Article October 19, 2009 Issue

CARVING OUT THE 'GRAND AND NOBLE' LIFE

An artist shares how focusing on a spiritual model kept her open to God's direction.

BY DANIS COLLETT MUTCHLER

I'd wanted to be an artist ever since kindergarten. As a college grad, I'd been making whimsical sculptures in my little apartment/studio, but there was no sign of that work paying the rent anytime soon. So I went to the local employment agency where the disheartening interview began with, "Fine Arts degree, huh? So, um . . . can you do anything?"

As I thought about my plight back in my apartment, this question occurred to me:" "Would God inspire me to love making art, or anything, my whole life, and then say, 'Oops, sorry. That's useless!'?" I didn't think so. It was logical to me that it would be completely unprincipled to be given a talent and a love for something, and then have it be without purpose or value.

Having grown up as a Christian Scientist, I'd always been taught that God is Principle, the very foundation of reliable good. So it was unimaginable that this good Principle, which made me, would commit such a fraud on me. Certainly God, the Creator of creativity, was more trustworthy than that! In the coming months, I prayed a lot for God's guidance, to see how my career path was going to work out.

About the author

Danis Collett Mutchler is a graphic designer who works in Boston, and lives, paints silk, hikes, and teaches Sunday School in Peterborough, New Hampshire.

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