Category Archives: art

thoughts

I have a lot of thoughts running through my mind from the past week in Austin. I am still processing through them. I need to reread my notes and explore what I wrote during the week. The speakers were fascinating: the pastor and writer Eugene Peterson, the musician and writer Jeremy Begbie, the poet Luci Shaw, the writer and ex-nun Barbara Nicolosi among others–I actually was able to get Peterson and Begbie to sign my books.

I met so many interesting people, I went to interesting places…I got to know Stephanie better…

I was surprised to have my ideas and notions regarding church challenged, especially since that isn’t really what anyone was talking about–I’ll say it was like smurfs never really talking about the fact that they are smurfs. (Credit to the pastor of Mosaic in Austin.)

And to change the subject, here is one of my latest portraits. This man’s name is Craig, and he tells stories that always make me wonder:

craig-happy-in-march-08_resize-450.JPG

austin

clouds-0214_resize08-02.JPG

Tonight Stephanie and I leave for a week for Austin, Texas. I am thrilled to go to a place that I’ve wanted to visit for years. The art culture, the food, the music…the river…Iwould wag my tail if I had one.

Tuesday through Thursday we will attend an arts symposium. The questions of the conference will center around the role of an artist within the context of faith–in what way is art a gift, a calling, an obedience? What are the dangers of artistic activity? I myself see an artist as a prophet of sorts–one who challenges a sleeping populace.

I am looking for answers, more questions, inspiration, and challenges.

The rest of the trip will be spent in a combination of exploring Austin and hanging out with Stephanie’s best friend Melanie who is also kind enough to put us up for a week.

a lot of thinking…

paris-natural-history-museum-7_resize.JPG

I’ve been a bit reclusive since I returned from my trip. I saw so much art my brain got full…I am still uploading and resizing pictures…soon I will post them on a website.

The plane ride home felt too long. I got airsick, then my lymph nodes swelled up. I spent the last week recovering from both jet lag and some sort of ailment. Blech.

Anyway, I have done a lot of thinking lately. I am going to leave my job soon. I am going to focus on making art. My biggest revalation in Europe was that I am never going to be good at art if I don’t start truly making it. These past few years have been a desert in which I have been very parched. I am sad to leave my job because I really do love it, but it is not what I am meant to do with my life therefore I must leave it.

I am afraid of the expectations I will face. The questions…the pressure.  At the same time I am excited and feel hope for the first time in a very long time.  David has been most supportive, and I am grateful for that.  I feel as though we have been through a lot of challenges lately, but I am more confident in our marriage that ever.  I do appreciate our differences, and I am grateful that the opportunity is still there to grow.  We certainly don’t have everything figured out, but I suppose that is part of the road we travel together.

it tolls for her

Madeleine Engel died on Thursday.

She was eighty-eight.

I knew this day would come in my lifetime…I loved her in a way a person could love someone they had never met, but read intimate thoughts from their writing.

She was a beautiful woman who taught me so much about relationships, love, art, faith…

“The artist, if he has not forgotten how to listen, must retain the vision which includes angels and dragons and unicorns, and all the lovely creatures which our world would put in a box marked Children Only.”

windup

I will have a piece in the Windup Gallery in downtown Mesa this Saturday.

The opening reception for the show is from 7pm to 11pm.  My piece isn’t in the featured show but will be in the back of the gallery–come out and support me so that I can work my way to the front of the gallery!  Somebody buy it!!

p.s. Support the art scene in Mesa.