Open to Grace

By Rachel Hyde

This past Sunday, Rachel was interviewed about her piece during church and she talked about why she created this piece.  This is from her work statement:

"Open to Grace expresses a chapter of my personal journey where I learned how to settle into my body and the reality of my life, become strong and open, and as a result learned to experience profound peace – Energizing and life-giving Grace.
In this piece, there are several representational elements at play. The steel ring in the center is my visualization of an open heart. The fabric that provides the backdrop also carries streams of grace, which have translated to river rock when they reach the ground – solid and tangible reflections. When these streams reach the open-hearted steel ring, they are transformed into vibrant life. This is the gift of Grace in action. The new life is tempered by strong attachments to its real surroundings. These connections are like tent strings – enabling the tent to remain both open and grounded at the same time.
My hope is that Open to Grace will connect the viewer with the Love and Grace that I've experienced, gifted to me by God the Creator."