Sketching as Prayer
Led By: Melissa Fischer
Suggested Donation: $360
Tuesday, 21 May – Friday, 24 May 2019
“Earth’s crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God,
But only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round and pluck blackberries.”
(Elizabeth Barrett Browning)
Seeing heaven here on earth and recognizing God’s presence, whether in the wildness of a burning bush or in the subtle budding of a shrub in spring, requires slowing down, stepping aside from our busyness, and becoming receptive for what we haven’t yet perceived. Sketching can be a pathway to seeing, to noticing the ways God is speaking through creation, and to becoming aware of his presence in the world around us. And in the process we are drawn into prayer, either with words or in silent communion with God, and into worship of the Master Artist.
In this retreat we will open our sketchbooks, eyes, and hearts to God’s presence in his creation. We will cover the basics of sketching and some basic watercolor techniques to capture the essence of a subject, whether person, animal, or landscape. In the process we will look with eyes of faith into the world to see God’s touch all around us, as we enter into prayer through the pages of our sketchbooks.
Melissa Fischer combines art and writing in her sketchbooks, with a particular interest in sketching from life in order to see and share the wonder and beauty present in the world right around us. Melissa teaches and occasionally exhibits her art locally and during artist residencies, but her real passion is helping people step out of the rat race and into quiet awareness of God’s presence through recording the ordinary moments of life in a sketchbook journal.
Visit melissafischer.com to see Melissa’s artwork and blog.