Month: October 2018

Tree of life- work in progress

by Amanda, posted in 2018 Art, Art, art discussions, Artist, artist looking for gallery rep, Artist seeking representation, Artwork for sale, canada, Christian Art, Christian Artist, Christian Themes, CIVA, Craftsmanship, creative, Faith, faith based art, female artist, Fort Saskatchewan, God, God/Religion, Golden, Inspiration, Mixed Media Paintings, My Creations, paint, Paintings, photos, Reflections, Revelation, spiritual gifts, support living artists, support the arts, Tree of Life

I started this piece this summer at my Blue Pomegranate exhibit to show visitors to the gallery what one of my pieces looks like stripped down, bare bones. This is still a work in progress.

I’m gradually getting back to painting after battling a major artist block due in part by me questioning my purpose. How can I use this gift of craftsmanship to further God’s kingdom.

Art is a tough gift because it’s almost been eradicated from the church so there are no solid church based mentors to come alongside you and help you work out the path to walk and the regular pastors/church leaders seem to discredit it as having no real benefit to the body of the church seeing it as just superficial pretty pictures.

My goal is to prove them wrong. If I am created by a creative God to create then there has to be a purpose and daily I am striving to find it. Revelation talks of the tree of life that believers will be able to eat from and have eternal life and how the leaves are for the healing of the nations.

I love this image of the tree and its healing properties. It makes me question, what if just putting beauty, truth and goodness back out into this world right now in the form of faith based art is a way to refresh and remind the worlds souls that there is more than what is seen right now and there is hope for a future and maybe it stirs up something inside you that sets you off searching out how YOU can experience it. Isn’t that something worthwhile, you can read 100 books on how to have a better life or maybe one day a painting will inspire you to read the one book that will change your life forever?

I have to try for your soul and mine.

God is great! And this is my gift and I want to share my journey with you. So maybe one day we can both eat from the real tree of life.

❤🖌

Amanda

Between the Rock and a niche place

by Amanda, posted in 2018 Art, Abstract, acrylic, art discussions, Artist, Christian Art, Christian Artist, Christian Themes, CIVA, Faith, female artist, Fort Saskatchewan, God, God/Religion, Lion of Judah, paint, Paintings, Social Commentary, support living artists, support the arts, Uncategorized

I have this problem. It all started by being a follower of God.  Don’t get me wrong, God is not the issue here, being a Christian and an Artist however apparently is. You see if I was JUST a Christian or JUST an Artist there’d be less of an issue but because I am both, I’m an outcast. An outcast from the world’s standards because I’m  considered a “niche” artist, “that’s great art and all but I can’t hang that in my office because of the religious connotations” and an outcast in the church because despite the statement that we are all created in the image of God they seem to take issue with us that lean more toward the creative scope of God’s personality that aren’t on the praise team. Since I worship, witness and praise my God using a paint brush they don’t know what to do with me. I don’t fit into their nicely labelled how can we use you box because they have thrown out the one we did fit into.

I grew up in a little Baptist church on the east coast, every Sunday morning sunlight shone through beautiful stain glass windows that members had commissioned to beautify the church, to illustrate stories and characters from the Bible. It had gorgeous carved wooden doors, beautiful pews, vibrant choir robes, there was color and texture and beauty all around and it was all made by people blessed with the gift of craftsmanship. I understand that times change and we’re living in a “modern” world that doesn’t cling to the traditional things anymore but how have we lost the value and beauty of  Art?

Art and the Church have always been a dynamic duo. We worship a creative God for crying out loud, we should be witnessing to his awesomeness using ALL the gifts that come from him. Art and the Church date way back before the Renaissance, God commissions art and artwork in Exodus for his temple and the purpose it served was not practical like today’s gray or taupe walled Big box Factory churches it was for Beauty, to fill people’s senses. We worship a Creative God so why aren’t we using our creations to worship him? It doesn’t make sense!

Instead believers and non believers are coming to churches that have no color and no beauty just practicality with neon lights, a projector and a catchy praise song. Do we truly believe that God is coming back or are we just holding a really long  memorial service? If we say we are ALIVE in Christ then why don’t we look it? The church should be bright and colorful and a feast for the senses because God made us and the world like that. It should be full of joy and celebration and it should show how the holy spirit is working in us and for those of us with the gift of craftsmanship that is our Art. If you want a modern church then have modern Christian Art that speaks about a Creative God who is alive and well and working in us. Words are not Enough!