Naked And Unashamed

***

The dying and rejuvenating of leaves throughout the year, the double rainbows that come after the rain, the array of colors in the warm sunset: these are the things that inspired me to be an artist. Ever since the age of 15 I have desired to capture God’s beauty through my photography and show it to those blinded by the city lights and man-made objects headed toward decay. There is such beauty all around us, yet we spend the majority of our time staring at a computer or locked up in a room. My goal is to create photographs that make people want to explore nature and praise the Creator. 

However, my biggest desire is to not only draw the viewer’s attention to God and nature, but to remind them of our natural state: One of perfect vulnerability and transparency, one where guilt, shame, and fear of judgment were not a part of the picture. I want for my work to tell a story of what was lost, but also of the redemption that exists and finds us in our present state. 

As Rowan Williams says in Grace and Necessity: reflections on Art and Love, “Art seeks to reshape the data of the world so as to make their fundamental structure and relation visible. Thus the artist does set out to change the world… but to change it into itself”. I want for followers of my work to be reminded of what the earth once was, I want my work to help bring the earth back to its original state, one of harmony, peace, and perfect community. 

***

***

Obsession

***

This story is about our obsessions. The sins and addictions from which we try to be freed, failing constantly. This story is about the luring ability of our temptations and sins. If they were ugly or undesirable, there wouldn't be a problem would there? But somehow, mo matter how hard we try they draw us back. Exercising control over our every day and thought. Do we go down swinging or do we allow them to take us down without a fight? Do we crawl back out once we've been dragged under, or do we stay there, helpless? What is your tendency? 

*** 

Curators of Glory

***

Curators of Glory 

Can we stop?

Can we stop seeing ourselves as human?

Can we stop defining ourselves by darkness?

Isn’t there more to who we are?

More than tears

More than heartache

More than scars

Why have we stopped looking upward?

Why have we stopped reaching high?

Who taught us to cower in fear?

Who told us to run from the sky?

Could we rewind?

Could we escape the confines?

Untwine the vines that prevent us from rising up

Or will we remain in the night?

Fog blocking our sight

Living in these disguises

Refusing to see what our life is

We are more,

More than the sores covering our faces that have driven us to the floor

More than the lies that we pick up on our way out of the door

We can reach high,

Knowing that there will be a hand to greet ours

That no one can shake or thrust

A song to be sung over us

This is our story

Imperfect, broken and constantly sorry

But we are Holy

Creations of the Creator

Curators of Glory

Can we stop being human? 

The above poem and photograph were inspired by the concept of identity, one that we spent a lot of time discussing in our Art and Christ class. We spoke about the meaning of identity for the Christian artist. What does it mean to be an artist in a secular world, but also a creation of the King desiring to reflect him through your work. We read about countless perspectives and approaches taken by different artists. He heard from guests speakers such as Kurt Simonson and Cory Beals, and traveled to the Mt. Angel Abbey to hear from Brother Andre Love, Museum Curator and Icon Painter. I have learned so much about myself as an artist. I have learned that it is okay to not have it all figured out. I have learned that if I am faithful in my art making, God will find a way to make it reflect Himself. Most importantly I learned that I am a curator of glory and I should live accordingly.  

Reading 5- Who Do You Say I Am?

Some of the art presented in this chapter:

Jan Van Eyck- The Last Judgment

Catherine Prescott- The Artist as a Young Man: Portrait of Peter

Leonardo Da Vinci- Cartoon for the Virgin and Child with St. Anne and the infant St. John

Some of the quotes I found interesting, along with brief reflections:

"Artists who are Christians find they have membership in two subcultures, and participate in two institutions that have markedly different views of how to order one's life and determine what counts for the good, the true and the beautiful." (Pg. 308)

- This statement is so true, especially considering myself as a liberal. Many of the people I spend time with are fairly liberal in their views as well, and sometimes I feel like there is a real gray area in between what society believes, and what I know to be true. So many things could go either way, but many things are also ultimate truths and its hard living that way... as a citizen of two different cultures. It reminds me of my dual citizenship, I am both a citizen here and in the Dominican Republic but when I am there I feel that I have to "abandon" my American ways. I have to pop my personal space bubble, I have to forget about punctuality, etc. I wish both worlds could exist in harmony, but that will likely never happen.

"Christian colonizing dresses up the arts in acceptable church clothing, and is akin to the early settlers 'Christianizing' Native Americans by having them dress as Europeans. It ignores the legitimacy and integrity of art that does not have a Christian message, or is deemed uplifting in its effect." (Pg. 308)

- This is unfortunate. Although I personally create concepts that have spiritual meanings, I think any art that is thought provoking and tastefully done should be allowed in the church and within the Christian body. How can a piece of art really move a audience is there is always a conservative filter on it? I shouldn't have to dress my art in "church clothing" or subdue my concepts because they might offend someone. I think sometimes the very things that we are afraid of can heal us.

"Our identity is grounded in and conditioned by the fact that we are created by God, bear His image, and are known by Him. That is to say, our identity is circumscribed by our creatureliness, and charged by the capacity we have to know and interact with God." (Pg. 309)

- Amen (See video link below)

"The artist does not make art as one would work a job, with set hours every day, and an entrance into and exit from a work world and a work consciousness. Everything in the artist's life may be part of the artistic process, or the subject matter for the art." (Pg.313)

- Although there is an exception to this statement, as there is with anything really, this holds truth. Most artists do art "on the side" along with a more regular job that helps make ends meat. However, when we do create work we pull from all aspects of life, which is so cool. We literally have the whole world as inspiration, I wonder why we so often lack it. I was hanging up a shirt to dry this morning, and it was quite translucent, so the sun shone through it beautiful. From that experience I started writing out ideas for a photography concept. Not many people can do that, but artists have that capability.

"...Art does reveal something about the artist. One cannot make something without exposing his or her interests, tastes, and skills in some way...artists also make conscious choices, and have the capacity to create fiction. They may choose to conceal, exaggerate, distort, or fabricate. So I believe it is a risky proposition to think that you learn a lot about artists by simply looking at their art." (Pg. 314)

- Speaking strictly about my art, most of it are stories I have heard, things I have experienced/feelings I have had conceptualized. So one could possibly gather a lot about me and my story. I sometimes create fictionally, but most everything I create has a deeper/spiritual meaning, and connects to me in some way. However, I understand what he is saying. Don't judge an artist by their art, because it may not always reflect them as a person, and I agree.

"The making of reputations is a parallel but separate process from the making of art and is a form of art-making in itself." (Pg. 316)
- This is really interesting. I don't think about this enough. The idea of creating art that will give me a good/interesting reputation and draw in the art world. For me creating art is a very personal thing. I do it to further understand myself and others, but also to serve others and their life stories. I think I have a different outlook on art-making, but I still understand the importance of the reputation.

"In our culture 'interests' has built into it the idea of arousing curiosity, standing apart from the ordinary, and having or doing something that attracts attention. In our media-saturated culture, where so many voices compete for our attention, arousing interest is the first step towards getting publicity." (Pg. 317)

Once again, this is a hard truth for me to face because I want to believe that it is all about how much heart you put into it, or how truthful the concept is, but that just isn't what our society craves; at least they don't know it yet. I was walking through Portland Art Museum this weekend and there was so much work that I felt like didn't belong there. Art pieces that I could have done better myself. I realized that regardless of the quality of the work, these artists had made a name for themselves in the past. They had aroused interests which allowed for all of their future work to flourish, no matter how bad. I guess arousing interests is something I need to work on.

"So it is not that we should not be expressive, but instead a question of what our expressions arise from and what they ultimately serve. Self-expression as an end is solipsistic, and finally locked within the sparsely populated universe of the utterly personal." (Pg. 319)

- What do my expressions arise from? This is such a powerful question. And I wish I could just say Jesus, but the first thing that came to my head when I read this quote was pain. My expressions arise from pain and from seeking God in that pain. They arise from a deep desire for community and a longing for oneness. I also have a passion to speak for and of other's pain and heartache. But I want for my expressions to also come out of a place of gratitude and peace. I am still working on it.


Sources;

- Bustard, Ned, and Sandra Bowden. "God Is Good like No Other." It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God. Baltimore, MD: Square Halo, 2000.

- Beautiful poem on Art & Identity: http://vimeo.com/23051465

- One of my favorite Lecrae songs about identity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7W4I0tQZps

Reading Four- Searching Beneath the Surface

Some of the pieces that were included in this chapter:


Gaylen Stewart- New Covenant


Gaylen Stewart-Wounds of a perfect life series


Gaylen Stewart, Incarnation


Here are some quotes that stuck with me:

"Sometimes an artist who desires to make a significant statement about concepts that they are impassioned about find that their thoughts have been reduced to heavy-handed, illustrative representation. The visual culmination appears too obvious, overly self-conscious and overworked. In actuality, the artist may be too 'close' to the content and not see this obvious obsessiveness." (Pg. 143)

- I have to admit that this is something I struggle with. Sometimes I get to wrapped up in a concept because it came out of a significant event in my life or the life of a loved one, and I just can't let it go. I obsess over it, and try to make this vision happen, even when circumstances aren't gracious. I have had a concept in my mind for up to a year, and I just couldn't complete it because the models that I had envisioned weren't available or the timing was never right, but I held onto them. My story plays a big part in my art and I am not sure I would know how to "reverse" that.

"The most obvious solution to a problem isn't always the most interesting. In this line of thinking, much is to be said in favor of the struggle to stretch oneself to new dimensions of creativity, rather than doing what comes most easily." (Pg. 143)

- This is one of the reasons I am excited to be out in the "real world", because I will be able to stretch my concepts and ideas and expand upon my vision. Sometimes I feel as though I can't do this at George Fox because of the various policies and codes of ethics present. I want to be able not only to fully express my vision, but also to work with other crazy artists who have big visions and stories to portray.

"The work may still move people even when the viewer doesn't completely understand it. This subliminal connection with the viewer is one of the powerful aspects of the visual dialogue that the artist strives toward." (Pg. 144)

- This is what I seek to do in my work. I don't want people to necessarily see my picture and be like "Oh, yes, this is what it means", but to be able to apply their own story and experience to it. To be okay not understanding it, but to someone connect profoundly with it.

"I begin the process of creating art by searching for meaningful ways of expressing myself through my visual language, my repertoire. During the formation stage of musing, praying and dialoguing, I visualize images that I'm connected to already or have an affinity toward and imagine them in context with the concepts that I'm weighing. I search my mind for the best way to visually represent a particular thought, idea or experience..." (Pg. 146)

- I just thought this was a really cool way to approach brainstorming and the art process. To muse at the stars, to pray to the Creator, and to dialogue with self and/or others. I find that when concepts don't work out, it is because I have neglected one of these steps.

"I want my art to say something about what I'm experiencing in a relevant way to the audience. I continue searching for creative ways to share my experiences. If a symbol or image communicates a concept well it can be repeated --especially in new dynamic juxtapositions. If not, then, it may be discarded or filed for later use." (Pg. 148)

- Gary subbed for Mark in Senior Thesis this morning and we talked about how to say what you are experience whilst still keeping relevant to the audience and it was a long conversation. It is hard knowing what you are passionate about and wanting to express that, but also understanding that you have to make a living, and that people might now buy your work if they can't connect with it. Gary talked about having painted 4 copies of a painting, because that is what the client wanted, but initially he didn't even like how the painting turned out. He also talked about the importance of critique, both by peers, supervisors, and the market. It was an interesting conversation.

"My desire to make art is not so much a feeling as it is a decision. I choose to continue in spite of my ineffectiveness. I try to do something- anything- to force myself to continue. It doesn't have to be successful." (Pg. 148)

- I need to do this more often. Sure I might not win the award, get into the gallery, or sell my piece, but I need to keep making art. When I interviewed Martin French I asked him if there was ever a moment in his career where he thought,"Screw this, I don't want to do art anymore", and without hesitation he said no. He said that he could never see himself doing anything else. That despite having married a biologist and having difficulties expressing this passion to her, despite having dry spells and artists blocks, he could never have said "screw this" and walked away. And no true artists should be able to do that either. I need to constantly make art, despite the circumstance.

"My worldview is inseparable from who I am, and to avoid that would be dishonest in my work. To embrace one's own worldview and give it life in visual terms conveys a level of integrity that is missing in much art." (Pg. 153)

- As an artist I am not called to mimic the work of other artists, and all though history is very important, I shouldn't look there for personal definition either. As Peter London says in No More Second Hand Art, "All creative journeys begin with a challenge to introspection, to fathom not only what's out there, but what's in here".

Sources:
- Bustard, Ned, and Sandra Bowden. "God Is Good like No Other." It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God. Baltimore, MD: Square Halo, 2000.

- London, Peter. No More Secondhand Art: Awakening the Artist within. Boston: Shambhala, 1989

- An interesting meditation with Gaylen Stewart:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt519nK98sw

Reading Three- Why We Need Artists

A piece presented in this chapter:



Altarpiece and Reliquary of St. Clive by Tyrus Clutter 


Here are some quotes that I found interesting, along with thoughts.

"Art is getting across indefinable, but inescapable meaning... Art has to have a place for the observer to explore and wrestle with the message. If the meaning of a work is apparent, allowing the audience with little effort to say 'of course, that is what it means' and if the work can be stated in one sentence, it is not art." ( Pg.118)

- I agree that it is important for a piece of art to be able to speak for itself in a sense, For people to be drawn to it for unique reasons, and for them to conjure up their own stories and meanings for it; however, I wouldn't say that an artwork that has an overt meaning, is not art. The renaissance paintings of the Crucifixion are pretty clearly about the death of Jesus Christ, and I could look at them and conclude this within seconds. How could I say they are not art? Same with my potter friends, they make beautiful ceramic pieces that have no deep meaning, but are beautiful. How could I say they aren't artists? Perhaps I have misunderstood his meaning, but from what I gather, I cannot say that I agree.


"What I have found is that the meaning of life is the glory of God. All meaning is some aspect of the glory of God. If there is no God then nothing can have ultimate significance. The word glory means weight, it means significance- it basically is means 'meaning'". (Pg.119)

- I think human has given into the fallacy that we can find meaning outside of God. And regardless of how many times we fail at finding it, we still try. Yet, we give up on seeking God with such ease. This really frustrates me about the world we live in, it frustrates me about my self. The discovery of meaning is glorious, because God is glorious and the foundation of all meaning.

"It takes imagination to sense something has meaning because we cannot cognitively grasp the glory of God. The glory of God is beyond our ability to understand or describe." (Pg.120)

- I never really thought of imagination as being a way to draw closer to God. For some reason the word "imagine" always makes me think of Disney Land or daydreaming about a boy. I'm not quite sure why. The word imagination feels far away, like thinking on things that you will never be able to grasp. But this is a really interesting perspective, and I think it's time for me to refine my definition of imagination.

"...unless you use imagination, unless you take a truth and you image it- which of course is art- you don't know what it means." (Pg.121)

-The idea of "imaging" truth is fascinating. And the more I think about it, the more it is true. When I am making a decision, so much time goes into imagining different scenarios and how they might affect my decision. When I am talking with a friend about a theological issues, hearing stories where I can apply imagery helps to much. I think we need to revisit the importance of imagination within the Church. Perhaps that us why God commands us to be like children.

"We can't understand truth without art. In fact, a preacher cannot really express the truth he knows without at least couching it in some artistic form. The Church needs artists to assist the body in understanding truth, but just as importantly the Church needs artists to equip the Church to praise God. We cannot praise God without art." (Pg.122)

- My Church community, Imago Dei, is so intentional about making art a part of every service. They have a place for the artists, and an understanding of the need for us in the church. Every Sunday we either have a live painting, a poem read, or a unique music arrangement that feeds our souls in an amazing way. The community understands that we need art to worship and I really love that. So shameless plug: You should visit Imago Dei Community some time :)

"The Church needs artists because without art we cannot reach the world. The simple fact is that the imagination 'get's you', even when your reason is completely against the idea of God. Imagination communicates indefinable but inescapable truth." (Pg.123)

- As an artist passionate about storytelling and reaching the impoverished without a voice, I know the importance of art that communicates what people can't see for themselves. Growing up as a missionary kid, I had to see poverty on a daily basis, but not all people have to deal with that. The church can reach those people through showing this indefinable and inescapable truth, and I hope to be a significant art of this movement some day.

"Your heart knows what your mind is denying. We need Christian artists because we are never going to reach the world without great Christian art to go with great Christian talk." (Pg.123)

- I think the famous saying "Don't talk the talk, walk the walk" should be changed to "Don't talk the talk, take the photograph" (or insert other art medium), haha. It is through creating events, art, music, poetry, and the like that we "walk the walk".

"The Christian artist needs to interact with community because of what he will bring out in others and what they will bring out in him... We all need each other because we cannot  possibly see the whole thing. We need one another because only together do we get some idea of the multifaceted array of God's glory...We get a leaf. But only together as artists are we going to see the whole incredible tree. We all have to 'do our own leaf.' Every one of us has something to contribute." (Pg.124)

- This is a beautiful truth that I constantly have to remind myself of when I become individualistic in my art making. I need to remember that collaboration is not only necessarily, but essential in seeing the face of God more fully.


Thoughts on our visit with  Brother Andre  at Mt. Angel Abbey 






"Make art for yourself and to love others, not because of the money. Making art for the money makes you a prostitute. Trust that God will provide for you. Art is faith based income."

- Ahhh... I think I about fell over when he said this. I had never thought of my desire and anxiousness about making a living as prostitution. And I know earning money is not bad, but idolizing it is and this analogy really caused me to do a lot of self reflecting on our ride home.

"Pray for clients and commissions."

- I never thought to pray for client or commissions... unless I am nervous about performing poorly, then I pray. I need to make it more of a rhythm and custom.

"Try to reflect God in your work, not yourself."

- Once again... convicted, gee thanks Brother Andre, haha.

"The ultimate act of freedom is to submit your will to another. Which is not a popular view today, especially in America." 

- We talked more about this later. The idea that what America sees as "rebellion" today isn't rebellion at all, it is complacency. Real religion is going against what the world is doing, which is loving unconditionally, forgiving, and accepting.

Sources:

- Bustard, Ned, and Sandra Bowden. "God Is Good like No Other." It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God. Baltimore, MD: Square Halo, 2000.

- Awesome story on Brother Andre: http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/life/2014/11/07/mount-angel-abbey-art-museum-brother-andre-love-iconography-icons-benedictine-tattoo/18602733/

-Interesting perspective on the role of Christian Artists: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyQDMBF6nw8

Reading Two- Beauty Transfigured

Some of the artwork presented in this chapter on beauty:


Michelangelo Pistoletto, Venus of the rags, 1967


Rembrandt, Return of the Prodigal Son


Paul Cezanne, Mont Sainte Victoire


Tim Lowly, Carry Me                   

Here are some quotes that I found very intriguing, along with brief reflections. 

" Earthly beauty was considered to be both a reminder of and a pointer to spiritual beauty- to heavenly Being... that one should look at the transient beauty of this world with a view to rising above it towards a higher, more perfect and more permanent reality." (Pg. 39)

- We were never meant to adore earth for its beauty, but to adore the Creator who made it. We were to be in awe at His/Her design and glorify Him/Her as a result of our bewilderment. However, for some reason we have confined beauty to earth and limited its definition to the things that we can see, instead of realizing the true root of beauty. This is so unfortunate. 

"We have one Creator and one world created by this one God. Equally important, this world was originally created good. Yet Christians with remarkable persistence speak as if there are two worlds and proceed to describe these in terms of a lower realm of physicality, sensibility, particularity, temporality, imperfection, and so on, and a higher realm of immateriality, invisibility, ideality, eternity, perfection, etc."(Pg. 39)

- I definitely have had this mentality in the past. The idea that earth isn't beautiful, and that I must hope and long for Heaven, which is an entirely different realm. When in reality God plans to restore earth to what it first was when He/She created it. Earth is beautiful, despite its imperfection, and that imperfection is actually a part of what makes it beautiful. It makes us long for a perfect God, who extends mercy and love freely. I feel like sometimes we see Heaven as this paradise free of problems and difficulty, full of abundance and liberty,but forget about the Creator. John Piper, although someone who I do not see eye to eye with on every theological matter, asks an interesting question: "If you could go to Heaven, have spectacular sunsets, no more decease, no more depression, all the friends that have gone before you, all the toys that you have ever wanted, and Jesus not be there, would that be okay?" When I first heard this question, there was so much conviction. I realized that I had been desiring my own personal heaven, but not God and the renewal of earth.

"In Psalm 50:12, God proclaims that, 'the world is mine and all that is in it,' and in John 3:16 God declares his own deep seated love for this world to the point that he is prepared to give his only Son for it." (Pg. 39)

- I guess the idea that Jesus died for earth, just as much as he died for us never crossed my mind. I understand that when John 3:16 says that "God so loved the world..." it applies to us, human beings, his children, but I see now that he also died to restore the earth. Albeit, He/She won't be restoring the earth until his second coming, but he still had the brokenness of earth on His mind when he died. This thought is mind boggling to me. 

"And, so argues von Balthasar, if good has lost its attraction, why would man still want to pursue it?" (Pg. 41)

- When I read this quote I think of how shallow our view of beauty truly is. Because of this when we see tragedy, we automatically forget about the beauty of God and loose interest in Him/Her. We point our fingers towards heaven and tell God that because of the broken world that we have created, He/She is no longer beautiful. Hurricanes are not nice and/or pretty, so therefore neither is God. There is such fault in our logic. 

"...the beauty-glory of the resurrected Christ is not rooted in His physical appearance but in His self-sacrificial love, which passes through the ugliness of the cross." (Pg. 42)

- We are able to see the gore of the cross as beautiful because we realize that the ugliness benefited us. The pain and suffering gave us freedom and eternal life. But for some reason we don't realize that our decisions and poor stewardship of earth have cost God greatly. It saddens Him/Her, but he chose to sacrifice His/Her beautiful creation because he loved us.  

"Beauty, likewise, always appears in particular historical and social contexts. It is not the same for everyone at all times. It is always a complex set of factors and can be considerations which, when seen, evokes from us the exclamation: 'How beautiful'!" (Pg. 42)

- This quote reminded me of the conversation we had with Cory Beals. Everyone views beauty differently, everyone defines it differently, which is even more proof of its existence. In the same way God is so grand, and the fact that we all see Him/Her differently is good, because it speaks to the multifaceted and great God that we serve.

"Art is no longer produced within and for a community but by one isolated individual for an international global art world. As a consequence the general public no longer tends to know how particular art works originate and in what circumstances." (Pg. 45)

-I think it is so important to keep art within a small community. To tell the stories of that community and to truly establish an understanding of what your artwork means within it. One of my favorite artists Shelby Lee Adams spent 40 years of his life photographing the people of the Appalachian Mountains, getting to know them profoundly and becoming a part of their community. Of course, I understand that having your work displayed to bigger audiences is good, especially when managing to so oversees, but I think that there should always be a community from which the artist works. When community is gone, you get isolation and art that lacks profound meaning, as least this is my understanding. 

"True beauty, if you like, is more than skin deep. Taken in its proper context it is a multi-layered affair, which is able to acknowledge and embrace friction, violence, brokenness, pain, suffering and all that a fallen world entails. The best and most enduring works in the of art, music and literature have always been able to visit the darkest places of the human condition and bleakest moments in human history. Indeed, and important aspect of art's calling is precisely to expose the the world's fragmentation and pin as signs of it its broken fallen condition... art thus helps is make sense of our world and, in doing so, can bring shalom to the world, even as it highlights its brokenness." (Pg. 47)

- The idea of bringing shalom while simultaneously highlighting brokenness is such an interesting paradox. But when you think of it, it is exactly what Jesus did. He brought shalom through His suffering. I love this concept of peace weaving its way through war, hurt, brokenness, pain. Kind of like the way flowers grow through concrete. It is truly fascinating. 

" As fallen creatures living in a broken world, we cannot ignore, deny or escape its flawed condition. But as renewed and redeemed creatures, living in the new expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, we are also capable of seeing traces of the world's original goodness and of tasting the Lord's presence in the midst of it all." (Pg. 49)

- "Tasting his presence in the midst of it all", yes, he has blessed those who are in Christ with that ability and gift. I am constantly thankful for the way that God shows up within brokenness. He/She shows up in the darkest of places. Like one of my favorite Switchfoot songs says, "The shadow proves the sunshine!"  

"To seek and pursue redemptive beauty is therefore not merely a luxury pastime but a call to artists to become agents of restoration and reconciliation... and in such creations of redeemed beauty we may be surprised to find that lament and celebration can join hands in unexpected ways." (Pg. 49)

- I went to an art forum this weekend and one of the artists on a panel said the following that really stuck with me, "A significant part of the artist challenge is to go beyond interpreting human experience and to instead interpret human possibility." I believe he was quoting a favorite book, which I didn't get the author or title of, what I was blow away by the simplicity, yet the profoundness of this statement. And I think it speaks to this idea of reconciliation within our art work. If we can find ways to portray the world by pointing out its/our strengths and possibilities, instead of just our experience, or at least meshing experience with possibility I think we can really change mindsets and false perceptions of beauty.

Sources:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4-CrGFUAjA

- Bustard, Ned, and Sandra Bowden. "God Is Good like No Other." It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God. Baltimore, MD: Square Halo, 2000.