Freed from the dark grip of the New Age movement by the love of Jesus Christ, a Wisconsin artist answers God’s call to paint for Israel.

Patricia Solveson, an artist from Spooner, Wis., is in awe over the exciting opportunities God has offered since He freed her mind from the occult practices of the New Age movement 32 years ago.

Salvation through Jesus Christ lifted Solveson from years of darkness and pain. He not only gave her a new life, but also prepared her for a new mission that reaches as far as Jerusalem. It’s been a journey filled with discovery and healing.

“Occult practices are as dangerous as any illegal drug,” Solveson said, explaining that New Age spiritualism has the same addictive power as alcohol or gambling. She believes that the average person who desires to leave the New Age movement must go all the way or be destroyed.

“You have to become a radical believer, or the forces you’ve opened the door to will take you down a path of destruction,” she said.

New Age – immersion, enslavement and redemption

A self-described “’70s hippie,” Solveson and her husband, Carl, spent many of their early years immersed in New Age mysticism. Solveson was intrigued by claims that “people use only 10 percent of their mind power,” which led her to follow teachings designed to open those dormant portions of her mind. Solveson became involved in psychometery, channeling, psychic healing, automatic writing, astrology and telepathy -- activities that she said caused her to “develop a passive mind open to impressions from the New Age spirit world.” She and Carl even attended a psychic world conference in Milwaukee.

“I was probably searching for God the whole time,” Solveson said.

But, enslaved in the New Age movement, suicidal thoughts haunted her mind.

“The forces of darkness came through the door I opened up to them,” Solveson said.

Filled with depression and fear of destruction, which caused her to feel like “life was spinning out of control,” she finally cried out to God, “‘If You are real, help me before it’s too late!’ I found out the hard way that there is a whole other realm out there, but it’s a counterfeit to the real.”

Though she’d never read the Bible, Solveson soon discovered that it was “a love letter” from God, telling the story of Himself and mankind. She believed, and He began to lead and teach her through His Word.

A new artistic life in Christ

“As (God’s) love began to heal my wounds and make the darkness flee, I had a need to think in a new way. I did not want to think the way the world had taught me. I did not want to be angry, bitter, vengeful or rejected any longer,” she said.

As part of her new life, Solveson and her husband decided to go back to school. At the University of Wisconsin-Superior, she learned to develop her artistic talent and in 1998 graduated with a bachelor of arts degree. She also began writing music to express God’s love and restoration. Singing and playing helped her mind to heal.

In the fall of 1998, Solveson took her first trip to Israel, not knowing the exciting commission that God was preparing for her. She carried with her prints of an oil painting depicting a Jewish man blowing a Shofar (horn) as described in Leviticus 25, proclaiming liberty and redemption during the year of Jubilee. She gave away the prints as a means to open doors of spiritual dialogue with people she met on that trip. Since then, Solveson has returned to Israel five times. On each trip she’s taken a new print to give away. She said the Israelis are receptive to dialoguing with her because “(her artwork) shows support of Israel as a nation.” Solveson also shares prints with fellow believers in Israel “to equip the body of Yeshua there.” She encourages them to use the prints as God opens doors.

Solveson believes that God used the trauma and rejection from her past to become “seeds of compassion toward a people who know both only too well.” That compassion has led Solveson to an event she calls “a culmination of my love story with the Lord.”

Painting the “Wall of Life”

While on her most recent trip to Israel, Solveson and some friends fellowshipped with a group of believers that had been gathering for 40 years. While worshipping with Christians of many languages and backgrounds, she met Meir Cohen, a gentleman who invited her to visit The Alliance Church International Cemetery, a burial place “dedicated to heroes of the faith who loved Israel.”

Passing through the large, green gates of the cemetery, Solveson entered a “peaceful sanctuary.” She was moved to tears as she read the inscriptions on headstones of Jews and Gentiles from all over the world who had dedicated their lives to serving Israel. That’s when Cohen surprised her with his real reason for showing her the grounds.

Cohen, along with other caretakers and the Alliance church, has a vision for seeing a mural of Bible scenes painted on a 90-foot stretch of wall that edges the cemetery. The mural, it is hoped, will be a “Wall of Life,” sharing “God’s love story for His people … beginning with Creation and continuing through the New Covenant.” As visitors from Jerusalem and around the world come to the cemetery, it is believed the mural will act as a vivid witness. Cohen asked Solveson if she would be willing to undertake the project of painting the mural on the wall.

Raising money for the mural project

Solveson believes that the more she gives, the more God blesses in return. Stunned and delighted by the invitation, Solveson returned home to prepare for the task. Since then, believers from throughout northern Wisconsin have supported the project.

“Who would have thought a small group of people from the Northwoods of Wisconsin would get a commission like this for the Lord Jesus?” said Karen Malone of Gordon, Wis., who is assisting with fundraising.

The group estimates total costs to reach at least $70,000, but Solveson hopes to reach her initial goal of $20,000 to get started this fall.

“First and foremost, we are raising funds for things like paint, supplies and travel expenses so that Patti, as the designer, can begin the project,” Malone said.  

To that end, the group has organized The Festival of the Arts and Worship, which is scheduled for Aug. 22-23 at Lucius Woods Park in Solon Springs, Wis. Malone said Solveson will be painting the first scene at the park on a sample 8-foot-by-12-foot wall with some of her helpers who are hoping to travel to Israel with her.

“We are planning for various worship teams to be playing throughout the day at the Sound Shell, and then Maurice Sklar, who is a world-class violinist, will perform at 7 p.m. He will have a follow-up concert Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m., Aug. 23, in the same park,” Malone said.

Sklar is a Jewish believer who states that his calling and mission from the Lord is found in 1 Samuel 16:23, which identifies remarkably with Solveson’s battle against New Age spiritualism. “And it came to pass ... that David took a harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”

Solveson continues to warn people about New Age philosophies that are often cloaked in forms of mental relaxation or medical therapy.

“Darkness is increasing. It’s part of the times we’re living in,” she said. “It was only by God’s grace that this has been exposed to me, so I could see the truth.”

TTo participate in the Wall of Life project and The Festival of Arts and Worship; or, to find out more about Patricia Solveson’s story, music or art, visit her on the Internet at www.jerusalemwalloflife.org.