Missionary Adventurer

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Emily’s Creative Manifesto

I am an artist. I was created by God in His image. I am a bearer of His likeness and have been called to glorify Him as King. I believe that every person is a creative being and that they have the beautiful potential to design, construct, and create.

I create art. I count a lot of things as art because I consider anything that is forged, produced, or constructed with intentionality, whether that be for simple pleasure or mindful labor, to be art. Therefore sometimes my art looks like an organized lesson plan for a young class of 5th graders, a messy painting of some flowers, a praise-filled worship song, or a wordy description of my day.

My art has purpose.  The heartbeat behind my art is to magnify Jesus. The work of my hands and mind testify to God’s greatness and artistry. I love to use my art to encourage others and share Jesus’ love with people. 

I create through many different avenues. I create art in a variety of ways. My art looks different depending on its intended function. Sometimes I create through means of pure enjoyment, other times I have a deadline to meet or a problem to solve. Art is funny like that, the “how” behind art can be just about anything. There isn't really a wrong or right way to “do” art. Personally, though, I enjoy being outside while practicing creativity. I also prefer a good mix of being alone and being with people while working on art.

I will pursue creativity as a channel to glorify God.

I will practice creativity as a means to continually grow in my talents.

I will strive to be aware and perceptive, taking in every moment as a chance and opportunity to be creative.

I will chose to stifle the lies and insecurities that try to invade my work and talents.

I will do my best to create artwork that builds others up and carries purpose.

I will continue to try, not letting failure rob me of restarts and the opportunity to learn.

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Discussion Recap

Today’s class discussion was interesting and really got me thinking. I appreciated how so many of my peers talked about their goals and aspirations as they seek to enter the career world of an artist. Hearing about their dreams was inspiring and so captivating. As I listened, I thought about my own life and dreams. Personally, my goal is to become an elementary school teacher. I don’t consider myself an exceptional artist and I’m not necessarily looking to become a professional artist, however, this doesn’t mean that the conversation or topic doesn’t apply to me. No matter what, we are all, including myself, creative beings. We carry creative ideas and artistic skills around with us wherever we go. As I follow my dreams of teaching young students, I can bring my creativity into my career also. Being creative in the classroom may look different, but I can still be an artist. 

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Reading Response

As I watched the Love the Art, Hate the Artist video my mind slowly swirled and spiraled into how exactly I view art in relationship with the maker of it. My ideas toggled back and forth on whether I would even want to consider liking a certain artist’s artwork if they had done disgusting things or said offensive statements. I thought about the ways in which information affects my eyes when I go back and look at art with some kind of newfound revelation of who the artist actually was or is. After much thought and consideration, I would say that it’s extremely difficult, and near impossible, to divorce the art from the artist. No matter how hard you may try, keeping these two elements separate is not going to happen. I think that there is a way, however, to appreciated and advocate for the artist’s skill, devotion, and creativity while also acknowledging that no one is perfect and everyone carries around flaws. God sees past our gross pasts and mistakes and still calls us beautiful. I think we should all strive to be a little more like God. 

Then, as I watch the documentary on Pixar animator, Deanna Marsigliese, I fell in love with the way she constantly and consciously stayed alert and aware. She took every opportunity to observe the normalcy of life happening around her. She saw the potential behind every moment, every person, and every movement. She was careful not to overlook the small details because she knew that those were where big, beautiful, creative productions blossom from!

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Questions of the week

Do you think the church respects art and artists? Why or why not?

Personally, I think the answer to this question really depends on which church it is. It has been my overall experience that, for the most part, churches don’t really respect or disrespect art and artist, but instead, lean towards avoidance of the art world. However, I have been a part of a church that was highly involved in the theatrical and musical sides of art. I think this specific church does a fantastic job of intertwining art with Christianity and godly principles. They use art as a means to share the hope of Jesus! But on the other hand, the church as a whole, I would say, is getting pretty good at avoiding the world of art. 

 Has an artwork ever deepened your understanding about something? Explain.

Yes! I would say that art has definitely deepened my understanding of specific situations or concepts. For example, one time I watch a musical play about Easter and the gift of Jesus and His resurrection. This play really helped me understand the sacrifice that Jesus was willing to be and the incredible, unexplainable love Jesus has for me. This artistic play allowed me to connect with God’s heart on a new level that I had not known before. I was able to gain a new understanding and a deeper intimacy with the resurrection account.

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reading response

I enjoyed this week’s reading material and felt that I learned a lot from the content.  The Art as a Proper Job article gave me a better understanding of how artists should and can contribute to society and the “real world.” This article also made me think about the difficult task that artists face of trying to display and represent ideas through the art they create. Different types of people and groups demand certain views be displayed in art, and artists are faced with the challenge of choosing what they want to present and how they want to exhibit the art. From this article, I appreciated the quote that says, as an artist, “Be prepared to act as a mediator.” I think this statement holds a lot of truth. Artists have to step in a mediate for the art they create. They have to intercede on behalf of the intentions behind their art.

In Stephanie Sabo’s Let the Games Begin article about Tina Lindville’s artwork, I learned so much and gained a better understanding of what Lindville’s art is about and what she stands for. Incorporating play, childhood innocence, sports, and colorful simplicity into art really helped me think about the concepts of competition, humanity, fun, and creativity in a totally new way. Overall I think reading this article did two things. By engaging with this written work, I was able to get to know the heart of Tina a little more. Additionally, I was able to see an example of art being used to portray a specific idea in a very intentional and unapologetic way. I think Sabo played the role of mediator for Lindville’s work, and that was exciting to see!

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Question of the week

Think of an example of an artwork you consider to be bad. What made it bad?

What I consider to be bad artwork is slowly changing. I used to say that artwork that appears to take little to no talent or skill to create was bad. I would’ve said that if it looks like a 2-year-old could have done it, it was clearly just bad art. And honestly, sometimes if I just didn’t like it, I would consider it bad art. However, now I am learning that there is a lot of skill and talent that are poured into each piece of art, and just because I don’t understand the delicate and detailed process, doesn’t mean it’s bad art. Art is for people to interpret and enjoy, if I don’t like what I am seeing, that’s ok, but I’m learning that that in itself does not make it bad art. 

So now I would say that bad art is art that portrays evil ideas or concepts for the purpose of taking minds to dark and gross places. This type of art may have taken skill to create but its intentions are ungodly and evil, therefore, I would consider this type of art bad. 

Has an artwork ever changed your mind about something?

I don’t know if art has ever changed my mind about something, but it has made me look at situations and concepts differently and has provided me a different perspective and lens to look through. 

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Discussion Reflection

During today’s class discussion, I really appreciated listening to everyone in my small group, and as we chatted about what beauty is and its place in art, I began thinking that what is really beautiful is the way that God designed each of us with a different perspective on what is “beautiful.” It was fascinating to learn about all the different kinds of beauty in art. We all appreciated something slightly different in the art world and it was lovely to hear the variety. 

Additionally, I loved how we discussed the idea that beauty in the art could refer to the process that’s involved in the making of the art or the process that the product evokes in viewers, instead of the actual content of the art.

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Reading Reflection - week 13

I found this week’s reading material fascinating and thought-provoking. I especially enjoyed the assigned chapter in imagine. This chapter got me thinking about the power and purpose that art has, specifically for Christian artists. And what about Christian musicians in the arts? How is their music categorized as Christian or non-Christian? How should artists use their music and creative endeavors for godly purposes? As I considered the text and these questions, this quote stood out to me. “It is possible to create work saturated with gospel insights without spelling out the plan for salvation, just as it is possible to demonstrate the joys of a loving marriage without showing off your wedding photographs”(Turner, 2017). With this in mind, Christian artists don’t have to shout the name of Jesus in every song or embed a cross in every painting, instead, they can drench their work with the gospel by simply being honest and real about their faith in the normal things, struggles, and relationships of life. And as I read this, I also got to thinking, “this doesn’t just apply to handcrafted artwork, it can also apply to shopping at the grocery store, sending work emails, cooking dinner, playing sports, hanging with friends, or washing the car. With everything we do, we Christians are called to transcend the ways of this world, look a little weird, and make the world thirst for Jesus. 

Additionally, I enjoyed watching the Art must be Beautiful video. I agreed with the speaker in this video, that beauty is more of an experience than an objective “thing” found in all art. However, just because beauty is an experience that everyone encounters uniquely, doesn’t mean it’s any less important. Beauty is real and it has vital effects that are wonderfully needed in this world.

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When beauty doesn’t define art...

Does art need to be beautiful? No, I don’t think so. Beauty is almost impossible to define. Everyone has a different view and understanding of beauty, so therefore, how would one go about qualifying something as beautiful or not beautiful? Further, personally, some things that I consider art, aren’t necessarily beautiful, instead they are more just interesting and odd. Sometimes art simply sparks curiosity and imagination. Sometimes it's meant to make you feel things. Also, even so-called “ugly”  art can still grab your attention, flare up emotions, and cause the imagination to run wild. And isn’t that what art is supposed to do?

Some of my personal favorite pieces of art are paintings of nature. I consider them “good” artwork because they, somehow, have the ability to capture things that I find so incredibly difficult to articulate a canvas. Yet, here these paintings are, allowing me to feel the soft chilly wind, hear the crackle of the browning leaves, and experience the warm glow of the melting afternoon sun. I love how pictures of nature stir up peace within me and provide me with a glimpse of God’s incredibleness. I enjoy the mix of colors and the detail of the outdoor scenes. However, this type of art may seem “ugly” to others. That's ok, because it’s still art. Beauty doesn’t define art, but for some reason, almost by definition, we are attracted to what our unique version of beauty is.

But today, I am challenging myself to explore the art that I might not see as “beautiful.” What about you? What’s beautiful to you? Are you willing to see art as art, instead of analyzing whether or not it's “beautiful”?

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removing failure & achieving joy

During the class discussion today, I really got thinking about joy and success. What is real joy and how is it different than happiness? What defines my success? I believe that joy and success are really very interconnected. For example, I have several goals in my life. I want to graduate and get my teaching credential. I want to travel outside the US and serve as a teacher in the mission field. I want to get married and raise a family. However, my success isn’t solely found in these because I live for something bigger than myself. I live for Jesus and His glory. I live to honor Him and share His gospel. Because my success is founded upon Jesus, I can have joy! Joy is achieved when you find complete fulfillment and contentment. When your success is founded in God, His truth, and growing in Him, you CANNOT FAIL! Additionally, when your joy is deeply established, then you don’t have to constantly run on the treadmill of continually looking for the next thing to give you “joy” or a feeling of “success.”

When you can’t fail because God holds your joy, then you are free. You can begin embracing chance and experimenting with new ideas and materials. You can rely on God and get rid of your selfish ways. It opens the door and allows you the freedom to fully dive into creativity because the entire barrier of failure has been removed.

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Be watchful and don’t let the lies invade.

This week as I completed the reading assignments, a few things stood out to me. I felt like the questions of “What lies am I telling myself that are becoming barriers to my creative self?” and “In what ways am I wasting time instead of using it to be creative?”

Often times, personally, the lies of “Emily, you aren’t creative. You can’t make art, because you aren’t talented in that way,” creep into my thoughts and infect my actions, or lack thereof. But this can change, and it begins when I decide to EXCHANGE THE LIES FOR THE TRUTH. Discard what is not true and what is only creating a barrier. Drop it! Instead, grab hold of the truth and stretch yourself. Allow your talents to grow in new ways. The little creative endeavor idea shoved in the back of your mind, pull it out! Try it out in a kind of fearless, unhindered way.

Another thing that stood out to me was the fact that I need to be watchful of where my time and energy are being poured into! So much of my time and energy is being wasted on things that don’t really matter! And that’s an issue! Time wasting and creative productivity can’t coexist! And along with working on creative endeavors, I also need to be spiritually effective and fruitful. The question that Emerge asks is “What do you live for?” What has the throne in my life? What  gobbles up the most time? Have I become a complacent consumer or lazy playaholic?

Let’s just say I may have some re-evaluating to do.

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Question of the Week - #12

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

John 15:8 says, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” I know it’s often not as simple as this, but I think that when you boil this question down, the answer is found in the heart of the artist. It’s impossible to say, “Art that glorifies God only looks like this, or always incorporates these aspects.” or “All art that looks like this isn’t glorify to God.” But some questions that people may want to ask when they are looking to create God-glorifying art, would be “Does the work of my hands bring glory to my Father?” “Would a disciple of Jesus create something like this?” “Does it help me bear fruit?” 

It’s all about the heart behind the art. 

Artists: Keep your heart in check.

Viewers: Don’t judge, appreciate the art that helps you be a better disciple for Jesus.

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All tangled up and supported

In today’s discussion I thought it was interesting how so many aspects of life were intertwined and woven together throughout the conversation’s topic. Concepts such as time management, decluttering, procrastination, creativity, processes, and simplicity all seemed to sprout up during the conversation. As I listened to the multiple voices in the room, I thought to myself, “How interesting the way God designed our relationships, art, mistakes, victories, hobbies, religion, and work to all mix and mesh into a beautiful, and sometimes messy, melting pot called life.” And you know what? I think God created it that way on purpose. 

And not only that, but God knew this life would be kind of messy and difficult, so I think He decided to put within us the innate need and desire for a village. We need people. We can’t do this alone. We need both beneficial criticism and constructive praise. We need minds to bounce ideas off of, cheerleaders who offer support, and friends to laugh with. 

So I guess the main take away today was appreciate the fun, tangely, mess of life and surround yourself with a supportive village of friends.

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Reading Reflection

As I reflect on this week’s material, a few concepts and ideas stood out to me.  These include Corita Kent’s 10 rules, the idea that creatives need a village and mentor support system, and that simplicity and the ability to wisely manage time create a productive and progressive artist.

I loved Corita Kent’s rule #2 which states, “General duties of a student: Pull everything out of your teacher; pull everything out of your fellow students.” I love this mindset because it helps me, as a student, refocus on the goal of learning. Whether the learning comes from my professors or from my peers doesn’t matter, because what really counts is the fact that I am gaining new knowledge and acquiring beneficial skills. I want to soak in as much as I can! Learning for the sake of learning is a beautiful thing too. I think for me, my favorite thing is when the stress of deadlines and grades is stripped away and curiosity and fascination take the reins on my desire to learn. I think that is one of the underlying motivations behind Kent’s second rule.

I also loved the quote from the book Emerge which says, “If we are to achieve our goals with any level of success, then we need appropriate levels of praise and criticism”(Perini, p.89, 2014). This is a great reminder to surround myself with people who are able to both offer encouragement and provide critiques for improvement.

Additionally, in the week’s materials, the idea of using all of one’s time wisely and simplifying the workload came up. The author of Emerge writes, “When you reduce the clutter that is in your life, you make space for your creative self to emerge and be productive”(Perini, p.77, 2014). I totally agree with this statement. Allowing yourself to do a little decluttering of items, appointments, or commitments opens up a space where you can actually freely pursue creativity. Maybe over complicating or over committing is robbing you of that creative space? Or are you letting invasive time-zombies divert your artistic endeavors?

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Questions of the week - #11

As I considered these two questions, I read these Bible verses, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.(Romans 12:1-2)” Personally, this verse helped me I as I wrestled with the question of how I think art should be represented and used in the church. I think the use of art in the church should evolve from our renewed hearts and minds. This may, in some cases, involve it being used in different ways than the rest of the world uses it. I think that, as God renews our minds, we begin growing closer to God and begin to better understand God’s will. I believe that God can and will reveal to us, as Christians, how He would like us to use art. I believe that God “renews” our minds as we seek Him, immerse ourselves in His word, and talk with Him through prayer. When we earnestly run after God, our mindset begins to focus on His truths and our actions begin reflecting His heart.

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Discussion Recap - Already Claimed as Valuable

This week, during the class discussion, one thing that especially stood out to me was a comment that the professor made. She stated that art is already valuable, therefore, as an artist, one cannot fail. Our job as artists isn’t to create value or perfection, because God’s taken care of that part. Instead, we can strip the stress away and begin displaying that value in our own unique ways and through our individual processes. When this happens, failure isn’t even part of the equation - only a raw, unrestrained, whimsical kind of expression.

Another remark that Tina made during this class session was, “My creativity is not an accident.” If this is true, that means I can unapologetically and freely follow the creativity that God has placed inside of me. I wish I could remember this more often. I think if I did, not so many of my dreams would be crumpled up pieces of paper in the trashcan, and maybe some of my ideas would finally leave the drawing board. 

So what would happen if you stopped striving for perfection or asking for permission in your creative endeavors?