Being Drawn – the images and the spaces
During Lent, and just before lockdown, the artist JP Flintoff did drawings of members of the congregations. The drawings took place all over the church, wherever the sitter chose. The drawings symbolise us as a community of God’s people, connected to this holy place and bound together as the Body of Christ. JP has created a beautiful poster combining all of the portraits and expressing the diversity and uniqueness of each person. It is on display on the notice boards next to the Lady Chapel with some of the individual images. Through them we are seeing each other in a new way.
In the poster the artist has also left spaces. These spaces can be seen as symbolic. They can represent spaces for God. Spaces for silence. They can also represent people who aren’t or who can’t be with us. People who have died recently, or in years gone, and are still deeply missed. People who would love to be in church but can’t come because they are unwell or are self-isolating; or people who can’t cope with being with other people right now. The spaces also reflect those who suffer from loneliness or isolation and need to feel the love and closeness of God.
JP has produced a limited edition of the images and posters. If you would like to see the poster and all the images or would like to find out how to buy the poster or one of the images, go to https://flintoff.org/art/portraits-of-a-parish/ 15% of the profit will be donated to Caris Camden which supports the C4WS Winter Night Shelter
