We invite you to nurture and explore your inner artist and your inner monk, as artist, spiritual director, and retreat leader Peggy Thompson leads us through the experience of drawing as a form of contemplative prayer. You don’t need skill or drawing experience to participate.

In this day retreat, participants will bring an object “whose whole is more than the sum of its parts.”

In the first half of the retreat, we will draw a simple still life in order to become familiar with three classical drawing skills. (Structural, Gesture, and Contour drawing.) As we draw, we will also experience three forms of contemplative prayer that utilize the same contemplative skills. (Examen of Conscience, Letting go/Centering Prayer, and Mindfulness.)

In the second half of the retreat, each participant will draw his or her object using contour drawing. We will reflect on and discuss our experiences together.

Cost: $80 (Includes art supplies and lunch.)

10/7/23: This retreat is currently at capacity. If you would like to be placed on a waiting list, please contact Jessica Sanborn at jessica.sanborn@sacredgroundspirit.org.

Peggy Thompson is an artist (50 years), a spiritual director (26 years), retired chaplain (35 years )and United Church of Christ minister. She received her BFA and MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, her M-Div from United Theological Seminary and spiritual direction certification from the Cenacle Retreat Center, (now Sacred Ground). Peggy is also certified to teach Centering prayer through Contemplative Outreach.  

Peggy loves to examine the relationship between creativity and spirituality by combining art-making, with contemplative consciousness. She has a studio in the Northrup King Building in the Northeast Arts District.