On March 10, 2017 Art in the Image created a mural with the young people of City of Refuge!
I first became acquainted with City of Refuge as an intern in 2014, during my first year of seminary. It was an extremely generative experience where I was able to do work with women and children coming through transitions. I experienced homelessness during my journey to Christ.
During my time as an intern at City of Refuge, I was led to make art during our group time. I noticed that some women who did not regularly share during groups shared when we were making art, and this has led me to further exploration of pastoral care through the visual narrative model.
The first time I made art at City of Refuge I worked with the Art for Social Engagement program through the Ethics Department at Emory. Read more about it and the grant that Emory gave me to make the art here. I realized the importance of the work of leading people in creative process in order to get in touch with our God-given imaginative spirit. I felt called to create with many people.
It’s been two years and I have created community art with many nonprofits; I have given many seminars and made art with young and old, and I got to go back where it all began – for this – gratitude abounds.
At this session we made art together with the young people in the after school program and had a great time. We placed pieces of ourselves into the art work and it reflects God back to us. We worshiped God by acting out of our creative spirit placed within everyone.