Psalms Art Project - Southview Church

ORDINARY TIME

Psalms Art Project

This project grows out of the quiet rhythm of Ordinary Time – a season in the church calendar that invites us to notice God’s presence in the everyday. Each week through this season, our church reflects on a different Psalm, letting these ancient words shape our lives between the high points of the liturgical year.

The Psalms give voice to the full range of human experience – joy and sorrow, gratitude and lament – while calling us to lift our eyes in praise through every season. They shape our prayers, ground our hope, and teach us to worship not only in the extraordinary but in the ordinary moments of life.

In response, artists from our community have created works that reflect the depth and beauty of these Psalms—each one a visual expression of praise. May these offerings bless you with renewed presence, praise, and hope.

ARTIST: Don Kowalenko
TITLE: The River of God
MEDIUM: Watercolour
REFLECTION: Psalm 65

You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. Psalm 65:9

God’s ongoing provision (both physical and spiritual) is described in Psalm 65 not as a sea or a lake, but as a river. The distinction is one of flow. As we gaze out upon a lake or a sea, we are more or less looking at the same body of water upon which we may have looked yesterday. But when we sit by a river (even when it is “full of water”), we don’t actually see any of the same water that we saw from that vantage point on any previous day. Every single day, we see water that is new and fresh to us in that moment. There is, then, a dynamic to God’s grace (even in Ordinary Time) with which we can never become overly familiar or bored, nor dare take for granted.

ARTIST: Lindsay Nichols
TITLE: Burst Forth
MEDIUM: Photography
REFLECTION: Psalm 98

Blossoms,
stirred by the light,
lift their faces to the sun and break open in radiant song.
Their blooming is the earth’s wild refrain –
unfurling, unbounded, steeped in color and praise.
As petals answer the pull of the sun,
so too are we invited to rise, open, and rejoice.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

Psalm 98:4

ARTIST: Jill Weston
TITLE: Alberta
MEDIUM: Watercolour
REFLECTION: Psalm 98

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.

Psalm 24:1

ARTIST: Heather Nelson
TITLE: Last Snow Near the Bend in the River
MEDIUM: Acrylic
REFLECTION: Psalm 93

I was on an art retreat with dear friends in the heart of the foothills at Kingsfold Retreat Centre when I painted this little landscape. We were all doing our best to capture the creation before us. The wind was too strong and the light too harsh which made for challenging painting conditions but when I reflect back on that day, I think about the Lord’s majesty as expressed in Psalm 93. God’s creative nature was displayed in all of its splendour before us. The relationships we were celebrating echo God’s own loving nature and that his “throne was established long ago…the Lord on high is mighty”.

ARTIST: Sheila Rowe
TITLE: Spring Planting, Summer Sun, Harvest Gold, Harvest Moon
MEDIUM: Acrylic on wood
REFLECTION: Psalm 67

May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.

Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.

God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him. Psalm 67:5-6

As I live in the country, I am more impressed by the seasons and the crops than ever before! Our blessings, if we always enjoy them, come to seem commonplace…expected…assumed. We no longer regard them as blessings. We no longer see them related to God or our relationship with Him. Even if we experience drought, flooding, hail, the Western world seems a stranger to real famine and real need. If our crops fail, crops somewhere else will provide; the supermarket shelves will still be filled!

Psalm 67 calls us back to a right view of God’s sovereignty, His rightful expectation of praise, His desire to bless us with provision. It is a reminder. It is also a warning.

ARTIST: Lindsay Nichols
TITLE: Generation’s Praise
MEDIUM: Photography
REFLECTION: Psalm 145

This is the beauty of generations bearing witness.
The layered trees become a living metaphor –
rooted deeply in faith, branches reaching upward, as if in praise that transcends words.
Each layer is a breath between generations –
praising, listening, receiving, giving.

Inspired by Psalm 145:4-7, these trees reflect the sacred passing down of wonder:

“One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”

Their roots hold memory, their trunks bear the quiet strength of testimony,
and their branches stretch heavenward in awe.
The forest hums with the story of God’s greatness –
His abundant goodness, His righteousness, His wondrous works.
In this stillness, every tree becomes a psalm,
echoing through time the unending praise of
a faithful and majestic God.

ARTIST: Mark Michaud
TITLE: Even the Birds
MEDIUM: Photography
REFLECTION: Psalm 148

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted;

his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. Psalm 148:13

ARTIST: Liliane Yimta
TITLE: Our God – Rich in Love, Gracious & Compassionate
MEDIUM: Mixed Media
REFLECTION: Psalm 103

Who is the King of Glory?

the LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle (Ps. 24:8)
Your throne was established long ago; You are from all eternity (Ps. 93:2)
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does (Ps. 145:13)
the LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love (Ps. 145:8)
the LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love (Ps. 103:8)
…as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us

(Ps. 103:12)

who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases (Ps. 103:3)
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion (Ps. 103:4)
shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music (Ps. 98:4)
make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing (Ps. 98:5)
sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him (Ps. 98:1)

Alpha and Omega – God’s eternal nature; supreme authority over all creation

the Rock; the Anchor – strength, stability, reliability, firm foundation through all circumstances, steadfastness, cornerstone; God’s unchanging nature, faithfulness

the Cross – our redemption through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice; our connection to God and our love for others

the Heart – God is love, God cares for us

the Right Hand – help, invitation, provision, stronghold, security, presence, blessings, mercies

three (3) – wholeness, the Holy Trinity shining

Us, the People – God’s people; worshipping, praising the Lord, our response to God’s love;

seven (7) – completion

ARTIST: Jenna Mitchell
TITLE: Let All Creation Rejoice
MEDIUM: Acrylic
REFLECTION: Psalm 96

This artwork draws inspiration from Psalm 96, where all creation—the heavens, the earth, the sea, fields, and forests—is called to rejoice and sing before the Lord.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Psalm 96:11-13

Through vibrant colors and dynamic movement, this piece reflects the joyful celebration of nature responding to God’s presence and coming righteous judgment. The leaping waves and blooming flowers symbolize the fullness of creation praising its Creator with uncontainable joy.

May this work invite viewers to join the song of creation—to lift their voices in worship and live with hopeful anticipation of the Lord’s reign, justice, and faithfulness.

ARTIST: Ruth Daly
TITLE: Moose & Timber Wolf
MEDIUM: Photography
REFLECTION: Psalm 66:1-7, 16-20

To come across these creatures in the wild fills me with wonder and awe. In part, it’s the beauty of the animals, the surprise in finding them; their beauty, their wildness. But always, my thoughts are turned to our Creator and His majesty and power.

Shout for joy to God all the earth. All the earth bows down to you; they sing the praises of Your name. Psalm 66:1, 4

ARTIST: Arlene Francis
TITLE: Great Are The Works Of The Lord
MEDIUM: Acrylic
REFLECTION: Psalm 111

Great are the works of the Lord, they are pondered on by all who delight in them. Psalm 111:2

ARTIST: Val LeBlanc
TITLE: Breath
MEDIUM: Photography
REFLECTION: Psalm 150

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Psalm 150:6

ARTIST: Ruth Daly
TITLE: Leaf
MEDIUM: Photography
REFLECTION: Psalm 63:1-8

My whole being
searches
for You
in a dry
and parched land.

Psalm 63:1

ARTIST: Jenna Mitchell
TITLE: He Splits the Mighty
MEDIUM: Acrylic
REFLECTION: Psalm 29

This painting is inspired by Psalm 29, where the voice of the Lord is described as powerful and majestic, capable of breaking even the mighty cedars of Lebanon.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon… The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. Psalm 29:5,7

The cedar represents human strength, stability, and pride. Yet before the voice of God, even the strongest is split in two. The lightning in this image symbolizes God’s Word—His power to humble, to awaken, and to reign over creation.

May this piece remind us of God’s authority over all things, and lead us to worship the

One who speaks with glory and gives His people strength and peace.

ARTIST: Heather Nelson
TITLE: While Healing
MEDIUM: Acrylic
REFLECTION: Psalm 34

Healing has been a raw and vulnerable process that is taking longer than I expect or would like. The flesh coloured form in the middle of my painting represents my healing from the inside out. I can see beauty in the process but it is not tidy or particularly neat. Seeking God, even when I can’t hear his voice in the moment requires faith. But when I take the time and really look, I see his hand slowly healing me and there is some loveliness there “I sought the Lord and he answered me.” vs 4. Indeed he has or more accurately, he is in the process of doing so.

ARTIST: Jenna Mitchell
TITLE: Bringing Light to All
MEDIUM: Acrylic
REFLECTION: Psalm 19

Inspired by the profound truth of Psalm 19, this painting captures the radiant journey of the sun as a symbol of God’s glory and presence in creation.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun… It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. Psalm 19:1-6

The solar flares in this sunset painting represent the sun’s joyful, powerful course across the sky—a silent yet eloquent witness to the Creator’s majesty. Though it speaks without words, its message resounds: light, warmth, and life reach every corner of the earth. This piece invites viewers to pause and reflect on the reality that God’s light is never confined—it is expansive, generous, and faithful. Like the sun, His presence moves continuously across our lives, illuminating every place and every heart.