Kyra Gill Ettienne is just 23 years old but she is an unbelievably gifted artist and a beautiful human being. A proud parishioner of St Dominics in Penal and a past pupil of Holy Faith Convent in Penal, in her quiet and artistic way is making a dynamic impact in her parish community.

When asked who is Kyra Gill Ettiene, her response was; “ I’m the last of three and the only daughter of my parents. I attended St Gabriel’s Girls RC, then Holy Faith Convent Penal where I developed my love for art and sciences. I pursued art only up until CSEC and dropped it because I got a three. Continued with CAPE in sciences. During my years at Holy Faith Convent, I participated in the cricket club, and agriculture club, and was the Vice President of the art club. From there I attended UWI in 2018 – 2021, studying for my undergraduate degree in Land Management where I got first-class honours. Whilst in UWI I was a part of the volleyball club, just as a side hobby to keep active and not lose myself in my work”

So how did this person who received a barely passing grade at CXC become such a prolific artist? She said, At home, my family encouraged my love for it by getting varying art supplies and even letting me draw on the bathroom tiles with washable markers when I was even younger. In form one, my first art class we had to draw a hibiscus and my first teacher loved my attempt and encouraged me to continue with it. I didn’t really take her on then. In form 3 we separated into different classes based on the subject we chose and honestly I didn’t know what I wanted to do and didn’t have any interest in the other classes so I chose art. From there we learned how to do portraits and I fell in love. It was a bit difficult at first but I eventually got the hang of it and from there, my grandma saw my ability and asked me to do a painting of my grand dad for his death anniversary” She chuckles. “I didn’t get paid for that one! Although my grandma was my official first customer when she bought a painting of a tiger I did for a school assignment when she saw how proud I was of it.”

Years later, Kyra is known throughout the southland for the beautiful portrait she did of faithfully departed Sr. Columba Bryne, a former Principal of HFC Penal and a catechist at her parish in St Dominics. She said, “If you know our parish, it is a very close-knit community. We all move like one family so we were all saddened by Sr. Columba’s passing”

When asked about the link between her art and her relationship with God she said, “well God gave me my talent, and Fr Christo he is my parish priest, and someone told him that I made great portraits and he asked me to do some portraits of parishioners and now a few of my pieces can be found hanging in our church; so it’s all thanks to God

Kyra’s artwork can also be found at https://kgearts.wixsite.com/kyragill-ettienne

I found this picture of Sr Columba Byrne a fitting way to recommence our Visio Divina in 2022 as we commemorate the passing of Sr. Columba. As many would remember Sr. Columba was a driving force behind Catechism in Trinidad and Tobago for many years.

Let us all continue to pray for her eternal rest.

So here is how we are going to do it.

1. Set aside 20 minutes in the day for the guided prayer experience

2. As you begin to pray, take a few minutes to open your heart and mind to God.

3. When you are ready, slowly look and notice the image, taking your time to let feelings and thoughts come to you as you take in forms, figures, colours, lines, textures, and shapes. What does it look like, or remind you of? What are your initial thoughts? What feelings are evoked?

4. Now, return to the image with an open heart and mind again. You may now experience new thoughts, meanings, and feelings. Start exploring new meanings and feelings that come to you associated with the image. Be aware of any assumptions or expectations that you bring to the image. Regardless of your response to the image

— delight, disgust, indifference, and confusion — contemplate prayerfully the reason for your response and what these responses might mean for and about you.

5. As you go deeper in this prayer, open yourself to what the image might reveal to you. What does the Spirit want to say, evoke, make known, or express to you in quiet meditation? What are your feelings, thoughts, desires, and meanings evoked by the image, and how they are directly connected to your life?

6. Now, take the time to respond to God. Jot down in a journal the insights you want to remember, actions you are invited to take, the wisdom you hope to embody, or any feelings or thoughts you wish to express. Bring your prayer to a close-by resting in God’s grace and love.

Please email us at forwomen@catholictt.org on the impact this activity may have had on your day, and be sure to share the artist’s image on your social media feeds.

Source info: https://www.patheos.com/resources/additional-resources/2009/07/praying-with-art-visio-divina