In this land of 24-hour media, we're constantly surrounded by perfection. Some of it's real, most of it isn't. Computer graphics can produce scarily pseudo-authentic beauty, be it in a book, a piece of art, or a TV program. And even when the radiance is real, it often looks like it sprang from the brush, the hands, or the mind of its creator fully formed, like Athena from the head of Zeus. We end up demanding those unrealistic feats of ourselves. We rip out all the practice pages and expect ourselves to declare our genius in the first stroke, the first placement of torn paper, even the first idea. Is it any wonder we shut our art in closets or swallow it in frozen lumps where it sits in our stomachs for years? And we continue on, appreciating beauty, and trying to ignore the vague uneasiness it brings up in us. We need to give ourselves permission to play, to explore, to have the skill level of a two year old, to not get it right from the very first. I think folks who do that are among the bravest there are. They're bucking the whole of popular culture and their own insides in effort to follow their hearts. That's courage. That's soul.
Lisa Fraser sent me this in an email I wanted to include it in my art journey. I am on day 61
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Palm sunday
Hosanna ... means He saves. The crowd was a mix that day. some wanted a warrior king that would lead them against their Roman oppressors, some had heard He was a great prophet and healer. some were in love with the compassionate beautiful man of Jesus Christ. the same people 5 days after His triumphant greeting were willing to crucify him. I do not know how I would have been that day. I only know that today i am thrilled that my Savior came and that He lived a perfect life and died that I might live. Today on Palm Sunday the beginning of holy week we sang Holy Holy Holy. I was reminded of this drawing I did 6 years ago.
I am praying over my writing. I desire so badly to have beautiful writing but I am awkward and somehow miss letters and put in wrong letters. I cannot seem to concentrate ... writing makes me a nervous nelly. Even here I see that i was trying to say your and instead I wrote you.... I wonder what the Lord has in store for me an the lessons I will be learning on this path? Artiscape was great. I appreciate some art styles that I have no desire to replicate. I enjoy the altered art and collage and want to grow in experience with more traditional fine arts like watercolors and acrylics. the book making and journal art is facinating to me.
