Art, Healing, and Friendship

One my biggest pleasures writing online is the friendships God has given me over the years. Several of you I have met in person and most of you the online community is where we connect. Across the country and even the world (Hello South Africa!) we have bonded through sharing, conversations, and listening to another’s story.

Friendship heals.

I have also noticed lately the powerful healing found in art. Art is defined broadly – painting, sketching, doodling, stained glass, dance, music, writing and so on. I recently learned of one person who is using pencil art as she journeys through grief. Another sings with his guitar at nursing homes and finds life-giving purpose.

Art heals.

I want to introduce to you a new friend I met online from England. Holly Moeller founded her art studio – Kettle & Quill in 2024 and today she is sharing here her story, her faith and her art.  I hope it blesses you as her voice, words and paintings have blessed me.

Following the Wild Call of the Spirit

Does your life look the way you expected it to at 20?
Mine neither.

Back then, I believed I was called to be a priest (already quite a rogue choice for a 20-year-old!). I loved theology, supporting people through difficult times, and leading services for my church and chapel community. When my university chaplain suggested I explore ordination, I was excited. It felt like a path that would allow me to do what I loved full-time.

I was accepted into an Anglican theological college for ordination into the Church of England. My life seemed set on a very particular track.

And then the wheels came off.

Two years into theological college, I had a mental and physical breakdown. My health deteriorated to the point where I had no choice but to leave training and seek professional support. In one fell swoop, I lost my health, my vocation, my income, my community, and my future.

And yet… during those dark days, when nothing made sense, I did something I hadn’t done for years. I dug out some acrylic paints from the back of the wardrobe and began painting a simple landscape.

It sounds ordinary, but it was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. The colours awoke glimmers of joy and light inside me. I began to feel that intoxicating thing called hope. Painting became a lifeline during recovery, and I began to explore the wonderful craft of watercolours.

Soon, commissions started coming in from friends and family. I was shortlisted for an award, then invited to a prestigious show. My art was taking off – and yet…

I grieved my former vocation. The sense of failure ran very deep, and I struggled to understand how I had felt so called, only for life to lead me somewhere so different.

It took several years more to realise that art and spirituality go hand in hand. Artmaking is a spiritual discipline – it requires deep listening, trust, and responsiveness. Like faith, art is about meaning-making, helping us explore what matters most and connect with things beyond words.

I discovered a new shape to my old vocation: being an artist whose work helps others reflect and explore their spirituality.

Each time I enter the studio, I ask: what message is rising within right now, and how can I share it in a way that invites wonder, strength, and hope?

When someone stands in front of my paintings, I want them to feel lighter – to breathe more deeply – and to be invited inward. I don’t want to dictate meaning, but to create space for people to find their own truth, feelings, and reflections. Each painting is a quiet invitation asking: what do you see here?

This artist calling is one I could never have imagined when I thought ordination was the only way I could help people nurture their spirituality. Priesthood was a known quantity whereas artmaking felt far less conventional – more uncertain, more instinctive, and much wilder.

It makes me wonder if sometimes we’re too quick to fit ourselves into respectable boxes, instead of following the wild call of the Spirit – wherever it may lead.

What wild call is echoing in your heart today? What is leading you off the beaten track and into the unknown?

I’d love to encourage you to listen to it, and trust that it may be leading somewhere even more beautiful than you can imagine.

Holly

P.S. I’m leaving you with two little gifts –

Firstly, click here to download my free ebook, The Artist’s Guide to Overcoming Imposter Syndrome. Hope you enjoy!

Secondly, below are three recent paintings. Spend five minutes with the one that draws you most instinctively and ask yourself:

The Way Knows The Way | Watercolour & Ink | 13 x 17” framed | SOLD (giclee prints to come soon, click here to get priority access)

We Are One | Watercolour & Ink | 17 x 22” framed | Original & Art Prints available here

We Are One | Watercolour & Ink | 17 x 22” framed | Original & Art Prints available here

What is this painting bringing up in my heart right now?

You might just be surprised by what is revealed.

Thank you, Holly for your words, art, and inspiration. You can reach out and/or learn more about Holly at the following: Email: hollymoellercreative@gmail.com Instagram: @hollymoellerart Website: www.kettleandquill.co.uk