We exist as a community of artists, as well as living in layers of larger communities. How do our actions impact those around us?
Sometimes, you just need a little encouragement from your friends… I have a young artist friend I used to work with, and we would sometimes take an afternoon break, go to one of the conference rooms with our art supplies, and paint together. She worked mostly with acrylic paints, but she was fascinated with watercolors, […]
I recently discovered something — Artist Trading Cards. Someone gave me a small packet of blank paper cards — 2.5″ x 3.5″. The description on the package said that they were Artist Trading Cards. Apparently, they have social media hashtags and everything. It said the intent was for artists to paint small original pieces of […]
In 2014, at the OM Arts, Incarnate School of Art and Mission in Italy, I began a personal tradition. I spent two weeks with the students (out of the three month program) as they worked, building a community of Christ following artists. My role was observer and mentor, coming along side them as they created […]
Many of the sketches and drawings which filled my sketchbook during my time in the Incarnate school in Italy came as a response to the experiences I went through there. One of these was the drawing, “Dwelling Deeply”.
I created this piece, “The Dance Warrior”, several months ago, but it was just brought back to mind because of a visit from a very special friend… I spent three months at the beginning of 2016 at the Incarnate program in Italy, working intensely with more than 25 other artists from 11 different nations all […]
Well, I made it. Sixty. Not surprisingly, my Facebook page filled pretty quickly with birthday wishes from around the world. Most were short, but some reflected people’s memories and wishes. Sara Ying was one of the fellow artists who left me a photo: What particularly moved me about this image, aside from the fact that […]
What is there in a piece of broken clay, a simple sculpture, shattered on the floor? On Wednesday, around 3:30AM local time, another devastating earthquake hit the area around the Gran Sasso mountain in central Italy. Early counts put the death toll around 159 and rising. The region is no stranger to earthquakes. In 2009, […]
One experience from my time in Italy which I will never forget was the depth of the community, and freedom to open ourselves to each other to hear people’s stories through their art. The vulnerability, honesty and truth which flowed through each person’s unique artistic expression, like a clear stream out of the broken stones of our […]
One of the things which particularly impressed me during my stay in Italy with the Incarnate 2016 school was the heart of the Italian staff at the Centro Evalgelico. The center was built around 50 years ago, outside the small town of Isola (or more properly, Isola del Gran Sasso d’Italia — “The island of the Great Rock of Italy”) as an Evangelical retreat center.
unpacking — sifting through bits and pieces, discovering pearls; buried among the socks – words and gifts
I attended the Incarnate 2016 school as a student. While I mostly enjoyed the freedom of not having a title or role as a leader, there were a few times when I felt disappointed, or even upset at being “left out of the loop”. As I thought about it, I was surprised by my own […]
Our relationship with God, and His calling on our lives to serve Him cannot be separated from our art. But, if we are called to be incarnational, to create things which can be seen and experienced out of the invisible nature and working of God, then how do we remain authentic in our creation and […]