Creative Christian

[itsrjh13]

The voices of the martyrs are still calling out to this day.

George Floyd.Breonna Taylor.Ahmaud Arbery.Charleena Lyles.Philando Castile.Alton Sterling.Delrawn Small.Jai Williams.Kawne Patrick.Tyrone Reado.Lafayette Evans.Sherman Evans.Angelo Brown.Sandra Bland.Trayvon Martin.Tamir Rice.Jonathan Ferrell.Eric Garner.Freddie Gray.Natasha McKenna.Oscar Grant.Sean Bell.Kendrec McDade.Kimani Gray.Christian Taylor.Michael Brown.John Crawford

How many more must there be in order to have equality?

You took everything from us including our families.

All we ask, is for respect;but you spit in our faces and kneeled on our necks.

Brainwashed into thinking that we could not do just as good,

you kept our mentality hood.

When sin entered the world, we chose our own fate.

The love of God got overrun by hate.

Now, this will be a constant battle

That the world, as a unit, will have to tackle.

It is important to remember to love one another,

So that we don’t have to suffer. People of Color.

[itsrjh13]

Week 15 Assigned Readings

The video, 'Love the art, hate the artists' is a very interesting video, beause it reminded me that different people's actions constantly change my perception of that person. Just like people judge others based on their actions, many people judge the art upon the artists. People may like something that the artists has created, but when they hear that the artists did something that was distaseful, that might change the viewers perception of that art they just looked at.

Many christian artists are judged because of the label that people house them in. To be a Christian as well as an artist is something that is not widely accepted, let alone the new generation of Christians. Many people already label Christians as boring, but being old fashioned and behind the times makes it worse. However, the controversy is uncovered when there are differing types of Christians. The old-fashioned Christians are clashing with the new generation of Christians, which is causing a cultural shift in the way that Christians view art. In this new generation, there is a new outlook on the art industry as a positive form of self expression. Being creative is something that God has given us the ability to do so we should be able to use it to glorify God. Just like Jesus in the Bible. He was creative when he did a miracle. He used everyday things such as the multiplication of fish, or the leprosay and the calming of the storm, in order to glorify God. Jesus was performing art in itself because He was being creative. There is nothing that Jesus did on the earth that God does not want for us to do and a hundred times over. It is in each and every one of us to be creative and use our God given talents to bring glory to Him.

[itsrjh13]

Do you think the church respects art and artists? Why or why not?Has an artwork ever deepened your understanding about something? Explain.

The churh does respect art and artists, however, I believe that the church has a limited vision of what it will respect. Art such as tatoos and piercings are not as highly respected in the church as religious praise and worship is. I beleive that the church has a clouded mind when it comes to the acceptance of things. Many Christians in the church are more religious than they are Christian allowing them to abuse their religion. Some art such as tatoos and/or piercings are not highly respected in the church because they do not see it as glorifying God, but rather condeming Him and not respecting him.

There are many times where artwork has solidified my understanding of something as well as deepend it. For example, The Bible is an artwork, that is in the form of writing. This artwork, has constantly solidified God's grace for me and the people that I know. In the Bible, God gives us many encouragements as well as guidelines on how to life our lives for the Glory of God. Without the Bible, my faith would not have been deepened because I would be unable to read about the vast miracles that Jesus performed while on earth. The BIble is an artform that is a constant reminder that I can go look back on to be reminded of God's greatness.

[itsrjh13]

Week 14 Reading Assignments

In the reading "Art as a Proper Job", it talks about the unagreement that comes with it. As does picking a side in anything in this world, there will be some people who agree and some people who disagree. The artical said, " What is wants may well be nothing but guns and car crashes, sex and shopping, or pruruent delving into other people's lives. Alternatively, what is wants may be a bland diet of ;nice' stories, neat endingd, and art that comforts, reinforces prejudices, and never stretches the brains." (,18) I feel like this is the audience that many artists have to deal with, when they make their paintings. A lot of the times artists make art to show off,which means they need to make things that attract others. However, the artists point of view might not agree with everyone elses point of view causing their painting to become controversial, like this world. Artists have to come to terms with the fact that not everyone will like what they have to present especially if it represents them. In believe that artists can take rejection to art, because when a person rejects their art they reject the artists initself.

"We say, 'Don't play games with me,' to warn others not to mislead us. 'Mind games' in the context of a romantic relationship refers to temptation or entrepment." (Linville, 2) This is the quote that I wanted to use to summarize the whole article. When we refer to game, I feel like th interpretation can be different depending on the situation. Games could be physical or mental as shown in the quote. I feel like creativity could be a mental game that plays with our brains and sometimes can tell us that we are not creative when all we needed was inspiration. This is why it is important to always be surrounded by things that can make us thing and keep us on our toes in order to stimulate our brain and keep us thinking.

[itsrjh13]

Think of an example of an artwork you consider to be bad. What made it bad?Has an artwork ever changed your mind about something? Explain.

I consider the spread of lies to be an example of bad artwork. Since I am not conforming art to a single painting or painter, I beleive that anything can be art, as long as it is made up and not natural. Lies are made up and do not come from God, which also makes it a sin. When people spread lies, they are sinning as well as distorting others visions, creating bad artwork. Lies are bad because they cover the truth, which is something that a lot of people are afraid of hearing and/or giving others.

Yes, I believe that artwork has definitely changed my mind about somethings. Growing up, I always knew that there was racism, especially because I am Black. Racism has always been part of my culture, which was recently brought to light through the widespread video of George Floyd dying under the knee of a police officer. That video allowed me to realize how sheltered I have been growing up and that I need to expand my horizons so that I am safe. The video of George Floyd being murdered by a poilie officer was the artwork that changed my mind about what I need to learn in order to protect me and keep me safe.

[itsrjh13]

Week 13 Assigned Readings

In the Imagine book, it was talking about our presepctives as humans rather than Christians. Before we are Christians, we are fully human, which means that we come with sin and assumptions. Since the fall of man, our vision has been warped to think and even question a certain walk of life, which has often led to sin. Sin is of the flesh amd are our earthly feelings conflicting with our spiritual feelings because we are not of this earth. Because sin clouds are vision, we should not be quick to label things as Christian art without making sure first. For example, a cross does not automatically mean that it is Christian art. It depends on how the cross is being protrayed or sold that classifies it as either Christian art or non-Christian art.

In the video, 'Art is Beautiful', the author of the painting brought up a very good point as to how women have always been portrayed in society. In her video, you could see the pain on the womans face from brushing and combing her hair without a satisfied expression on her face. She looked like she was continuously fixing something that she could not tame, which is what society is training women to do. We are constantly told to fix our emotions in order to fit in and see equality. However, women should not have to change themselves in order to be accepted in society, as should anybody.

[itsrjh13]

Does a work of art need to be beautiful? Why or why not?Think of an example of an artwork you consider to be good. What made it good?

There are many ways that people express as well as interpret the word beautiful. Something that is beautiful to one person can be ulgy to the next. There are many types of art that I do not think is necessarily beautiful, because of the way that I percieve things. Art can be similar to humor, as there are many types, but not everyone gets the same humor/joke. There are many types of art that not everyone can relate to, which does not make it beautiful.

One of my highshool classes was art. I was given the opportunity to use one of the conepts that I learned in the class to produce my final. I ended up choosing to do pop art because it was bold and colorful, just like me. I really liked how it was also girly and gave me Barbz vibes. I feel like this is a good work of art because I made it, and I like how it looks very precise.

[itsrjh13]

How can art be made “to the glory of God”? What does that look like? What doesn’t it look like?

Art can be made 'to the glory of God' in the church as well as in art galleries. Glory is defined as praise given to something or someone in order to lift them up. The glory that is being given to God enables the art lift Him up in every way. Art includes painting, dancing, reading scripture, praying and much more. God love when we are able to spread the Gospel, so that means that being a missionary is a form of art 'to the glory of God'. Art can be made through practice of a certian task. Art that does not glorify God goes against His core values. Profanity, as well as anger and strife is art that is not created through the 'Glory of God'. Things that go against Christianity and degrade the Bible are things that do not uplift His name which does not glorify Him.

[itsrjh13]

Assigned Reading Week 11

Reading this weeks assigned reading was pretty interesting. He talked about the positive side of simplicity along with the need for a ever surrounding village for growth and how to become more creative. Everybody is different which is why it is harder for us to compare lives and/or selves. This is why it is important to explore yourself to learn more about yourself. Focusing on your health and well-being will eliminate a lot fo stress in life which can sometimes block creativity. Spending time cleaning is one de stressor for me, and it constantly allows me to become minimalistic. I know that I always do not stay minimalistic, but cleaning is a great reminder of where I need to begin order to increase my productivity in life. 

[itsrjh13]

How should art be used in the church? What should that look like? What shouldn’t that look like? In what ways does God “renew” our minds?

In the church, I believe that art should be used as a way to glorify God. It can be used during worship in order to have people express the talent that God has given them. Most of the times that I have seen art expressed in the church, it is usually related to religion in the way that it is whatever God has out on the painters heart. I have also seen flags be put in the back of the church in order to encourage people to express themselves through dance for the glory of God. The organization of church in itself is art along with how the Pastor explains his message and gets his point across, as well. I also believe that worship is a form of art that is practiced in church.  I feel like there are so many people who are creative and when the Spirit is moving during worship, people are touched and their minds are open to become inspired. I also believe that speaking in tongues is a form of art that is used in the church as well as prophecy.  

God renews our minds by giving us new life (for those he has promised) after we go to bed. The fruits of the spirit, that God has ruled us to follow, renew our minds, when we follow HIs ways.

[itsrjh13]

How do these myths square with your own experiences as creative people? How do you think stereotypes or myths about the life of creatives create problems for the real artists who are living these lives?  How do your spiritual beliefs that impact how you consider these ideas?

These myths are very interesting to learn about, because I did not think about that stigma as an artists. These myths allow a questionable look into the artists mind, letting us know that the painter was not thinking about unicorns and rainbows. In the painters head a lot of things are being talked about, and the artists is creating art as a means to escape their reality. 

The stereotypes about artists create an unrealistic life for actual artists, especially when they do not live that life. In reality, the lives of artists are all creative with no two lives being the same. Artists get inspiration from the things around them. There are so many different paintings, which mean that artists areal having different experiences that create differentiating inspiration.

My spiritual beliefs impact how I considered these ideas because I was not being judgmental but relational. When Jesus walked this earth, he was relational with his disciples as well as the pharisees and sadducees. He also did not judge them or let others judge people. Judging is something only God really has authority on, so I make sure that I do not judge people. However, I become as relational as I can, because that is what Jesus did and wants us to do as well. “Love covers a multitude of sins.” is what 1 Peter 4:8 says. Jesus wants us to love others over being judgmental of others.

[itsrjh13]

How is the art you make different than the art you like to look at or engage with as a viewer? Has reading the Bible ever provided you guidance about looking at, thinking about or making art?

The art I make is based off of the art that I know I can complete and do. The art that I look at is definitely based off of what I want to do. For example, my primary art is braiding hair. I have done a good amount of peoples heads, but not many of the hairstyles are intricate, mainly based off of the time I do not have to spend. However, if you see my Instagram feed, I have a lot of hairstyles that are intricate and that have great design. I want to try these different hairstyles, but I feel like it takes time that I do not have, but that is what art is. I love inspiration of things that I want to do, even though I do not always get there, but it is nice to see what I could possibly do. I feel like the Bible has inspired one of my tattoos and I hope it inspires my next tattoos as well. Also, whenever I read the Bible, the stories in there come to life in my head when I imagine it. I think that it is cool that I am able to imagine the story in my head because it makes the Bible creative and comes to life for me.

[itsrjh13]

What is the art world? Who is involved? Who isn’t? Why? Has art that has been meaningful to you been made by Christians or non Christians? Is this question irrelevant? Explain your answer

I feel like the art world is the whole world in itself. The world is made by a Creator so everything in it is something that God created. I do not believed that there is nothing in the world that is not creative. I love how some scientists “discover” new things in the world, and it seems creative, but in reality, it is nothing new that God does not know about because he already made it, it just was not discovered. So it is only new to humans, to be honest. Since God is our creator, he has given us creative minds, which is why we are able to come up with new things everyday. Art is even the simple things that surround us. The sunset/sunrise, our neighbors, the carpet we have in our living room, the architecture of the house we are in and so much more. I feel like we do not realize the amount of art that is in this world, but there is so much. Food is also art in itself, and the different combinations and the way that food taste. I believe that art has been very meaningful to me. I constantly look for inspiration before I start most things, by going on Pinterest. If creative people who are artists, were not one Pintrest then I would not be able to find inspiration from that. I was in high school and I needed to do an art project for my class. I had to pick a type of art project to do, and was able to combine the thoughts in my head with the things I looked up on Google. The internet is a wild place that is filled with a bunch of art and connection that I was able to find. I now keep my pop art art project with me wherever I go because I am pretty proud of it. Sometimes, people need a jumpstart to become creative which is why I appreciate and use the internet and Pintrest. This question is not irrelevant because it is able to make somebody think about the art around us that we sometimes can brush off.

[itsrjh13]

If a Christian works as an artists, is the art they produce a ministry or an occupation? Why? QotW Week#8

I believe that an artist who is a Christian can use their art as a ministry AS WELL AS an occupation. It does not always have to be used as an occupation, but can be be for fun as well. When an artists draws something for their ministry, I feel like a lot more thought is out into their art because they know that they need to get a point across to the viewer. The artists needs to make sure that the viewer is able to see what they are trying to make and to make sure that it makes sense. However, on the other hand, if an artists just wants to have a little bit of fun, not much thought will be put into their art or it will be last minute with tweaks being made along the way.

HOW IMPORTANT IS KNOWING ABOUT THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF AN ARTIST WHEN VIEWING THEIR ARTWORK? DOES KNOWING AN ARTIST'S RELIGION CHANGE THE WAY YOU UNDERSTAND OR APPRECIATE THEIR WORK?

When going around in an art gallery, I feel like it can be hard to know all of the artists backgrounds and what they were thinking about when they made their art. When some artists have a little description next to their art, it is a little easier to know some history of the artwork and can allow the viewer to understand it on another level that they might not have though of. Knwoing the personal history of an artists when viewing their artwork can definitely change your perception of the artwork and amke you see it in a different light which is pretty nice. It is also nice to experience the artwork through your lense without the lense of the artist to see if ya'll are on the same page. Knowing the artist's religion would most likely change the way that I understand or appreciate their work, because I would be able to see their artwork through their lense and not my lense, especially if it was someone of a differing religion.

[itsrjh13]

Reading Assignment Week 8

There was a lot to intake this week with all of the different videos and pages to read. A lot of the reading had to do with embracing the talents that God has given us like talked about last week. Finding your creative emergence was talked about in the Emerge book as stated in this quote, “Stripping us of our value and worth encourages a realistic view of morality that can, and does, lead to many human atrocities. (Perini,37) When we do not find our creative emergence as humans, can cause us to devalue ourselves which can cause human atrocities. As humans, that is not something that God wants us to feel like. In Exodus 35, God picked Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah to create artistic designs for the tabernacle. God wanted others to see the artistic side of people so that He could be glorified. In the videos that we were given, art was described in different ways including exploring identity as well as being gender fluid in a way. It was cool to see Frida and how she was able to make a name for herself and not base it off of her husband new found fame. I like seeing creativity in things that are not common because that is what makes it more interesting and creative.

[itsrjh13]

Week 7

This week, the readings talk about how God is a creator and how the Bible showed his creation. In the beginning, He created us as well as the world and everything that lives and breathes on it. Genesis goes on to say that God blessed it and told Adam and Even to be fruitful and multiply not he earth. When God created us, he created His creation and made us creative. God constantly wants us to do His good works in the world, and to live like He would, which is why he made us to be creative as well because He is creative. As a society we keep reimagining things and becoming creative in all of the things that we produce and make. I feel like it makes God happy when he sees something type of creation that glorifies Him because it honors him, since we are using the gifts and talents that he has given us. 

[itsrjh13]

What is the difference between an artist making art for a gallery and an artist making art for their living room? Does this distinction matter? Why or why not? Where do your ideas come from?

When people are asked to make art for a gallery, I feel like it is a different mindset than making art for their living room. In an art gallery, you know that your work is going to be put on display, so that means that it needs to look precise in everything as well as give off the right connotation to the viewers. On the other hand, art that is in your living room, can have a lot more emotional influence as well as be a little bit more messy, because the only people who will be seeing your artwork are the people who come over your house. I feel like for an art gallery, there is more of a goal in mind for what you want your art to look at because it will be critiqued more but for your living room, the pressure of how your art turns out is not as high. 

Ideas come from either personal experience of imagination. It can either be things that have happened in the past that are able to be created in a picture form or things that have been imagined but have not happened that want to be created into picture ( or other ways).