Art & Soul post # 23 by guest author Dagmar Klapeer–
I was born in Vienna, Austria in 1972. Even as a teenager I liked to draw, preferably during school lessons–not exactly to the delight of my teachers. I never went to art school, so I count myself among the so-called self-taught artists. By the time I was 21, depression and panic attacks were part of my life. No matter what I tried, they stubbornly stayed by my side. The turning point in my life came in 2010. My panic attacks were at their peak, I was depressed, and my eating disorder had taken over my life. My body was badly marked by years of depression and anxiety. It was so emaciated that I fainted again and again for no reason. I would often wake up at night with my heart racing. When I went to the bathroom, I would collapse and lie unconscious on the floor. Without my children, I would have ended my life. I kept trying to function for them.
The worst thing for me was my helplessness. I could not be alone because then the fear became even worse. This fear led to a dependence on people, and I often chose people who did me no good at all. But the fear was greater and so I accepted injuries, rejections, and abuse. One night I was alone in my bedroom; my children were already in bed and my husband wasn’t home. I was at my lowest point. In desperation, I cried out to God through my tears, “If you are real, please come. I need you!” This wasn’t a silent prayer or softly spoken. It was a loud cry that matched the depth of the pain I was feeling. And God came! He healed me and gave me new life! He turned depression into joy, fear into courage and confidence, and hatred of my body into love of life!
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)
I spent the next ten years studying the Bible. I knew nothing about God and had a lot of catching up to do. I learned to hear His voice, trust Him, and follow Him. God healed me from my depression and panic attacks. He restored me completely! I still talk out loud to God– just as I do with my family and friends. I don’t feel bound by religious expectations in how I communicate with Him. He knows me in all life situations. There are still times when I cry out to Him and He is always there to hold me in His arms and let me cry as I talk to Him. Then, when I calm down, He starts to talk to me.
I have painted with acrylics since I was 30 years old, but stopped painting after my conversion because my pictures were no longer compatible with my new life. He Poured Out His Heart was the first artwork I shared with others on Facebook following my break from painting. It had an overwhelming response with thousands of likes and over 500 messages from people around the globe. I was really speechless and said to Jesus, “Are you trying to tell me something?” And He said, “Yes, call it ‘he poured out his heart’ because I poured it out for you and everyone else.” And then He said, “Go paint for me what I put in your heart.”
Recently when I asked Holy Spirit why He led me to paint the face of Christ in a different way by using brighter colors instead of traditional, duller colors, He reminded me of Matthew 9:17 and then He said, “New wine is put in fresh wineskins.” I am like new wine that required a fresh wineskin to hold my brighter perspective on life. I have a new heart and new life, love, faith, and holiness implanted in me. I have new eyes to see with, new ears to hear with, new feet to walk with, and new hands to do His work. I was made a new creature in Christ!
“Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:17 (NIV)
I get many messages from dear people who encourage me to keep on painting. They tell me they like to paint themselves, but they don’t see themselves as artists or they don’t think they are good enough. There is no “good enough”. There is just art and the love of art! There will always be people who love your paintings and there will always be those who don’t. The point is to love what you do and be grateful for your gift. You will then have joy that no one can take away from you because God gave it to you!
Dagmar Klapeer
I was born in Vienna, Austria and moved to Innsbruck when I was 19. I am a mother to two beautiful children and have worked as a kindergarten assistant. God came into my life during a very difficult time in which I suffered from massive depression and panic issues. Now I paint for God and give glory to Him.
Support Dagmar by purchasing her original paintings, prints, t-shirts, bags, pillows, blankets, and scarves on her website, Jedida the Art of Sark
2 Corinthians 3:6 “Who also qualified us to be ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.”
It’s hard to put into words what women have to suffer all over the world! They are kept silent, looked away from, and left to their fate.
But it is written in Psalm 50:6, “And the heavens will declare his righteousness; for God is judge.”
3 thoughts on “He Poured Out His Heart”
Dagmar, thank you so much for sharing your amazing testimony and beautiful artwork! I am still in awe how God led me to find you and your artwork for Art & Soul! God is so amazing and so very GOOD! I hope one day we will meet face to face! In the mean time, I pray your testimony reaches every single person Jesus intends it to, not just here in the US, but around the world! Love and Blessings!❤️ -Elana
Dagmar, what a powerful testimony! I love your artwork & plan to check out your website. God pulled you out of darkness and despair, into His light. What a transformation! Praying God’s blessing upon you and your artwork.
Thanky you so much for your message Ruth, yes my thanks belong to HIM every day. I am very happy that you like my art, be abundantly blessed too
in his love Jedida