“Praying for a Harvest Moon”, 2010 (pictured here) was my first attempt at making a visual prayer. It invoked my fervent desire to attain my creative goals as I approached the mid-point of my life.
The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. It was the experience of mystery — even if mixed with fear — that engendered religion…. (Albert Einstein)
Ever wonder about the power of art? Does it have any mysterious or miraculous properties? Is it more than a configuration of physical materials assembled to reflect beauty or expression? A friend Jeanne-Sylvie told me that art is like a prayer so recently I’ve begun to think more about this…
When I was young, I saw a movie about a young woman who was very ill. Bedridden, everyday she’d gaze out her room window at a beautiful vine that grew on a wall opposite her apartment. One day she told a friend that she sensed the day the last leaf fell from the vine she would die. One cold, windy autumn night, as she lay suffering from pneumonia, only one frail leaf remained on the vine. Not far away lived an old washed out artist; for years he’d been procrastinating that one day he’d paint a great masterpiece… but after all this time he’d produced nothing. Although he was known as a belligerent soul, his heart softened for the girl. Expecting the worst that night, a good friend of hers closed the bedroom curtains in the hopes that the young woman would not notice the leaf fall. In the morning however, much to their surprise, the leaf still remained. And, it remained day after day. Around this time, the dead body of the painter was found near the woman’s apartment… beside him, a ladder, his paints and brushes… when the leaf had fallen, he had painted another in its place and he died shortly after doing so. The painting of that last precious leaf was his masterpiece; it rivalled even the handiwork of the Great Creator. The girl viewed the remaining leaf as a sign of hope from above and soon she grew healthy again. For me this tale was an uplifting testament to the power of art and faith. The painter’s work was like a prayer offered up to save the young woman’s life.
With this spirit in mind, decades later I decided to make a special collage for a dear artist friend who was fighting cancer. As she was in the late stage of the disease, only one experimental treatment was extended to her… although the odds of it working for her were very low, it would give her several or more months to live. I was beside myself with worry; there wasn’t much I could do except send positive energy her way everyday and that I did as never before. Even still, I felt powerless. Then I remembered this movie and thought maybe I could do something similar. In reading stories and research regarding combating cancer, I learned that in some cases a strong positive attitude often aids the healing process so I felt perhaps I might empower my friend psychologically. If it didn’t work at least it would be my gift of strength, love and solidarity to her. We can believe we go into death alone or we can go empowered by the love of those around us and even by those who have passed beyond the Great Beyond.
I made my friend a small fold out book. Inside, my prayer was a visual narrative of a young girl running fearlessly with wolves; I wrapped it closed with a fine wire and attached two small amulets of a sacred heart and bird… collaged inside were the words: “believe you are invincible”. Although I felt it was a bold statement to make, I believed she needed a strong mantra. Almost three years later, she’s alive and doing her best to keep the cancer at bay. In this time span she’s accomplished much with several solo and group exhibitions in North and Central America as well as Europe; she’s participated in the making of a video about her life as well as published two books about her art. We’ve brunched a few times over the years (when she was up for visitors) and even caught a solo exhibition of hers together in Montreal. I think now she’s even more excited to see her shows come together; every good day has taken on an extraordinary beauty for her. Often I ask myself… was it the medicine, her indomitable spirit, the love of a devoted husband, the well wishes of friends or my collage that had such a profound impact on her health? I like to think it was a combination of all these things.
In my experience not only has art been a miraculous cure for the human spirit, it has also allowed me glimpses into my future and sometimes those of ones I love. One day when I find the courage, I’ll share these stories with you. Meanwhile, feel free to share your reflections of art and prayer with me… if you know of any websites or artists that deal with this theme, I’d love to hear from you.
Other Related Links:
Lynne Cohen: Space Invader (Canadian Art Magazine)
Praying for a Harvest Moon (CYW Portfolio Page)
The Last Leaf
The World As I See It: An Essay by Einstein
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