When I first started this blog, I was writing art prompts for each week, then each passage. Then I started playing with different media (pastels, acrylic paint, etc.), surfaces (paper, fabric, canvas) and processes. I also moved into an artist’s studio in Lowell, Mass., which allowed me to spread my wings a bit because I had access to all my art supplies and could work on projects for days. I quit writing posts and focused on finding myself as an artist theologian. Now, I hope to share more of my work on a regular (weekly) basis.
When I was in seminary, I studied the Trinity in many forms including the modern favorite Creator/Redeemer/Sustainer but none of them were intriguing. It sometimes seemed like any three words thrown together were assigned to the Trinity. This week’s artwork is my first triptych and it’s based on Emily Dickinson’s adaptation of the Trinitarian baptism formula, which is intriguing as it draws from nature.
As I was working I asked myself, “Why did Emily decide God is like a bee?” (Jesus a butterfly? The Holy Spirit a breeze?) What do we observe about bees that might remind us of God? What other animals might we equate with God? What about trees or plants?
To me, theological art is about the questions. We should spend time with it and think about our beliefs and practices. And what better way to start than with the Trinity and baptism formula?
Spirit, Word, Art 