Sewing and Gleaning: Artistic Contemplative Practice as Invitation
Spiritus: A Journal of Christian Spirituality March 1, 2025 Miriam Jessie Fisher
An essay explores how the biblical practice of leaving harvest edges for the needy can frame contemplative artmaking and community engagement. Artmakers act as contemplative 'sowers' who create gleaning spaces—publicly offered artworks that invite strangers into moments of contemplation. A project called Pocket Wisdom exemplifies this concept. Stitching is highlighted as a pathway for contemplative practice, and artmaking offers communities and individuals opportunities for contemplation. The artmaker 'sews and sows,' while the beholder 'gleans.'