“Since all life is holy, we don’t want to let it pass by unnoticed. We give our attention as fully as we can to what we are doing at the moment and to what is going on around us. Being present here and now helps us to be mindful of the continuing presence of God. “(from OHC’s Associates Rule)

While most of us would like to be mindful of God’s presence, it is often difficult to notice that which is quiet and subtle. God more often whispers than shouts and leaves fingerprints for us to seek rather than neon lights flashing in our faces. Sketching can be a pathway to being present here and now, seeing those fingerprints in the world around us, and becoming aware of God’s presence. And in the process we are drawn into prayer, either with words or in silent communion with the Master Artist.

In these retreats we open our sketchbooks or journals, eyes, and hearts to God’s presence in his creation. We look with eyes of faith into the world to see God’s touch all around us, as we enter into prayer through the pages of our sketchbooks or through "sketching with words" as we write poetry or prose.

Melissa Fischer combines art and writing in her sketchbooks, with a particular interest in sketching from life in order to see and share the wonder and beauty present in the world right around us. Melissa teaches and occasionally exhibits her art locally and during artist residencies, but her real passion is helping people step out of the rat race and into quiet awareness of God’s presence through recording the ordinary moments of life in a sketchbook journal. Visit melissafischer.com or theartofprayer.space to see Melissa’s artwork and blog or contact Melissa at melissa@theartofprayer.space