karlymichelle1

[karlymichelle1]

One A Week Psalm Project

Psalm 41

What might the story of this Psalm tell us?

- A person who is desperate to be accepted by God?

- A person who desperately hopes he has made the right decision?

- A person who is looking for guidance? for guidance from God?

The Psalms are a story, a story of the life lived, the thoughts thunk, the desires and fears expressed, from a series of players. The experiences of people who lived, were kings, workers, farmers, had families, friends, enemies, struggles and joys…

The Psalms are a story, stories of lives lived, thought thunk, desires and fears expressed from David and others who lived. Farmers, king, royality, artists, leaders, followers, people hunted, lauded, those with friends, family, those who were on show, those who needed to hide…

The Psalms are the stories of the followers of God

#artasmeaningmaking #oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #creativityasmeaningmaking #artmaking #melbourneartist #abstract

[karlymichelle1]

One A Week Psalm Project

Psalm 40

Layers upon layer.

The layers of colour build up, some parts turning to brown because of the mix of colours, some completely hidden, some just slightly peaking through.

It’s not as pretty as the beginnings when there are less colours interacting, and there’s less going on but it has a greater weight with the layers. It feels more substantial. Maybe that’s just justification for something that didn’t quite work. But I also don’t think it’s untrue.

The layers build depth even if they end up being hidden. The bits that are scratched off offer a tiny glimpse underneath. The white over the top highlights the peaks and shallows.

This time is a time to practice, to try out, the way it is easier to begin and practice spiritual disciplines in those times of life that are more stable, except that we more commonly clutch at them when things go badly, surprised at how difficult they are.

#artasmeaningmaking #meaningmaking #oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #artproject #abstract #creativityasmeaningmaking #creativity #melbourneartist #melbourneart #Australianartist

[karlymichelle1]

One A Week Psalm Project

Psalm 39

Ps 39:5 Everyone’s life is but a breath.

What does it mean to live with this understanding?

Ps 39:12-13

For I dwell with you as an alien, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.

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The silence I long for and seek takes away from other things I could be doing. A constant question is how do I determine what is worthwhile to spend my time on?

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Creative reflections

I love what can be done with oil pastels but it requires a physical force and strength I don’t yet have. However, it is more convenient than paint and easier to set up but will require me to either build up strength and / or be highly aware of the damage it could do.

#oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #artasfaith #artasspiritualdiscipline #artasspiritualpractice #psalm #psalmproject #faith #psalms #abstractart

[karlymichelle1]

One A Week Psalm Project

Psalm 38

38:9 “all my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.”

The commentary I occasionally read alongside this notes “It is ironical that the more a person needs human support, the less (by his abnormality) he naturally attracts it. It is the gospel that has done most to change this.” (p154) Sure it’s old and antiquated and uses exclusive language, but it’s a good reminder that it can be difficult to help those who need it the most because they are in such a dreadful time that they are more likely to behave in ways that detract our willingness to help. But helping isn’t primarily about how we feel about that person in that moment but about how we feel about humanity.

“David is outstanding in any company for his ability to wait for God.” (p155)

Ps 38:13-15

I have become like one who cannot hear…

I will wait.

This is a summary of my experience of my Psalm time at the moment and I almost glossed over it in this Psalm and didn’t notice it. I always learning and re-learning to wait and to listen. Sometimes I think I am learning and sometimes I wonder who badly developed my discernment ability is. Sometimes I think I hear something and then wonder what on earth that was about.

#artasspiritualdiscipline #artasspiritualpractice #psalms #artasfaith #christianfaith #artreflection #psalmsproject #oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #artproject

[karlymichelle1]

One A Week Psalm Project

Ps 37

Psalm 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him

This has become my Psalm mantra.

But the rest of this verse is even more difficult “do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

It’s not that we are not called to call out injustice and work towards the establishment of justice and peace but that it should not overtake us. This can be easier said than done.

#artasspiritualdiscipline #artasspiritualpractice #faith #artreflection #psalms #christianfaith #reflections #art #abstract

[karlymichelle1]

One A Week Psalm Project

Ps 36

Thankfully no one is out to get me in quite the way they were David.

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The middle part of the Psalms is beautiful but almost hidden away amongst everything else.

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The process of spiritual disciplines is the process of training yourself to be aware of what’s happening within and around you.

And then training yourself not to allow this to become an anxiety loop of ultra awareness.

And then training yourself to enquire of the Lord about what the Lord feels.

#spiritualdisciplines #artasfaith #psalmsproject #psalms #oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #reflection #artreflection #faith #christian

[karlymichelle1]

Ps 35

One A Week Psalm Project

1/1

Sometimes silence is loud and overwhelming.

Today it is soft and soothing.

My window offers interesting observations about the changing seasons and it is far more engaging.

This Psalm is long.

I feel some of the anger of the Psalm today.

I feel tired too.

#oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #artasspiritualdiscipline #artasspiritualpractice

[karlymichelle1]

Ps 34

One A Week Psalm Project

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Vrs 10

The Lord is good.

No-one is good except the Lord,

those who seek the Lord

lack no good thing.

What does ‘good’ mean?

#oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #artreflections #psalms #spiritualdicsipline #artasspiritualpractice

[karlymichelle1]

Psalm 33

One A Week Psalm Project

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Ps 33:16-17

What are the ‘vain hopes’ we put our trust in?

Am I putting vain hope in myself? In my abilities? In others? In job choice/s?In dreams? In the chance and change of work / life / home / security / health?

How can I more fully put my trust in God?

Through this project I feel I am learning to listen, in particular, to my body.

But learning to listen is useless without the ability to then take steps that are needed as a result of the listening.  

.

The silence of those around me

The silence of music

The silence of focusing

The silence of making

The silence of meditation

The silence of prayer

The silence of driving

The silence of walking

The silence of gardening

The silence of wind

The silence of listening

The silence of reading

The silence of contemplation

The silence of doing the dishes

The silence of thinking

The silence of the day

The silence of others walking

The silence of others being around

The silence of patting the cat

The silence of the night

The silence of rain

.

#artandspirituality #artandfaith #psalms #psalmsproject #oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsprojec #reflections #faith #art #artmaking

[karlymichelle1]

Psalm 32

One A Week Psalm Project

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#artandspirituality #artandfaith #psalms #psalmsproject #oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #faith

[karlymichelle1]

Psalm 31

One A Week Psalm Project

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A collection of parts of thoughts:

Different pens feel different and

invite different marks.

Different materials make you feel different and

invite you to think differently.

***

v6 …I trust in the Lord….

How do I trust in the Lord? I do trust. But how do I trust? What do I trust? I trust in God’s saving grace, the Lord’s eternal salvation…but how much do I trust day-to-day?

I trust God will always be with me, even though I know it doesn’t always feel like it. But this is the difference between ‘feeling’ and ‘knowing’. What else do I separate out?

***

I struggle for stillness and peace with so many thoughts even within this space of silence.

***

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

#oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #artandspirituality #artandfaith #psalms #faith #artreflections

[karlymichelle1]

Psalm 30

One A Week Psalm Project

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To bring back

To lighten

This drawing this week became much darker this morning as I wanted to try out some pen drawing. It didn’t really work – I need to do some practice but it seemed wrong that such a wonderful Psalm would have such a dark page. But it happened because I felt comfortable trying something new.

I was able to lighten it, bring it back a bit. It’s certainly not my favourite, but this process isn’t about finished pieces but about trying, and practicing.

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#oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #artandspirituality #artandfaith #artreflections #faith #psalms #artthoughts

[karlymichelle1]

Psalm 29

One A Week Psalm Project

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I was asked the other day how I know when a piece is finished? Head? Intuition? I’m not really sure – but I get to a point where I just know. Maybe at the point where I’m willing to show it to someone else? I think sculptures are easier to know when they are finished. Paintings / mixed media – I can see how it would be easy to slip into overdoing it.

Overall, I think it’s very intuitive. A feeling- peace or contentment in relation to the piece. Of readiness.

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The creative joy of knowing that nothing can be said to be ‘wrong’ because you are just ‘seeing what happens if…’

As much as my work is tied to and expresses feelings, a lot of it is also the joy of trying something new just to see what happens and how it feels. I don’t really know what I am or am not supposed to do with materials, or technique, so I just try. It isn’t always good – sometimes I think it would be nice to know how to do some things without needing to experiment at every step, but mostly there’s a sense of mystery and surprise, an excitement / expectation about what might be discovered and what the result might be. It doesn’t always work – ‘work’ as defined by my gut instinct of what I deem to be ‘good’ or ‘bad’ art. But even ‘bad’ art often offers another idea to follow. Or sometimes, like this week, it simply feels good not worrying about how the end product looks. Rather it is the feeling of moving the pastel around the page, the swiftness, the change of colours, the randomness, the childlike joy of it, and of not assessing my actions every step of the way. Perhaps this says more about my personality than anything else – my ability to actively and constantly review and critic everything I do before I do the thing, as I do the thing, and after I’ve done the thing is very well developed. Maybe it is simply that break that my brain / soul needs, even momentarily. Maybe that is why I often try new things because it’s a choice to not assess what has come before but just to see what happens.

And yet there are both themes and materials I return to again and again – so there is obviously a familiarity. I thought this might be for different reasons but maybe it too is for a similar one, just at the opposite end of the scale. These too are things I can do without much inner critique because I do have some idea of the end result and something about the process and end result resonate within me.

Two opposing ideas, perhaps two sides of the same desire? A process I’ve managed to separate from the judgmental side of myself, and instead I simply engage in it.

Psalm 29

One A Week Psalm Project

2/2

This is a beautiful psalm.

This is the Psalm to read when we forget who God is.

When we put God in a small God-box

When we forget God’s impact on the world. When we feel unsafe and unsure.

But the last two verses are difficult.

V10 – God’s majesty and then

V11 – God’s ability to influence us.

But we don’t always feel it, know him, experience this.

Why is peace so hard to come by? Do we stop ourselves ‘knowing’ (feeling / living?) God’s peace? How do I do this?

#oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #artandspirituality #artandfaith #psalms #thepsalms #artreflections #mixedmedia #artthoughts

[karlymichelle1]

Psalm 28 One A Week Psalm Project

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Creative thoughts:

Different pens lend themselves to different types of writing, different types of engagement, different types of feelings, different shapes.

They lend themselves to a different type of writing, of style, of shape of speed. How does this influence what I’m doing?

Questions pondered:

How might I be of help?

The never-ending questions: am I listening well? Am I hearing well?

Psalm thoughts:

I resonated very strongly with verses 7 this week which was almost a surprise – but something I was very grateful for.

May I always be able to say:

‘Praise be to the Lord for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusts in him and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.’ (V6&7)

…at the end of the week I was still thinking about joy...I hope that continues.

#oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #artreflections #artandspirituality #artandfaith #psalms

[karlymichelle1]

Psalm 27

One A Week Psalm Project

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There are such beautiful moments in this Psalm. But a week is just too short.

There is too much to do and sitting, waiting, is necessary but the time I have is not long enough. I can feel my body say it is not long enough.

The more you do, the more time you need to sit but those two things don’t work together. But what do I give up?

The things I could most easily give up are those that I love the most.

#oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject #artandspirituality #artandfaith #reflections #artreflections #psalms

[karlymichelle1]

This is a short video of a piece from my current exhibition ‘Practice’ at the Wellspring Spirituality Retreat Centre in Ashburton. 

Title: ‘A Shorter Morning and Evening Prayer’ Laid Out

Paper, wax, cotton

#art paperart #fragileart

[karlymichelle1]

One A Week Psalm Project

Psalm 24

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I thought I might have been able to continue this project while I was overseas but it didn’t quite happen. I did, however, spend a lot of time with my head lifted back looking up at the amazing ceilings.

V 7 “Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.”

This psalm is a beautiful one. It is part of a Celtic prayer I have prayed quite a bit and so it feels very familiar and beautiful even though it also often feels a bit out of reach. Do I have a clean hands and a pure heart? Is it even possible?

I guess the thing is that by asking for forgiveness I am blessed with these again. Do I ask for forgiveness enough?

If nothing else, I hope to remember the feeling of awe, of being unable to do anything except lift up my head in wonder of a cathedral and pray that I remember God in this way also.

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#artandspirituality #artandfaith #artreflections #psalms #psalmreflection #oneaweekpsalmproject #1awkpsproject