Like A Root Out Of Dry Ground

Title: Like a root out of dry ground
Materials: Mixed Media
Description: We are shrouded in personal beliefs. Like roots out of dry ground, beliefs take hold of us when we arrive and as we grow, we allow them to cover us like leaves concealing our true barrenness. Is there any part of your life that is still concealed or shrouded in a belief that prevents you from drawing nearer to God?

Artist Feature | Wan Xiang

I came to accept Christ when I was 16. Prior to that, I’d said the sinner’s prayer many times but I’d never publicly acknowledged my beliefs to anyone then. Subsequently, I started attending a church, but after being there for about three years, I fell away because I couldn’t reconcile my identity with God and felt that I was unwanted by Him because of my struggle with my sexuality. Over the years, I struggled with living without God. It was a painful few years before God called me back. After several occasions of people reaching out to me, loving me and accepting me for who I am, which included being evangelized to on the train by someone, I have started to attend church again. I got baptized in June last year.

Since young, I’ve enjoyed drawing and making art. Over years of practice, it has become a very natural thing to me. I find myself drawn towards nature, architecture, the way people look, shapes, colors and forms. Drawing has always been a way for me to express things I can’t really verbalize and I find great pleasure in drawing.

I used to struggle with reconciling art (which feels closely tied to my self/ego/pride) and God. I used to feel that art was quite useless (since not many people get it) or superficial, and it felt like a really selfish and indulgent endeavor that separated me from people and God. But after getting to know other christian artists and seeing how they deal with their faith and art, I feel a sense of solidarity with them and I also feel more confident in continuing with this practice of making art.