Paul Klee (1879-1940) was a Swiss German painter and one of the most innovative of our considerations. Klee was born into a family of musicians and it was hoped that he would follow. He studied violin but turned to the visual arts as his life focus. Paul Klee was an innovator. He was part of the Bauhaus Movement. He worked with Franz Marc, August Macke, Wassily Kandinsky, and many others to push the limits of the visual. He was inventive in method and media and the combination of these in beautiful and quizzical works like Winter Landscape, which is part of the collection of the Pompidou in Paris. Here with layering, color, and tilt, he creates an unfamiliar, intuitive scene that can feel somehow known. It is like a puzzling poem, a bold prompt to linger in such a place.

Current conversations of being astounded by the athletes of the Winter Olympics may also bring artists to mind. These humans sharing human gifts mystify us with the incredible excellence they achieve, all while making it look so easy. They each help us rethink human capacity and the world itself. The push of each athlete and artist seems to reflect an inner possibility they heard, one we might listen for also. It seems to start with finding our gifts, unique and God given, and searching through prayer and deep listening for a place and time to share these. The mysterious ways of God may take it from there.

We give thanks for the artists and athletes among us who challenge and inspire us. May we move closer to God, to our true selves and to each other in awareness and celebration of them. Amen.

In gratitude, hope, and faith,