Final Act

It seems crazy that the first semester of our senior year has already drawn to a close. There were a lot of challenges, but there were a lot of amazing blessings as well. It has been an eventful chapter of my life to say the least. In any case, it is almost time to move to the next stage. I'm nervous about what the next semester may hold, but I'm excited as well. I'm sure there will be many wonderful opportunities, and I hope to make the most of them!

My act of faith related to some of the challenges I have faced recently, particularly when it comes to letting go and trusting God. I like to be in control of what is going on around me, and it distresses me when situations arise that feel impossible for me to fix. It's terrifying to have to move through difficult events when you are uncertain of what the outcome will be. Though these feelings had been surrounding me for much of the semester, I hadn't taken much time to process them and seek God's perspective. This sparked the idea for creating a work of art based on trusting God and using the art as a form of meditation. I had purchased some printing linoleum to use for my senior thesis class, so I decided to create a print for my act of faith. When preparing a print, I usually spend a great deal of time sketching out the piece I am going to be creating, then transferring the sketched image onto the linoleum. I then trace the image with a sharpie, since the thick and dark sharpie lines give me a better idea of what the final print will look like.

Linoleum being carved. Flipped this way, the image looks like a woman singing or yelling.

Instead of doing all the normal preparations, I surrendered my preference for pre-planning my creative works, and just started carving, keeping my thoughts on God rather than the results I hoped to achieve. Carving without a pre-planned image helped me to reflect on how I needed to trust God with the unknown parts of my life, and that even if things didn't turn out in a way I liked, that didn't stop them from being beneficial or beautiful.

Flipped this way, the image looks like a man with slightly hunched shoulders and a worried expression

After getting over my initial feelings of nervousness and reluctance to carve randomly on something I had spent good money on, I was able to relax into the process. Releasing myself from the expectation of perfection allowed me to act on a whim and pursue whatever lines made me happy. In the end, I found an image of two faces beginning to develop, and I kept adding to them to see what would happen. The print I created became something like the Rorschach Ink Blots, images that one could look at and interpret in different ways to discover things about how she thinks. The faces that I see in the print are of a young woman and an old man. The old man is bearded and looking away, perhaps with worry or concern, and his shoulders seem slightly hunched. The young woman, which can be seen if you flip the picture of the man upside-down, has flying hair and an open mouth. She seems to be singing or perhaps yelling, and the sounds she is making vibrate in lines away from her. When I look at these images, I see hardship and burden connected to movement and freedom. There is both sorrow and determination present, and both are valid. I think this project was an important step forward in my attempts to work through inner turmoil and remember how essential it is to trust God. Even if things do not work out as I want them to, it does not mean things did not work out as they should have. It is okay for things to be uncertain.

Final Print

Exploring Identity

How does one navigate his or her identity?

While discussing identity in his essay titled, "Who Do You Say I Am?", Theodore Prescott brings up a lot of interesting points regarding how one must navigate the different parts of herself and how they interact. To begin his argument, Prescott describes some of his ideas regarding whether identity is changeable or not. Prescott states, "I believe identity is developed as one's innate abilities and temperament interact with personal and social experience. So I would suggest that there is a core person who, though capable of growth, change, flexibility, and deceit, is bound by innate physical, personal, and cultural limits" (311). In other words, Prescott feels that there is some level of an individual's identity that remains consistent despite their surroundings, which contrasts in some ways with the modern interpretation of identity as something that is highly malleable. The debate over how much of our personality is born to us and how much is developed by either choice or surroundings has been debated for a very long time. The idea of nature versus nurture could easily be applied to these ideas. According to Wikipedia, "The phrase nature and nurture relates to the relative importance of an individual's innate qualities as compared to an individual's personal experiences in causing individual differences, especially in behavioral traits." Though nature and nurture is typically concerned more with the concept of genetics and environment rather than personal character, it is still a relevant way to think about how one's identity is developed.

Are our identities and interests developed by how we are raised, or what we are born with?

In another section of the text, Prescott discusses the interesting nature of media and art, and how that has impacted the identity of some artists. In order to spread one's name, an artist doesn't necessarily have to be skilled these days. If one wants to make a name for herself, it is now considered best to try and be counter-culture or shocking in some way, as this will draw popular focus, or "interest," to one's works. Prescott states, "In our culture, “interest” 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" (317). This is certainly an interesting quandary that the modern artist must deal with, particularly if creating art based on shock value is not one's goal. There are some artists who come to mind who have managed to create something of a media personality for themselves while also creating skilled works of art. One such artist is Salvador Dali, who is not only known for his surreal art, but for his various odd antics, such as giving a speech in a diving suit. Dali once stated in an interview that, "The painting, the clowning, the showmanship, the technique- everything is only one manner to express the total personality of Dali" (http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/multimedia/video/2008/wallace/dali_salvador_t.html). 

Salvador Dali in his famous diving suit

In Dali's case, the public antics are part of his identity, and he would not be a complete person without these odd behaviors. However, Dali also had artistic talent and ingenuity, which he considered integral to his identity as well. The problem arises when a person either lacks artistic skill yet is able to generate conversation, or when someone who is very talented lacks the ability to fuel commotion. It is very interesting to explore the difference between the identity one presents before the media and the identity one would present before people she is familiar with.

Sources:

Bustard, Ned. It was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_versus_nurture

http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/multimedia/video/2008/wallace/dali_salvador_t.html

Creating Together

I couldn't resist...

There were a couple different sections I found interesting in Suzannah Bauer's essay on collaboration. To begin with, I thought it was interesting how Bauer stated that even when collaboration is difficult, it can still be beneficial. On page 287, she states, "Sometimes struggle and conflict occur when two opposing visions are forced to compromise in order to complete a collaborative effort." She then goes on to describe the conflicts that occurred when the Church of the Servant was being built in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and how this project was ultimately successful. Bauer concludes, "Perhaps collaboration is an opportunity to let iron sharpen iron" (p. 288). This reminded me of the multitude of approaches to collaboration that guests at Art Talk have taken. For example, though she still encouraged collaboration, Elizabeth McTear from Honest Alchemy stated that one should not work with his or her friends, as the business aspect of work can ruin good friendships. McTear spoke from experience. In this particular case, the collaboration did not work out, and the parties involved incurred some level of damage. However, McTear managed to learn from this experience, and has been able to do other collaborations that were more beneficial. There isn't guaranteed success with collaborations, and it can indeed go awry, but there is always the benefit of learning from mistakes, and using these lessons to create better experiences in the future.

Church of the Servant

Another interesting section from the essay involved Bauer's discussion of the impact that collaboration can have when a community is involved. On page 290, Bauer mentions artist Catherine Kapikan and how she creates large tapestries with members from congregations. Kapikan states, "Communities who engage in and live alongside an art-making process prosper... Community, energized and agitated by the complexity of the challenge, engages rather than shrinks" (290). This reminded me of the Robbers Cave Study conducted by social psychologist Muzafer Sherif. Though his goal in this experiment was mainly related to what caused conflict between groups, there were parts of the experiment that illuminated what created cohesion in groups as well.

The "Rattlers" and the "Eagles" were the names the two groups picked for themselves.

In essence, the experiment involved several boys of the same age and similar, middle-class backgrounds attending a Summer camp in two separate groups that were unaware of each other's presence. There were three stages to the experiment. The first stage involved the separate groups bonding with their individual members. Projects that required participation of every individual to achieve a common goal caused the boys to work together, establishing a co-operative atmosphere

Muzafer Sherif

within each group. The second stage of the experiment involved bringing the two groups together and having them engage in competitive activities where rewards were promised to the winning group while the losing group would not get anything. The groups became hostile and somewhat violent toward one another while remaining loyal and positive toward their own group. The last stage involved a time of separation between the two groups so they could calm down before being reintroduced with activities that required both groups to work together in order to achieve a common goal. This helped dispel the animosity between the groups and encouraged some level of respect (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realistic_conflict_theory#Robbers_cave_study). In a similar way, community-based art provides a mutual goal that promotes bonding between individuals. Kapikan's observation that communities engaged in an artistic project tend to prosper connects with Sherif's research on the bonding that occurs with team-building activities.

Sources:

Bustard, Ned. It was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God

Art Talk: Elizabeth McTear presentation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realistic_conflict_theory#Robbers_cave_study

The Seen and the Unseen

"The Maker"

A beautiful short film about time, creation, and connections

Tim Keller shares a lot of interesting ideas about life, meaning, and how it relates to being an artist in his essay "Why We Need Artists (117)." According to Keller, part of the reason we need artists is to shine a light on the undefinable. I really appreciate Keller's thoughts on this, because I have found many times that art has been a good way to express that which would otherwise be indescribable. A situation like this, where a physical artistic object has a profound spiritual effect, can be seen in Sue Monk Kidd’s book The Secret Life of Bees. In this story, there is a scene where the main character Lily connects with a statue of an African American Mary. Lily states, “I didn’t know what to think, but what I felt was magnetic and so big it ached like the moon had entered my chest and filled it up” (70). Imagery of the Virgin Mary is a repeated theme in this book, and she is physically represented both in the statue that Lily encounters and a picture of her on the Black Madonna Honey jars. These visual representations act as a guiding force during Lily’s journey, awakening and responding to her yearnings for a maternal figure. These physical, artistic embodiments speak to Lily on a personal level that could not otherwise be reached. As Keller states on page 121, “If you cannot visualize it, you don’t have a sense of it on your heart.”

Lily listens to August Boatwright tell the story of the Mary statue

There is a certain mystery to existence, and art helps individuals to uncover some of the answers. When describing why we need artists, Keller states, "[Artists] need one another because only together do we get some idea of the multifaceted array of God's glory" (124). One life or one work of art might not seem like all that much, but these acts tie us together as human beings, and may have greater impacts than we anticipate. In his essay, Keller discusses the story Leaf by Niggle to illustrate the concept of each artist doing their part in a way that comes together to glorify God. This reminded me of another short story featuring a leaf and an artist, titled "The Last Leaf." The story was written by American author O. Henry, and features a woman named Johnsy who is very ill from pneumonia. The doctor states she could get better if she wanted to live, but that Johnsy's desire to die will prevent her from healing. Johnsy firmly believes that she will pass when the last leaf falls from a decaying ivy vine growing on a wall outside her window. Her best friend and roommate, Sue, is extremely concerned, and discusses the matter with her elderly neighbor, an artist named Behrman. Behrman has always claimed that he would one day create a masterpiece, but he never actually tries to start one. The next day, there is a terrible storm, and Sue is sure all the leaves will have fallen. However, much to Johnsy and Sue's surprise, one leaf still remains on the vine. Days pass, yet the leaf never falls. The girl decides this is her punishment for trying to will herself to die, and decides to get better. She begins to eat and dream of future plans, and soon enough, she is fully recovered. Shortly after, the two women are informed that Behrman had caught pnemonia a few days back and died. They learn that he became ill from being out in the storm, painting a perfect image of the leaf in order to make Johnsy believe that it wouldn't fall and regain her will to live. This ironic story shows the power of art, and supports Keller's idea of a Christian artist and how one person just doing their part can result in incredible things.

An illustration for a film version of "The Last Leaf"

Sources:

Bustard, Ned. It was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God

Kidd, Sue Monk. The Secret Life of Bees

O. Henry. "The Last Leaf"

Beauty Struggles

Mother Goose and Grimm comic about "Beauty"

In the book It was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God, there is a chapter on beauty written by Adrienne Chaplin. Within the essay, Chaplin explores how beauty is viewed both by Christians and the art world, and how these ideas are evolving. When discussing how the art world tended to look at beauty through the modernist movement, Chaplin states, "Beauty was associated with the sweet and the shallow and the social status quo...Art was supposed to be challenging, authentic, bold, daring, subversive and, if at all possible, shocking" (33). Many Christians throughout history have also felt negatively toward beauty, often linking it to a sensuous physicality, and viewing it as an "evil planted by the devil to seduce and distract us from higher things" (38). Both these perspectives on beauty approach the subject in terms of binary oppositions. Binary oppositions involve two things that are connected together, but considered opposite, such as black and white, in or out, and young or old. This idea has been used a great deal in literature, and it has been speculated that this kind of pairing may be a part of how humans naturally perceive the world. However, problems have arisen from this kind of thinking, and it has recently come under critique, as people tend to rank one item out of the pair as being superior to the other. This can be seen in issues such as sexism, racism, and homophobia (Study.com). It can also be applied to the discussion of beauty and whether or not it is of worth.

A google image search for "beauty" reveals what our current society deems beautiful.

The binary oppositions for beauty in both Christianity and the art world involve the idea of some sort of truth being above a false idea of beauty. For the church, spiritual truth is placed above worldly beauty, and in modern art, a painfully honest reality is placed above the lie of a nice, wonderful, beautiful world. Indeed, problems can be pointed out with how people often perceive beauty. A google search on "beauty" images shows mostly caucasian women with a great deal of make-up and a fairly consistent, un-smiling facial expression. There are several reasons this interpretation of beauty has a negative impact, particularly in relation to gender and race issues, but the idea of beauty can extend far beyond this. Essentially, whether beauty is good or bad relies on an argument of definition. According to Dictionary.com, beauty is "the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind..." Both the church and art have looked at this pleasure as something of a lie, but beauty can contain quite a bit of truth, particularly when one explores the idea of finding beauty in painful moments. 

An image I drew during a difficult time in my life

Chaplin discusses this idea when she describes the art exhibit titled A Broken Beauty, which included fifteen artists and works of theirs that explored how, despite the undeniable pain in life, there is simultaneous beauty, even in the worst of moments (48). It can also depend on the viewer and their personal experiences as to whether or not he or she finds something beautiful. For example, I often sketch out my emotions when I am going through difficult times in my life that I am unable to express in words. These sketches do not fit with the more aesthetic ideas of beauty, but I find them beautiful due to their intense personal value. My drawings allow me to release all that I hold in, and they serve as testimony to where I've been in life and where I have come. Many other artists also have works that serve as a testimony to difficult places in either personal or world history, and not all of them are aesthetically pleasing. Still, they show a part of the human experience in a way that connects with others. The feeling of knowing someone's brokenness and touching it with your own can be beautiful enough by itself. 

Sources:

Bustard, Ned. It was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God

Study.com- http://study.com/academy/lesson/binary-oppositions-in-literature-list-of-examples.html

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/beauty

Artist Interview: Sarah Jane

Artist Sarah Jane opening up kiln in Haiti

Ceramic artist Sarah Jane has always been a creative person, growing up with parents who both enjoyed tactile activities such as gardening and cabinet-making. However, it was not until her freshman year of college that she discovered her inclination to be an artist while taking an art appreciation class. Since that time, she has been heavily involved with the artist community, and is currently working and living at the Grünewald Guild, a gathering of people dedicated to exploring art and faith while forming deep and meaningful connections with one another. In addition to her independent studio practice, Jane is the Program-Coordinator at the Guild, which involves scheduling classes, teaching classes, and facilitating the Guild's annual traveling art exhibit. Just as faith and community are important to the Guild, they are also important to Jane. Art is not simply a career for her, but a way to walk with others.

Reclining Goddess

Though Jane works primarily as a ceramicist, she does not allow herself to limited to one medium or method of creating. She also creates mosaics and installation pieces, and explores both functional and sculptural ceramics. Moving between different categories allows Jane to create from all aspects of her being. For example, when she is looking to convey a specific concept, she tends to do installation pieces, but if she is not feeling pulled towards conceptual work, she will create functional vessels. Many of the sculptural pieces that Jane creates are female figures called goddesses, and she often creates them for specific people. While creating them, Jane keeps in mind certain characteristics of the recipient, incorporating them into the sculpture as a way of honoring the person.

Resonance

In a way, the installation pieces that Jane does also have people in mind, but instead of one specific person, most of her installations are aimed at groups of people. Before becoming part of the Grünewald Guild, Jane worked at a gallery for a time, and, though she did not care too much for gallery work, she loved seeing people come into a space and interact with the art. This inspired her to do works of art that invited the same kind of response that was created when people and art shared an environment. Some of her recent installations focus on the idea of interdependency, and how people cannot dwell alone as individuals, even if, in places like America, that is the cultural ideal. Everyone is connected to one another and to God, meaning that if one person rises or falls, all the people around them are affected as well.

Saggar-fired White Stoneware

Despite the strong spiritual significance of Jane's work, she does not tend to create overtly Christian art, as she wishes for her work to invite dialogue with all people regardless of whether or not they have a faith background. The idea of allowing others to carry their own beliefs while still acting in faith has influenced other aspects of Jane's work as a Christian artist, such as work she has done abroad in Haiti. Jane carries a deep respect for other cultures and religions, and thus has some misgivings about the way missionary work tends to be approached, as it can often result in the introduced culture attempting to overtake the native culture, even if done unintentionally. However, when a Christian organization approached Jane about the possibility of traveling to Haiti to teach ceramics, she accepted the job, as the specific goal of this organization was to create more employment opportunities for the Haitian people. Rather than trying to alter an aspect of a person's identity, this project strove to provide tools and skills that could be further honed and used to give someone meaningful employment. Since the last time Jane visited, about fifty people were employed in ceramic art.

Commonage

When asked what advice she would give to those who hoped to be artists in the future, Jane mentioned that one should not be too hard on oneself. Part of being an artist involves creating one's own path, as there are not as many clearly defined steps as there are in some other careers. Even though success may not come quickly, it does not mean that one is not doing what he or she should be doing. Surrounding oneself with a community of other creators can be vital, as these people will see the value in one's artistic endeavors, and affirm her calling. Lastly, Jane recommended saying "yes" to opportunities, especially when starting one's career path. One never knows what will serve to influence her artistic journey.

Artist's websites:

http://www.sarahjanesstudio.net/

https://www.facebook.com/Sarah-Janes-Studio-13576974182/

https://instagram.com/sarah_janes_studio/

http://www.grunewaldguild.com/

"There are Precious Few at Ease with Moral Ambiguities..."

Tom McGowan as The Wizard from the musical Wicked
The title of this post comes from a song the Wizard sings, called Wonderful, where he discusses how, when it comes to History, one tends to overlook moral ambiguities and instead categorize people as "good" or "bad (http://www.metrolyrics.com/wonderful-lyrics-wicked.html)."

While reading Ned Bustard's essay discussing "good," I was a bit surprised to find that he used the quote, "I'm not bad- I'm just drawn that way," as one of the headings (p. 16). The quote is from the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and the character who said the line is Jessica Rabbit, well-known for being a provocative cartoon character. In his text, Bustard gives the impression of placing good and evil into very distinct categories without much overlapping. Despite this, he introduces a character who is a bit difficult to place morally. Being a slapstick adult comedy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is not overly concerned with creating deep, complex characters, yet Jessica Rabbit, despite the obvious (and unfortunate) sexualized intent in the creation of her character, turns out to be a good person overall. She genuinely loves her husband, Roger Rabbit, and many of her actions are based on her love for him.

This was the most George Fox Appropriate image of her that I could find...

Moral complexities get much more difficult when the focus is moved from cartoon characters to actual people. 

In the text, Bustard analyzes what it means to portray God and his goodness in one's art. He mentions that true goodness is not always pretty or easily digestible, but instead is embedded in truth (p. 20). On this point, I definitely agree with Bustard, as it is important to be honest with one's work and not attempt to sugar-coat reality. However, when it comes to Bustard's definition of goodness, there are a few points on which I disagree.

Bustard states on page 22, "As shown earlier, good cannot tolerate evil. Even on a human scale, justice in the face of evil is demanded." Bustard furthers his argument on the idea of justice by mentioning the Holocaust and how the German people did little to stop what was occurring (22). The Holocaust was undeniably one of the most horrific things to occur in human history, but creating a dichotomy of the German people being "evil" and letting it happen does not serve to accurately portray the situation. Most of the German civilians did not understand what was occurring with the concentration camps, and were fed propaganda about how the Jews were being treated well (http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007822).

Since WWII, several studies have been done about the nature of authority and how it affects people's behavior. One study that was done on this topic is the Milgram experiment. The experiment began with the Experimenter (the person conducting the test) asking the two participants to draw slips of paper, which would determine who was the "learner" and who was the "teacher." The learner would be connected to a machine administering electric shocks, controlled by the teacher. The shocks were labelled from 15 to 450 volts. The teacher was told that the study would be about learning, and was instructed to list off word-pairs to the learner and administer a shock when a mistake was made, the shocks increasing by 15 volts each time.

The set up for the Milgram experiment. The Experimenter (E) and the Teacher (T) are separated from the Learner (L) by a wall.

The person playing the learner was actually an actor, and the paper drawing was rigged so that the volunteer would always be placed in the role of the teacher. No actual electric shocks were administered, and instead the switches on the shock generator activated pre-recorded pain sounds. The volunteer, playing the role of the teacher, believed that he was hurting the learner through the electric shocks. If the teacher asked to stop the procedure, the Experimenter, as the authority figure, would respond with a series of verbal prods, such as "you must go on," though never actually forcing the volunteer to keep going. Though all of the teachers showed extreme discomfort, 65% of the participants flipped all the switches, including the final 450 volts switch. Even when faced with a choice that went firmly against basic morals, the participants submitted to the figure of authority, even though they felt extremely conflicted and nervous (http://www.simplypsychology.org/milgram.html).

Here's a good video describing the experiment and showing how the participants behaved:

As this experiment shows, people act in disturbing and despicable ways, but not always because they are bad people. More than anything, people are broken. Even in cases like The Holocaust, where the worst of tragedies occurred, one cannot simply dismiss what happened by saying evil people committed the crime. It was simply people, average people, people who could have been any person living today with the same result occurring. Bustard's ideas of good and evil rest a bit too heavily on a binary viewpoint to capture the muddled nature of humanity. No one is solely good or evil, and all of us have the potential for both. This is vital to acknowledge, as it is through our acceptance of humanity's complexity that we find our ability to consciously work on being better people, and to not hold ourselves above those who are broken. 

Sources:

http://www.metrolyrics.com/wonderful-lyrics-wicked.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Rabbit

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007822

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment

http://www.simplypsychology.org/milgram.html

https://explorable.com/stanley-milgram-experiment

Bustard, Ned. It was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God

All You Need is Love

The Creation of Adam
Michelangelo
Source: http://allart.biz/up/photos/album/M_N/Michelangelo/michelangelo_1_creation_of_adam.jpg

"In this bestowing of life on self and world, the artist uncovers the generative love that is at the centre of holiness. There is no 'godlikeness' without such bestowal, such 'imagining' into life." -Rowan Williams, 167

One of my favorite images in the Bible is the description of how the first human was created, with God forming man from dust and breathing life into him (Genesis 2:7). Certainly, it's a powerful image, and one that artists have explored for centuries, a well-known example being Michelangelo's painting of it on the Sistine Chapel (shown above). The idea of God's relationship to us as his creation and the way artists explore this type of relationship is discussed in the last section of Rowan Williams' Grace and Necessity. In particular, Williams examines the multiple levels of love that are inherent in creation, from God's love for the world and its inhabitants to an artist's love for the work she constructs. Though the love an artist has for her work doesn't fully encompass the idea of God's love, the act of bringing something valuable into existence sheds light on the sacredness and love held in this process. In making something, we are connected to our maker.

A sketch of God holding Adam and Eve. I like to imagine God was excited about what he had made.

The relationship an artist has with what she creates is certainly an interesting one. To begin with, though the artist typically has some idea of how she wants the piece to go, part of the process involves letting the piece develop its own life. Williams mentions on page 161 that "... it is possible to trivialize or corrupt the labour of making by trying to force what is made into conformity with some supposed inner concept of the work..." In other words, if an artist tries to force a concept onto a work, it will not result in good quality art. Some parallels could be drawn between the idea of art being able to take its own shape and the concept of free-will in humans. The basic idea of this concept is that God gave the humans he made the choice to either choose him or not choose him. We have a measure of control in our fate. Something that is essential to any form of love is choice. As author Richard Bach said, "If you love someone, set them free; if they come back, they're yours; if they don't, they never were." If one thinks about this quote as applied to a created work, it could be said that, in order to love something one has made, one has to allow it to choose it's own path. The connection between choice and love is something that unites generative acts, whether it be on a large or small scale.

One's actions are more significant if one is allowed to choose his own path...
Source: http://academic.depauw.edu/aevans_web/HONR101-02/WebPages/Spring2005/Alex/homepage
/graphics/shades.jpg

On the other hand, there are certainly differences between the love an artist has for her work and the love God has for humanity. One difference that Williams discusses is how making a work of art can be a form of self-love for the artist. On page 162, he states, "...this love [of an artist for her work] is always inextricably connected with self-love, since it is a form of self discovery." The work that one creates and the motivations one has for embarking on a particular project reveal one's values and perceptions on life, be it the struggles one encounters, what she finds important, or simply one's aesthetic preference. In contrast, God knows all, and thus has no need for self-discovery. This enhances the mystery of why God chose to create, as the universe is not necessary for his fulfillment. And yet, regardless of this, he believed that it was worthwhile to bring things into being. Though it is not completely understandable, God's decision to create and his willingness to let his creation choose shows the depth of his love. Such a love is likewise illustrated in the creative act of the artist. It may not be a perfect analogy, but the process allows one to explore the sacredness of creation nonetheless. 

Sources:

Bible verse (Genesis 2:7): http://biblehub.com/genesis/2-7.htm

Williams, Rowan. Grace and Necessity: Reflections on Art and Love. London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. Print.

Richard Bach quote: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/richardbac136009.html

Mercy, Murder, and Grace

A bit of humor to start a difficult post
Source: https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2742/4372151970_363083919c.jpg

My sister and I attended a class at our church once that centered around the idea of becoming members of the church. During one session, the topic of salvation versus damnation came up, and one man mentioned that he did not believe in Hell. This surprised a few people, but the man described how he believed in God's enduring love, and that he could not believe that a God of greatest love and mercy would condemn a child of his to eternal torment. The man asked, "Why would a master allow a dog he loved to have its toes cut off?" I've thought a lot about what the man said over the years, and I still do not have a clear answer. However, I still think it is a worthwhile question to think about, even if it can be unsettling to approach. Flannery O'Connor, the author that Rowan Williams discusses in chapter three of Grace and Necessity, explores dark and disturbing subjects in her stories in order to ask important questions about what it means to have grace from God.

There is a lighter side to love and mercy, and a darker side
Source: http://i.huffpost.com/gen/721062/original.jpg

One story of O'Connor's that Williams discusses is titled "A Good Man is Hard to Find." In it, a grandmother unintentionally instigates a chain of events that culminates with her talking to a serial killer, the Misfit, while she hears the gunshots signifying her son, Bailey, and his family being killed by the Misfit's partners in a nearby forest. While talking to the Misfit, the grandmother feels a moment of kinship with the murderer, and touches him, but he flinches back and shoots her (O'Connor, 1-23).  Most people are not inclined to feel any sort of connection with a serial killer, yet, in this short story, O'Connor manages to make the Misfit sympathetic. If he had not ordered the execution of this family, he would probably be the most likable character in the story. For example, when the grandmother reveals that she recognizes the Misfit and it becomes apparent that the family will be killed, Bailey curses at his mother, and she begins to cry. The Misfit shows distress at this, and tries to comfort the grandmother, saying, "'Lady... don't you get upset. Sometimes a man says things he don't mean. I don't reckon he meant to talk to you thataway (15).'" This unexpected display of compassion from the man about to murder the grandmother creates a dramatic situation of light and dark mixing in one person. Through this, O'Connor is able to ask questions about grace and what it means to be evil, such as:

• Is there a point we reach where we are irredeemable in the eyes of God? 
• If so, where does that boundary lie? 
• What about cases that are not so clear-cut, as in that of the Misfit? If the Misfit has some inclination towards good, does he still deserve God's grace despite being a murderer? 
• What about people who feel they are good, like the grandmother, but whose words of faith are more empty than poignant? What about those of us whose lives have been easy when compared to others? Is the measurement for grace still the same? 
• Is it easier for some people to be "good" than others? Does this affect our idea of salvation?

These questions can be really disturbing, but if one is willing to look at them, it can give one a more understanding and merciful outlook on those whose lives are surrounded by darkness. Williams mentions when discussing the story that the moment where the Misfit kills the grandmother is the moment of grace, and, despite its gruesome nature, one can see the deep bonds being made in that moment (107). On page 117, Williams summarizes O'Connor's approach to grace by saying, "O'Connor is insisting on a perception of grace that is not necessarily the introduction of a meaning or even an absolution... grace is an excess that may make for significance or forgiveness, but needn't." The story doesn't specify if the interaction with the grandmother made any effect on the Misfit, and it seems unlikely that he would change his ways. Yet, in her final moments, the grandmother was most certainly changed, and she found a greater understanding of humankind than many achieve in their lifetime. Whether or not this redeemed her or the Misfit is difficult to say, but the potential was there, and sometimes, at the very worst moments of life, the potential for change is reason enough for hope.

Illustration of Scene from "A Good Man is Hard to Find"
Source: http://vwordpress.stmarys-ca.edu/commonplacebook/files/2012/12/a_good_man_is_hard_to_find_by_howi3-d31nrko-1kjw325.jpg

Sources:

Williams, Rowan. Grace and Necessity: Reflections on Art and Love. London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. Print.

O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard to Find." A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc., 1955. 1-23. Print. 

The Soul of the Art

Communion: What exactly does it mean when we say Christ's body is the bread and his blood is the wine?
Source: http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/teachingnonviolentatonement/files/2015/04/eucharist.jpg

*Note: Please forgive me if this post is a bit disjointed, I haven't been feeling very well recently, and my head is still a bit muddled.

Transubstantiation is a big topic, and its meaning has been argued about for centuries in the church. Traditionally, transubstantiation refers to the way in which Christ's body and blood become, in a literal sense, the bread and wine of the eucharist. For many years, Christians fought over whether Christ made a real change to the bread and wine, or whether the act was symbolic in nature. The Catholic church sought to solidify these ideas through the Council of Trent, but different denominations of Christianity still hold varying opinions on how to define the Eucharist (McGrath, 194-195).

The Council of Trent Meeting
Artist Unknown
Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Council_of_Trent.JPG

This definition can become even more tricky if one wishes to apply it to art, as David Jones does when he is discussed in the book Grace and Necessity: Reflections on Art and Love. Essentially, Jones argues that, just as the spirit of Christ enters into the Eucharist, the spirit of whatever a work of art seeks to capture moves into the work and becomes a part of the piece. Rowan Williams, the author of Grace and Necessity, describes Jones' philosophy, saying, "Something like the whole active presence of the object is being re-presented by the artist... Jones would have taken perfectly seriously the philosophical and theological sense of participation between reality and representation that we have seen at work in Maritain... (Williams, 62)" There is something greater in the piece than just its physical form.

While I don't think transubstantiation in the traditional sense is what happens when one creates art, I do agree that works of art obtain a certain spiritual nature. Not necessarily from the object one depicts, as there are many times in abstract art where there is no object depicted at all, but from the artist's creative act, as well as the connections made by the viewer and the physical presence of the work itself.

A good example can be found in the work of Portland artist Alison O'Donoghue.

Why Me Why You
Alison O'Donoghue
Source: http://www.aliorange.com/largeandlarger.html

The way that O'Donoghue weaves multiple characters and stories into her paintings gives them a sense of activity reaching beyond what the observer is able to see, and even describes the characters as "glowing with life" on her website (O'Donoghue). The vine-like shapes and the way that the creatures weave together like a loose fabric makes the work seem to dance and squirm under one's gaze. When looking closer, one can find the individual lives and stories of each character, an activity the being engages in regardless of whether anyone pays attention. There is a sense of spirit in each character, and in the painting as a whole. Even if the painting were never to be viewed, there is still the feeling that the painting would live on, the characters would keep going about their lives without the validation given by someone viewing a work. Each work by O'Donoghue has its own resonance, an intrinsic value that is strengthened by her creativity and the observer's interaction, but also exists outside of the human element. Simply by being an object brought into existence by a creative force, art has a sense of presence. It might not be a literal spirit or being, as in the case of transubstantiation, but it is a sacred and real energy. 

Sources:

O'Donoghue, Alison. Alison. http://www.aliorange.com/alison.html. 2011. Web.

Williams, Rowan. Grace and Necessity: Reflections on Art and Love. London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. Print.
McGrath, Alister E. Christian History: An Introduction. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, 2013. Print.

Beyond the First Glance

What do you see? An old woman, or a young woman? Sometimes it is necessary to look a bit harder and longer to find what makes an image significant (or in this case, entertaining)
Source: https://ermiliablog.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/old-woman-yong-woman-optical-illusion.jpg

The first chapter of Grace and Necessity, by Rowan Williams, was a bit difficult to break down, and one must spend a long time rereading and teasing it out before being able to decipher the points the author was trying to make. After working with the text a bit, it becomes clear that one of the main concepts that Williams and Jaques Maritain, the writer whose work Williams is analyzing, are trying to convey is that good art makes one see beyond the face value of things, particularly in regards to spiritual significance.

The greatest philosopher of our childhood, Rafiki, concurs that one must "look beyond what you see" to find
the spiritual value in something, in this case art.
Source: http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lziafcnHVg1r9ztioo1_500.jpg

On page 36-37, Williams creates a list of Maritain's core arguments on the subject of art and what it should be. The list includes ideas about art such as:

• Art being an act of intelligence
• How art invites contemplation
• That art cannot be created for a narrow and specific goal (such as being simply beautiful or creating propaganda)
• When looking at art, we perceive the significance of a work outside of its physical nature

Other scholars who analyzed Maritain's concepts, such as Anthony Richard Haynes in his article Jacques Maritain's Definition of Art, likewise mention his strong belief in art conveying matters that are intangible and perhaps sacred. Haynes states, "For Maritain, the artist is inspired by being able to figuratively see the world through emotion... Maritain holds that the artist has an 'experience-knowledge' through the senses in divining the 'secret meaning' of things, in virtue of emotion."

Though I don't agree with everything that Maritain and Williams argued, I do agree with their point about art making one look more closely and find greater significance both in the artwork and in general life. For example, one could look at the work titled "In Me," by Johnson Tsang, and say that what she saw before her was a cage and porcelain clay put together. She would not be wrong, but she would be missing the point.

In Me
Johnson Tsang

The physical nature of the work is not what makes it resonate with people. Tangible textures and interesting surfaces certainly enhance a piece, but it is the feeling and ideas that give art lasting power. In taking a deeper look at Tsang's piece, one might reflect on the way a mournful cherub is caged inside the head of an adult, perhaps indicating the more innocent or truthful parts of ourselves that we lock away. 

There are many ideas that one could glean from a work such as this. It has a resonance that goes beyond one's initial view and makes her want to look closer and think harder.

 Another good example of art that requires careful observation and thought is Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, a painting believed to be by Pieter Bruegel.

Landscape with the Fall of Icarus
by Pieter Bruegel
Source: https://www.google.com/search?espv=2&biw=1439&bih=653&q=landscape+with+the+fall+of+icarus++painting&oq=
landscape+with+the+fall+of+icarus++painting&gs_l=serp.3..0l2j0i7i30l2j0i30j0i8i30.2538.2
538.0.2851.1.1.0.0.0.0.45.45.1.1.0....0...1.1.64.serp..0.1.45.xvHb4NOzN4k

The image appears to be an idyllic painting of a beautiful and pleasant coastal town, with a farmer going about his work and a few scattered ships sailing on a beautiful green sea. If this was all the painting had to offer, it would still be an impressive work of art, but it would not have quite as much staying power. In fact, it might come close to the kind of art Maritain dismisses as only pursuing beauty and not having any real substance.

However, the title of the piece makes one pause. The "fall of Icarus" refers to the Greek legend about a boy named Icarus whose father built wings made of wax and feathers so the two of them could fly out of prison. However, despite his father's warning, Icarus flew too close to the sun, melting the wax in the wings and causing him to fall into the sea. 

So where does the boy feature in the work of art that bears his name? Look closely. 

Landscape with the Fall of Icarus (close up)
Source: http://johnesimpson.com/images/breugelicarus_thefallen.jpg

Near the right bottom corner of the painting, near the ship closest to the foreground, is a tiny pair of thrashing legs and a few small feathers falling into the water.

Now the image takes on a darker tone, as the audience realizes how the village is going about its business while a young boy crashes to his death. As William Carlos Williams says in the last few lines of his poem about the painting,

Unsignificantly
off the coast
there was 

a splash quite unnoticed
this was
Icarus drowning ("Landscape" 16-21).

As mentioned previously by Williams and Maritain, good art allows one to see past the basic nature of a work and connect with something spiritual and significant. The intelligent creation of art leads one into deeper contemplation, and with works such as In Me and Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, one will find poignant and dramatic connotations when engaging in such reflection. Like many things in this world, one discovers more in art when they are willing to take a second glance.

Sources:

Williams, Rowan. Grace and Necessity: Reflections on Art and Love. London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. Print.

Haynes, Anthony Richard. "Jacques Maritain's Definition of Art." New Blackfriars 96 (2015): 527-541. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.

Williams, Carlos William. "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus." Collected Poems: 1939-1962. William Carlos Williams. Vol 2. New York: New Directions Publishing Corp., 1962. Access: Poets.Org. Web. 4 Oct. 2015

Seeing a Story: Romanesque Sculpture

Dragon swallowing a Christian
Chauvigny, Church of Saint-Pierre
http://www.wga.hu/art/zgothic/1romanes/cap-12c3/04f_1167.jpg

What is Romanesque?

The style of art known as Romanesque first began to take shape near the collapse of the Roman Empire around 568 AD. As Huns and Germanic tribes took over land, their culture collided with that of the disappearing Romans. Efforts to revive Roman art and architecture were made around 800 AD by Emperor Charlemagne, and after his empire collapsed and years of fighting between the conquering tribes passed, a new period of prosperity and cultural exploration was born. The traditional Roman art mingled to varying degrees with the artistic approaches of the newer cultures, which led to the development of Romanesque art around 1000 AD (Charles, 7-12).

Characteristics of Romanesque sculpture:

• Heavily tied with architecture
• Often in relief (high or medium relief were most common)
• Lots of symbolism, particularly with animals (Toman, 256-257)
• Typically Religious (Minne-Seve, 14-18)

Poitiers, Notre-Dame-La-Grande
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7100/7181408207_27194e1fbc_b.jpg

Mary Rests with Infant Jesus
Poitiers, Notre-Dame-La-Grande
http://www.paradoxplace.com/Photo%20Pages/France/West/Poitiers_Poitou_Charentes/Poitiers/
Notre_Dame_la_Grande/Images/800/Mary-Sept07-DE9587sAR800.jpg

Sculpture and Architecture

Sculpture and architecture were heavily tied together due to the increasingly popular practice of adorning religious structures with sculptures (Toman, 256-257). After years of war and difficulty, people increasingly turned to the church for spiritual salvation and protection. Monasteries became increasingly popular, drawing more funds and support, which in turn allowed more churches to be built. Originally, sculptures that were incorporated into the buildings were used to emphasize the architectural design, such as a pattern of leaves moving across a lintel, but the focus eventually shifted to the storytelling abilities the sculptures possessed. Prominent areas of the buildings, such as arches above the doors, were filled with human and animal figures as well as decorative vegetation (Minne-Seve, 14-28). Since the artwork was carved into buildings, most of it was carved in relief, meaning that the art has a raised surface that remains attached to the background area, as opposed to sculpture in the round, which does not have a background surface and can be viewed from all angles.

Lion as a Persecutor of the Good, Taking a Lamb
Mariental near Helmstedt monestary church
http://www.wga.hu/art/zgothic/1romanes/re-2/2g1_1101.jpg

Symbolism

The connection between sculpture and architecture also accounts to some degree for the symbolic nature of the art. Since the artwork was tied to the churches and had the role of conveying religious themes, symbols were extremely useful in adding depth of meaning to the art in a way that most people would understand, though not all symbols were completely clear and direct. Several religious symbols were developed during this time, and appeared numerous times in the sculptures adorning churches and cathedrals (Toman, 328-345).

Some popular symbols included:

• Animals
• There was a great variety of animal imagery in the Romanesque period, and many animals had different meanings attached to them. For instance, the phoenix was thought to be a symbol of Christ, as it would periodically die and come back to life.
• Entertainers and Players
• Traveling performers were considered to be morally twisted, as their strange talents, such as a contortionist's ability to bend his or her body into impossible poses, could be seen as a reflection of the soul.
• The Human Body
• Sexuality was viewed very negatively during the Romanesque period, and several statues adorning the churches warn against the evils of sexual behaviors.

A Lasting Message

Though the period leading up to Romanesque Art was not the most peaceful, it brought a lot of cultures together and gave birth to new ideas. Coupled with some of the architectural and artistic techniques of the Romans, this culturally blended style blossomed on the walls of churches and cathedrals, teaching Biblical messages to all who passed. Various ideas were able to be portrayed through these sculptures, as symbolic associations allowed stronger meanings to be tied in with the figures. These images continue to spark interest in those who see them, displaying the lasting power of well-made sculptures and well-told stories.

Sources:

Schapiro, Meyer. Romanesque Architectural Sculpture. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Print.

Minne-Seve, Viviane, and Herve Kergall. Romanesque and Gothic France. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Print.

Toman, Rolf, ed. Romanesque: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting. Konemann. Print.

Charles, Victoria. Romanesque Art. New York: Parkstone International, 2008. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web.