Essay: Faith and the Art Major

I was backing up all the files on my laptop today, and I came across some papers I had written in college a few years ago. (it's still feels weird that I'm out of school and it's been over three years since I graduated) One of my art history essays caught my eye and I thought I'd share it with you. My writing and thought process has matured since 2007 but I'm just going to leave it as is. This was a good reminder for me today: it's easy to get focused on coming up with new and interesting ideas for my art making, and forget that I create because I'm made in the image of the Creator God. If I make art only to please others and receive accolades, it only leads to emptiness and despair.

My feelings about art and my feelings about the Creator of the Universe are inseparable.

(Madeleine L’Engle, Walking On Water, pg. 16)

            “To try to talk about art and Christianity is for me one and the same thing, and it means attempting to share the meaning of my life, what gives it, for me, its tragedy and glory.” (L’Engle, 16) To be an art major, an artist requires one to believe in something beyond one’s self. As a Christian, I know that God is the ultimate source of everything good and beautiful. For me, there is no thought of how to integrate my faith and being an art major—they already are. An artist’s work comes out of who they are, how they see the world. Some of the most basic aspects of being an artist directly parallel what it means to be a Christian. As I learn more about what it means to be an artist, I learn more about what it means to be a Christian.

            First, and most important of all, I have to remember that it is not about me. I need to remember not to get so wrapped up in the process that I lose sight of the purpose I create for. “There have been some who were so occupied in spreading Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ….It is the subtlest of all the snares.” (Lewis, 71) Artists and Christians can both focus so much on what they are doing that they lose sight of why they are doing it. There is a conversation overheard in The Great Divorce that illustrates this perfectly:

            “Light itself was your first love; you loved paint only as a means of telling about the light.”

                “Oh, that’s ages ago….One grows out of that. Of course, you haven’t seen my later works. One becomes more and more interested in paint for its own sake.”

                “One does indeed. I also have had to recover from that. It was all a snare. Ink and catgut and paint were necessary down there, but they are also dangerous stimulants. Every poet and musician and artist, but for Grace, is drawn away from love of the thing he tells, to love of the telling till, down in Deep Hell, they can not be interested in God at all but only in what they say about Him. For it doesn’t stop at being interested in paint, you know. They sink lower—become interested in their  own personalities and then in nothing but their own reputations.” (Lewis, 81, emphasis mine)

If I lose sight of Who I am ultimately inspired by, it just becomes a self-based thing. Why do you think so many artists fear their work being stolen or destroyed? They are wrapped up in self-glorification. “They are all holy when God’s hand is on the rein. They all go bad when they set up on their own and make themselves into false gods.” (Lewis, 93)

            Secondly, as an artist, I am called to seek and show the divine in my every day life. As a Christian, I know that “the divine” means God, our Creator, Sustainer and Savior. As both, I know that I can’t separate the divine, God from who I am; it is an integral part of me. As H. R. Rookmaaker says,

            “I am often asked what one has to do if one wants to work as a Christian….We are not human plus an extra called our Christianity….To be a Christian artist means that one’s particular calling is to use one’s talents to the glory of God, as an act of love toward God and as a loving service to our fellows.” (Rookmaaker, 33)

A Christian artist shows others the glimpses of God she sees around her. Emmanuel Cardinal Suhard of Paris, in his classic book Priests Among Men, said, “To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one’s life would not make sense if God did not exist.” I am not called to merely reflect back the world around me. I am to be a mirror of God’s glory, and that should be evident in my works of art.

            Just as I am not to simply regurgitate the world around me onto canvas or other art media, I am called to technical and conceptual excellence. Artists are required to make quality work, as a Christian that is even more so. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (emphasis mine) We never see the mediocre artists from the Renaissance or Impressionism for that very reason. Why do we still look at works by da Vinci today? Because he was a talented artist, yes, but also because he worked hard to make his art fantastic and excellent. “The amount of the artist’s talent is not what it is about.” (L’Engle, 23) No good thing is ever accomplished by those who are lazy and do not work hard at it. Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer, in his book Art and the Bible, held technical excellence as the top standard a work is judged by. “If the artist’s technical excellence is high, he is to be praised for this, even if we differ with his world view.” (Schaffer, 43)

            As we have seen, it is absolutely essential that faith is wholly part of being an art major and a Christian. There must never be a separation of the two. I must be an integrated human being. Just because something is not necessarily “Christian” does not mean my faith should not be a part of it. As Joe Smith, Chair of the Art Department at Northwestern College, has said, “Don’t say, ‘I am a Christian and then an artist.’ You are whole people, so don’t separate yourself.”

Works Cited

L’Engle, Madeleine. Walking On Water. North Point Press. New York. 1995

Lewis, C. S. The Great Divorce. Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. New York. 1978

Rookmaker, H. R. Art Needs No Justification. Intervarsity Press. Downers Grove, IL.1978

Schaeffer, Francis A. Art and the Bible. Intervarsity Press. Downers Grove, IL. 2006

Project: The Sketchbook Project

Last year, I had the fun of participating in the Sketchbook Project created by the fine folks at Art House Co-op. They create "massive, international art projects that tie thousands of artists together--and anyone can participate."
The Sketchbook Project is a simple idea yet leaves a lot of room for creativity. Each person picks a theme for their book. They then receive their 32 page sketchbook and instructions in the mail. You're free to rebind the pages, and any form of 2-D media is encouraged (as long as it doesn't smudge or flake off). I chose to fill my book with collages. You have several months to complete the project, and then you mail it back to Art House. Each book is cataloged, sent on a world wide tour, and then archived at the Brooklyn Art Library in New York. You can see my whole book here.

You have to create an account on Art House's website to participate, which is free and simple to do. However, there is a fee for every project, which covers the cost of the materials and helps keep the non-profit Art House running. For an additional fee, you can have your sketchbook scanned and posted online (which is what I did).

This would be a good project for an artistic, motivated teen to take on. Depending on how detailed someone wants to get and what materials they choose to use, it can take several months to finish. The first handful of pages fly by, and then you realize you still have to fill the rest of the sketchbook. It can feel a bit overwhelming at first, so it's good to plan out how many pages you want to complete in a week. The creators of the Sketchbook Project where smart to have people pick a theme for their books--it helps for coming up with ideas for so many pages (for example, one artist filled her book with drawings of birds).
It's extremely satisfying for me to look through the images of my sketchbook now. I think, "I made all that? Yup, I did." It was a fun and challenging project, which I will probably do again in the future.

Doily Ninjas!

As a city girl, I enjoy street art. It's like a treasure hunt sometimes--you're waiting at a stoplight and notice a cool sticker on the back of the one way sign; a trash can has a mural painted all over it; someone covers a wall in stickers of birds. Now I'm not advocating graffiti (and some people don't differentiate between the two, but I do). There's a difference, at least to me: graffiti is destructive and malicious (ex: gang tags), whereas I see street art more as trying to beautify or say something about the surrounding urban landscape.
I've tried my hand at street art before. I'm an advocate for non-damaging projects--I like doing things that people can pick up and take home with them. The Doily Street Art series was about 50 quick paintings I did on cardboard. It was really fun to scatter them around Minneapolis, and hope that someone was happy to get a free painting.

My project this year I've dubbed the Doily Ninjas. I received about 100 of these human shaped wood pieces from a manufacturer who had a client decide midway through that he wasn't going to pay. I've had a lot of fun painting them in vivid color and crazy patterns. I'll be deploying my brightly hued ninjas around town this summer. They will also be left at pit stops around the USA as my sisters and I embark on a two week road trip in the next couple days. Hopefully my street art army will bring a few smiles as they pop up in different locales.

Art Tip #7: Get a different view

Get a different perspective on things.

My 16-year-old, showering adverse, video game playing, Funyun eating, Mountain Dew drinking brother, Andrew, is my go-to art critic. Seems a bit strange, doesn't it? At first glance, yes. But I love asking his opinions about my paintings. Why? He's the perfect impartial art critic. Andrew doesn't care about impressing me, he doesn't give a rip about color theory, he's not concerned about who my artistic influences are...he just tells me what he sees and his honest thoughts. He's not afraid to tell me something looks bad.
A typical exchange goes something like this: "Art Critic Andrew, what do you think?" (said in a sing-song voice as I bounce into our computer room where my brother is bathed in the light of the Internet) Andrew glances at the painting in my hand, "Nice colors. It needs something in that corner." Me: "I thought so too. Thanks." And I head back around the corner to my "studio."
Seriously, it's that fast. He's got a great eye for detail and an instinctive sense for balanced compositions. We don't need to discuss art theory or go into long winded discussion about my material choices (though I don't mind doing that!). Andrew gives me a different perspective on my artwork. He helps me step out of my own head and look at a painting with fresh eyes. He's obviously not ignorant (I drag him to art museums as frequently as I can) and appreciates art. He's smart and has an inquisitive mind, so he can ask me questions I wouldn't necessarily think of.

The worst thing for an artist is to never hear criticism. Receiving nothing but compliments and head patting only serves to make you lazy mentally and creatively. Surrounding yourself with people who repeat your own opinions is very dull and unhelpful. It's hard to deal with at first, but critiques (even the harsh ones) help you see and deal with your weak areas. Andrew's not afraid to point out that I've used the same colors in multiple paintings, or that a piece definitely needs more fine tuning. Make sure you have at least one person who's not afraid to tell you like it is.

Art Tip #6: Don't give up

Don't extinguish their passions.

One of the saddest things I encountered when I was in college: students who were majoring in a subject because it was "practical" and not because they really wanted to study it. I heard many fellow students confess that they'd rather study something else, but Business/Psychology/English/Graphic Design was "more practical" and would get them a job. Um, okay? One of the main reasons that many weren't majoring in what they really wanted to study was their parents. "My parents won't pay for my education if I study something else. They say I won't get a 'real' job." Well-meaning advice that leads nowhere. If your kid is truly passionate about something, encourage that pursuit! To them, it is practical, because if they love it, they'll work at it with all their strength.

I had many people tell me I should study graphic design in college, so I could get a "real job." I was asked often, "What are you going to do with a studio arts degree?"
Guess what? I don't like doing graphic design! I'm not interested in sitting at a desk all day, making stuff on a computer. I don't enjoy doing computer programming, web design or working on tight deadlines. I love making things with my hands, getting paint all over my face, taking months to turn layers of random things into objects of beauty. If I had been a graphic design major, I would have probably dropped out. But I studied what I truly loved, and I kept at it even when I felt like giving up, because I knew it's what I truly want to do. And my parents didn't try to get me to choose another major "more practical" than studio art. I appreciate so much what they said, "Pick something and stick with it." They told me to work hard and excel in whatever field I chose.
Graphic designers are a dime a dozen these days--you really have to be amazing and multi-talented to stand out (like my friend, Reed). I have always wanted to focus on the studio arts, and I will have a career in it because it's what I truly love. My parents encouraged me to pursue that passion, rather than focusing on practicality alone.

Field Trip: Walker Open Field

The Walker inaugurated Open Field last summer, and it was a huge hit. Unfortunately I never let you, my lovely reader, know about it until it was pretty much over. This year I thought I'd give you a little heads up so you can work Open Field into your summer plans. It's free, it's fun and there's something for everyone.
I wrote about one of the Open Field activities last August. I'm not sure if they'll be doing the Scavenger Hunt again this year, but I hope so. 

My favorite event was the weekly Drawing Club, held right outside the Walker's doors:
"Come doodle, sketch, or paint during weekly sessions hosted by local artists to add to a pool of collectively created artworks. Art supplies are provided on large tables in shaded areas of the outdoor Open Lounge. Start a new drawing or select one in progress from the table. Slide it back into the pool, pass it around, and alter, edit or amend it until the group declares it complete. All ages, abilities, and aesthetics welcome."
I tried to go as often as I could, because I had so much fun. They provide all the materials--you provide the artwork. All kinds of people show up, you're outside enjoying the sunshine, you get to take part in a community art project, and you might make a few friends along the way. It was cool to go back every week and see drawings I'd worked on before be changed and transformed by others' ideas. At the end of the summer, they put all the completed pictures into books and those are now in the Walker's permanent collection.
So you could make a day of it: Have a picnic on the hill overlooking the Sculpture Garden, followed by some artsy fun with Drawing Club, then cool off from the summer sun afterward as you wander a few galleries. All for the price of parking for a few hours in the Walker parking ramp, which is quite reasonable (bonus: it's a short walk back to your vehicle at the end of the day, and your car doesn't sit and bake in the sun all afternoon).

This year, they've changed Drawing Club to Thursdays 2pm-7pm, which is nice, because the Walker is free after 5pm on that day. The rest of the week you do have to pay to see the galleries (which can get a bit pricey when you have multiple kids in tow).

Understanding Art History part 1

Any student of art history quickly realizes that every author has a bias and a spin they want to put on things. This can range from benign to fairly insidious. The author who merely wants to draw a bit more attention to a forgotten artist is one thing, but there are writers who filter the history of art through feminist, racial, sexual, revisionist lenses.
Now I'm not saying that we shouldn't focus on female artists or those of other races, but we shouldn't embrace a re-written, politically correct time line. The reason there are so many white males in our western art chronology is because that's who was mainly making art and having an impact on the wider art world. It's pretty likely that there were a lot more women creating art than are in the textbooks...but they didn't have the influence of their male contemporaries until recently in history.
It bothers me that some try to minimize certain artists' accomplishments and influence simply because they were white and male.We should rightly embrace new discoveries and artists that were forgotten but have recently been re-discovered. But we shouldn't discard those who really did have an impact simply because their race and gender isn't popular today. Re-writing art history in the name of tolerance and diversity is robbing students of a true understanding of what actually happened.
Another modern day trend is making too big a deal about an artist's sexuality in relation to their work. Yes, there were and are homosexual artists. But some writers can make sexuality the overarching focus of their study of a particular artist, even if that didn't affect the work in a major way. Authors interpret every single detail through a sexual lens, even when the artist themselves have said differently what their intentions were. Georgia O'Keefe is one such artist whose work has been over-sexualized by later critics. When they've been recorded, reading an artist's own words about the intentions for their work is very important.
Don't simply take someone's word for it merely because they've managed to get a book published containing their opinions.