Arts & Faith

Upcoming Installation: September 3 – October 10

“The Quilted Word” ~ A Selection of Art Quilts by Terry Peckarsky

Meet the Artist Reception: September 22, 4:00 -5:00 p.m.

“The Quilted Word”

Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of thy love. ~ Terry Peckarsky

The word “hand” appears in the Bible more than 1,400 times; the plural form of the word appears more than 460 times. In both its forms, the word assumes important symbolic meanings — ministering to others, performing miracles, extending blessings, mercy, love, and praise — and represents the individually unique and practical tool God has given us to take up our labors to do His work.

For Terry Peckarsky, whose art quilts grace our Parish Hall for six weeks, beginning in early September, her hands are fundamental not only to creating “pictures in beautiful fabrics” — a dream she carried “in [her] heart for decades”; they also make possible the visual expression of Terry’s love for “the Father Almighty, Maker of all things,” ultimately becoming her means to joining in “communion with God.”

Terry points out in her Artist Statement that because the Word of God is “living and active,” it prompts a response from each of us. Her personal responses to various biblical passages or themes have included intercession, repentance, joy, and worship. The images themselves may be or have been inspired by the work of great artists, nature, or church hymns.

Most recently, Terry exhibited her quilt “Breathe on Me / Ezekiel 37” at the “Sacred Threads” exhibition at Floris United Methodist Church in Herndon, Virginia.

Terry lives in Reston.

Terry Peckarsky on Tumbler

Viewing the Exhibition: We invite every visitor to the exhibition to consider what your responses to the quilts might be. Ask yourself, “What is God saying to me through the passage of Scripture represented in each quilt? How do I respond to it? What great themes embodied in God’s Word stir my heart to respond?” We encourage you to write your reflections in the blue binder on the pages provided for this purpose or to hold them in your mind for conversation with the artist during our Artist Reception on September 22.

Out of Eden