Abbey of the Arts

Transformative Living through Contemplative & Expressive Arts

  • Welcome
    • Prayer Cycle
      • Introduction to the Earth Monastery Prayer Cycle
      • Day 1 Morning & Evening Prayer:
        Earth as the Original Cathedral
      • Day 2 Morning & Evening Prayer:
        Earth as the Original Scriptures
      • Day 3 Morning & Evening Prayer:
        Earth as the Original Saints
      • Day 4 Morning & Evening Prayer:
        Earth as the Original Spiritual Directors
      • Day 5 Morning & Evening Prayer:
        Earth as the Original Icon
      • Day 6 Morning & Evening Prayer:
        Earth as the Original Sacrament
      • Day 7 Morning & Evening Prayer:
        Earth as the Original Liturgy
      • Prayer Cycle Leader Resources
    • About the Abbey
    • About Christine Valters Paintner
    • About John Valters Paintner
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  • Books
    • Sacred Time:
      Embracing an Intentional Way of Life
    • The Wisdom of Wild Grace: Poems
    • Earth, Our Original Monastery:
      Cultivating Wonder and Gratitude through Intimacy with Nature
    • Dreaming of Stones: Poems
    • The Soul's Slow Ripening:
      12 Celtic Practices for Seeking the Sacred
    • The Wisdom of the Body:
      A Contemplative Journey to Wholeness for Women
    • Illuminating the Way:
      Embracing the Wisdom of Monks and Mystics
    • The Soul of a Pilgrim:
      Eight Practices for the Journey Within
    • Eyes of the Heart:
      Photography as a Christian Contemplative Practice
    • The Artist's Rule: Nurturing Your Creative Soul with Monastic Wisdom
    • Desert Mothers and Fathers: Early Christian Wisdom Sayings Annotated & Explained
    • Lectio Divina–The Sacred Art: Transforming Words and Images into Heart-Centered Prayer
    • Water, Wind, Earth & Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements
    • Awakening the Creative Spirit:
      Bringing the Arts to Spiritual Direction
    • Lectio Divina: Contemplative Awakening & Awareness
  • Poetry | Art | Music
    • Music + DVD
    • Poetry by Christine Valters Paintner
    • Poetry Videos
    • Dancing Monk Icons
    • Other Art Collaborations
      • Monk in the World art series by Kristin Noelle
      • Saints & Animals art series by David Hollington
      • Sacred Time art series by Alexi Francis
      • Mary block print art series by Kreg Yingst
  • Programs
    • Walk the Ancient Paths: Pilgrimage
      • Monk in the World (Ireland)
      • Writing on the Wild Edges (Ireland)
      • Poetry and the Sacred Garden of the World (Ireland)
      • Vienna Monk in the World (Austria)
      • Hildegard of Bingen (Germany)
    • Live Programs and Spiritual Retreats
      • Awakening the Creative Spirit: Experiential Education for Spiritual Directors in the Expressive Arts (Northwest)
    • Community Online Retreats
      • Dancing with Fear in Troubled Times
      • The Two HT’s-Harriet Tubman and Howard Thurman-on Being Free
      • Writing Into Bloom
        with Christine Valters Paintner
      • Novena for Times of Unraveling
      • Poetry and the Sacred Garden of the World:
        An Online Writing Retreat
      • Lift Every Voice: Contemplative Writers of Color
      • The Way of the Hermit:
        A Spiritual Survival Guide for Dark Times
        with Kayleen Asbo, PhD
      • The Spiral Way:
        Celtic Spirituality and the Creative Imagination
      • Journey with the Desert Mothers and Fathers (Lent 2021)
      • Sacred Time: Embracing an Intentional Way of Life (Spring 2021)
    • Self-Study Online Spiritual Retreats
      • Creative Flourishing in the Heart of the Desert:
        An Online Retreat with St. Hildegard of Bingen
      • Dreaming of the Sea:
        A women’s discernment journey through the story of the Selkie
      • Earth, Our Original Monastery
        A Companion Retreat to the Book (SELF-STUDY)
      • Exile and Coming Home:
        An Archetypal Journey through the Scriptures
      • Eyes of the Heart:
        Photography as Contemplative Practice
        (Companion retreat to the book)
      • Honoring Saints and Ancestors:
        Online Retreat for the Season of Remembrance
      • Lectio Divina:
        The Sacred Art of Reading the World
      • A Midwinter God:
        Making a Conscious Underworld Journey
      • Sacred Rhythms of Sky, Sun, Sea & Stone:
        A Creative Retreat with the Elements (SELF-STUDY)
      • Sacred Seasons:
        A Yearlong Journey through the Celtic Wheel of the Year
      • The Soul of a Pilgrim:
        Eight Practices for the Journey Within
        (a companion retreat to the book)
      • The Soul's Slow Ripening: 12 Celtic Practices for Seekers of the Sacred (a companion retreat to the book)
      • Water, Wind, Earth & Fire
      • Watershed Moments
        in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures
      • Way of the Monk, Path of the Artist:
        A 12-Week Companion Retreat to The Artist's Rule
      • The Wisdom of the Body:
        A 10-Week Online Companion Retreat to the Book
      • The Wisdom of Mary and the Sacred Feminine
  • Calendar
  • Reflections
  • Contact

Sacred Artist Interview

Sacred Artist Interview: Josie Rodriguez

 

I was connected to Josie Rodriguez's wonderful work through Laurie Mika (see Laurie's interview here). I adore encaustic and I always feel a kinship with people doing the extraordinarily meaningful work of chaplaincy, especially hospice work.  Ever since I walked with my own mother through the last few days of her life I have been drawn to the journey of dying and grieving. Josie is a hospice chaplain in San Diego and was so generous to send me her insights into my questions exploring the connection between spirituality and creativity. So read on!
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Are you rooted in a particular faith tradition?

My faith tradition is Catholic having been baptized as an infant. My parents, especially my Dad were devout Catholics and found great strength in their faith. All 6 of us children attended Catholic grammar and high schools. I attended both secular and Catholic universities and received my master’s degree in Practical Theology. As I think about being “rooted in a particular religion” I strongly believe that there is a difference between religion and spirituality, and can say that as I have gotten older I’m not so rooted in my religion as I am in spirituality. I have been struck however by the beauty and constancy of the Mass said in different languages throughout the world as we have traveled in different countries. Being Catholic has given me the foundation and groundedness that has helped me through some personally difficult times such as four pregnancy losses, death of my youngest brother and my father. I see spirituality as how I find meaning in my world—how I see God working in the lives of others, my sons, family members and friends, the global community.

What is your primary art medium? 

My primary art medium is encaustic assemblage and painting. Encaustic is a 2000 year old process which means “to burn or heat.” Hot wax is painted on a hard surface such as canvas board, wood or paper and heated with a heat gun. Pigments of different colors and collage are added and heated again. Layers are added. The finished art is luminous and transparent. I was struck by the absolute beauty of this type of art at an exhibition and wanted to learn how to paint in this way. I took a weeklong course in San Francisco about 5 years ago and have been working in this medium since then. The mixed media collage work that I worked in for many years was a perfect combination with the encaustic process.

How do you experience the connection between spirituality and creativity?

Creativity is an important part of my spirituality. When I work alone and without interruption in my studio, sometimes silently and at other times with music and focused on my artwork I feel such joy that it has to be of God or the spirit. The present moment is all there is at that time. Art is universal in its ability to heal the spirit. I have seen this in my own life and those of the students I teach.

What sparked your spiritual and artistic journeys?

My father and youngest brother died within 18 months of each other. As you can imagine this was a very difficult time. The sense of loss and sorrow continued as I took time from my position as Clinical Chaplain at San Diego Hospice. Throughout my almost 20 years of working as a chaplain I wrote poetry about the many patients that I had met along the way. Writing helped me make sense of the many types of experiences I had in both acute care hospitals and hospice care. My book of poetry, Waiting Rooms of the Heart was published and in many ways gave me the inspiration to work as a visual artist. As a self-taught artist I continue to learn through my students and other artists.

Do you have a particular process you use when entering into your creative work?

Process for starting my artwork? Always different. But my favorite is to know ahead of time that I have an extended length of time alone (all day, three days, 10 days!!) It is then that I work with focus and clarity sprinkled with experimentation. That is heaven for me. Most of the time however I fit in my art work to other situations going on in my life and our family. My studio is in the middle of the house so it is a way for my family to walk from the front of the house to the back. My studio houses my washer and dryer so there is typical multi tasking going on!
Sometimes I am stuck and can’t get started on anything having to do with my art. It is then time for me to clean my studio. As a working artist and teacher I have paper, brushes, canvases, finished artwork strewn everywhere but I can’t take too much clutter. Cleaning my studio helps me focus and find new “stuff.” I often work on several projects at one time. Most of my work is one of a kind and I enjoy the challenge and discipline of working on an art commission.
_____________________________________________________________

I offer great gratitude to Josie Rodriguez for sharing her wisdom and work here so freely.  Make sure to visit her website to see more of her wonderful art and to order her book of poetry. As always I felt much resonance with her words.  The phrase "Art is universal in its ability to heal the spirit" is shimmering for me this day and I smiled deeply in recognition at Josie's love of uninterrupted stretches of time and the need for organizing space as a part of the ritual to enter into art-making.

What insights resonated with you?

Titles of Art from Top to Bottom: Spheres of Influence., Go With the Flow., Peace., Writer's Block., Woman of San Miguel de Allende.

________________________________________________________________

-Christine Valters Paintner at Abbey of the Arts:
Transformative Living through Contemplative & Expressive Arts

** NEW YEAR SALE at the ABBEY SHOP Until January 15th **

** Visit this week's Poetry Party! **

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4 Comments January 7, 2009

Upcoming Programs

The Way of the Hermit:
A Spiritual Survival Guide for Dark Times

January 22-24, 2021
with Kayleen Asbo, PhD

The Spiral Way:
Celtic Spirituality and the Creative Imagination

Hosted by the Rowe Center
February 1-21, 2021
with Christine Valters Paintner, PhD

Recent Reflections

  • Hildy Tales 3: Ní heolas go haontíos ~ by John Valters Paintner
  • Humility + Join us today for live prayer! ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
  • Hildy Tales 2: Tús maith leath na hoibre – by John Valters Paintner
  • New Book Club for 2021: Lift Every Voice ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess
  • Hildy Tales One: Dia dhuit, is mise Hildy! by John Valters Paintner, Your Online Prior

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