Category: Reflections

If there was a church that focused on visual arts, I would go there. I think churches should have art galleries.

You can’t expect people to build what you think of . You might have to be the person that starts the ball rolling.

Ever since I became a  Christian, I wondered if there was such a thing. So far only music is featured. We do have sculptures at the church I go to  and I am happy for that. And they have drawings in the narthex and they have my paintings in the womens room. So it is not that they don’t have something.

But what if there was a new painting each week. a new painting done for every single sermon. what if it was behind the alter while the Pastor said the sermon.

Once I was in a church that commissioned me to  do three big paintings that they left on the walls in the building. I painted London bankers for one and I cannot remember the other two. I think one was the Tree of Life. Any who

that happened .  But I think God would enjoy his artist people doing whatever they could to glorify Him.

I think it would be so exciting and alive.

Now that I think about it the second I became a Christian I wanted to make a place like that . A place for every artistic expression. I mean really music isn’t all there is.

I am glad I remembered this in the desert Lent walk blog because I had  buried it  To be honest, I have never asked if I could do this because I figured it was too radical but maybe I am not giving them enough credit. Maybe I could do a painting every week on the bulletin. but I was thinking of something grander and I love the idea of having to illustrate one a week. It would be a challenge.  somebody in the congregation could buy it so they could keep the sermon they liked. Even if this was done for only one year, it would be great. Artists would come to that church . Bank on it. Maybe I will ask about it. But here is reality. Nobody has to give you permission to create something. You can do it anytime. It took me all day the write the last line.

Lots of people have husbands.

But you might not think about this

If you feed them almonds and figs

They will always be in bliss

And they will make coffee and bring you some cigs.

 

This blog was causing me a little stress in coming up with clever ideas or even thoughts for 40 days in a row.  I just wanted to write a bad poem to loosen up a little see what happened. Mission statements are sort of mind bending because you don’t want to get it wrong ,

When I was a kid there was this phrase”finding yourself” that was used quite often. Usually a young person would say that when choosing a career. But  maybe it is a constant question you should ask yourself as you age too. Things change and we grow so maybe you have to keep refining that question.

A close friend of mine said that after I write these 40 blogs, I should go back and see the patterns. That is a good idea. Maybe this day is just a piece that will make sense at the end of the road.

 

 

This is the most fun art class ever. Have students do the worst painting possible. Use the ugliest colors they can even imagine and do the worst drawing they can come up with. If you do that, it is like jumping off a bridge. You cannot do art like that unless you  really let go. . Just try it. And guess what . There is no ugly color. the only UGLY color is probably a blend of colors trying to be ugly but it won’t be. It will be different. It won’t be possible. You will find that same color you made somewhere in the world

You will probably find the pictures to be interesting. Interesting is good, It is better than the same old thing that you are already skilled at.

It is absolutely freeing to do this. Because you don’t have any pressure mentally to do a good painting . You will be better.

I let my granddaughter come into the studio and paint half the painting. She was thrilled. i did not know what she would do, but the more she saw that I wasn’t judging her, she just splashed the paint all over with abandon. . i finished the painting and sold it and she knows she helped me do it.

playing around can be totally exciting and relaxing at the same time.

People want to be able to categorize things, so they can understand how to talk about it with some clarity. The problem is every person is unique and so the number of categories is astronomical.

When I got married, My husband and I had a Japanese/French theme to our wedding. We both liked qualities of both countries and couldn’t decide which so we had both.  Kimonos were our wedding attire, Sushi and Pate and marinated Sea Monster Vegetables, Blueberry Cheesecake , French baguettes,  and truffles.  Swans . We had swans too. Floating in a swimming pool. The flowers were orchids and the music was John Phillip Souza since it was close to the fourth of July. So actually our THEME was also included Hawaiian and American .  Oh yes we had a Amish thrown in there too for music. The wedding invitation  was in French and English .

So we made our own melange up for that day.

Thats the great thing about people. New combinations happen all the time.

Instead of trying to blend in and fit in to be accepted by others, we should all strive to be as different as possible. Do you on steroids. “Unique You is what I want to see”

It is a great feeling to know that whatever your particular bent is , Is the one people really will enjoy. WE put that fit in thing on ourselves. Nobody really wants conformity in personalities, But most people act like that is the case.

Innovation is important for everyone.

I am always happier to meet a relaxed person who is doing something a little differently. It makes life so much more enjoyable to have a little surprise thrown in every so often.

In fact his whole thought is related to painting. Every great painting has a little something off in it. A little something the wrong perspective or odd color or peculiar. That is what makes it GREAT.

 

 

I saw an artist Ken Greenes’ work and it was the kind of work that moved me to want to talk about it here. He is not holding back and that  inspires me to do the same.

The bold (understatement) paint strokes just ooze life and power and freedom .

You really can’t paint like that unless you are like that. Every artwork has something to offer that somebody needs. That is why you are attracted to a particular piece of work. The language of art speaks to the deepest need in us.

You will buy what you need.

Kens work is like diving into the emotion of the land. It pulls me into the fields waving in the wind and the color of the sky is smeared all over my being. It enters my pores and becomes part of my body. It is as if his paintings are breathing and pulsing life into a at first glance static in reality , but he finds the joy there that is unbounded.

His portraits are the same way. I really want to know the people he is painting as they seem infinitely alive to me too. If you are tired or starving for something like vibrancy in your life then his work should be in your home.

It makes me want to open a gallery and show his work just so I could be around it awhile and give others an opportunity to own something that would feed them everyday like these paintings do.

He gave me permission to post one of his paintings here but I would advise you to look him up and check out his work. You will not be sorry you did.