Ta Da

This is it . . . the first piece that is on the blog. I realized a while back that so much of my work is the story behind it.

This work is based on one of my favoirite verses in scripture . . . Mark 15:28 ". . . and the curtain of the temple was torn in two." In the ancient Jewish temples/tabernacles there was a space in the front of the main worship area. It was separated from the rest of the room by a curtain and called the Holy of Holies. When the Jews were wandering in the wilderness the tabernacle that they set up would have this space and it is believed that they kept the Ark of the Covenant in that area. Once they built the permanent structures, the space was built in. It became the place where they believed God was. No one was allowed in that space except the highest of high priests, and then he was only to go back there once a year. Everyone else was separated from God by the curtain and had to rely on the high priest and the other priests to be the intermediary between them and God. So when Christ died on the cross, the image is that the curtain in the temple was torn and now there was nothing to separate people from God. And while Good Friday was such a dark day, the hope that comes from it is beyond words. Because it isn't about just the people who worshiped in the temple, but it is about everyone . . . and it is very personal because it is about me. That is what this piece is about. It is about hope and about there being nothing in between me and God (unless I put it there). It is made with paint, molding paste, beeswax and velvet for the curtain. I'm still working on learning how to photograph my work so the detail is visable. Obviously the detail in this photo isn't very visable. But here it is . . . ta da. By the way, thanks Lori for the push.

Yesterday Ended Last Night

The title of this post is an amazing quote that I heard as a part of the sermon yesterday morning. What powerful words! They speak of incredible forgiveness and freedom. How often am I completely and utterly weighed down by the junk of the past. Stuff that I can't change or really do anything about. The only really healthy thing that I can do is learn from it, claen up what I can and move forward - Do my best to do better today. For those of us who need a visual, lay it all at the foot of the cross and give it up to God in Christ Jesus. Thank you Pastor John for this amazing thought to carry with me into my week. While Sunday morning had inspiring words, Sunday afternoon had a lot of inspiring visuals. I saw some beautiful artwork and met some wonderful artists. One woman did lovely digital work but what inspired me about her was how she described herself. She was version 2.0 and loving it. How I can relate to that = I feel like I am completely a 2.0 and loving it. Another woman was an artist who worked with healing stones. She was beautiful and had this amazing spirit. I was with my mother and daughter and we all were so drawn to her work. So much so that my mother bought me my Christmas present - a beautiful Citrene necklace. It was a stone that drew me in. I put it on as soon as we stepped out of the booth and didn't even want to take it off when I went to bed.

(The picture doesn't do it justice.) I have to say though, for all of the wonderful things that the day held, there was a piece of me that felt so guilty because my to do list was so long. I have a show on the first weekend of December and I should be working what I will be selling. I am behind. But it was such a lovely day and so many wonderful things happened. I have to believe that even though I made very little progress on the to do list, there were so many things that fed my soul - it has to make my work better. Even if it means that I will have to work harder on other days.

"There's Pictures In Here"

That was a quote from one of the girls in my confirmation group last night. I have a little book that I carry in my purse that I call my "Brain Book". I write down things I want to remember and draw out my ideas as I have them. Last night I was using the book to take notes on the pastors teaching time so I would remember the things I wanted to bring up with my group. During our small group discussion time, I had my book out and laying in front of me open to the page with the notes on it. One of the girls picked up the book and asked if she could look through it. As she turned the pages, she exclaimed "There's pictures in here. You draw?" It was an expression of utter amazement. I'm not sure if that was a good thing or not. Needless to say, my book went around the circle for the other girls to see. While there was nothing terribly personal in the book, just ideas, I had the same feeling about that I get when my finished pieces are on display - a strange mix of excited, embarrassed, and a little afraid that someone is going to figure out that I have no business doing this art thing. I wonder if that feeling will ever pass. This week has been a little crazy in that I have had a sick kid home from school most of the week. That has meant that I have done my "day" job from home, been running to the doctor, and generally rearranging life to accommodate. Not a lot of art going on here. But lots of kid stuff going on - the good stuff as well as the tough stuff with one sick.

Time

I think I have been operating under the false assumption that I am the one that determines when it is the "right" time to do something. I have tried this artful life before thinking that somehow that was the right time. But things just didn't go anywhere - little response or interest and my energy and interest for it all faded rather quickly. It feels different this time - I think. Yesterday as we were working on a concept for work, I was actually asked "Carole, could you draw this. I need a way to visualize this." That has never happened before. I have actually had someone say to me "you are an artist". Never happened before. I am not sure that I'm comfortable with the idea of being an artist yet. I get these thoughts like how can I possible think of myself as an artist? What gives me the right to claim that title? So with these new moments of encouragement, dare I think that maybe instead of being the one that has decided it is time, maybe this time it is God that has nodded and said it is time. I suspect that when I tried before, there were other things that I needed to do and concentrate on - like my kids and rebuilding my life. But now as life is moving forward and we are settling into our new normal, I can open myself up to these new and wonderful things. ).

Here goes my friends - I'm taking a deep breath once again and jumping. A couple of years ago, my mother gave me a quote that roughly said, "when you come to the end of all that you can see, faith is knowing that when you step into the unseen, you will either step onto solid ground or you will be taught to fly." (or swim in keeping with my original story about the diving board By the way, the new camera is here!!! So I'll be able to start adding pictures

64 Crayons

It all started with a box of 64 crayons with the sharpener on the back. I've wanted to be an artist ever since that first box. More years later than I care to think about, I read "The Last Lecture" and the rest is history. Even now when I get a whiff of that crayon smell, I instantly find myself back in that place of having a brand new box of crayons and feeling like I was the next best thing to Monet. (Although I didn't know who he was at the time.)

Crayons continue to be my indirect inspiration but now faith and my everyday life have moved to the forefront. Just about anything can be my materials (including used dryer sheets). But I don't use crayons any more. Maybe I should. Just in case you were wondering, no my new camera isn't here yet. I found this great image on the internet. Thank you to whoever took this phenominal picture.

Where Are The Pictures to Go With This Blog?

Good question. They are coming, but at the moment my camera is broken. A new camera is on the way and then I will be able to post some wonderful pictures. But until then, my words will have to create the pictures. By the way, don't tell my kids about the new camera. I'd like to keep this secret from them as long as possible.

Because I Said So.

They say that inspiration can come from any place in this artistic life. I have to admit however, that so far I am a little surprised at the places that it does come from. This week one of the odd places it came from was an episode of "Nanny 911" off of Netflix. Yes, you read it right . . "Nanny 911". One of the nanny's actually said that it was time for a parent to lay down the law with the kids. She told the parents the kids need to hear them say "you do this because I said so".

Here is my question. . . why is it that I expect that that phrase will be enough to inspire blind obedience from my children, when it isn't enough to inspire me to the same when God in Christ Jesus asks it of me?

When I as a parent say those wonderful (haha) words, I am somehow surprised when my kids look at me and say "not good enough, or look at me like "Are you kidding me?" or "prove to my why I should". I get furious at that answer or look from them. But when I give the same answer to God when God says the same to me . . . somehow I always fail to see the similarites between the two responses..

The more I've thought about this, the more I think that unlike me in my humanity, God has more than earned that blind trust from me. In fact God has proven to me over and over again that I can and should trust, blindly or not. Because I am always the better for it.

So with all of this wonderful inspiration, what does all of this look like on canvas? I'm still waiting for that part of the inspiration. I'll let you know when it shows up.