Becoming
By Serafina Blake
Artist Statement
"Becoming" is an abstract collage that was created as a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, to uplift these individuals who have been blessed with the gifts of honesty, bravery, creativity, healing, and reclamation. How can the Catholic Church better delight in the LGBTQ+ community’s contributions and gifts - even becoming changed, more Christ-like - by their inherent drive for unique self-expression and growth? Inspired by the verse, “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed” (1 John 3:2), I created this collage to reflect on how much we may learn from LGBTQ+ Christians regarding transformation, honestly embracing who one truly is, and becoming more loving and comfortable with diverse expressions of self. Reflecting on the rainbow as a unifying symbol of LGBTQ+ pride, many images here draw on the varied shades, valences, and colors of a technicolor rainbow. Additionally, orange and red flowers in full bloom represent the respective themes of “healing” and “life” from Gilbert Baker and Lynn Segerblom’s original 1978 flag. The symbols of the caterpillar and the butterfly are also featured to further reflect on what it means to grow and transform into who one truly is, as a child of God.
1 John 3:2 calls Christians to embrace who they are in the present moment, yet also to become open to what we will become, or perhaps, who we are already becoming in this very moment. We are constantly in flux and unfolding, living life in motion. As a celebration of this open space and unfinished, fluid state of being, "Becoming" seeks to cultivate LGBTQ+ joy, wellbeing, and healing.
About the Artist
Serafina Blake is a graduate student in Pastoral Theology and Spiritual Direction from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. With primary research interest in theological constructions of the body, Serafina guides trauma-informed yoga, meditation, breathwork, and creative expression practices that celebrate spiritual exploration and cultivate mind-body restoration. As a birthworker and a facilitator of spiritual practices, her approach to caring for others is oriented around informed support, honesty, safety, and compassion.