"The Division of the Light from the Darkness" by Paul Nash
- Nicholas Leeper
- Aug 28
- 3 min read
Preparation: Context & Orientation
Paul Nash (1889–1946) is best known as one of Britain’s foremost war artists, recording the devastation of the First and Second World Wars. His art often grappled with themes of loss, fragmentation, and renewal. In the midst of this turbulent life, Nash created a series of woodcut illustrations for the Book of Genesis in 1924. Among them is Dividing the Light from the Darkness, a stark meditation on creation. A few others are below.
The medium itself is part of the meaning. A woodcut begins as a solid block of darkness. Light only appears through carving away material, which then appears as white when printed. His heavy black fields pierced by sharp, bright lines echo the biblical moment when God calls light out of the void.
In Genesis 1:3–5, God speaks light into being, not from the sun or moon but directly from divine command. This first light mingles with darkness, yet it is the first thing that God declares to be good. For Nash, who carried the scars of personal tragedy and the horrors of war, the image becomes more than a literal depiction of this primeval moment. It is a symbol of goodness emerging from grief, of creation pressing forward even in the aftermath of destruction.
Meditation Experience: Encounter with the Work
Reflection & Response: Creative or Critical Engagement
Below are a list of activities students can do to respond to this exercise prayerfully and creatively:
Written reflections: (journaling/blog posts, essays, etc.).
Write how Genesis 1:3-5 applies to this painting.
What does it mean to carve light like God does in today's world?
Why do you think light is the first thing God calls good?
Do light and darkness need each other? Can you imagine one without the other?
Write about a time when light came into your life unexpectedly. How did it change you?
Small group discussion questions/presentations
Nash was a war artist who lived through tragedy. How might his life experiences shape the way he illustrated Genesis? Do you think personal suffering can deepen someone’s expression of faith? How so?
Paul Nash created light by carving into black wood. Where do we see people “carving light” from darkness today? Consider examples from history, community, or your own experience.
Projects: Art projects/prompts, Project based learning
Scratch and Reveal Project: Students begin with black reveal paper, scratchboard, or dark paint and “carve” light into it with a tool. (They can use black paper and white colored pencils). They can then title the work after a moment in their life when light broke through darkness.
Creation Reimagined: In groups, students reinterpret Genesis 1:3–5 through a different medium: stop-motion animation, digital collage, soundscape, painting, music, or theater skit. The goal is to represent light emerging from darkness through metaphor without using obvious sources like the sun or lamps. Presentations can include both the creative work and a short theological/artistic explanation.
Personal Creation Narrative: Students create an artwork representing their own “first day of creation,” a time when their life got better again after a difficulty. Accompanied by a short artist’s statement connecting their work to Genesis.
Smaller prompts: quick discussion questions, drawing exercises, writing exercises, etc.
Three Sketches: On black or dark paper, make three 2-minute sketches: (1) a place of light in your life, (2) a place of darkness, (3) how God might carve light into that darkness.
Light Without Source: In 5 minutes, sketch “light” without drawing the sun, moon, stars, or lamps. What does light look like without its source?
