Looking for Inspiration

"DR Mission Team - 2012 - Batey 50"
by Linda S. Marino, oil, 16 x 20, 2013

"...Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven..."

One January morning a simple request came from my friend Crystal asking if I would be willing to donate a painting to the DR Missions Annual Fundraiser Silent Auction.

Without hesitation I responded with "Yes, of course Crystal!" followed up with "What should I paint?"
Crystal's response: "Whatever you want"

At the time I didn't know if that was a blessing or a red flag signaling "warning you are now entering the creative block zone!"

I can remember those same words were spoken to me by Pastor Joe back in 2003 when I was asked to paint a large painting for the Lutheran Church of St. Mark. A  6' x 9' painting to be hung under the wooden cross in the sanctuary.

Question? So where do you go to find inspiration to create a spirit-inspired piece of artwork? Do you stand in from of a blank canvas while it stares back at you? Do you go out in nature? or to an art gallery? Do you search the web?

For me... if I'm stuck and no visual images are floating around in my brain.... I either read scripture... out loud or clean the house. :) For a christian, the first (reading scripture) seems obvious but what's the connection between spirit-inspired creativity and cleaning you ask?

First I have to say I'm not a neat freak or have OCD. It's really easy for my studio to become a disaster zone in just a few hours of working in it. The cleaning has to do more with preparation of what's to come. Making room, clearing space, straightening up ....as though I'm preparing for the arrival of a visitor. Perhaps that visitor is Christ himself?

Knowing the Holy Spirit is within me...

 The Promise of the Holy Spirit John 14 15-17
If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him,  for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I am in you.. whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

Do you sense Christ's presence while you are creating art?