Jan Neal

The Holy Spirit is the pure energy of God, the one and only presence of God in the world today. Seldom do I hear the Giver of Life given credit for our inspirations, creativity and energies, but he is nonetheless there at those times of grace. We can only image him by symbolic means. This image is a vision of resting beneath the powerful, protective presence of the Spirit while being filled with his energy, passion and enthusiasm.

This image is cropped from a full image of the dove because a partial image captures more accurately the mystery. The Spirit is like a presence glimpsed out of the corner of the eye or barely visible through the fog, remembered from a dream, felt like a bolt of lightening with no visible evidence. He holds us suspended in his power and joy.

I have become more interested in digital art over the last few years due to the unique challenges it presents, but I have enjoyed working in a wide variety of mediums all of my life. I particularly enjoy calligraphy and find it a beautiful method of imaging liturgy. During the last year I have started a project to "Image the Introits". Some I have used for special event bulletins, which I prepare for my church, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Opelika, Alabama. I am also the unofficial photographer and historian for my church and design and keep the church website, www.emmanuelopelika.org. This exhibit has been very inspiring for me, as I have spent years trying to image the Holy Spirit who I believe to be the source of all artistic inspiration and a sorely neglected member of the Trinity. This assignment has been a blessing and helped me grow more than I can say, resulting in a desire to design a banner for next year's Pentecost Vigil. I make my living as an attorney and my fun as an amateur artist.

Jan Neal
email: jboydneal@mindspring.com