“We are all creators in some capacity.”
Leila Vaughn ‘22 is an art major at Covenant, where she has come to learn how being an artist is important to the Kingdom of God. She has embraced a theme of embodiment, and the importance of beauty to the Lord.
“We are created to create, whether that be through words or cooking or music or just creating community and fellowshipping with one another,” Vaughn said.
For her art capstone, she is continuing this learned theme of embodiment. She is building a small sanctuary for people to bring their whole bodies, with curtains to touch, candles to smell, and other different tastes, sounds and sights. She found inspiration for her project from her time in an art class at Covenant, and from some difficult hurdles in her past.
Before COVID was a reality, Leila had plans to go to the Amazon for a trip. But, when quarantine happened and this fell through she found another opportunity that ended up shaping her inspiration for her capstone in many ways. Professor Jeff Morton, or Morty as many know him, taught a remote class online called Art and Place over the month of May that year. Leila took it with three other girls.
“We really talked about what it means to be in a place, and what it means to long for another place,” she said. “It was interesting because we were all doing it from different places, so we were all learning about each other’s landscape and talking about how we all cherish our own landscape.”
Thinking about the theology of place helped her create a space in her capstone for people to bring their whole selves and feel cherished. This is something she didn’t experience as much in her own life until college. Growing up, she went to a church devoid of art, with whitewashed walls and very little expression in worship. No one came to church unkempt, and people were adamant about how bodies are dangerous.
“We talked a lot about how the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, but we never talked about the really good things you can do because you have flesh. The fact that we couldn’t take communion if we didn’t have a body…you have to have a body to do the things the Lord has called you to,” she said.
The worship was structured; the bulletin-style organized stand-ups and sit-downs, organ music and hymns. Leila said this can be really beautiful, but for her it was difficult to find space to feel welcome as a woman and as an artist. She struggled with a particular question in this environment: if I can’t bring my whole body to church, then what do I do with it?
Through conversations with friends at Covenant, listening to their experiences, and talking to her professors about the theology of embodiment, she is learning more how to answer the question. She hopes to bring some of the answer into her capstone for others to experience alongside her.
“Thinking about a theology of embodiment and a theology of place, I am creating a space for people to bring all of their body and all of their senses, and reflect on their embodiment. To feel honored and cherished and refreshed,” she said. “You will be forced to bring your whole body into a contemplative space.”
Her show will take place on Wednesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. in Lucas Lobby, and everyone is welcome to attend.