KaChow!

This Halloween I participated in a "Trunk or Treat" celebration at the church I attend. People decorated the trunks of their cars to hand out candy to kids as a safer & hopefully more enjoyable alternative to the door to door trick or treating.

My friend and I decided to go with the animated Disney movie CARS as a theme (knowing that the movie is a big hit with kids & many adults and because she has a really hot looking red sports car). So we took great joy in decorating her red Scion TC to look like "Lightning McQueen". We had tons of fun preparing. I created the outside decorations to make the car really look like Lightning McQueen. I used acrylic paints on paper and then fixed magnets to the back of them so they would stay on the car. My friend took care of the decorations within the trunk. There was a race track with matchbox CARS characters, a set of tools, racing flags, and of course TONS of candy.

We were dressed up as the PIT CREW for the famous animated race car to hand out candy to the kids. We had fun posing with socket wrenches and oil rags as parents wanted pictures of their kids with us and the car. We were like celebrities!
There was a contest for best decorated car at the end of the night. We won FIRST PLACE by a UNANIMOUS vote! Everyone loved us! The kids were mesmerized and lit up with joy when they saw the car. Many of them came running across the parking lot shouting with delight "Lightning McQueen!" I think one little boy actually thought the car was the REAL Lightning McQueen! This was by far the funnest Halloween I've had in a LONG time!

practicing my pastels

Today during Open Studio hours I decided to do some practice paintings using oil pastels and soft pastels. Pastels used to be my main medium of choice years ago when I was first starting out. I don't have any formal painting training, I taught myself to paint by reading art books & trying things out. Pastels were an easy way for me to move from drawing to painting. And then eventually I moved on to use oil bars (oil paint in a stick form) so that I could paint on canvas without using brushes and create paintings on a much larger scale. But once in awhile I get the pastels back out and give it a go again. And this time I'm doing so to prepare for a workshop I'll be teaching on Saturday November 7th in the VineArts Studio. I'm going to teach some basic techniques with oil pastels and soft pastels. I use techniques that entail layering color and I will also blend with my fingers. My style is very impressionistic and I love to paint landscapes. This is an oil pastel of a landscape in France (I used a photo from a book as a reference). I exclusively use Sennelier & Holbein artist quality oil pastels.
This is a soft pastel of the same photo reference in France. I exclusively use Winsor & Newton artist quality soft pastels.

The New Renaissance Rising: Worldwide Arts Renewal Celebration: 11-21-09

Okay I'm so excited to pass on this news to you!

The Roman Catholic Church, The Protestant Church, (CIVA) Christians In The Visual Arts...have declared Sat. Nov. 21 2009 a Worldwide Day dedicated to the Arts!

I'm totally serious!

Churches worldwide are being called to join with Painters, Dancers, Writers, Photographers, Singers, Actors, Sculptors, Musicians, Filmmakers...artists of all types...to begin a "New Renaissance" where the church takes back the arts for God's glory!

There was a time in history where the Church employed artists to speak God's message in creative ways. Our museums and galleries and historical sites throughout the world are filled with evidence of this. But at some point in history that all seemed to stop. Man became selfish. Art became only a part of history. Artists were silenced. The modern church has become void of any artistic evidence. And artists have been told that their "vocation" is no longer suitable as a serious endeavor. The title "Artist" has been relegated to an elite few. And the world shouts that God is no where to be found. His creative heart, His voice through art has been stripped from His churches. Man has declared God is not Creator. His Beauty is no longer sought. And the Church has been silenced.

But change is on the wind.

The Pope in Rome has invited 500 world renowned artists to join him in the Sistine Chapel to discuss "rekindling the special relationship of faith and art". And on the same day the Protestant church worldwide is calling for churches throughout the world to open their doors to the arts and join together in prayer and celebration!

Will you join us in prayer? Will you join us in celebrating? Will you join us to usher in this "New Renaissance" bringing art BACK INTO the Church AND sending art OUT FROM the Church?


For more info about New Renaissance Rising: Worldwide Arts Renewal Celebration 11-21-09: http://thenewr.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/hello-world/

Those of us involved with The VineArts Ministry at Vineyard Boise Church in Boise, Idaho are on board 100% with this one! We've planned to gather Sat. Nov. 21 from 1pm to 4pm in the VineArts Studio at Vineyard Boise. We will come together for a time of prayer for all artists and churches worldwide and then we'll break out the art supplies to spend time creating together in community!

Date: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2009
Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: VINEARTS STUDIO at VINEYARD BOISE

For more info about The VineArts Ministry at Vineyard Boise:
http://www.vineyardboise.org (click on ministies at the top to get a drop down menu then click on VineArts under the heading Outreach. that will get you to our page & you can click on links to videos that explain about who we are and what we do). You can also find us on YouTube and Facebook: just type in VineArts.

my VanGogh wall

today i painted my version of the VanGogh painting "A Cornfield With Cypresses" onto part of one of the walls in my art studio. i had so much fun creating this inspirational painting where i can always see it when i work. i have really been enjoying painting on a large scale these days. i crank up the music and get in my zone. hours pass by and when i step back i can't believe what i've created. it makes me smile!

this painting takes up 1/2 the wall that it's on. perhaps i'll paint a different painting on the other end of the wall?

painting during open studio

yesterday i hung out in the VineArts Studio for Open Studio day. Open Studio is a weekly time when we open the studio up for public use. from 3pm to 8:30pm every Wednesday we welcome anyone from the community to come in and join us for some creative time (kids, youth, adults, all skill levels). we offer the use of our space & art supplies (we have all sorts of supplies in various medias) for a small suggested monthly donation of $5 (to help replenish the art supplies).

i am one of the studio monitors (representing VineArts). each week i enjoy the moments i get to spend interracting with people and their art. it's a wonderful opportunity to connect, to learn, to teach, to share, to laugh, to cry...with people of all various life & art backgrounds, ages & genders, skill levels & faith beliefs....people who are all on the journey of getting in touch with their creativity. Wednesdays are becoming my favorite day of the week!

and sometimes i even get to create while i'm there!

this week i created a 20x24 oil on canvas of a Van Gogh painting as a study piece for a wall mural i'm going to work on in my own art studio. it's my version of the famous painting. i used Winsor & Newton and Sennelier Oil Bars and applied, mixed, and layered the paints on the canvas with my fingers (no brushes used!). i painted flat on an art table so i could walk around the table and view the painting from different angles. this is how i like to paint in my own art studio.

this week we had around 20 people come & utilize the VineArts Studio for Open Studio.

OPEN STUDIO

location: VineArts Studio

(in the garage building across the street from Vineyard Boise)

days: Wednesdays

times: 3pm-8:30pm

cost: a suggested $5 donation per month

(if you choose to utilize the studio & supplies on an ongoing basis)

what to bring: your creative ideas, a willing heart to have fun!

(you can also bring your own art supplies & artwork from home if you choose)

....because i'm an artist

have you have felt that you were created to be creative? born to be different?

recently an artist friend emailed me this fun YouTube video of an old SNL skit of Father Guido Sarducci doing a commercial for art school as he explains the advantages of being an artist.

i think he's got it right. i know now that i chose my vocation well...because i'm an artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK0ITXBWpHE

Facilitating Art & Worship Events

One of the coolest things I get to do as a leader within VineArts is to help facilitate special Art & Worship events for large & small groups. The people who participate in these events with us have usually either never experienced putting paintbrush to canvas before or have never experienced utilizing art as an act of worship to God. These events become opportunities to break down barriers, cut through defense mechanisms, face fears, and bring healing to hearts as people allow themselves to work side by side partnering with God in creating something together in community as an act of worship to God.

Tonight I helped to facilitate another one of these kinds of events in our VineArts Studio. No matter how many times I get to do stuff like this...I am always blown away by what I get to see taking place within people as they connect and create. There's a joy that flows throughout the room when people start letting go of their fears and allow themselves to engage with the art...and ultimately allow themselves to engage with God.

Tonight I got to see people connecting, engaging, and being released through creativity within community. It excites me to see people set free in these ways.

painting side by side

once again, this last Sunday the Director of VineArts & myself joined the worship team on stage during both morning services at the Boise Vineyard. while the band led the congregation in worship, we painted additional words to the righthand panel of the 3 paneled stage backdrop that coincides with the current sermon series on Paul's prison epistles. this time "unity", "forgiveness", and "faith" were added representing concepts taught from the letters of Philemon and Philippians.
in the past i had difficulties painting when people were watching me. i found it even more difficult if someone wanted to join me in painting something together. but the more active i've been in the arts community within the VineArts ministry at the Boise Vineyard, i have learned to become more comfortable with sharing my creative space with others. this has been a positive & safe experience and has helped me to grow in my creativity and challenged me to strive to see others excell in their creativity in this same way.

it has been such a positive experience that i feel completely comfortable painting on stage side by side with others in front of thousands of people. it's not about the crowds or the stage...regardless of how many people are there...ultimately it is just me and the paint and the canvas expressing my heart to God through art. but to do this kind of thing within such an encouraging and creative community of believers who choose to express their hearts to God too...it is absolutely amazing!

i'm glad that i have overcome my apprehension of painting side by side with others. the act of allowing others into our lives (even our creative lives) can be risky...but i believe we were created to be relational people...and therefore, i have the opportunity to become a better artist and a better person by allowing myself to be in community (working, serving, ministering, painting side by side).

i feel very blessed that i am a part of a church that embraces the arts and expresses their importance in meaningful ways of worship, service, ministry, and outreach. if you're interested to know more about VineArts and what we do (from art workshops, art gallery exhibits, open studio hours, mural & graphic design projects, community art walks, video production, art & worship events, art outreach events, to a writers group and an art home group) you can check out our webpage at: www.vineyardboise.org (click on the ministries dropdown menu, then click on VineArts). once at our page you can click on & watch short videos we made that talk about the various areas of our arts ministry.

photos taken by R.H.

October Art Show

During the month of October 2009 some of my art is on display at The Garden City Library in Boise, Idaho. I am being featured, along with artist Beverly Chick, in their "Books & Brushes" Art Exhibit (which features local artists each month). The exhibit is located inside one of the busiest libraries in the city.

I have 15 of my impressionistic oil landscape paintings on display (and for sale). Beverly has 14 of her detailed colored pencil & turpenoid animal & landscape paintings on display (and for sale). If you're interested in checking out her work, here is her website: www.chickartisticcreations.com

This is one of the paintings I have displayed in the show:

"More of You" 22x28 oil on canvas. Sagehen Falls, Idaho. c. Lisa Marten, 2006