My daughter Kelsey @lovelyandenough and I started doing creative meditations during Lent in 2015. My Instagram @fibermusing started with that first journey. The first series of 12” quilts considered emerging new life, what that might feel and look like. Sometimes I quilt, sometimes I paint, sometimes it is a community art project that I give myself permission to dive into. The focus is on a meditative creative practice, not the outcome.
Sometimes I Instagram what emerges; sometimes not. We both embrace feasting into reflective forms of creativity during Lent, while fasting from paralysis and negativity on our creative journey and our journey with God. Sometimes these creative explorations have themes, sometimes they are about choosing parameters and simply letting go.
Lent 2021
In Lent of 2021 I am committing to focus on lament. How do we create a healthy space to name painful things, bring them into view, give them a voice, and then move towards mending? I’m hoping to create a multi-media piece of art and a written poem/prayer each week on whatever topic of lament is on my heart.
Lent 2020
Community was the focus of worship in 2020. We started off Lent with a community project that I created and facilitated, painting images that illustrated how we were thinking about community. Unfortunately, we only were able to enjoy the installation for one week before the pandemic-inspired “Stay Home. Stay Safe.” order closed our church building. However, even though we were staying away, our building became home for over 20 people facing housing insecurity until the stay-home order ended, a beautiful manifestation of community.
Lent 2019
Exploring themes of decay and chaos; a series of 12″ quilts that use surface design and stitching to explore continuity and discontinuity through stitch painting and over-dyeing of already-pieced quilt tops. (circles mono-printed using gel plate or acrylic plate)
Lent 2018
Exploring water contamination; a series that demonstrates breakdown through juxtaposed light/dark pipes, using stitching for emphasis.
Lent 2017
Focussing on the fruits of the Spirit, characteristics that reflect the kind of people God wants us to be; chalk drawings throughout our building created whimsical reminders of the life God calls us towards.
Lent 2016
Thinking about infrastructure; a series of 16″ quilts created by using complex layering through color removal and addition (both before and after piecing) to evoke feelings of aging and distress contrasted with seasons of health and growth.
Lent 2015
Exploring signs of new life; a series of 12″ quilts using pieces from a single whole-cloth dyed twill as the foundation for fabric collaging using hand-dyed and hand-printed fabrics.
