At this year’s I AM ART Camp in Guatemala, the Painting Workshop invited students into a powerful, faith-centered journey of identity, beauty, and restoration through art.
Led by Amelia Moore, Mario Delgado, Elliot Moore, and Mia Gonzales, the workshop blended creative exploration with spiritual reflection—guiding young artists from nature-inspired mandalas to broken-tile mosaics that mirrored their own stories of hope and healing.
Creation as Our Starting Point
The week began with a hands-on connection to nature.
Students gathered leaves, petals, stones, and seeds to build circular mandalas, echoing the harmony and rhythm of God’s creation. From these sacred patterns, they:
- Sketched personalized line drawings
- Painted their designs onto ceramic tiles, bringing their mandalas to life with color and meaning
Each tile became a visual reflection of both the natural world and the inner spirit of the artist who created it.
Embracing Brokenness with Courage
Then came a pivotal moment.
During the “I Am Broken” session, students were asked to do something surprising:
Break their beautifully painted tiles.
Each crack was deliberate. Each fracture symbolic of life’s hardships.
As the pieces scattered, the classroom became a space of honest conversation about real-life brokenness—how we experience pain, how we carry it, and how God meets us in the mess.
The Posture of Pain
On Conflict Day, the students went even deeper.
They were invited to select a finished artwork, then rip and crumple it in their hands.
Why?
To explore this question:
When life hurts, do we clench our fists in fear—or open our hands to healing?
This symbolic act sparked tears, questions, and moments of deep reflection. It wasn’t about destruction—it was about the courage to release control and trust the process of restoration.
From Shattered to Sacred
On “I Am Restored” Day, the story shifted again.
Students returned to their broken tiles—not to mourn them, but to rebuild.
Each child arranged the pieces into a mosaic stepping stone, creating new beauty from what had once been shattered. These final creations weren’t just artistic—they were testimonies of transformation.
What’s been broken can become beautiful again.
Impressions of Growth
Throughout the week, students also engaged in freeform watercolor sessions—pressing leaves, stems, and natural textures into their artwork.
These delicate impressions became subtle reminders of:
- Growth through time
- Influence through gentleness
- God’s quiet presence in our everyday lives
Formed and Re-Formed by the Creator
This wasn’t just a workshop in technique.
It was a spiritual journey through the creative process.
Each student discovered that they, like their artwork, are:
- Designed with intention
- Broken with honesty
- Lovingly restored by the Creator’s hands.
I AM ART.
I am created.
I am broken.
I am made new.
And my story is still being painted.
