I noticed my last post was April 13, 2010 - that was ONE month before the due date of my daughter being born (May 13 was my due date). But, she is like her mom and decided to be early - she was born on April 20, 2010. Needless to say, the past three months have been very busy, hence no recent posts!
I found this 8 minute talk on TED, a wonderful website with many different talks from premier speakers on interesting topics like creativity (my favorite!). Take a few minutes and watch this video. The young girl speaking is 12 years old and incredibly intelligent. Her talk is thought provoking, especiallly since I've just had a baby and have two teenage boys at home. I hope you enjoy it too.
Grace & peace ~ deAnn
The term, "Christian art" has always bugged me. What comes to mind when I hear that term is the stuff in many Christian bookstores or images of Jesus hanging on the cross, or Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. To me, that is "religious art," and there is great meaning and beauty in that style of art.
But not all Christians create that style of art. Nor do they need to.
Sometimes the art I create is rather "dark" coming from an unknown place in my soul where sorrow and guilt meet Jesus unexpectedly. Through that interaction, expression happens, bringing to life a pencil-sketched visual image of my human reaction as I process what took place in my soul. And it often doesn't look very "Christian" and I'm pretty sure it would not be appropriate to hang on the wall in a Christian bookstore.
Other times, an image or visual phrase births in my mind directly from God Himself. In those moments, it would be disobedient to not express that through some artistic medium. Again, this may not have any significance to anyone but me. Often, it's a prompt from God to trust Him, trust myself through Him, stay on the path, have courage, slow down and be still - listen to His still small voice. It's our way to communicate. I listen to what He places in my heart then I respond by bringing it to life through clay sculpture, a painting, or a drawing. Once I see the visual response to His words, I'm moved even deeper into what He's saying to me. I can't deny hearing it because now I see it. Seeing is believing, right?
My relationship with Jesus is only magnified when I respond to Him through creating art. As a good friend used to say, "God becomes Hi Definition, full Technicolor and THX surround sound!" He was right.
I'm a Christian. And I am an artist. My artistic genres vary. Sometimes it's dark and mysterious from the hallows of my broken heart. Sometimes it's an over flow of His loving grace and acceptance. Sometimes it's a word or phrase He shares to encourage me or to correct me. Sometimes it's a project so grand I know I can not do it without relying on Him one hundred percent. It's always different. It's always intimate. It's aways special. And to me it's faith portrayed through art...that is true Christian art.
May you meet with God as you "sit before the canvas" and express what He's placed inside you. Don't worry about what others will think of your art, they never have to see it, unless you offer it to them. Just express what is in your heart and allow God to bring to you, your "visual faith."
Grace & peace ~ deAnn
Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love," her memoir, speaks about the creative muse (a.k.a. the Holy Spirit, in my opinion) and nurturing creativity in this 20 minute, but worth while, video. I'm not sure where she is spiritually, but that doesn't really matter when you listen to her words through your own spiritual filter. I'm inspired by her talk and believe this is a good topic for discussion among artists who love Jesus and seek to collaborate with the Holy Spirit in their creative endeavors. Basically that's the point of her talk, however, not in those exact words. But meeting with God and allowing Him to create through us in our work is the heart of Vertical Creativity - not so much for the "awesome" stuff that will come out of such moments, but because we are forever changed and transformed each time we encounter our loving God.
I hope you enjoy this short clip.
Grace & peace,
deAnn
This YouTube clip is J. Scott McElroy, founder of The New Renaissance Rising and author of Finding Divine Inspiration.
Scott will be speaking at Living Word Community Church next Tuesday, March 9th at 7pm and our arts community can not wait! As you will see, LWCC's coffee bar art gallery, The Gallery @ Common Grounds, is featured in the video. That was very cool to see!
I love the message of New Renaissance Rising, as it speaks of the passion God's put on my heart. Even though the day of prayer for the arts mentioned in the video (Nov 21, 2009) has passed, it's a prayer we can continue to lift before our creative God.
Please come, be inspired, on March 9th, 2010 - hear Scott's heart and gain a better understanding of the divine importance of the arts in the local church. As artists, you'll gain encouragement to keep on creating, as it's got a bigger purpose when you collaborate with God in your creativity. All things are possible with Him.
I hope to see you at LWCC on Tuesday, March 9th at 7pm in The Gallery @ Common Grounds. For more information about [The Arts @ LW] click here.
Grace & peace on the creative journey ~
deAnn
