WORSHIPPERS in Fareham will host a mission week in which God will speak through the power of art.

Artist Anne House with two of her paintings

A free exhibition of paintings by Southampton artist Anne House entitled ‘Visions of Hope’ will be on display in Holy Trinity Church, Fareham from Saturday 30 June until Sunday 8 July.

The 34 powerful images, which were painted onto six-foot long strips of silk more than 20 years ago, illustrate the story of Creation, the Fall and Redemption. They’ve provoked spiritual responses in churches across the world.

The paintings were originally inspired by a revelation from God. And Anne’s style of painting involves praying and waiting for God to guide her. Thousands of people have found them thought-provoking.

Anne, 63, who is now a grandmother, originally picked up paintbrushes as a hobby to exercise her wrists. She had had surgery on her tendons.

“The surgeon wanted me to get my hands going and I’d always fancied painting on silk,” she said. “I’d won £25 on the premium bonds, so I bought some silk and paints. It was like the thing I’d been waiting all my life to do.

“I had an exhibition in Bedford, where we lived at the time, and I felt God was asking for his gift back – that he wanted me to use it for him. I was working as a teacher for children with special needs and my husband suggested I take a few months off to paint. After three years I had 40 six-foot high pictures.

“The exhibition comes from a prophecy that God gave to a group of Christian leaders in the UK back in 1989. He promises he will raise up a new generation of Christians.

“The paintings I did are divided into three sections – the world God intended, the world we see, and God’s response to that. In the past 25 years it’s been everywhere from tiny churches to a Billy Graham rally in Amsterdam with 10,000 people.

“When I first saw it hung, I was overwhelmed because it was so big and extraordinary. I think people don’t react to it as a cerebral thing, but it impacts their spirits. One time recently someone looked at the same picture for three days and then became a Christian. Someone had been praying for him for 25 years. I think it’s because people are tired of words and arguments about faith, and want to connect at a deeper level.”

Anne has also completed an exhibition based on Ecclesiastes and is currently working on an interpretation of Psalm 139. She will visit the exhibition and be available to talk to visitors.

The mission week will include an official opening by the Archdeacon of the Meon, the Ven Gavin Collins, on June 29; a Songs of Praise-style service at 6pm on July 1 for worshippers across Fareham; and a final service of thanksgiving at 6pm on July 8 – all at Holy Trinity Church. And on July 5, local musician Charles Timberlake will give a free recital in the church from 1pm-2pm.

The church will be open from 10am-8pm from Monday to Saturday and 2pm-6pm on Sundays. There will also be a stall selling prints of the artwork. And pupils from Orchard Lea Junior, Oak Meadow Primary, Wallisdean Junior and Wykeham House Schools will visit at various times during the week.

For more details, see: www.annehouse.com.