Between Exile and Arrival

Between Exile and Arrival pairs graphite drawings with written reflections shaped by Ignatian prayer, offering displaced persons and communities a language of resilience, solidarity, and grace. The project unfolds in four stages — Departure, Silence, Encounter, and Arrival — with each drawing beginning in the Examen, so the image that follows is a response rather than an illustration. The completed work will take the form of a chapbook (8–12 finished drawings with paired reflections), an open digital archive across the blog, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and X, and a series of drawing-and-prayer workshops held with partners such as Jesuit Refugee Service, university theology and art departments, parishes and retreat centers, and contemplative art collectives like Creo Arts. Guiding principle: "To walk with unfinished work rather than wait for perfection." "Exile is real, waiting is heavy, and yet grace still interrupts."