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Crafts Nurture Creativity, Spirituality and Ministry |
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BVMs and Associates are richly gifted women and men. Several express and share these gifts through crafting, then sharing with others. For some, this is solitary activity of which prayerful reflection is a part. For others, engaging in crafts is a time of coming together with friends who share interests. Some practice crafts handed down through generations in families, and remember relationships with those who have gone before and shared their giftedness. Others migrate from craft to craft, curious and open to each new medium encountered. For a number, the migration across crafts has been a gradual evolution from those learned in childhood to ones which demand far more skill and concentration. Energizing Spiritual Life “Quilting… gives me time to think, it energizes my spiritual life,” stated BVM Paulina Sullivan. Spirituality and creativity enhance each other, as described in a variety of ways. Cleonica Meier, BVM develops her talents in several crafts, seeing them as gifts received from God, through the help of others. “All I do is gleaned from those before me, who showed me the way—a way marked out by God.”
Some experience a passion for entering into the creative life modeled by our God. BVM Barbara Brooks says of her needlework, “I cannot NOT do it, it is integral to my life.” “My life must be creative, and I create or do crafts because I have to. I have no choice. If I don’t ‘create’ or do or make something, my life is incomplete, something is missing,” according to Audrey Juergens, BVM (Raymond Ann) who constructs exquisite, useful pieces from wood.
Janine Wolff, BVM can’t help but “thank God for the natural beauty of trees and flowers, of sky and water, of mountains and rocks, and seasons—and for being there at the right place, at the right time,” as the natural world permeates her photography and greeting cards. Color has a power, enhancing everything we see, according to Ellen Murphy, note card designer. One can be entranced by the visual world, finding it lovely to “get lost in color.”
A more quiet spirituality is expressed by those who connect relaxation with reflection and creativity as they practice their crafts. It’s a way to relax, unwind after the day, calming and contemplative. According to Barbara Brooks, doing crafts “refreshes me when I am tired and settles me down when I am uptight. It teaches me patience and brings me peace.” Many crafters find the connection with others is heightened as they create gifts for loved ones. Charmaine LeMaire, BVM prays for the recipient of her gift as she works. The craft used varies, as each gift is fashioned for the recipient. The benefit she reaps is joy in seeing the happiness when the gift is received. “It’s fun to give what you’ve made to someone who appreciates your work.” Others described making gifts as a prayerful experience: the well-being and happiness of those loved are much in mind as the creator works. Crafting as Ministry BVM Carmelina Meyers’ opportunity to benefit others in her retirement came in her response to a plea for “Gently Touched” items for a ministry’s fund raiser. She created and donated cross stitch pieces, pillows, and grapevine wreaths. Several Sisters and Associates are engaged in making “Prayer Shawls,” which are given to the ill and the dying. Small groups come together and pray for persons for whom they knit or crochet shawls. Once made, the shawls are blessed and delivered (with a simple prayer card) by members of the group. Examples of the impact of these special gifts include: a woman slept for the first time, after a serious accident, when she wore the shawl. Another family buried their mother with the prayer shawl she had received from her parish. Lives are touched deeply by prayerfully prepared gifts. Opportunities abound for simple ministerial outlets for our giftedness. Associate Nancy Van Anne crochets hats for new-born infants in the hospital, especially “preemies,” to keep their heads warm. Some crochet small crosses which are given to Latina new mothers in Los Angeles. Crafts are sometimes sold, and profits are given to a ministry, the Hunger Fund or the BVM Retirement Fund. And hand-made cards have been given to those who write letters for Sisters unable to write for themselves. Giftedness, spirituality, gifting and ministry converge as Sisters and Associates engage in and practice their crafts. Many varieties of crafts fill BVMs’ and BVM Associates’ hands and engage hearts, minds and spirits. Yarns and Threads Many Sisters and Associates learned to knit and crochet at an early age from mothers and grandmothers. After an interval of years—even decades—they find great satisfaction in renewing these skills. They find that the memories of learning are as important as the skills. Those who have learned these crafts in later years likewise value the learning experience, and are grateful to those who taught and encouraged them. For many others, varieties of needlework offer opportunities for creativity. Again, mothers and grandmothers provided an early beginning for embroidery, stamped or counted cross stitch, and needlepoint. For BVM Eileen Healy (Patrick Ellen), it was the assistance and encouragement of the late Pat Lucy, BVM (Denisita) that helped her advance her counted cross stitch skills. Enjoying the feel of fabric or canvas, yarns and threads, and especially relishing details of a design and its array of colors are soul-satisfying. Work with latch hook, macramé and weaving also provides this kind of tactile and visual experience. Louise Levandowski, BVM (Laurina) has enjoyed making needlework gifts for special events such as the Mary Frances Clarke birthday celebration. Some Sisters and Associates work from kits and published patterns while others create their own needlework designs. Some approach published materials creatively, adapting a design and changing colors. The intense concentration needed for working with the intricacies of charts and patterns, whether purchased or original, require determination, patience and persistence. Fabrics The fabric arts of sewing and quilting also occupy the hands—and sewing machines—of Sisters and Associates. Garment sewing, for themselves and others, including doll clothes, has been their practical crafting choice. Dolls, puppets, toys and accessories likewise have been created, often from left over pieces. Cleonica Meier has created liturgical vestments, sewing the vestments and complementing them with decorative work. Quilts of all sizes—both planned designs and “scrap basket quilts,” have emerged from the long labors involved in piecing and then quilting or tying. BVM Dorothy Townsell (Mildred Ann) delights in seeing others use her quilts. She says, “Quilt making preserves scraps, bits and pieces that recall happenings in one’s journey in the form of an item that enhances daily living and often conveys history to the next generation.” Paper Crafts BVMs and Associates use paper as a medium in a variety of ways. Many create personalized and unique greeting cards for family, friends and parishioners whom they visit. Some make greeting cards and note cards in multiples for seasonal greetings, for groups and for bazaars and benefit sales. Georgia Ann Lange, BVM (Georgelle) creates computer generated cards, using computer art, or adding other artwork or photos. Janine Wolff makes “photo cards,” creating a card and message and then adding a photo, most often from her nature photography. BVM Vicki Smurlo makes envelope decoration her specialty. The card makers note that with the wide and continuing interest in scrapbooking, new techniques and materials are constantly available for creating attractive greeting and note cards. Experimenting with these opens new doors to creativity. New papers, rubber stamps, watercolors, quilling, stitching on paper, paper weaving and embossing all are part of evolving paper crafts. One sister created her own approach to note cards with paper punch “dots.” BVM Ellen Murphy (Teressetta) says, “Colored circles, arranged artistically (or not so artistically) on folded stock quickly became flowers with the stroke of my pen and a smudge of green.” Further Adventures Other Sisters and Associates participate in a wider variety of crafts: basket weaving, ceramics, photography, watercolor painting, banners of all sizes, wreaths, painted and decorated bird houses and Christmas ornaments. Associate Peggy Peck created three baskets for the Mary Frances Clarke birthday celebration. Charmaine LeMaire’s gift was a ceramic nativity set.
BVM Mary Lou Larkin notes, “My photos help me remember treasured moments…significant in my BVM life” and ministry. “The photos capture a taste of the beautiful people in my life.” BVMs Joan Redden (James Irene) and Vivian Wilson (Lauren) enjoy watercolor painting as personal expression.
Some crafters work on a single project; others have several in process at the same time. Some remain with a favorite craft, others work in several, or over the years, have enjoyed changing from craft to craft. Bernadette Schvach, BVM (David Ann) admits to enjoying “whatever the craft world was featuring at the time.” In exploring new crafts, some take a class. Others who have advanced are sharing their crafting skills by teaching their specialty in classes of young, adult and senior students.
Whether working in a single craft or several, crafters try new patterns, materials and stitches; new fabrics, yarns, threads and stitches; new paints and papers; and, new or different approaches to each craft. The continual learning renews each one’s creativity, interest and energy. Most agree it is the crafting process as much or more than the product that brings great satisfaction. God’s gifts are recognized in all dimensions of the process from start to finish—creating, working, reflecting, praying alone or with a group, finishing, sharing and giving to others. BVM crafters offer gifts of hands and heart, nourishing their own spirits and those of others by their craft and care. About the authors:
Marge Clark, BVM is a lobbyist with NETWORK: A National Catholic
Social Justice Lobby. Her photography is integrated into her work at times.
Most often Marge enjoys nature, capturing images and sometimes enhancing
hand made-cards. Return
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“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy….” Or, so the song goes. If not easy,
perhaps affording a pace allowing for more recognition of God’s gifts,
engaging in those given to us and gifting others.
