Everything Could be a Prayer
100 Portraits of Saints and Mystics
Kreg Yingst
A Review
By Frank A. Mills
Everything Could be a Prayer
Everything Could Be A Prayer: 100 Portraits of Saints and Mystics, Kreg Yingst (2024). ISBN: 9781506499482. 225 pages including notes and index.
The early Celtic Christians believe that everything – every action -- was prayer, including the pilgrimage seeking those personal places of resurrection, those places where we meet God in a mystical way. Specifically in a way that addresses our finite humanity, while revealing the Divine. Everything Could Be A Prayer, although meant to be read, for me, as I read it became that sort of mystical pilgrimage.
Everything Could Be A Prayer had its origins in 2013 with the Sandy Hook school shooting. Kreg writes, “Through my art, I wanted to bring light and healing: something tangible that could be seen and held. Prayers that the viewer could speak. Images to contemplate that might offer a series that might offer a sense of peace and solace.” Through a Lectio divina of icons – or better yet, a Visio divina (“sacred seeing) encompassing 100 stunning icons of mystics and saints, Kreg has accomplish his goal.
While some of the icons are in the Orthodox Christian style of opening a window to encounter God through the eyes of the saint, Kreg wanted to create icons that are windows to our humanity as much to our desire to mystically see the Holy. Even though I have followed and used for meditation Kreg’s work for some time now, I didn’t expect reading the book to be the deep experience that it was—simultaneously deeply mystical and inspiring. Not to forget the 100 stunning icons!
Kreg’s method (Introduction) in creating Everything Could Be A Prayer, was to find a prayer, then meditate on it, draw it, carve it, print it, and finally paint it. The mystic or saint was the author of the prayer. Although by the end of 2013 he was halfway completed, COVID, the murder of George Floyd and the state of the world got in the way and Kreg turned to the marginalized for inspiration, resulting in Everything Could Be A Prayer.
The book format is a two-page fold for each mystic or saint: the left page is a brief life headed by a quote that encapsules the person, ended with the prayer that inspired the icon, which appears on the right page. Everything Could Be A Prayer can be read straight through, as a daily devotional, or using the icons and the commentary for daily readings during advent and Lent. Kreg helpfully presents a list for each week. There are also helpful notes for additional reading on the mystics and saints. Also, an index if you wish to look up a particular icon.
A personal note, I reread Everything Could Be A Prayer while recuperating from brain surgery. It was just what I needed to lift my spirits. To remind me that even in my frailness, God was present.
The book – both the words and the icons are a balm to the soul in these troubled times. I have no doubt that Everything Could Be A Prayer will be such a book to you also.
Thank you Kreg for giving us a delightful and inspirational gem Visio divina
Kreg Yingst, in my opinion, is one of the foremost hand block-printers of icons of our day. He uses carved blocks of wood, linoleum and other material to create his prints.
KKreg Yingst received his BA from Trinity University in San Antonio and his MA in painting from Eastern Illinois University. His work can be found in numerous international public and private collections, including Purdue University, Indiana and the Halsey Institute of Contemporary. Website: https://kregyingst.com/
Kreg has posted online material for using the icond for Black History Month (Feb) and Women’s History Month (March). He has also created 5 new pieces since there would be some overlap readings between the two.
© Frank A. Mills, 1997-2024
