Prophetic Art & Spiritual Creativity
Anne Reid Artist

Painting with Holy Spirit: How I Work

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For me, it usually does not start with a fully formed picture in my head. I start with color, motion, atmosphere, or a sense of invitation. I make marks. I respond. I look. I wait. I keep asking, What is this becoming? What are You showing me here?

Sometimes the meaning arrives while I'm painting. Sometimes it comes later. Usually I am praying. At some point what I see begins to suggest what the piece is about.

Is it because that is what it is supposed to be? Or is it that I see what is already inside me? I think it is both. Holy Spirit lights up what He is saying — and you are able to receive it because of your relationship with Him, with the Word, and with your walk. Out of your innermost being will flow rivers of living water. I would say rivers of living color.

That is one of the reasons I love prophetic art. It is not always illustration. Sometimes it is discovery.

Once I know what the piece is about and I have locked onto the composition, the artist in me really enjoys the technical work — pushing to bring out the message in ever increasing painterly ways.

I often go back to older paintings and take them further. My understanding has grown. My skill has grown. Why wouldn't the painting?

I think of my paintings as my children. Taking iPhone pictures at each stage is a bit like photographing your kids growing up. They should grow up.

I'd love to hear from others here: Do you ever revisit finished work — or does a painting feel done once you set it down?

Land of the Rising Sun, 12x12 in acrylic on canvas mounted on panel board

Posted in Prophetic Art & Spiritual Creativity (edited)
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Jennifer DeMossJun 30, 2026

"Rivers of living color" yes!! Beautiful thoughts, I really appreciate the words you've put to this sacred process.

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Anne Reid ArtistJun 30, 2026

Thank you, Jennifer:)

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Steven MarantoJun 29, 2026

Hi @Anne Reid Artist it has been a minute since we have exchanged views.. but yes I agree that the discovery phase is probably for me anyway the most fun part.. For example I created this one "Death Mask" several years ago..yet I had not lined it the way I had wanted..the I discovered acrylic inks and ruling pens to line with.. Opened up a whole new avenue because I was getting quite tired of painting straight lines..lol.. The other aspect I find intriguing is the title..I sometimes have a concept in mind yet the title, which I believe is quite important to the piece, is what i struggle with sometimes..yet they come and I name the piece often after viewing and keeping for awhile..Do you name while you are painting or after finished?

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Anne Reid ArtistJun 30, 2026

Hello Steven...naming art is like naming children, I think. Names have meaning. In my faith tradition, names in the Bible are loaded with meaning...you can't begin to understand the full meaning of a person's life or the significance of places mentioned in the bible unless you understand the meaning of the name. Names shaped the destinies of people in the bible. God changed the name of people and places in the bible when he was doing something new with them. For example Saul became Paul. Anyway...to answer your question...when I paint I start abstractly and I am always looking to "SEE" what the painting is about. At somepoint in that process I either get a Bible Verse or a Name that helps me understand what it is about. That helps me to zero in on what needs to be developed in the piece so I t can carry the meaning. This was not a plan I had of how I wanted to approach my art making...it is just what naturally unfolded over time...after enough paintings I realized this is how it would be with me...and that is perfectly natural because I am prophetic, a SEER...and this is how I roll in life generally...not just in ART. Interesting...people in my Faith tradition, often pick names for their children after praying about it because they understand that the the name of their child is a prophecy in and of itself and points to their child's destiny. That certainly helps the parent speak life into their child as they grow and also helps the parent pray for their child...it certainly helps them get through tough stages their child might go through. Long answer, short question...One more thing...the names of my pieces are so biblical that it is pretty much impossible to hide the origins. And so I had to make a decision...would you change the name of your paintings so they would be more palatable for a non-Christian audience? In the end, I couldn't do it. I had to decide. This is what the work is...and I will take the hit if I have to.. the names are too important.

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Malcolm TurcotteJun 17, 2026

I've never brought prayer into my process the way you do, but I recognize that moment of not knowing what it's becoming yet. When I'm waiting for light in the field, there's always this gap between what I thought I'd find and what actually shows up. Sometimes the composition I planned dissolves completely because the real thing turns out to be something I hadn't imagined. Your phrase about discovery instead of illustration landed. I don't revisit finished photographs much, honestly. Once it's printed and framed I tend to move on. But reading this makes me wonder if I'm walking away too soon from some of them.

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Anne Reid ArtistJun 24, 2026

Yes, I can see with Photography that would be a bit different. And yet maybe not. It's a grand adventure though...thank you for your thoughtful response.

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