Genesis 1, seven days of creation

These are seven paintings 6' x 3', on calico, using household acrylics, illustrating the account of creation as given in the first chapter of Genesis in the Bible. They were done when we were looking at the story in the all-age services we have at our church (St. Nicholas, Corfe Mullen, in Dorset), mostly by me, with input from the vicar and several children and adults who come to those services. I didn't really know I could paint like that till I tried! Big and messy, like my stitching! The first one has pieces of paper stuck on, painted over words using oilbars, - "In the beginning . . . The earth was formless and void. . . . God said, 'Let there be light'"
For this one, dry land emerging and plant life developing, I looked up prehistoric plants and found photos of fossils of some very early plants and trees, and some reconstructions drawn from fossil evidence. Interesting!
The constellations Ursa Major, Orion and Cassiopeia have stars/planets made with large holographic discs stuck on. The sun and moon are photos with some additional paint effects.
For this one, birds and fish, I didn't really want to divide the canvas into two, with birds at the top and fish in water below, so hit on the idea of painting just water, with fish suspended over it, and a mobile for the birds to 'fly' around. This was partly with an eye to the practicalities of storage - they are all going to be rolled up when taken down.The creation of humans and animals has an abstract treatment. the hands represent response to the breath of God giving life, response upwards to God and outwards to each other.
And the last one, God resting, has a spiral which symbolises God moving out from a still centre to us, or us moving in towards God. Written on it using a felt tip pen are various words from the Bible about rest, stillness and peace.

They have been used a lot, as backdrops for various activities, and are proving to be very useful and quite inspiring for many people.

Phew! There's sometimes more to what we do than we realise when we are doing it.