Creative Honesty (Plumb: Lord, I'm Ready Now)

This song is honest. It's raw and real. There's something inviting about it's genuineness and openness that resonates with my own heart. Lately, I've been exploring my creative side (something I have not done in many, many years), reminding me of my university days at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I remember it being a chaotic time of self exploration and discovery. A time full of loud music, raw emotions, drugs and lots of drinking. I was in pain and sought to both numb this pain and to express it through music and art. 

I've always believed that artistic expression should come from the deep places within us. Art should express who we are at that moment in time because creative art often involves the retelling of specific moments and narratives from our life. This is why I believe that true art is honest. I remember sitting in a drawing class critique session and one of my fellow students showed one of his art piece and the first thing he said was that he really didn't care about what we said because the piece didn't really mean anything to him. I remember the whole class unanimously responded by saying "well, if you don't care about your own work, then why should we. If you're not emotionally invested in your work, then we're not going to be either."

Art is about the process. If we realize it or not, each moment of each day we are changing and growing. We are ever in process. Our interactions with people, the things we watch and listen to each day, the organizations that we are a part of, the different cultural expressions we encounter, our life experiences all have the power to impact us in transformative ways. Sometimes they go by seemingly unnoticed. At other times, we are deeply moved and changed. A wise person once told me, "Gerry, always keep creating. Let your art be an expression of your process." 

Because process is often messy and can be volatile at times, even chaotic. There is the temptation to wait until one has finished a season of process to create because it is more comfortable to create from a place of greater clarity, understanding and peace. But, I would encourage you to create both after you're done processing and while you're in those messy, volatile and chaotic times because I believe people are not only interested in seeing both, but can also be deeply blessed by seeing our process. But this will take courage, vulnerability and honesty. 

So this is my prayer: That God would give you the courage to create from the deep places within you with great honesty and inspiration. 

the magnetism of kinetic art

There is this kind of magnetism I feel when it comes to kinetic art. Whenever I encouter art that distrupts the space around it through some sort of automation (sound, light, action), it seems to always draws me in. Good kinetic art always mesmerizes and amazes me. For more info on this artist go here. Enjoy!

Creative LOVE

Doesn't watching this video touch something within you that makes you want to go out and be creative? This video really captures the essence of what the flow of creativity must look like within every single person. We are all made in the image of God, so we all have the capacity to bubble and flow with creativity. But becuase of sin, we all also have this internal editor that is afraid to be known. To be creative means revealing who you are on the inside. It means allowing others to peer into your heart and soul. It means sharing a little bit of yourself with the world.

God shared His heart with us when He created us in His image. But, He also shared His heart with us when He gave the world His one and only Son (John 3:16). Jesus is the only One who sets people free into the Kingdom of God where we are unleashed to be all who God created each of us to be; where people experience the uncondtional love of God. Without Jesus, perfect and unconditional love will always be beyond our grasp. I believe the greatest evidence of the grace and love of God is when people are fully known and fully loved.

I love this quote from Vincent Van Gogh who said: "The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people." So, ask God to set you free into the love of Christ who unleashes us into the creative unconditional love of God. And then go love someone creatively today!

Schooled in Denial

Walter Brueggemann raises some interesting insights in this video. Does ministry to the wounded take an artist? I would have to agree with him and say "yes." It does take an artist to maneuvering past people's denial. It takes a creative approach to reorient people towards a fresh perspective on faith and life. Vincent Van Gogh once said, "The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people." I wholeheartedly agree. If we really let ourselves get lost in the love of Christ, I believe we will find ourselves creatively loving those that God brings into our lives (be it for a moment or for a lifetime). But because of sin, we are self-absorbed when it comes to loving people where loving people becomes a hassle and/or way too much work. Creative loving never even makes it onto the scene, let alone into the relationship.

To be able to prophetically speak to people's hearts in love, in order "to get them in touch with their pain," will take a creatively gentle hand. One that seeks to illuminate the dark painful areas in people's hearts that are enshrouded with shame and guilt with the loving light of the Gospel. It will take artists who are steeped in the Word of God and filled with the Holy Spirit. Trustworthy people who understand that worshipping the Father in Spirit and in Truth is a non-negotiable (John 4: 23, 24). I believe that the more a person lives in worship to the Father in Spirit and in Truth, the greater their capacity for creative love to the wounded will be.

Something Creative

Just some interesting art that I ran across on the web: http://zulu-eos.deviantart.com/gallery/. It made me reflect on the wonderful gift of creativity and how we should really nurture and encourage children to be more creative because when we do, we teach them to embrace the creativity of the image of God in us all. Of course this creativity needs to be redeemed by Jesus, but if we stomp and stifle that desire to create early on by teaching our children that being creative is a waste of time, that there's no intrinsic value in it, then we basically conform them to the demands of the world where value is based on efficiency and productivity. And maybe that's where you're at, but I believe our value should never be based on what we do, but on rather who we are.

Our redemption is solely based on who we are in Christ. To be save by grace means that our salvation does not come from, nor will it ever be based on what we do: it truly is a gift from God (Eph 2:8-9). So, the more that we indoctrinate our children into efficiency, the more I believe we push them towards a works-righteousness, even legalism. Maybe, if we allowed them to be creative and to pursue those things that inspire them to celebrate creation; they'd get a better grasp on what amazing grace is all about.