Art Watch

So, I made it to RIHOP last night... without my guitar. It was a refreshing and freeing experience. I had been thinking all weekend about these words from an Enter the Worship Circle song...

Oh, mercy fall on me like a warm blanket...on my cold cold heart
Clean me with Your blood that turns me white on the inside
I'm on my knees again 'cause I'm breaking Your heart


Put in me...what I cannot buy with
Put in me, oh God...come restore my broken soul
Put in me...what I cannot give myself
Put in me...a clean heart


(Put in Me by 100 Portraits & Waterdeep)


It's an amazing song so check it out at the link above if you haven't heard it.


As I sat at the watch listening to phrases the team sang out, it seemed to fit together with those words. The singers chanted, "I cling to you" and "I am found in you" over and over. I began to see this image of a broken woman. The Bible story of the woman caught in adultry about to be stoned comes to mind. She was sitting coiled up with her arms wrapped around her. She has given up. She's like a crumpled up piece of paper tossed aside. The blue and green colors surrounding the woman in the drawing are the cold harsh elements. The mercy of God is that warm glimmer that redeems her. In the drawing, this is the golden, orange and crimson colors coming in from the top and reflecting off of her face and arms. The sky above her is open and rain is pouring down on her.

A creative spirit cannot be learned, it must be known.

Haha! Welcome Paul!! You're doing an awesome job! After all, God used your team's and your worship to lead me to that revelation. I think that as friends and artists, regardless of how much time everyone spends hanging out together, God is often working behind the scenes. I was asked recently how Hisart, as a ministry, ensures that we represent quality art. How do we judge or weed-out the stuff that doesn't "fit". I don't think I had ever really thought in depth about that question. After pondering it for awhile, my response was that we don't claim that responsibility for ourselves. I don't think we have the burden or the authority to say what is great art. That's God job. I would propose that our roles as artist advocates, worship leaders, friends, etc. is simply to model our best adoration of God using our skills and be willing to guide those who have a desire for something we have discovered. Though that's all we have to do, it's also quite a challenge.

By the way, if anyone's up for doing art at Paul's watch this Tuesday, 10.19.10, at RIHOP, 8-10pm, please come join us! I promise not to chicken out this time!

Well worn path...

After reading Miranda's current blog...two things come to mind. The first is the realization that I have no idea what is going through the minds of my team...which might help me in the future. The second is I never give thought to a "new" thing. I go with only one goal in mind..the well worn path. Perhaps it's time for that to change.

Confession

Here's my confession: I've had this life-long fear of drawing in places where people might be looking over my shoulder. Recently, this fear made it's way to the front of my mind as God has been mudging me towards more "daring" art. The other night, I escaped my chaotic house and drove up to RIHOP for Paul's watch. I had kind of planned to try out sketching during the watch instead of my usual guitar/singing role. I made it as far as the door at RIHOP with supplies in hand before the fear of exposure swept over me. That's totally how it works right? I think almost ever time I feel the Lord nudging me out of my comfort bubble, a familiar color of fear seeps in to the picture. To me, creating is often such a gut-renching vulnerable state that I feel like every bystander can casually gaze right into my soul. The funny thing is that my skills these days are so rusty that I often see my six year old, head cocked to one side, innocently staring at one of my drawings followed by the question, "What is that?". I have to laugh at how dramatic the act making art can sound when I write this out! It seems so ridiculous to feel so naked when many people will probably see something totally unrelated when viewing my work.
So...back to the story about the prayer watch...I decided to bring along my guitar you know just in case (I chicken out). Well, once inside, I do in fact take the easy way out. As I'm playing, I find myself lost in the bold details of the drums behind me and enchanted in the mysterious melody of the flute. I close my eyes and I can see dancers all around me. With eaching arching movement, their hands are painting color in the air. I feel like I am actually seeing the music. The visions are right under my eyelids and I don't want to open my eyes lest they float right out. The colors they paint are like rich chocolate emotion- that's the only way I know to describe it. The dancers are painting truth and life all mixed up with gritty humanity. It's their language. It's beautiful and it flows in and out of my heart so effortlessly. I love it.
The I realize that this is why God wanted me to sketch. Yes, the music was fulfilling. It drew me into God's presence. But, what He had in mind for me was even greater.

Insightful art

Came across this video today...made my mind wander to deep places. Check it out at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7X7sZzSXYs&feature=player_embedded#!