That time I was paid to use my art major.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who studied art in college. After graduating, she move to a far way land and taught art to the little children and created sculptures and paintings when the chance arose. *One day while going about her daily chores, a PRODUCER called her to ask if she was “artsy-craftsy” and if she could work on a stop-motion animation commercial for Rack Room Shoes. She said heck yes. And then they worked as a team to make this cool little piece. The End.

 

*It may or may not have happened like this.

 

and the Lord remembered her…

Journal 1.24.14, a photo by KatieCanvas on Flickr.

Reading Beth Moore and wading through the life of David with my small group.

Mixed Media inspired by 1 Samuel 1:19 (oil pastel, chalk pastel, watercolor, acrylic, ink, glitter).

bunk beds and bricks

Over the weekend, I bundled up with 20-30 20 to 30somethings at the Charlotte/ONE volunteer retreat. It was a wonderful 36 hours filled with old and new friends, throwback youth group games, fruitful brainstorming and worship sessions, and obviously, bunk bed pillow talk.

I’m consistently caught off guard by the exponential manner in which Charlotte/ONE has impacted and continues to influence my life. They were the conductor by which I met my friends, as well as my church, Renovatus. Charlotte/ONE consistently provides an anchor for me in Charlotte with new opportunities to serve and flourish.

Mike Hall, [kick butt speaker and all around cool dude] shared during worship about how we are all haunted by words and experiences – and that we can’t silence those ghosts, but the holy Spirit (when we invite Him) can.

I felt stuck and silent and weighed heavy in my core.  I knew that the spirit would clear the air if I asked him too, but because of my selfish and sinful choices lately – I had built a wall that I felt was tall enough to hide my mess from Him [in the words of Cher from clueless, AS IF].  As a means of processing I wrote the following:

I’ve built this barricade with bricks of bad decisions
and with mortar of guilt and regret. The ghosts slipped through and haunt the hollows of my undiscipline. I should ask them to leave but I’m afraid of the empty spaces they leave behind.

I know. Bummer. [Sidebar: us artsy types can take it pretty dark.] There is a happy ending however. The good news, the Holy Spirit courts me more sweetly than the ghosts and the minute I begin to pivot towards Him, He joins me in this messy place while we try to sort through it together.

“The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air” Romans 8:2

lyrics to live by: “Oceans” by Hillsong

Feeling the wind and the water and resonating deeply with “Oceans” by Hillsong

 

“You call me out upon the waters
the great unknown where feet may fail
and there I find you in the mystery
in oceans deep
my faith will stand

Art Journal with “Oceans” lyrics

So I will call upon your name, and keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise, my soul will rest in your embrace
for i am yours and you are mine

your grace abounds in deepest waters
your sovereign hand will be my guide
where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
you’ve never failed and you won’t start now

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
let me walk upon the waters
wherever you would call me
take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
and my faith will be made stronger
in the presence of my savior”

Holy Discontentment

Art journal quotes from “Sensible Shoes”

“You’ve reached a place of holy discontentment…the frustration you’re feeling can be a gift to nudge you toward something deeper. I’m hearing restlessness in you, and restlessness is movement. You may feel stuck, but your Spirit is moving.” – Sharon Garlough Brown, Sensible Shoes

wild geese

Wind blown at Wild Goose

You had me at mountains, Jesus and art.

But seriously! The Wild Goose Festival is the intersection of faith + justice + art + music for one weekend in the Mountains of North Carolina. When Aune and I weren’t being blown away by epic lady preacher, Nadia Bolz-Weber, we were soaking in the wisdom of Phyllis Tickle, taking in a plethora of “off the beaten path” bands…and participating in conversations on racial reconciliation in the middle of a field.

Song of songs Creative writing

 

 

The weekend included being surrounded by mountains, showering in a river, cooking by campfire, overwhelmingly awesome seminar choices and singing hymns while imbibing. Jealous, right?

If you thought I was lost, chances are I could be found sipping wine at the “Art and Soul” tent where I was able to create for the first time in months. One workshop I attended was about writing imagery driven poetry in the style of Song of Songs.

 

Yes it rained. Yes it was hot. Yes I was sometimes out of my comfort zone. But, I’m simply in awe of this community filled with passionate love for “mother- father- God”- where days are filled with the arts, creation care, deep theology, outpourings of acceptance and of course, beer and hymns. [FYI – Registration for Wild Goose 2014 is open!]

Humble Beginnings of an Art Journal

I’m currently wading through a few good books* not to mention attempting to try to open The Good Book once a day.

An opportunity presented by John Ortberg  in The Me I Want to Be was to choose one scripture verse to meditate on daily. This sounded right up my ally as I notoriously fail at taking on whole book/testament reading plans. I’m currently harping on text that refer to anatomy and nature {ex: Romans 8:6} – imagine that! I decided to art journal in response…and so should you!  I’m fairly certain this is the humble beginning of a new series…

This simple project started with an ink wash, sharpie marker, and…lemon juice. I first saw the idea to incorporate alcohol or acidic materials through The Art of Friendly Plastic blog. I will be trying this out with my little artists in the coming weeks as well.

This little project was also a great excuse to bust out my unused Christmas present from Mom: antique printer stamps. She stumbled upon this full set of capital and lowercase letters in a little shop in small town Minnesota. I improvised a stamp pad with watered-down acrylic paint. Who knew Times New Roman could be so hip?

Can you recommend some lyrics or scripture verses that have good imagery involved?

*Books I’m reading: Crazy Love by Francis Chan, The Me I Want to Be by John Ortberg, Breath for the Bones: Art, Imagination, and Spirit by Luci Shaw

 

Financial Fast and Sewing Shenanigans

I’ve decided to go on a financial fast! Yay {cue fake enthusiasm}! What and Why, eh? After a visit to a new church that is focusing on healthy financial habits, I read this article about money management. In my effort to make my heart more generous and not to mention my bank account more attractive… I will only buy the necessities for the next 21 days…starting NOW. Time to say Sayonara to the ever traditional {and cliché} “Let’s connect over dinner”. My friends and I will have to think of more creative and savvy meeting locations for our not-so-sex-in-the-city adventures.

In the mean time, I am reclaiming the free space in my schedule with studio time {cue angelic sounds from my college art professors). I blew off the dust on my birthday present…from last year: a Singer Sewing Machine {thanks Mom}! Tonight I reacquainted myself with threading and installing the bobbin and needle. It was beautiful to fill my time with some art goodies and a delicious glass of wine! If you haven’t done so today, spend an hour getting lost among your favorite things.

When I had a regular studio practice (Ahem)…it involved hand dying fabric, casting the material over molds with a starch paste, and suspending and installing the hardened sculptures. I absolutely will be making more art pieces during this season but I also am thinking of exploring the beautiful (and slightly more marketable) accessories that could come from these same materials. I’m playing around with the idea of swaddle cloths for babies and infinity scarves…

What home or fashion accessory would you want from hand-dyed and natural fabric?

In the beginning was the best artist ever…it’s not me.

Last Sunday was a glorious sixty degree day, filled with sunshine and brimming with potential after the dreary winter. A few friends and I decided to take the pup {Koda} on a hike in the Mountains, as did the rest of town. #wildernessfail

Pinnacle View – Photo Credit: EN

After the battle for a parking spot near the mountain, and a {more intense that I imagined} trek up the two-mile trail before the state park closed…we reached the pinnacle. I just had to stop.

Be Still.

Still enough to hear the wind dancing through the leaves. Still enough to feel the solid earth below me. Still enough to notice how the trees surrounding the mountain bowed down to its strength. Still enough to remember that in the beginning was the best artist ever…and it’s not me.

Every now and then, when I take the time to notice, I’m completely knocked off my feet by the craftsmanship around us – look at this place! This world is crazy, unpredictable, painful, and frustrating too. But new life can even come out of the ashes.  All I can do is be in awe of the best artist ever and the way the spirit continues to dance His way through my days bringing more joy, more love, more peace, and the creativity to pour into the world that surrounds me.

¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  James 1:17 NIV

Last Sunday, the art was to just be still. Perhaps tomorrow the beauty will be in the dance.

Have you noticed something splendid today?