This painting in Emery Clark series reminds me of a world in turmoil and a small glimmer of hope appearing on the horizon. For six weeks now, I have been living in my home, running out for a quick trip to the grocery store, a quick run into my church, Mary Queen of Peace, to bring prayer request and get religious reading material like, “Rediscover Jesus.” I also take quick walks through the Sanctuary to get fresh air in a private and safe subdivision. I also every two weeks run a payroll check over to Gretna, Louisiana to my very devoted manager who is holding down the fort of my closed “Painting With a Twist” studio. I wonder like most of you what is this evil all about and can any good come out of this?
In this painting can you see peace and hope? I have a very dear friend Emery Clark, an artist extraordinary, who has giving me permission to use her art to tell my Coronavirus story. My story is a search of faith which I have been doing off and on for many years, actually since after Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area on August 29, 2005. In the last two years I have gotten more serious in my search after attending a study in Kentucky with my dearest friend Starr, on the life of Thomas Merton.
Thomas Merton was born in France in January 31, 1915 entered Gethsemani Abbey in 1941, Died in Bangkok, Thailand in 1968. His most famous Spiritual Classic was, “The Seven Storey Mountain.” This is a story of his seeking a deeper union with God. His life and search for God is inspiring and I want to have this hunger in my life. So in these six weeks of stay at home orders I have been studying almost all the time on rediscovering my faith!
Art has a way of speaking to one’s heart and soothes one’s soul. This painting reminds me of our beautiful world, one that only God can create and one that God gave to us! That is why I love Emery’s art so much. I have a piece of her art over my desk and when I am writing or studying or soul searching I sometimes sit back and just gauze at her painting. I’m a student of Matthew Kelly of Dynamic Catholic fame, who teaches people how to become the-best-version-of-themselves. I’m doing a forty day study by Matthew Kelly of “Rediscovering Jesus.” I also love “Formed” the Catholic faith on Demand, where I am learning about “Divine Mercy.” It’s a 10 part series of the Divine Mercy miracle. I strongly suggest that it is a series everyone should watch or read about.
Faustina Kowalska was a Polish nun who joined the convent of Our Lady of Mercy in Warsaw in 1925 painted which currently hangs in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Vilnius, Lithuania. Subsequently, Pope John Paul II established the Feast of Divine Mercy on that Sunday of each liturgical year. We are living in the time of God’s Mercy!
These two paintings in Emery’s collection remind me of hope! Even though this pandemic has been very painful, I feel our world will come through this and “a wonderful awakening will take place.” I feel I’m not the only one searching for God and a better world for our generation and for future generations. We are to be the guardians of our world; I think we could all be doing a much better job. Maybe our focus has been too worldly with temptations and evils occurring all around us all the time, “the devil at hard work.” We should instead focuses on the spiritual battle, “God’s work.” In John10:10 God says, “I came so that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” I’m awake! How about You?
If you love Emery art as much as I do you can call her at 985/807-7828 or click on this link to read about her. Emery Clark | 64 Parishes.
Katy is Eighty 