Sanctified Art founder helps congregations ‘visually proclaim’ the Word
May 30, 2017
Lisle Gwynn Garrity.
Lisle Gwynn Garrity has the “great privilege” of being both an artist and a minister. In her work as founder and creative director of Sanctified Art, Gwynn Garrity leads art retreats and does live paintings during worship at congregations around the country.
“Creativity and the creative process helps us open ourselves to work with the Spirit to push beyond fear, doubt and uncertainty, to work together,” Gwynn Garrity said. “The retreats are really about bringing people together to explore that.”
Recently, St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Arizona, invited Gwynn Garrity to conduct a weekend retreat to help their Sanctuary Arts team create banners. Those who attended the retreat were given pastels, fabric, glue and paint, and then encouraged, as artists and non-artists, to work together.
“One person would start something, and then you had to move two chairs down to look at what someone else had started,” Lee Gustus said, “and then add to it.”
“Wow, that was hard,” Sue Pratley added, “trying to make sure we visualized our scripture theme of the light, the dark, the mountain, the bursting forth of the Lord, wondering how we should use the fabric, or whether we should paint over it.”
Those participating in the retreat say the process of creating art together helped teach them how to share creative ideas more effectively by listening for—and recognizing—that each person was bringing their own gift to the project.
“It really was a spiritual moment,” said Sanctuary Arts team leader Gwyn Roske. “To see them hanging up there Sunday morning was beautiful. I can’t even tell you what piece I worked on; it was a group effort, we did it together.”
During St. Mark’s worship service, Gwynn Garrity worked on a live painting to help “visually proclaim” what was happening through the congregation’s songs and prayers, the reading of words and in the sermon.
“Worship itself is an art form, that is already a creative process,” Gwynn Garrity said. “When I’m offering the live painting it’s just adding to the rhythm, to the beautiful piece of art that we all enter into.”
What Gwynn Garrity loves most about painting live in worship is that she doesn’t have time to think about it. Instead, she must move, commit, make decisions and keep going, trusting that the Spirit is guiding her.
“That’s part of what feels sacred to me, that voice of fear gets quieter and quieter when I am painting in a communal space like worship,” she said. “My preferred state of being is having my hands messy in paint as much as possible. It’s a sacred way of connecting to God and to others.”
After watching Gwynn Garrity work over the weekend the Rev. Barth Smith, pastor of St. Mark’s, said what she does—taking scriptures and people’s impressions and melding it together into something beautiful— “is absolutely incredible.”
“She has the brain of an artist and heart of a pastor,” he said. “She’s offering a tremendous gift to the church.”
For creative artistic resources, or to schedule Gwynn Garrity for an art retreat weekend, go to sanctifiedart.org. The Presbytery of Western North Carolina ordained her as a teaching elder in the PC(USA).
Video URL: https://vimeo.com/210316578
Paul Seebeck, mission communications strategist, video and digital asset management, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Today’s Focus: Gwynn Garrity, Heart of a Pastor
Let us join in prayer for:
Presbytery of Western North Carolina Staff
Barbara (Bobbi) White, general presbyter
Billy Robinson, presbytery associate
Charles Davenport, presbytery associate
Barbara Ross, presbytery associate
Bob Ayala, presbytery associate
Beth Gunn, associate for youth
Cameron Murchison Jr., stated clerk
Marie C. Palacios, Guatemala partnership coordinator
PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Shawn Ellison, PMA
Cynthia Embry, PMA
Let us pray:
Creating God, help us recognize your image in one another. Inspire us to join your transforming ministry that protects the weak, challenges the strong, frees the prisoner, proclaims peace and heals the broken. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Readings
Morning Psalms 98; 146
First Reading Ezekiel 7:10-15, 23b-27
Second Reading Hebrews 6:13-20
Gospel Reading Luke 10:1-17
Evening Psalms 66; 116
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Categories: Mission Yearbook
Tags: artist, heart of a pastor, Lisle Gwynn Garrity, mission yearbook, sanctified art