Contemplation, by Mikki Dillon.
Artist Mikki Dillon sent four of her paintings from the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers. It was the subject of our July 3, 2020, Mystery Photo.
George Graf of Palmyra, Va. recognized the monastery. “Visitors are welcome year-round to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, the inspirational home of Georgia’s Trappist Monks. With more than 2,300 acres of contemplative space, the Monastery is less than an hour from Atlanta. The new Monastic Heritage Center – a 17,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art museum – is educational, interactive and kid-friendly. There is also a bonsai garden, store and cafe. At the Abbey Gift Shop, which is the largest Christian bookstore in Georgia, visitors can purchase monk-made biscotti, fruitcake and fudge, all of which the monks sell in an effort to be self-sustaining and feed the local poor. You can also see the Norman Gothic architecture of the Abbey Church and take a quiet stroll along the lake, or spend time in prayer and meditation.”
Others recognizing the photograph included John Titus, Peachtree Corners; Meg Sweigart, Duluth; David Will, Lawrenceville; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex.
In the Beginning, by Mikki Dillon.
Mikki Root Dillon of Lilburn not only recognized the photo, she was downpainting there, and sent along several of her works. “I have participated in three plein air paint outs there with sales afterwards to benefit the Monastery. They were wonderful events where the artists had access to everywhere on the grounds and many of the monks were so kind as to pose for us. The highlight for me was to really get to know many of them personally through these paint-outs.” (See adjacent.)
Allan Peel also gave this additional detail: “This religious complex is officially known as the ‘Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit’ and is the home of 48 Trappist monks spanning several generations, who live, work and pray at the Abbey Church. The monastery was founded on March 21, 1944 by 21 monks from the Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, Ky. on land that was donated to them by media mogul Henry Robinson Luce (1898-1967), an American magazine magnate. the monastery sustains itself through revenues generated at the Abbey Store and Cafe, a bakery, a bonsai garden center, a stained glass manufacturing business, donations, a cemetery, and onsite retreats.”
Melodies for the Lord, by Mikki Dillon.
The Lord is Risen, by Mikki Dillon
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