“One of my philosophy professors lectured wildly about love once, yelling: “When you’re in love with someone, that person is the lighthouse of your universe.” (I scrawled it inside Science and Poetry in pencil—lighthouse of your universe—as if I would ever forget that phrase.) He was a delightful caricature of his position. I could swear he literally tore his hair out while howling at us. He went on, “Nothing means as much without that person.” 
One of the men in the class repeated, incredulous, half-laughing “so you’re saying you can’t enjoy, like, a vacation, without someone if you’re really in love with them?” 
“Of course not.” the professor replied. “Not completely. You recognize beauty, but beauty means less if they don’t witness it with you. Beauty is less. You see something sublime and your first thought is that they should be there with you. It’s not as good without them. They illuminate. They make everything more.”

http://knowingnothing.tumblr.com/post/84143049/one-of-my-philosophy-professors-lectured-wildly

A picture is worth a thousand words.

We have all heard the expression before.  But is it true?

I just got done with a class about worship.  The class started talking about musical styles and how a style is not inherently evil but can be misused.  The discussion, over the course of three hours, turned to art as well as music.  I got a chance to contribute to the discussion of what my feelings of art and worship are.  I think art is worshipful as an aide to the biblical story, setting a mood of worship, depicting the pain and depravity of humanity and the need for a savior, and because of its intrinsic value.  Now there are whole mini-discussions that could go into each of those categories and there are always exceptions, but in my opinion, art more often than not=worship but worship does not necessarily=art.

On another note we talked about how an artist can have a gallery show that doesn't necessarily portray "Christian themes" or "sacred art" in that it portrays nature  or parts of life rather than Bible stories.  On the same token a musician can write lyrics about life and their experiences that doesn't have to be a "worship" chorus and it can equally glorify God in its honesty and reflection on real things.  There are limits to this of course because there are things that do NOT glorify God in life that would not be considered "wholesome" or "good" lyrics, and likewise should not be in a painting, etc.  In talking about this gallery and how it can glorify God without just lifting up the artist, we talked about ways to deflect the praise from the artist/musician to God.  An artist can write a statement about how God has given them the talents so they might be used to glorify Him, or an musician could say they were inspired by God and hope people can see the overcoming joy God has brought them through their circumstances, etc (depending on the subjects).  I talked about my artist statement and what it said and the responses I got were very positive.  It had been a long time since I had revisited that statement, written 1.5 years ago.  I got home and showed it to my roommate... and she actually cried she said it was powerful.  I didn't know that I had done something so significant that it could really touch a persons life.  I am amazed at the power of God through pictures AND words (what I think were divinely inspired).

These are just some thoughts... and I felt like sharing them.  Please let me know your thoughts.  Here is a copy of my artist's statement from my Senior show:

I wrote an artist statement about how I see the world and how that translates into my work.  Then a revelation came to me: This show isn’t about me; it’s not even about my art.  This show is about something greater.  Just as a brush is a tool that I use, I am simply an instrument in God’s ever grander design.


My life is only a moment in what we call “time.”  While my art may remain much longer than myself, it is not eternal.  What is eternal is the impression made upon its viewer.  That is what this show is about, the eternal impression upon a single soul.  How does the art speak to you?  What is God saying through it?

When the disciples were walking by the temple with Jesus, they remarked, “Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”  All they could see was the architecture that man built.  Jesus saw past that and told them, “Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”  (Matt. 13:1-2)  What man built was temporary, but Jesus looked past the surface.  What he saw was something that has impacted every generation following.  We must allow ourselves to take the focus off of ourselves and see a bigger picture.  Look past the finite and visible and see something that is invisible and eternal.


As you view my work, keep in mind that it is not about me, or about what I have done.  It is about God, my family and my friends that have been there to support me through the years.  It is also about you, and what you take from it is your decision.