Cornelia is a contemporary artist and theopoetic practioner with a studio practice on the traditional lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen) peoples- the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations (Victoria, BC, Canada). Her theopoetic work is expressed through visual art, curating, writing and speaking.
In a world shut down by pandemic, her recent work honours stories of endurance and compassion in the face of both personal and collective adversity. Living with a complex form of PTSD influences her art which honours the presence of love in the midst of suffering, trauma and grief. Cornelia’s involvement with St John the Divine as Artist Advocate, reflects a desire to engage with what it means to have the artistic voice in conversation with theological ideas and religious practices.
In a time when many Christians are questioning their religion through “deconstruction,” Cornelia thinks of herself, as “reconstructed,” with her faith having deepened through the process of questioning taken- for- granted beliefs. Through their art and theopoetics, Cornelia navigates the space between lived experience and dominant narrative. Her hope is that we might look beneath the surface of cultural constructs and learn to recognize the Word beyond words that manifests in and through nature and the arts.
Cornelia is a Creative Prayer facilitator with Convergence, a Christian spiritual community for artists based in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. Learn more about Cornelia’s art through their website vanvoorstart.com and Instagram @vanvoorst_cornelia
