Freedom to Create

I spend time with friends painting.  We use the time together to talk and share and experiment with art.  It is very healing, relaxing and fun!  For me, I love painting when it comes easy.  I do not like feeling frustrated or pressured or intimidated by art.  In the short two years since God reignited my passion for art, I have had some struggles.  When I started, I let God take the reins and I walked by faith in my breakout painting session.  Since then, I have felt all the emotions above.  Pressure to paint something beautiful and meaningful, frustrated when I could not come up with a concept worthy of painting and intimidated by other skillful artists. I am realizing this is a long journey and the reason I am painting is for God and not for me.   He has gifted me with a passion for Him and His word and a natural talent that needs to be honed but is so appreciated.  I am slowly learning that I need to slow down and be still. I need to listen more for Him and not rely on my own painting decisions.

The first time I painted, I was led by God to paint “loose” and intuitively.  I was specifically planning out my painting, but He had me erase it and write TRUST on the canvas instead.  I need to get back to that. There is a reason I am to paint loosely.  It is relaxing and stress free.  There is a freedom that come with no plan.  God works in the intuitive.  His hand shows up in my work when I am allowing Him to take the brush.

I feel I am being led to paint more abstractly and I believe there will be some lesson for me or others in each painting.  I am encouraged by the ease at which I can paint an abstract and I hope to translate those thoughtful brushstrokes into powerful messages from God.

I have no plan.  I am letting God lead me.  I am learning, though, that rushing to finish a painting is wrong.  I need to let it speak to me for a while.  In time, I usually see things that I want to change or improve.  They are slowly revealed to me.  I predict a message will unfold if I am patient.

Carrie