Freedom to Create

Perhaps its often overlooked that the cost for freedom allows all different kinds of expression.

Frustration!

Long term goals keep you from being frustrated 

by small term failures. ~Unknown

Being Teachable: Life

Many times we get what we ask for in life. Most of us are not aware of it when it happens.

Advocate

Creative habits may be the hardest kinds of habits to practice. It seems like creative types are either all in or all out. You could hit a wall at a moment's notice. Or you could have so many ideas that you run out of sketch paper, canvas, wall space, time, and energy.


I don't let these fears scare me. I am a cartoonist Doggone It!

Creative ideas swirl all around us every day, all day. As I have said before Life does precede Art.  I try not to discriminate which days I should create and which I should not. But it is a concerted effort of mine to rest on Sundays. At which times I could either let my creativity stay latent or just flow with what God is doing. From the midst of notes I practice my illustrative skills. The mix of words and images mustered on the spot. Cartoons for the sake of demonstration of a point or exempla. If there is anything else cartoons are better suited, let me know. For me, sermon notes take the cake.

View my pages here and see if you can find patterns and repetition. I do advocate the Holy Bible as the true word of God. His love story to His creation, specifically us. Take notes at a church service or presentation and see what images you can create along side the words to enhance your memory of it. Send me a link to your website or blog if you have posted it.

Cultivating Growth

One of the high priorities of my monthly schedule are the tasks involved in leading an art group. I have been leading Visual Sanctuary for over 3 years now. Each new challenge I face gives me new creative insight.

In order to lead with more authority in 2011 I took on an a design internship. It was both challenging and fun. Naturally, when you step out of your comfort zone you are bound to grow. When you face a new task that you do not understand you are bound to change. If you use your God-given wisdom you will eventually thrive. Its just that simple.

Visual Sanctuary is one of those things that I continue to do in spite of the downsides. In spite of myself some times, too. Why would anyone lead a visual arts group in a church of all places? Why not in a community? Why not at a college?

The simple answer for me was that someone needed to take initiative and invite artists where they are generally uncomfortable. The church in return needs to get used to artists being around again.

When God puts a call on your life you had better be ready. For artists this is especially true, because artists are not accustomed to being called. We vary rarely feel that inclusiveness that people serving in other ministries feel.

If you are an artist living in Columbus, OH I invite you to come out and be involved in our community. You will network, grow, see things differently, experience a taste of love that Jesus lavishes on all people, and create art in a group. Also, check out the entry information for the Cultivating Growth Show for this year. Its a quick deadline so jump to it quickly.

For in-depth information about Visual Sanctuary, click here: Visual Sanctuary Website

For a listing of current Important Dates for our group, click here: Visual Sanctuary Newsletter

For information about the Cultivating Growth Art Show, click here: Cultivating Growth

Inquire Within: Part 2, Life And Art

Not many times in my life do I remember other people approaching me and immediately engaging in conversation. Not unless I am actively doing something creative, that is.

The day after Thanksgiving I was still at my parents house struggling not to become too bored. So I borrowed my mom's digital camera and went for a walk to the park across the river in the town next to theirs. I went for the very specific reason of shooting pictures of the animals in the petting zoo. Because, I do not often get to go to the zoo anymore. This was a prime opportunity.

As I came around the fence I was trying hard to shoot through the fence, I encountered a woman feeding bread to the animals through the chain link fence. Her golf cart was full of cheap or reclaimed bread. She was popular with the animals. Then she started a conversation with me as if we were old friends. 

I admit, I was not too cordial to begin with. I just wanted to shoot pictures of the cantankerous animals that had very short attention spans. But she went on regardless of whether I acknowledged her too much. In the course of her conversation she mentioned how she had had a digital camera and that she wished she could post an up-to-date picture online. Regretably she didn't know how use her own camera. Not mention that a relative had borrowed it and never returned hers. I could only comment on how the camera I was using was not mine and I did not own one either. But, I missed something very important.

“Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10, NIV

This was the Exempla Vitae moment I referred to last week. This was the opportunity to do good by someone. A quick photo or 2 and some contact information to send her the photos could have been a blessing to her. A moment like this could create waves in someone else's life. This is where Life intersects Art. These are the times I live for.

My challenge to you is to think ahead about the gifts you have been given: time, talent, resources, knowledge, experience. Ask God what He wants you to do with these things. Imagine the possibilities of using them in unconventional ways. Write down and plan for such times as these. You will be surprised of the creativity utilized when you come to that time, nothing is ideal after all.