Do Painters Pray?

I remember being at a church service some time ago when a member of the community asked me what I did for a living. I replied I was a house painter. He chuckled and said sarcastically: “Do painters pray?” Ha, ha – I was appropriately insulted. I knew there were stereotypes about painters—the guy that starts the job late, but he quits early so he can belly up to his favorite bar for a drink or five. This perception of painters follows the trope of the heavy-drinking (and smoking), sloppy painter who only paints because he couldn’t get a better job, was neither skilled, smart, nor ambitious. However, I was completely surprised by this attack on the painter’s inner life.

As the owner of a painting contracting business, I am reminded every day that these painters are men and women who have families, goals and personal dreams for their life. They see themselves as craftsmen and women who work hard every day to provide a service for our customers as well as provide for their families. They spend the majority of their waking hours creating beauty and calm for people they don’t know. They remold ordinary spaces into extraordinary ones. These painters, not only transform kitchens, bedrooms and mudrooms, but they transform the lives of our clients through their hands, their eyes, their craft.

And yes, painters do have inner lives! They reflect on and contemplate the mystery and beauty in life as all human beings have capacity to do. Often, when they take and engage in moments of silence to reflect, they find themselves moved by prayer.

Mary Oliver’s poem, Praying, has sparked many moments of silence and prayer for me. Listen to what she says to all of us about praying . . .

it doesn’t have to be

the blue Iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try

to make them elaborate, this isn’t

a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak

I’m so inspired to know that prayer doesn’t have to have special words nor are we competing with the so called “holy people.”  Rather, prayer’s grace and gratitude are found in the ordinary everyday-ness of life using regular words or no words at all.

Hey, could you do me a favor? The next time you get a moment tell a neighbor or friend that you got a prayer tip from your painter…not your priest, rabbi, Inman, Guru, yoga or meditation instructor . . .  but your painter! And it was free of charge! 😊

Be well,

Bill