Praying with Art (& How We Designed the 2024-2025 Liturgical Planner)
This year in the Blessed is She Catholic Liturgical Planner, we're asking the Lord to help us see His love, every single day, like it’s the very first time. We're staying awake to our beautiful daily life, to live every moment in wonder.
Inspired by Matthew 5:8 and our desire to see God, we chose Impressionism artwork to walk with you through the whole year of planning + praying. But why?
Praying On the Spot
Impressionism art developed in France in the nineteenth century. It is based on the practice of painting outdoors and spontaneously 'on the spot' rather than in a studio from sketches.
God is crafting a beautiful life right in front of us. Are we pausing to pray “on the spot” — truly noticing the present moment?
The Mess Can Become Beautiful
Impressionists used quick, thick, and sometimes messy brushstrokes. In this particular technique, it is the smallest strokes that come together to create a complex, detailed scene. The light was ever-changing and the scene was marvelous, so these painters were determined to soak it up and stay present to the beauty.
Everyday Goodness
Most impressionist subjects were landscapes and scenes of everyday life. These painters marveled in the vast seas, open skies, and rolling hills. This same nature often leads us to ponder the greatness of God as our creator. How beautiful that they also chose to capture daily life in the same way!
Looking closely at our own life with a similar awe and wonder can help us to truly love god as the creator of the little things, too.
Light Defeating Darkness
Did you know that impressionist artists never used black?
Claude Monet felt that black had a “dulling effect.” Instead of black, he used a color's complement to darken an area. For example, to darken something blue, he would add some orange or red.
Where the enemy attempts to strip our lives of their color, the Lord offers us vibrance + light to restore our life to its fullness.
Presentness over Perfection
The primary goal of Impressionism was to capture the momentary, sensory effect of a scene rather than its accuracy. Impressionist artists were not worried about their own sense of control or perfection. What mattered most was appreciating the scene in front of them.
Can we learn to set aside our need to “get everything right” and instead rest in the beauty of His love. Can we release our need to understand, analyze, and control, and instead let His presence be enough?
Impressionism Paintings & the Art of Seeing God
This next year, the theme for our BIS Planner is to truly see God in daily life. We’re looking closely, waking up, noticing god, and thanking him for every beautiful, intentional detail.
The 2024-2025 Catholic Liturgical Planner includes Scripture passages all about sight—physical sight (like blind healings in the Gospels) and spiritual sight (the Lord opening our eyes through His teachings). Down to every detail and prayer, the Lord will unfold this theme of living with eyes wide open all year long.
“My teacher, let me see again.” // Mark 10:51
THE BIS PLANNER
Be intentional in prayer and gratitude as you order your days in His peace. Let's wake up to our beautiful everyday life with the BIS Catholic Planner.
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Aubrey Major is an artist and designer living life joyfully in the Midwest. She has a new favorite color every week, loves laughing any chance she can get, and scrolls through Spotify playlists way more than any social media. She is passionate about loving the world through her creativity and designing unique things that help others see the goodness in their lives. Join her in making art and collecting inspiration here.
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