Today’s word from Pastor Katrina…
Genesis 1:2: When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
Last week, I attended an art opening at WICA’s Lasher Gallery. The artist is a friend and neighbor named Anne Ferry Brennan. Her show features large pieces that have been constructed by crocheting massive amounts of embroidery thread into entire wall-sized landscapes of color. Many of the pieces have taken years (some over a decade) to complete. I’m going to attempt to write about them, but I highly encourage you to attend one of the music nights under the tent and go see them for yourselves– the art is displayed in the lobby of WICA until August 26th.
Anne’s pieces are like abstract paintings, but the “paint” is thread, and the “brushes” are her hands and crochet hooks. The time it takes to “paint” one line of color is remarkable, especially when observed in the context of the overall body of work. It’s overwhelming really. Her hands touched every little twist and turn of the thread, slowly tracing lines of color, and the threads themselves are connected and flow into each other. Most of the pieces are also three-dimensional, which, combined with the action of the color, conveys a feeling of roots, or swells of water pushing up from below- like the pieces are in motion. A swelling and swirling kaleidoscope of color.
Standing before each piece, I noticed how the shapes were impacting my thoughts– I’d catch myself looking for patterns or trying to identify something familiar: “that looks like a bird; that looks like a baby; a bulldozer; mitochondria…” I think this is a survival skill of our minds that is interesting to be aware of when not trying to survive, but to appreciate art. I’m not sure that Anne planned how her pieces turned out, but rather the pieces seemed to flow through her and into each other. Perhaps she was surprised about the different directions they took in composition and color- like a poetic stream of consciousness that became a masterful work of art. This is a challenging thought for my mind that loves lists and labels and plans. But I was also reminded that life is often more like Anne’s art- fluid, sometimes unpredictable, a collection of patterns that we never planned to nestle together but somehow fit perfectly in the finished product.
It made me curious about the mind of God. I thought about how many patterns abound in creation, and how diverse each expression of life can be. I thought about the spirit of God that touches each and every twist and turn in life, and how we’re all interconnected– a kaleidoscope of creative expression that connects and flows into each other. “In God we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) Thank you, Anne, for sharing your incredible works with us. Trinity, if you get a chance to see her show at WICA before August 26th, I’d love to hear about your own experience!
Humbled and inspired,
Your servant,
Pastor Katrina
Pastor Katrina
pastorkat@trinityfreeland.org
