The Painted Voice » symbols

THE MYSTERY IN INSPIRATIONAL ART

Laurel — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:12:02 +0000

Visio Divina – Have you ever Hit a Creative Wall while Painting a Picture?

This past week while working on this painting of “The World Within; a Journey in Meditation,” the creative door slammed shut. No creative “juices” were flowing…nada..nothing, I was at a stand still! Can you identify? This process seems to happen periodically to all creative people. Painting by inspiration is a process and each step on this spiritual journey requires reliance on the Holy Spirit. It’s as though you are creating or walking like a person that is blind! We need help to take the next step or go in a new direction. This can be true in every aspect of our lives.

How Do You Open the Door?

While walking into the studio to get some brushes that needed cleaning, I glanced at the painting. Wham! Ah Ha, I had a “serendipity moment!” There was a TRIANGLE in the middle of the painting. Then a complete thought came, not sentences or some words but a “creative revelation.” This is difficult to explain but you know it when it happens to you….it’s Visio Divina, Divine Seeing. Then you realize you are not alone in the creative process!

We Don’t, God Does!

At each point in the TRIANGLE was a symbol of the Godhead. The Lion, representing God the Father; The boat (you) being guided by the Christ, the Shepherd of Your Soul, and the Holy Spirit hovering over the water bringing forth creation. WOW! Yahweh is already at work before we even realize it… initiating, guiding, leading us to the place within. This place of meditation, prayer, revelation and even creation. This is the Kingdom of God where spiritual sight is given, revelation, understanding, and SO MUCH MORE!

The Divine Dance

In every Visio Divina painting you study or paint, I believe you will learn something about this Divine Dance with God. My hope is this blog blesses you today. May you keep on dancing even when you don’t know all the right steps because you have a great teacher within you! ♥

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ICONIC ART created by THE PAINTED VOICE

Laurel — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:20:44 +0000

In the Name of the Lord,

God of Israel,

Be Michael to my right,

Gabriel to my left,

In front of me, Uriel,

Behind me Raphael, and

Over my head the Divine Presence of God

Before bedtime, it is traditional to say “The Prayer of the Four Archangels,” or as it is called in the Siddur , “The Bedtime Shema.” The recital of the prayer calls upon Yahweh and the four archangels for protection against the dangers of the night.

Each angel has a specific purpose. Michael, whose name means “Who is like God,” guards the children of Israel. Gabriel, whose name means “God is my strength,” gives us strength and courage. Uriel, whose name means “God is my light,” lights our way through the darkness of the night. Raphael, whose name means “God is my healer,” guards our physical and emotional well being. The Divine Presence lends God’s comfort.

My First Icon – A Painted Prayer

After studying Icons that were created by the early Christan Church, I knew that I wanted to create an iconic work of art. One day while reading the Art Scroll Siddur ( a Jewish prayer book), I came across the Bedtime Shema. Wow! what an awesome prayer, and I wanted to paint the prayer using the principals I had learned. Hence the name of my company ” The Painted Voice.”

I hope that my first three blogs have inspired you to take a second look at iconic art and try creating your own piece of mystical art.

HILDEGARD OF BINGEN

Laurel — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:50:57 +0000

Angelic Choirs

My Teacher of Spiritual Art!

Let me introduce you to Hildegard, who has been my primary teacher in spiritual art and greatly influenced my work.

A History

Hildegard of Bingen was an Abbess of a Benedictine Abbey, she was born in 1098 and died after a long rich life in 1179. Besides her role as an Abbess, she became a famous composer and author, writing books on medicine, science, and theology. She lived in the Rhineland Valley and became one of the greatest theologians and illustrators of the early Christian Church.

You might wonder how she can be my spiritual art teacher since Hildegard died about 830 years ago! In spiritual Jewish teachings..the belief is Moses teaches today, as does Abraham, and many others. They are alive today in their writings….they are with us today giving us wisdom and guidance! And so is Hildegard of Bingen, for those that have eyes to see and ears to hear.

At the age of 42, Hildegard began to have visions and they were illustrated in 34 ” illuminations “. She created a new presentation of images…a new iconography…..new symbolic forms and pictures.

Many of the people during the time of Hildegards life were uneducated. Iconography was used by the Church as a tool for teaching spiritual stories and principles. The artists drew ” word pictures”, and used colors, images, and symbols to educate the people. Art, stories, music and dance became the language of the ” folk education”.

” Iconic ” art speaks to us… speaking the ” language of the soul “…..and awakens something deep within. Mystical art takes that which is seen with spiritual eyes and creates it into a piece of art that can be seen with the natural eye.

How Creation Came About

Posted on this blog are two of Hildegard’s illuminations. These are great examples to study. What do they speak? I would love to know your thoughts. Please write your thoughts….click on the “comment” at the top right of thsi blog and a box will appear.

An Example of Symbols and Images Creating Mystical Art

Laurel — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:47:45 +0000

ART FOR THE HEART….Comes from…..ART FROM THE HEART

Today we will begin to explore the many steps to creating spiritual or mystical art. I will start with origins of Christian mystical art and later we will study Jewish and Eastern origins; as the methods and principals are very similar in all spiritual art.

So lets begin with “Visio Divina” or divine seeing. There are two ways of seeing; with our physical eyes and with the eyes of our heart. There is a language that speaks in colors, symbols, painted parables and other images. Since the beginning of time there has existed a language that can by-pass the level of ordinary mental understanding and speak directly to the deepest recesses of our soul and spirit.

The Holy Spirit speaks many languages, among them the language of art in all it’s forms. Frank T. Griswold

Look at the Icon of “Christ Pantocrator” above. What do you see….what do you feel….what is drawing you?

Start a journal. You will need it if you want to study and try your hand at creating this type of art. Write down what you feel as well as what you think.

Next, let us study the Icon. I will give you some facts that will help you understand the symbols. Write down your thoughts.

Christ Pantocrator – The Sinai Christ

This portrait was painted in the Egypto-Roman tradition around 600AD at St. Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt.

1. the halo: can be a symbol of a solar disk, or an ancient way of painting an aurora.

2. the robe: is painted in a deep purple color, a symbol of royalty.

3. the hand: is positioned in the sign of the blessing, or in the sign of an orators gesture indicating he is speaking or has the right to speak.

4. the book: what book is it, the Torah, the Bible, why the cross (Christianity didn’t exist until after Christ’s death), could this be an image of Christ the Living Word?

5. the face: take a piece of paper and place it on center of the nose, covering one half of the face; what do you see? Now, do the same on the other side; what do you see? Are there two faces in one? Could it be the Lion and the Lamb, or the face of the King and the Suffering Servant, or the face of the Righteous One and the Lover of Mankind.

This is the end of this lesson….. you may want to continue writing….. you might see things I haven’t mentioned here. I have a comments page on this site and I would love to hear your thoughts on what spoke to you.

Blessings on this journey of mystical art!