“Self-Portrait With A Grey Felt Hat III”
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Today I simply wanted to share with you two posts from CIVA, Christians In The Visual Arts, and my mental meanderings in regards to them. They came across my radar a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve spent much time pondering them; our pastor’s brief comments this past Sunday that the church needs to support high-quality films and other artists striving to produce work of excellence brought them back to mind once again.
That many of you are not Christians is of course known to me, but I sincerely hope that perhaps you will gain something from this as well, or perhaps even have encouraging suggestions for churches. As a Christian and a photographer, I spend a great deal of time pondering this and related topics, and really don’t have anyone to discuss them with. Thus you are my unfortunate guinea pigs. *wink*
To be brutally and perhaps cruelly honest, I ever don’t expect my church to ask me to exhibit my work (“It’s so UGLY! All of those abandoned places and rusty cars! That can’t possibly be of God!”—unpleasant to hear on several levels); they’re not really “that kind” of church. My parents’ church in Michigan is probably more likely to do so, though to be honest, my photography is probably not abstract or outlandish enough for them, either.* (Documentary photographer: Stuck between a rock and a hard place! I’m a glutton for rejection!)
This does not really bother me too much, so long as it’s sans the unintentionally unkind comments; even then, I have learned to deeply discount such remarks. Really, it is probably the church’s lip service about supporting artists that bothers me more than cutting words from those who do not like works based on specifics or who do not see a place for art and artists at all in the church. As a member of the body of Christ, is there no support for visual artists seeking and laboring to serve and worship God through their artwork?
All of that brings me to pair of thoughtful pieces at CIVA’s blog by painter and sculptor Ann Williams. They were inspired by her considering the life of Vincent Van Gogh—surely one of the most marvellous artists whose works we are blessed enough to enjoy today—particularly the letters between Vincent and his brother, Theo.
Victory Rolls and V8s 