It seems to me if Christians wholesale say a certain "form" of art is "wrong" or against God, what we effectively do is cut ourselves off from being at the table for many conversations. We simply won't be at the table of "Modern Art", "Abstract Art" "Rap Music" or what ever else is going around. I'm not saying that it is the duty of every Christian to participate in every art form, or art at all for that matter but it doesn't seem right to see some forms of art as more godly than others. I applaud the efforts of painting schools to teach the techniques of the master painters of the past, but there should also be the realization that these are techniques and nothing more. If painter wants to learn them, if the Romanticism era really makes their heart sing, then by all means! But there is nothing more "godly" about that sort of Romanticism except for the godliness of pursuing a discipline whole heartedly for the glory of God. 

I think I need to read "How Shall We Then Live" again. I think I simply disagree with Francis Schaeffer. But maybe I don't remember what he said like I should. As if I should be cheeky enough to disagree with Francis Schaeffer!

For awhile I've been feeling like I've wanted to start a new blog to just focus on art and culture and Christianity intersecting culture and all that sort of thing. Not that I claim to be an expert in the area but I just find it interesting. So if you are interesting in that sort of thing too, you can join me here:

 http://kerrileanne.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

Sale in the shop

A 10 day sale-through the 21st of May take 10% off your order total, with coupon code "SPRINGFLING"~celebrating the fact that we have had three days without rain!

Gotta love Oregon!

Honesty in Art

 I got to work in my local art guild's gallery for the first time. It was nice. QUIET. Much, much quieter than at home. :)

Anyway, while I was there a man came in to buy a metal sculpture of fish that he has seen earlier. He was so excited to buy this sculpture! His wife was walking behind him chuckling at how much he loves fish. I could tell he loves fish! As he was checking out he was looking it all over musing on how he would hang it, then he found a pine needle on it which delighted him because it seemed to give him some clue as to how the artist made the piece. Left it out in the sun perhaps? He was delightful. As he left he mused as to whether he should send the artist a picture of where he puts it, do you think he would like that? Of course he would like that!

It got me to thinking about people who buy art and the responsibility of us who make art. These two men, the artist and the buyer, both apparently love fish! And some how that love of fish connected them through this piece of art and the artist made this other man very happy by enabling the buying man to give voice to his love of fish!

I just thought that was kind of cool and reminds me of the calling of an artist. In a way you are aiding people to give voice to their loves and feelings by giving them form and color in a way that conveys more than what the actual thing just looks like in real life. That's why I'm not a fan of super realistic art. There should be something else there, something more. Something that not only says "fish" to the fish lover, but emphasizes what they love about fish.

I guess this was all the more striking to me because I am not into fish. All the while he was buying it, he was so delighted and I was just thinking "fish".... But that's a good thing. His new piece spoke his language to HIM. It wasn't for me anyway. He and this artist were having a conversation of sorts (though the artist was no where around) and all I was to do was to help him facilitate the conversation (Mainly by taking it off the wall and putting it in his hands and leading him to the cash register as he was just kind of gazing at his fish not knowing where to go..) and get out of his way!

Anyway, I found him delightful. I think God gave me that experience to show me something. I want to keep my art fresh and honest. So when somebody thinks enough of it to engage in conversation with it, it will be an honest heart felt chat. :)

{this moment}

 Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

From SouleMama

Do you have a {this moment} up? Leave me a link and I'll come say "hi"!

Jostie Flicks

Our family has ten kids. And nooooo dishwasher. So they found this video very, very funny.
Actually this family (I think they have 11 kids) has made a few vidoes that really rang true for my kids. I think there's kind of a "large family fraternity" of sorts. Whenever they meet kids from families with more than like 7 or 8 kids they have instant points of commonality. They also liked the one about being left home alone... eating chips for dinner, jumping on top of a car... and the boy by the piano who is apparently the sensitive one...




"It's fine if you give them small amounts and you help, help, Help them..."

New in the Shop

"Twins"

These two buildings stand side by side in downtown Portland. In the afternoon the sun reflecting off the building next to them causes reflections to dance all over them. They are like a canvas being painted on by the sun!

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

via Soule Mama

Kim @ Life in a Shoe is having a giveaway of these cute hair clips.

Lilla Rose has a lot of cute stuff, so it's hard to chose, but if I won I think I would like this one:

https://secure.lillarose.biz/MemberToolsDotNet/(S(qyp5at4eim5obtff1ucw4yqq))/ShoppingCartNew/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=17981&CatalogueID=204&PartyID=-1&PartyGuestID=-1&InternalUse=1&ProductGroupString=67.72

Simple and sweet and not too hard to match. :)

New in the Shop

Lemons on a Blue Cloth

I feel like I ought to say something about Easter, but since I spent the day sleeping while the family had dinner at church, it didn't feel like it happened. I'm still feeling a little under the weather-ish today. Hope nobody else in the family gets it. 

So I hope you had a happy Easter! 

Cheers! I'm going back to bed. 

Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended

Ah, Holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided by Thine own rejected,
Oh, most afflicted

Who was the guilty? who brought this upon Thee?
Alas my treason, Jesus hath undone Thee.
Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied Thee,
I crucified Thee

Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered
The slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered
For man's atonement, while he nothing heeded
God intercedeth

For me, kind Jesus was Thine incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and Thy life's oblation
Thy death of anguish and Thy bitter passion
For my salvation

Therefore kind Jesus, since I cannot pay Thee
I do adore Thee and will ever pray Thee
Think on Thy pity and Thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving

New in the Shop

Bleeding Hearts

I love the bleeding hearts that grow in my garden. They come back every year in the spring to greet me, they are amicable and get along with everybody. But they don't care to be picked much. So I painted some so they could be brought inside without harming their sensibilities.

Etsy is an amazing place really. It's an absolute maze of people, all different types doing all different kinds of things. From grandma types crocheting Barbie doll dresses to fine art going for thousands of dollars. It's easy to get lost in the sea. But after a while, you start to recognize people, know where they hang out and what they do. It's just a wild, vast community.

Anyway, I came across these gals who are on a treasury team I'm on. (Actually nonteam, to be technical, but that's an Etsy fine line thing.) Anyway, I thought their name was kind of eye catching and fun "Drapes of Wrath". Doesn't that kind of make you want to put on an apron and beat up on some eggs? Heheh.

 Aren't these adorable? But my favorite was this:

Hows that for barbecue with style?

If you want to make your own they have the instructions here: 

http://drapesofwrathaprons.blogspot.com/2011/04/goodwill-to-good-lookin-lions-club.html

Too Fun! :)

Artist Statement Revised

"All my life I have been blessed to live in the Pacific Northwest. Everywhere I go I am always inspired and exhilarated by the beauty that continually surrounds me. Desire to give voice and thanks for that beauty through art wells up inside me. 
I believe art is important. Through art we surround ourselves with images that contribute to influencing our hearts. I believe that surrounding oneself with pictures of beauty, strength abundance, grandeur and joy contribute to building those qualities in our own lives. I want to create art that assists us in focusing on what is real and good and true in this world. 
I am also a believer in the Living God of the Bible. I hope through my art to give thanks to Him and also to remind myself and others of His goodness, promises, and commands whether through image, symbol, or word. I believe art is an act of worship. I like to work with different mediums depending on the message or image I am attempting to portray. The vast array of materials to artists in these days are a constant inspiration and temptation to me.
"O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, fear before Him all the earth." Psalm 96:9"

I revised my artists statement on Etsy today. I don't want to come across as "preachy" But I do want to accurately portray who I am as an artist and why I chose to paint the things I do and where I am coming from.

Thoughts?

Well, I did finally experience that Portland oddity otherwise known as VooDoo Doughnut. Everyone lately has been going to VooDoo Doughnut. I tried to go once before but the line was down the street and around the corner, so I had to wait for a more opportune time. So when we saw there was one right by the church where the kids were having the speech competition, we (Elisa and I) decided to give it a whirl. May I say? I don't get it.

Now, I don't think I'm all that thin skinned. I was fine with the whole horror flick sort of aura, the voodoo jelly doughnut, coffin maple bars, etc. All just for fun, and of course it's a pretty eye catching sales gimmick. But I'm not into upside down crosses and pentagrams and there was a lot of that there. But not only that, it stank. And it was scuzzy. And my apple fritter was doughy and undercooked. And for the rest of the day, no matter how many times I washed my hands, I could smell it. All in all, it was just plain gross. Yuck. So I can cross that one off my bucket list, and I will never do it again. I'm sure they are really sad and will miss me frightfully.

Anyway, on to the speech tournament. Are you down? Do you need a bit of encouragement for the generations to come? Go hang out at a NCFCA speech tournament.  Wowzers. You can hear the gospel presented from 50 different directions. You can listen to debate on whether or not we should change nuclear policies dealing with Russia. You can hear how to solve world hunger. (Plumpy Nut. It's the best thing since sliced bread.) You can hear Natural Law debated. Golly, it was fabulous. I love this sort of thing. I felt like my mental muscles were weight lifting all day long. And as that kid in the suit two sizes to big for him is calmly and rationally discusses the effect of Natural Law on the Nuremberg Trials you kind of have to pinch yourself and remember, he's maybe 15? 16?

I'm so glad Elisa is excited to do this. I wish I had gotten my older children into it. No matter what field of study they may want to pursue in the future, being able to present yourself, speak easily and think on your feet will be an asset, whether artist, teacher, scientist, lawyer....Hey,  even auto mechanics need to be able to talk to their customers clearly and inspire confidence!

It was so interesting to be able to judge at this event. If you live near a tournament they always really need judges. They let the parents judge, but if you come in as a community judge (with no kids competing) they give you first pick of the events you want to take. They feed you good food all day long and there was coffee with real cream (Not just the powdered creamer stuff.) and candies on the tables. And you get to watch future leaders in the making honing their skills. You will feel very appreciated. It was a really quality event put on by good people.

Well that's my sales pitch!

The last couple of days have been such a whirlwind of activity for us! I have been judging at the regional finals for the National Christian Forensic and Communications Association. (Mercifully, usually abbreviated to NCFCA) It was a wonderful time, really, with a lot of thinking involved. But of course with me gone for two days the house is an absolute disaster! So I will write more about the event later. For now, I will post a picture if my latest addition to the shop:

Sunflowers

Hope you have a great weekend!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

from soulemama's blog

New in the Shop

Grape Hyacinths 

Grape Hyacinths. They are such a lowly common flower, but they are so pretty when you really stop to look at them. I like to showcase less showy flowers and show them in a different light. Often they are like the people we meet in real life, they may seem common, but if you stop to look at them they are beautiful and sweet in their own way. These rewarded my efforts with a sweet fragrance to accompany me as I worked.

I was featured in this treasury today!  And I'm also figuring out Craft Cult.... :)

"Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition."                                                                     

                                                                           -Jeremiah Burroughs 
                                                    "The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment"