Lauren’s spiritual art practise involves facilitating group art projects that strengthen a community through a shared activity.
This happens primarily at Unicamp of Ontario Incorporated, in Honeywood and Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Toronto. Other locations have benefitted from this experience as well.
All of these works were made by many hands over the course of a day or a month. The design and preliminary drawing were done by Lauren. The facilitation and workshoping of the project were over seen by Lauren. The impetus is twofold. The community works together to make something beautiful and the space it resides in is improved by the work.
Drawings by groups of people. All done in one sitting under 2 hours.
Toronto is a Peaceful City by Hawthorne II Bilingual School, Toronto, grade 2 made this poster , grade 1-6 created signs flags, posters hats and did a parade for peace day
Chalice- Group Drawing to build a spiritual community 36 6” x6” in squares 36 participants, Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Toronto 2017 design by lauren renzetti
drawing after don heights workshop-2024 design by lauren renzetti
heart earth drawing by Neighbourhood 2024design by lauren renzetti
Paintings by groups of people . Done over many days and the premise is paint only the square alotted to you or paint nothing larger than your palm.
Frog Painting for 40 Anniversary, 4’x 5’, acrylic, 244 participants, Unicamp of Ontario Incorporated, Honeywood designed by Lauren renzetti 2009
world turtle for unicamp 5′ x 5′ acrylic on canvas , design by lauren renzetti 155 participants, Unicamp of Ontario, Honeywood
Dragon Flies Triptych 3’x6’ Acrylic Painting, 3 groups working together, 120 children, 40 youth ,120 family & adult members of Unicamp Community, design by Lauren Renzetti
School of Fish, group painting, 4’x 5’ in acrylic, 150 + participants Unicamp of Ontario design by lauren renzetti – 2013
unicamp compass windrose -2015 5’wide acrylic on canvas group work design by lauren renzetti
windrose for Neighbourhood rituals and services , group work by 20 poeple 5’x5′ acrylic on canvas, design by lauren renzetti 2013
Cycle of the Life -Moth Painting- 4’ x 5’, acrylic, over 100 participants, Unicamp – design by lauren renzetti -2014
Infinity Salamander painting 4’x 5’ in acrylic, 100 + participants, Unicamp, Honeywood design by lauren renzetti 2018
You Goatta be YoUU – goat painting about being true to yourself, inclusivity and diversity,3’x4’,60 participants, Unicamp of Ontario Incorporated, Honeywood design by Lauren renzetti 2022-23
lets have a conversation 4’x5’acrylic on canvas group work design by lauren renzetti 2024
Sculptural works by groups required much mor eplanning, budget, design and building by Lauren .
The Compass Firepit 2012 was the first experiment as a large earth work. This invovled a weekend of hard labour, a backhoe, 40 people with picks and shovels, a dumptruck of sand and red wood chips, some 2″x4″ and a bunch of rocks. There was also building projects making 15 wooden benches to live at the fire pit.
Windrose Fire Pit, 40 feet across, using a backhoe to level land , 36 people hard labour making a compass style fire pit, earth work, rocks sand, 2” x 4” wood and stained wood, chips, 15wooden benches made, and rocks, Unicamp of Ontario Incorporated, Honeywood design and leader Lauren renzetti 2012
close up of compass fire pit point 2012 design by lauren renzetti
The Call to the Four Elements was created in 2013-2015 . This installation was to activate a space in the Neighbourhood sanctuary that was not beautiful. The three main eleements were The Tree of Stewardship 2013, made out of plywood, router, drummeled and stained. 8’x 8′. It represented the land the earth. The second part was the Solar Egg 2014 was a 4’x6′ sheet of plexiglass with acrylic paint reprsenting the sun and fire . The final two elements were Air and Water 2-015 . This aspect was made by many in the congregation andthen pieced together by Lauren in a large 16′ x 29′ quilt. Its irregluar shape was in part due to the shape of the space – a peaked roof but also irregular pieces made by congregants.
original idea for call to the elements by Lauren rnezetti 2012
4 elements at Neighbourhood on Hiawatha for pagan rituals – Spring Celebration Pagan Service March 22nd 2015 by Lauren Renzetti
Call to the Elements , photo by Richard Holt
Tree of Stewardship, 8’ x 8’ plywood, cut out, carved, sculpted and stained, to represent the earth, Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation for sanctuary space 2013, by lauren renzetti
solar egg for Neighbourhood 4 ‘x 6’ plexiglass with acrylic 2014 by lauren renzetti
Air & Water Quilt- reworked by lauren renzetti and Joan Walder, for new Sacred space, edited into 8 quilts 10’6” x 24” each, from previous quilt piece that was 24’ x 29 ‘Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Toronto
2021
Capital Campaign Trees 2015-2019 The raising of funds is always importantin faith groups. Both Neighbourhood and Unicamp asked to build a tree out of plywood that would be a place to hold names of donors on leaves. The community was given several hundred wooden leaves to paint and then once someone donated funds Lauren would put the names or message on the leaves. The leaves were then installed on the trees branches.
capital campaign tree for NUUC8’x10′ wood carved and stained, leaves made by congregation 2015-2016 made by lauren renzetti
Capital Campaign Tree for Unicamp of Ontario, 14’ x 21’, wooden sculpture, Honeywood, by lauren renzetti 2018-19
leaves yellow for capital tree painted by community design by lauren renzetti 2018
blue leaves for capital campaign tree painted by community design by lauren renzetti 2018
Capital Campaign Tree,27’ x18’ sculpted and stained plywood, 110 people painted
leaves for the donors, family or loved one’s names in acrylic painted on leaves and installed once they made a financial donation. Unicamp of Ontario Incorporated, Honeywood tree made by Lauren renzetti, leaves painted in 2018 by unicampers, installed 2019
Fairy Doors of Land Stewardship 2021-2023. This project consisted of casting 100 concreate fairy doors from two silicone molds. The casting was done from September 2020-June 2021. Then cleaned up, and painted with white concrete paint. Campers were asked to paint one fairy door and then place it somewhere on Unicamp property where no other fairy doors were in view. The premise, was the painter of the fairy door then needed to ensure that part of Unicamp was always devoid of garbage and safe for people to visit. The notion of Stewardship was introduced to all ages. One hundred poeple participated and the doors are still all over the 58 acres of Unicamp.
fairy door in the wild -2024
fairy door 6 2022
fairy door 6 2022
fairy door 4-2022
fairy door 8 2022
fairy door 9 2022
fairy doors 3 -2022
fairy doors – 2022 for unicamp stewardship project design by Lauren renzetti
fairy doors 2 – 2022 for unicamp stewardship project design by Lauren renzetti
Related Commission Work 2003- NOW
At Unicamp Lauren has been the the Artist in Residence on and off since 2003 -Now. To help beautify spaces at Unicamp and at Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Lauren is commissioned on occassion to make pieces for specific areas. This tradition of Religious spaces Supporting the Artists has been around for over 2000 years.
closet door after patterson ewen 8 ‘ x 16’ acrylic on routered wood 2003 by Lauren Renzetti
map of unicamp 2005 4’x 6′ by lauren renzetti
Growth, located in Spiritual Program Centre 3’x4′ acrylic on canvas
Stabillity, located in Spiritual Program Centre , 3’x4′ acrylic on canvas
Vision of the Earth , acrylic on plexiglass, 4′ x 9′ un-illuminated
Plexiglass hanging in dining hall 10 x10
Plexiglass hanging in dining hall 10 x10
Plexiglass hanging in dining hall 10 x10
Sun & Moon, acrylic on panel board inside outhouse 12 x12 $125
