I like that.

 I decided I wanted to change things up some, so I got out some crayons. I drew some circles and lines. I colored in the lines. Then I added paints. I wanted to be whimsical. What do you see?  I see a mask. Is this the mask I wear or that I want to wear.  (It would be fun to wear this mask.) I think of Rabbit Fool showing up, causing mischief. Crysta saw an elephant. Hmmm. I do like elephants.

 Sometimes I want to paint fast, without thinking too much.  Just splash lots of paint. This painting is what came forth. Before I began to paint, I ask "what is my soul's desire?" Here is what came. I see a burning bush. I see Pentecost, which is tomorrow in the Christian Church. Fire burning red. Green of the bush. Black and white of the smoke. Come Holy Spirit come. Inflame me anew.

 This is the painting I did Thursday night. My question was "what does my soul look like?" Pretty big question to ask. Again, there is fire. Smoke. There is breaking forth or coming down, depending on how you hold the picture. Isn't the fire of the soul always both? I get energy from this one and the previous ones. My soul is in the depths and I will not be contained.

I will take these paintings and meditate on them.  Simply look at them and let them speak. I try not to "analyze" them or figure them out.  I just see what I see and let speak to me what speaks. I will often share these paintings with my spiritual director, which leads to wonderful questions and conversations.
My therapist tells me to honor them. Put them in a place where I can see them. Perhaps frame them.  Framing a picture you have painted brings a whole new experience to the painting. You are saying yes to what is there, even if you are not sure what it is. You are saying yes to the Life that is within you. This Life wants to be expressed, seen, and lived in vivid color. Contemplative painting helps me to do that.