When it comes to art, it has been a busy few months both inside and out of the studio.  I run workshops on a monthly basis that explore the link between art and faith and over the last couple of sessions we used part of our time to organise and create work for a large scale collaborative project which we opened to members of our church as a creative way to celebrate Easter.  As we entered Lent we came up with 40 words and phrases which express something of who Jesus is and what was accomplished when he died on the cross and rose again three days later.  Each word or phrase was then allocated to different individuals so that unique artworks could be created centred around  each chosen phrase.  The result was that the original list of 40 words and phrases was translated into a group of 40 images.
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​This advent has seen the launch of a simple collaborative art project that I set up as a fun way to celebrate Christmas.  Advent is a great time to think about why we celebrate Christmas.  There are so many things I like about this time of year:  cosy nights in, the sparkly lights, delicious food, socialising with friends, spending time with family, snow (as long as it doesn't disrupt travel!), carols...the list goes on.  But the best part and real reason to celebrate is that I remember that God sent Jesus.  No matter how many times Christmas rolls around, it's something I never get bored of celebrating and it's news that never ceases to amaze me.  

If you click the above image or follow the link below, you will be redirected to my instagram where you will find our online advent calendar.  The calendar reminds us of what's really worth celebrating this Christmas as it tells a mind-blowing story day by day.  Behind each number is a series of unique artworks created by different people from all across the country.  It has been great fun seeing the story illustrated by all sorts of different styles and techniques!  I hope you enjoy both it and this advent season as we prepare for Christmas,
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This Sunday I was invited to lead the church in some visual worship as we created a large painting together throughout the time of praise and musical worship.  The canvas which started out blank except for the blue and green background, was slowly filled with life and colour as people came up to the front and added a variety of plants and trees.  Some people drew whole plants, some people added a few leaves or petals to an existing plant, some people used brushes and some people used fingers.  All these different techniques came together to make the final image.