Drawing as Worship, 2022

Riley Wiebe

Drawing has many definitions, and I personally do not believe that a single definition should be given to drawing. Its definition is created more by the artist who uses it. However, a definition that is one of the most important to me is “Drawing as Worship.” I am not intending with this definition to say that all must agree with my definition, but at least for myself, I strive for this to be the source and centre of my work. I create art to worship God by reflecting on things I see in his own creation by using the eyes, mind, and hands he gave me. Whether or not a work of art is about God, I believe it can be defined as worship. Drawing can be an act of worship because it is a reflection of the Creator’s nature and is an example of “Imago Dei” (being made in the image of God). Creating is simply an act wherein a person does what they are created to do. Personally, I am a Christian and I draw as an act of obedience. I believe God gave me the ability to draw and he wants me to use this gift to bless others by using it.

Drawing as Worship can connect to the three definitions of drawing in this class. Drawing as a Verb can be used as worshiping in its contemplative, indexical, repetitive nature. Creating a piece in this style can place the artist in a mindful state wherein they can slow down and be sensitive to God’s presence. The artist can prayerfully use these meditative drawings. While Drawing as a Verb can be a reflective practice, Drawing as a Noun can serve a more communicative purpose when using it to worship. The often-recognizable nature of mimesis, which is commonly used in Drawing as a Noun, can be used as a powerful communication tool. This is because it can be easier for viewers to read the message that comes from these images and understand what the artist directly wants to say. An artist might want to use Drawing as a Noun for worship if they want to more explicitly express an emotion, display a spiritual symbol, challenge an injustice the artist believes goes against God’s will, or simply use drawing as a tool for story-telling. Viewers can totally be challenged and inspired through the other two drawing practices, but Drawing as a Noun can be easier to reach viewers (without relying on an artist’s statement), if this is an important goal of the artist. The artist might do this by illustrating an impactful part of their testimony, a story in the Bible, or they might use an image to challenge an unbiblical concept observed in the Church. And finally, Drawing as Thinking can also function as a form of worship. Like verb drawings, Drawing as Thinking is a contemplative process, but it is different because thoughts are expressed and pondered through the work itself. Thoughts are more obviously relayed in the image. While it is true that viewers can spiritually benefit from thinking drawings, I would argue that Drawing as Thinking can be first used for the artists themselves. This practice allows the artist to worship by contemplating and organizing reflections about their faith. It is a vulnerable and unselfconscious recording of a worship experience.

In my project, I am demonstrating Drawing as Worship in a style that most reflects the “thinking” definition. Through my project, I simply listened to worship music and asked God to guide my thoughts. I included the sheet music from a few of the songs I listened to. In this process, I wrote down my prayers and worries and concepts that I have been learning through scripture lately. This was such a healing process and I felt so close to God through it. I often do not connect to worship songs, but the songs gained new life for me as I heard them in this intentional, meditative space. I have deeply been learning about trusting God and finding my identity entirely in him. God has been teaching me what it looks like to follow, and how to worship through failure and loss. Ironically, this mindset and closeness with God transitioned directly into a highly relevant situation, and I wonder if God was using this to teach me to trust him no matter what. As I was about to leave for Langley, I double-checked for details on the class website, and was shocked to discover that the exam began at 3:00 PM, rather than at 6:00 PM when I expected. This could easily mean that I fail the course. But God truly taught me in this moment, and my hours of worshipful drawing had prepared me for this moment. I felt stressed, but there was also a sense of overwhelming peace. I knew that if I failed this course and did not get to take the exam and wasted a couple thousand dollars on a class, I would be okay. God would help me through this and this would not be the end of my life. I knew that although school is important and hard work is important, my identity does not come from academic success and I do not want to have this pride of excellence as an idol. While I was still able to submit this, I think God was really challenging me to see where I would place my identity in the moment. After doing what I could to help the situation and talking about what happened, I decided to be alone for a while and just quietly sing some worship songs. The words really came alive. It was almost silly. I was singing “It is Well with My Soul” about my potentially failed homework, but as I did this, I remembered that the composer sang this after losing many loved ones. “Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.”

And that was the fruit of my reflective Drawing as Worship process. You, as a view, may not gain from my experience spiritually, but this practice was meant to be a form of my own personal worship, simply displayed and shared. Viewers can respond as they desire. But yes, my definition of drawing is that drawing can be an act of worship. I hope that all of my art brings glory to God; even the art that does not mention him. It brings him glory because I am using the ability to create, which reflects his nature, and I am also creating something that I am passionate about. These feelings of passion, and a lot of the topics I am passionate about, originate in my relationship with God, and so drawing them can even unknowingly be an act of worship.