inspired
David and I are arty folk - but in different ways. We like to consume art but we also really like to create it. I’m a graphic artist and toy around with writing. I also enjoy mixed media art but haven’t dabbled in that for a long time. David is an actor and writer. Acting was on hold for him for many years - - for a variety of reasons that are too complicated to get into here - - but now he’s getting back into it again and I’m happy for him.
Because of this and some other turns of events, we’ve had many conversations about a transformational approach to art. We’ve already done the art thing in other ways as Christians (including leading creative arts ministries in churches) but now we want to learn to live well in a much more integrated way which includes viewing the process of artistic creation AS spirituality rather than trying to bring spirituality into the creation.
My struggle is that I’m practical to a fault. I have a very hard time doing something “just because” or “just for fun”. Creating something that doesn’t serve a purpose goes against my grain because while I’m creative and artistic I’m also pragmatic, analytical, organized, administrative, logical and practical. In spite of my heretical blog posts and wacky ideas about religion and spirituality I have often joked that I actually would make a very good fundamentalist in any religion…just as I made a good conservative evangelical growing up.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Part of this journey of the merging of my selves, has been working hard to purge myself of a lot of churchy stuff and reconnect with my “other self” in the hopes that I can reintegrate these parts of me into a holistic and authentic whole self. Part of this process has been to scale down the number of Christian blogs I read and add more reading about other things that I enjoy - like design, photography, knitting, other cultures and other religions.
This is where the beauty of technology comes in. I use twitter and for me, it is consistently the best source for referrals and help. I have had Adobe Illustrator questions answered, found restaurants and am constantly directed to great blogs and websites. Another one of the greatest things about the internet age for creative folks is the glut of inspiration that is literally at your fingertips.
So today, courtesy of some tweets and blog posts, I found this site and it reminded me of Michael Surtees who took pictures of the same patch of sky above his Manhattan apartment every day for a year or something and then posted them on flickr as little color blocks. I was inspired to play around with the colors around me as a source of inspiration.
Reconnecting with my own self in this way is something that I find I have to do pretty regularly. It’s easy to get caught up in one single domain (motherhood or ministry for example) and forget that a holistic, integrated existence infused by God is what I should be aiming for.
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always inspiring!
lately i’ve been thinking about how i can make my art more an integrated part of who I am. too often i think of my times of artistic expression as a segment of me instead of allowing its essence to invade everything I am and do.. actually same deal with god, spirituality and church.
it’s good to hear about the flame of art alive in those around me. keep pushing, mak!
love this! though not an artist, by pulling back from “churchy things” i am remembering that God’s beauty is everywhere and He speaks to me in surprising and beautiful ways. I just ran across the poem, “To Have Without Holding” by Marge Piercy and it is speaking to me on a very deep and spiritual level. The opening line - Learning to love differently is hard - made me say, AMEN!
Enjoy the inspiration wherever it comes!
Mak, as I read this post, the immediate question that comes to mind (and my sons/daughter know this all too well) the questions/musings you ask are heavy laden with a demand for a “point of reference”. I think, once we begin to think in terms of the point of reference that Papa is we begin to be ourselves.
As for art, the martinis we had last Friday night were at this palce; if y’all are ever in the St. Louis area, besides stopping at my house for a genuine cup of Bazillian coffee, you have to stop at Pepertinis: http://www.peppertinispianobarandgrill.com/index.htm
Release yourself…..
What great links! I really enjoyed the Colorful Illusions at the color lovers blog.
Mak, you have given words to what I have been feeling but have not been able to recognize. Losing yourself. The REAL self. The one God made to be creative. Not entangled in churchy chains. Art that God placed within us does not need to have a Christian label.
Both my husband and I are musicians. I also am an artist. He plays jazz and expresses himself in that venue. Dare I say, even worships while listening or playing? My art use to be freer and more expressive until *that day* when the church folk said I should do it this way or that way for their church. Rambling, I know. I guess what I want to say is… if we are made in the image of our Creator then I think he is pleased by our art and longs to see more in what ever media we choose.
It’s funny, I was always extremely non-creative when I was wrapped up in church. It’s only since I have been set free from the institution that my arty side has come out. I think it’s a product of seeing God in most things, where before I only really saw God in specific “God things”, if that makes sense.