Hanging A Sale

today i finalized a transaction. remember in a previous post i wrote about being able to paint during a class that was being taught at the Boise Vineyard...the painting (titled "You Shall Not Pass!") that transformed during that Revelation UnCorked class sold and is now hanging up in the bookstore of the church as a permanent piece of art. i was able to help Bob (the Builder) in the process as he let me use some brand new bolt cutters to cut the chain that would hang the painting. (*enter the Tim the Tool Time grunting sound here*) . Oh yeah! 

VineArts Exhibit: Transformation 09

today was the launch day for the new art exhibit in the VineArts Gallery. the name of this exhibit is Transformation. it's all about the process of a transformed heart, life, spirit, world through Christ. here is a little video i took during the opening reception today to give you a feel for what the show is like. today's opening receptions included a band that played live music, refreshments for the guests, and a chance to allow people to mingle, view the art and meet the artists. the show runs till the beginning of April. 

A Full Days Work

so yesterday i put in a full days work (i mean a FULL days work: 9am to midnight!)

it was installation day in the VineArts Gallery. we install an art exhibit about 4-5 times a year with the shows running usually a couple or so months. each show has a theme and the artists are required to submit their work (with artist statements) by deadline dates. the artwork is then judged as to thematic congruity and theological integrity (the gallery is inside a Boise Vineyard church...so we do have some guidelines as to content). we don't judge on artistic skill. any age can submit. and artists do not need to be a part of the church.

the deadline date for submissions was on Wednesday. we had the jury day on Thursday and then on Friday we installed the show. i have a team of faithful helpers (i call them Gallery Grunts) who take time out of their schedules to join me in hanging each of the shows. i couldn't possibly install a show without them. they are my hands and feet and sometimes even my brain as we work together to bring what at first appears to be a palette of artworks that differ in size, medium, and style...and create one fluid exhibit that speaks the theme and flows aesthetically. there are so many details to handle to hang a show and i am so grateful for my Grunts!

launch day for this new exhibit "Transformation", is this Sunday. the opening reception is from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. it's a chance to meet the artists and view the artwork. we will have refreshments for all those who come and a band will be playing live music. the show will be up till the beginning of April.

so once we finished up the installation (which was about 4pmish) i needed to head over to the venue that i would be painting in the evening. the Visual Arts Collective is a venue that houses an art gallery with a bar and an area with stage that is set up for events (like concerts and theatrical productions). i had the wonderful chance to work last night with my long time friend Jerry Fee. he is a musician and has a real heart to create benefit concerts. so the night was filled with 4 bands (including his) and i painted to songs by 3 of the bands. part of the ticket price benefited a local charity and tickets holders had a chance to win the paintings i would be creating throughout the night.

this was my first opportunity to paint like this in a venue outside of the church. the crowd seemed very receptive to art being created during the music. each time i was to paint there seemed to be a little crowd that would form around me to watch as i quickly painted to the rhythm of the songs.

earlier in the week i had prepped the 3 canvases in my studio. like i've blogged...doing "performance art" is a new thing for me, but it's something i've always wanted to do and am enjoying. i hope to get to the point where i could actually paint something from start to finish during the length of one song...or even throughout a set of songs. Jerry and i talked a little bit about the possibility of some more future events that we could do together. but for this show i prepped the paintings in my studio ahead of time (doing the main backgrounds) so that while i was actually painting at the show during the specified song, i would just add in the final touches and people could watch as i did this. each painting corresponds with a song that the bands were playing at that moment.

as you know, concerts tend to run long into the night (especially ones that have multiple bands) so the show ran till about midnight. i've always been a bit of a band groupie when it comes to my friends who are musicians. so it was a fun experience to actually be part of the show (set up/perform/take down) along with all of the bands. i enjoyed meeting the band members and hanging out. i was also really blessed by some of my friends & family who turned out for the event...it was nice to see some familiar faces amidst the crowd. all in all it was a great experience.

i've included some photos here of me painting, of Jerry singing, and of the 3 paintings i created.

photo taken by J.D.

painting and music for a cause in our community

my friend Jerry Fee is a local musician who likes to produce benefit concerts. he did the two OVERCOME concerts that raised money for Isaiah Rodriguez (re: child leukemia) that were held at The Big Easy 2 years in a row. This time it's a concert that will benefit The Idaho Youth Ranch and it's being held at The Visual Arts Collective in Garden City. he asked me if i'd be willing to do some paintings during some of the songs. the paintings will be raffled off to ticket holders. this is an opportunity for me to paint outside the walls of the church...and to allow God to be revealed through the paintings i create while we reach out to our community. i'd love to see you there. i'd also appreciate your support by having your prayers...for me, for the bands, for those who would attend, and for the kids who benefit from the IYR. Thanks!

to have a sneek peek at Jerry's music, you can go to his website and have a listen at:

<http://www.jerryfeemusic.com>

concert info:

FRIDAY JANUARY 23, 8PM

VISUAL ARTS COLLECTIVE

GARDEN CITY, ID

TICKETS ARE $7

($2 go to benefit The Idaho Youth Ranch)

DOORS OPEN AT 7PM

AGES 21+

bands:

JERRY FEE

THE UNIVERSAL

THE VERY MOST

SPONDEE

with local artist LISA MARTEN painting to the music

don't cry over spilled paint...just laugh

today i managed to spill about a quart of white paint all over my hands, my jeans, my converse sneakers, the drop cloth, and an easel. 

i don't know how many times i have reminded myself to make sure that the top of a paint can is fastened securely before i just go ahead and give it a shake. well, today i forgot. 

i was working on 3 projects at once and was a bit distracted. i had music blasting in my studio and i was in my groove. when i'm painting sometimes i have  so many ideas that are speeding around in my head so fast i can barely keep up. i was shifting gears from one painting to another. i wanted to add some paint splatter to one of the paintings so i quickly grabbed a can off the shelf in my right hand. i no more than took the can in my hands and gave it a quick side to side shake and SPLOOPSHGLUGSPLOT! the lid came off and out flew white house paint all over! 

it was like a slow motion scene from a comedy movie. in fact, those of you who know me...can you just picture me there in my studio juggling with white paint that's flying in the air? pretty darn funny! 

luckily i didn't get the paint on anything important, like the finished paintings that were sitting about the studio. 

it was water based paint, so it was a bit easier to clean up than if it had been oil based. but initially all i could do was stand there with paint dripping off of me and laugh. many of my abstract paintings are created by me utilizing paint splatter to enhance texture and give things a certain look to enhance the visual experience. but this was no paint splatter...this was a mess!

unfortunately i was all alone in my art studio...so no one got to share the hysterically funny moment with me. it took me a few minutes to figure out how best to go about the clean up process...meanwhile my legs were getting cold from the paint soaking into my jeans. i should've gotten pictures of the silly scene...but being that my hands were covered in wet paint i chose not to reach for the camera. 

i can't tell ya how many times i've done silly things like what i did today...but take my word...don't cry over spilled paint...just laugh. art is supposed to be fun...and if we don't take the time to laugh at ourselves once in awhile...we're livin life too seriously. 

painting scripture

(this is a photo of the final painting. i call the painting "You Shall Not Pass" it's based on Revelation 12:7-12.)

when i first became a Christian (just before i entered high school in the mid 80's) i remember going to a youth rally weekend in Wisconsin. the theme of the weekend was the Book of Revelation. i had never read Revelation...actually at that point i hadn't read the Bible in any length at all at that point. all i remember is that the leaders of the weekend had the youth split up into groups and we were to give a presentation on a chapter. i remember my group drawing a huge poster of a dragon. i thought...whoa, a dragon...in the Bible! jump ahead a couple of years and i remember a lot of my Christian friends in high school (who had been raised growing up in the church) had their theories of what meant what in Revelation and they read all the latest books on end times prophecy. me...i wasn't sure what i thought...but Revelation sure was full of imagery and some crazy stuff!

many years later as i attended Bible college, it was mandatory for me to take a course in Biblical Eschatology, and a class solely dedicated to Revelation. they were probably the 2 most boring classes i had ever taken. the professor was one of those monotone types who had graphs and charts plotted out on overheads and we were forced to sit through hours and hours of pre trib, mid trib, post trib theory...and i fell asleep in most of the classes (could explain the D's i got). needless to say...those classes taught me nothing about Revelation.

again...jump forward several years as i was starting my art business. i desired to partner with God in how & why i create art. i began to see new things as i read Revelation. symbolic, artistic, creative, layered, crazy, mysterious images popped out of the pages and realized that Revelation was God's story. it's not just about gloom and doom and fire and hell. it's really about God...and how the world is redeemed, restored, renewed, reformed through Christ. and God is a creative God...it appears that He didn't want to "spoon feed us"...He wanted us to think on it, chew on it, grapple with it, all the while seeking Him and His glory.

i decided to call my art business Revelator Art (but putting the words together as one) because i wanted God to be revealed through my life and my art. yes...i named my business after John the Revelator (that God would be revealed). so this is why most of my paintings are not typical "religious" art...whether i paint a landscape, a portrait, or an abstract...my prayer is that God would be revealed in a creative way to the viewer.

the book of Revelation is not black and white. it's not "this is this and that is that". it's God's art. it's meant to be freakin mysterious...and by that mystery we get to experience God in a creative way.

anyways...back to my point about this post.

tonight i got to paint during the "Revelation Uncorked" class at VCF Boise. the teacher is giving all of us a creative and fresh look at the apocalyptic scripture...focusing not on plotting eschatological charts & interpreting the news as end time prophesy...but rather, giving recognition to a God who is so creative that He purposefully gave a vision to be written down that would speak of the depth of His mystery. the class is not a theological dissertation on what is what...but it is an opportunity to give glory to God for who He is. we're being challenged by the utilization of film clips, book quotes, and a reading from "Word on the Street" a paraphrased Bible from the UK, along with me painting an abstract expressionist collage).


these photos were taken as i painted while the teacher read Revelation. the painting is not finished. i will finish it next week in the final class time. i am doing a painting of Rev. 12:7-12 when Michael the ArchAngel defeats the Dragon and the Dragon is thrown out of Heaven down to earth. i will call this painting "you shall not pass" (using the line that is spoken by Gandalf to the Balrog in Lord of the Rings). i layered the foundations (using printed Scriptures from Revelation, images, and paint) mostly with my hands and fingers and then later i did a little bit of brush work. tonight i added in the "bad bits". next week i will finish up the painting by adding in the "good bits". the painting, to me, represents WORSHIP....for that is what i think the Revelation is about.
ok so after talking about all of the recent events that i'm painting at, i've had a few people in the last week say to me, "so you're becoming a 'performance artist'". wow...i guess i hadn't thought of it that way (i'm just saying yes to requests from friends who have asked me to do this stuff)...but what i'm doing right now IS actually a "genre" of art that i have always wanted to do. "performance art is a form of art in which the artist creates a live performance, often using a variety of media." But to call me a "performance artist" actually makes me cringe...cuz i don't feel like i'm performing when i paint (although i am painting on stages in front of hundreds and sometimes thousands of people). in fact, i wouldn't want to "perform". i just want to be me. i just want to paint. in my heart and in my mind when i paint like this...i'm worshipping God with my talents and allowing Him to be revealed through my art.

photos taken by E.M.

The Palate Art Discipleship Group

"The Palate is NOT an art class. We are a discipleship group in which visual learners can grow spiritually and creatively in a safe place. Our focus is worship, prayer, study, and community. Our goal is to become ever closer to Jesus Christ."  

we will track with the Sunday morning sermon series at VCF Boise and utilize the study tools for discussion. we will incorporate worship and prayer. we will utilize film clips, book study, poetry readings, sketching, painting, and many other creative activities. and we will spend time encouraging each other as artists who are Christians.

we were supposed to launch this artsy group tonight...but due to snowy weather conditions, we decided to cancel for driving safety purposes. so we will try again in 2 weeks on Monday night January 19th. 

and yes, The Palate is spelled correctly. we chose to spell it the "tongue" way (instead of the "art" way) because we want to live out Psalm 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." our group is about feeding our inner artist with a sampling of artistic activities and solid biblical study. 

"the sense of taste: The ability to tell good wine, food etc from bad. Palate training teaches the

art of recognizing and appreciating what is good. The intake of variety awakens the senses of taste, touch, smell and sight, stimulates the appetite, gives exposure to a variety of different

textures, is visually exciting in a wide spectrum of colors, provides nutrition, allows experimentation and discovery. A variety of types, tastes and textures, become more accustomed to trying new foods and will develop tastes accordingly."

Painting the Heart of David

here is a final photo of the 3 paneled canvas backdrop that i helped paint for VCF Boise, and some photos of myself and our VineArts director painting during worship on Sunday. i used a small step ladder and the director used some large wooden boxes to stand on. and keeping to freeform, we used brushes, brooms, rags, and our hands to apply the paint onto the canvas. i was on the left panel (painting in the heart and the stump of Jessie) and our director was on the right panel (painting in the branch at the cross and some Hebrew text that reads: man after God's heart). the center panel was already complete (because it sits right behind the band).

photos taken by R.H.

sharing my happy with you

well...we are officially into 2009. Happy New Year! and things are already pickin up for me art-wise (i've gained some clients and some sales and some cool creative gigs). it's starting out to be a fun creative year and i'm pretty gobsmacked about it.

i had lunch at Panda Express today (mmmmmmorangechicken) and the fortune in my cookie said: "share your happiness with others today". well...painting makes me happy. so i want to share some of my happy with you.

here is a rough list of some upcoming events that i'll be painting at. i will do my best to blog about these events individually.

1) Sunday January 4

9am and 11am

Vineyard Boise morning services

myself & our VineArts director will be

finishing the backdrop on stage

during worship for both services.

2) Tuesday January 6th AND

Tuesday January 13th

6:30-9:30pm both nights

Vineyard Boise (I think in the Chapel?)

"Revelation UnCorked" class

(a fresh&creative look at the Book of Revelation)

no sign-ups, just show up

3) Friday January 23rd

8pm

Visual Arts Collective, Boise

Charity Concert Event

I'll be painting while bands play music.

there is a ticket price

(as soon as i get more info i'll post it)

4) Sunday March 1st

10:30am and 12:30pm (after both services)

Vineyard Boise (Book Cellar in Heritage Hall)

Book signing with author Robert Michael Kurz.

This is for the book I illustrated "Formation Generation"

You'll be able to purchase a copy early that day.

(okay, so I'm not actually painting at this event...

but I'll be signing books that I illustrated)

5) Saturday March 7th

7pm

The Water Cooler, Boise

Special Arts Event

I'm a featured artist.

I'll be painting to music.

there is a ticket price.

(as soon as i get more info i'll post it)

OH...i almost forgot, here are a some other art related things that i'm involved with:

*starting Monday January 5th.

The Palate: an artist discipleship group

every 1st and 3rd Monday nights.

6:30pm-8:30pm

VineArts Studio in the Barnabas Bldg at Vineyard Boise

i am co-leading a small group for artists.

feed your inner artist with a sampling of artistic activities

and solid biblical study.

*every 3rd Saturday morning

Writers Guild

9:30am-11am at Barnes & Noble, Boise

i lead a group of local writers who have been meeting

for years to encourage each other in our literary creative efforts.

*with my team of faithful helpers (i call them gallery grunts),

i will be installing a new art exhibit in our VineArts Gallery

at Vineyard Boise towards the end of January.

the art exhibit is called, "Transformation"

we will have an opening reception for all the artists

who will be in the juried/themed show on:

Sunday January 25th at 1:30pm in the VineArts Gallery.

everyone is welcome to attend. there will be live music, refreshments,

and a chance to view the artwork and meet the artists.

the exhibit will be up till the beginning of April.

maybe i'll see you at one of these events.

thanks for letting me share some of my happy with you.

keep creating and dive deep!

photo taken by J.D.

painting with brooms and anything available

remember my post about working on large scale projects?

here are some photos of the process. i was one of 12 people who worked on this project at various times over the last 3 weeks.

the 3 paneled canvas painting is now hanging in the Vineyard Boise church sanctuary as a backdrop on the front stage, to coincide with a new sermon series on the "heart of David".

this coming Sunday Jan.4 at 9am and at 11am, myself and the director of our VineArts ministry will be painting on the finishing touches during the morning services. we will do this as a creative expression of worship along with the band that will be leading the congregation in singing.

i have a deep belief that we can worship God through all of the various aspects of our lives (not just when we're attending church). Art is a large part of my life and who i am...and when i do it with my whole heart...i enjoy blessing God through my creative efforts.

photos taken by J.N.

"Coffee Talk" (My End of the Year Newsletter)

"FARTHER UP & FURTHER IN"

That’s a quote from the Chronicles of Narnia written by C.S.Lewis. It’s an attitude of the heart to continue the journey set before the traveler.No turning back. No giving up. Always moving forward, pressing on to the goal. This is a journey of discovery and exploration(as John Eldredge says). With each step I take I am learning more about my heart and my desires...I’m learning that they are good and worth seeking out. So this year was about me & God. It was about painting & travel, ministry & support, friendship & family. I read some great books, created some new art, encouraged some beautiful people, visited some amazing places,wrote some fun blogs & made some great memories.

IRELAND:

This year I had the amazing privilege of traveling back to Ireland. It was my second trip to the Emerald Isle (my first trip was the summer of 2005 with my parents). This time I traveled with some friends from the VineArts Ministry that I’m involved with at Boise Vineyard. We toured all over the Republic in May. They’re photographers and artists, so our trip consisted of exploring picturesque landscapes, ancient celtic ruins, castles and monastic sites to photograph, sketch, paint, and enjoy. I also had the chance to do a little bit of family ancestry searching on my Mom’s side. There’s such rich history in the land and everywhere you go, the people are friendly and welcoming. I know I will always be going back to Ireland...it’s deep in within my heart (just as Scotland is).

to read more about my trip to Ireland, visit my blogsite: http://www.uiscebeatha-wateroflife.blogspot.com

PARIS & GERMANY:

In September I got to experience my second trip to Europe this year. I traveled to Paris & Germany with my parents. We have friends who live near Frankfurt, Germany and it had been many years since we’d seen them. We decided that it was time to go for a visit. We thought it would be fun to stop off in Paris first on our way. I fell in love with Paris! It’s an artists’ dreamland! The atmosphere of the street-side cafés, the glorious beauty of the architecture, the museums full of art, and the delicious foods. It was all such a wonderful experience. And then we took a train to Germany. We had a great time with our friends. They showered us with hospitality. We got to taste some amazing foods, see some gorgeous castles, and learn about the life in Germany from past to present. It was a priceless experience.

to read more about my trip to Paris & Germany, visit my blogsite: http://www.hanginoutineurope.blogspot.com

PAINTING:

This year has been an incredible year of creativity for me. I’ve been able to be a part of some really impactful artistic experiences. And on more than one occasion I have been stretched out of my creative comfort zone to try new things and be utilized in new ways with art. I was given a travel set of watercolors for my trips to Europe. This freed me up to be able to sketch and paint while I traveled...from the ancient green bog-lands of Ireland to the endless halls of the Louvre in Paris. Back home in my art studio I will be creating larger oil paintings (from the wee watercolors that I did on my trips). I’ve also continued to be in leadership with the VineArts ministry at the Vineyard church in Boise. This has given me endless opportunities to work with other artists installing art exhibits for our VineArts Gallery, doing workshops, writers groups, downtown Boise art walks, art hangouts, our Annual VineArts fundraising Gala, and collaborating on paintings for a purpose (like the RE:FORM ripple effect backdrop for the sanctuary, and the Art & Worship day for 60 students at a local university). I love being utilized in this way for God’s Kingdom. I am currently helping to paint a new backdrop (3 large canvas panels, each 11 ft high & 18 feet long) that will be hung in the sanctuary in January to coincide with a new sermon series based on the heart of David (from the Old Testament). And also in January I will begin to co-lead a home group for artists and will continue to paint & be involved in ministry as much as I can. Beyond the arts ministry...I am still painting and selling with my art business "REVELATORART". I've also had some new doors open recently for my business where I will get to paint for some special public events (downtown Boise) in January (i'll blog about that here on this site in more detail later). I am really loving being an artist!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

May you be surrounded by love and may you know His Love.

Dive Deep!

photo taken by T.&K. N.

working on large scale projects

being on the leadership team for the VineArts ministry at the Boise Vineyard gives me many opportunities to play with paint and hang out with friends doing art. this week we began our prep work for a 3 paneled canvas painting that we will be creating over the next 3 weeks. each panel is a little over 11 feet high and 18 feet long. The 3 piece painting will serve as a backdrop in the church's sanctuary for the new year and will coincide with the pastors' sermon series theme of "the heart of David" (King David from the Old Testament in the Bible) The Bible says that David was "a man after God's own heart"....so the backdrop painting will be an abstract representation of that concept. i will continue to post photos of the paintings' progression for you as it forms.

last year in January we did this process for the first time when we painted the backdrop for the sanctuary coinciding with the "RE:FORM" sermon theme focusing in the Book of Acts (New Testament in the Bible) you can read more about that project if you scroll down further on this blogsite to read the post title "RE:FORM".

today we built a huge stretching frame so we could staple each canvas to it in order to prime them. years ago i had worked as a professional canvas manufacturer for a local art supply company. i gained some valuable skills from that job regarding stretching & priming canvas and it's good to still be able to utilize them at times.

i'm very excited about the next 3 weeks as we work as a team to create this huge painting. i love the chance to work side by side with other artists. i love the conversations that go on, the laughter that is shared, and the learning that happens as we work together to get a project done.

by the end of the year we should have this finished and then it will be hung up behind the stage in the sanctuary as the backdrop where the worship band plays and the pastor speaks. during the first couple of Sundays of January-myself and the VineArts director will join the worship band on stage and we will be painting the finishing touches on the backdrop during the morning worship services while the band leads the congregation in singing. it will be an opportunity for everyone to experience the arts as an expression of worship to God.

and as a sidenote: during the month of January 2009 i will be painting at 4 separate events as an act of worship. i will blog more about this as time gets closer to each event.

photos taken by J.N.

painting landscapes

I've been creating abstract collage expressionist paintings so much lately...that many people forget or don't even know that I paint impressionistic landscapes in oil too. 

After traveling to Europe twice this year I have a tons a inspiration to paint from and have now begun to put paint to canvas to capture some of those moments abroad. 

I spent a month on the Emerald Isle of Ireland in May and then a week in Artistic Paris and a week in Beautiful Germany in September/October. 

Here is one of the paintings I just finished. It's a 16x20 oil on canvas. It's of a tree and rock wall that I stood by in Tipperary, Ireland. 

When I paint my oil landscapes, I exclusively use Winsor & Newton Oil Bars and Sennelier Oil Sticks. I layer the colors (dark to light) so I can create depth. I use my fingers to mix, blend, and paint right there on the canvas. This technique creates a very impressionistic style and is a lot of fun for me (as I am a very tactile kind of person: so to get my fingers right into the paint and to feel the texture of the canvas as I move the paint around is really cool for me!)

I like to paint scenes that I've actually been to...so I can create emotion into the painting as I remember how it felt to be there. 

I utilize photos that I take when I travel on my trips as a reference for what I paint. And actually when I was in Ireland and also Paris/Germany I knew that I would be using the photos to paint by later on...so I did my best to set up a scene (composition, lighting, mood, subject of interest, etc.) to make it easier on myself once back home and in my studio.

When I paint landscapes I listen to music that either is representative of the place (ex. Irish music for Ireland) or music that I might've been listening to on my iPod when I was visiting the place (ex. soundtrack to the movie "Once" set in Dublin). 

If you're interested in seeing some of the impressionistic oil landscapes I've done in the past...there are 2 short slideshows of some of my paintings on this blogsite (one that you can click on a link to go to: located on the right hand sidebar. and the other was a previous post labeled "slideshow of my paintings": just scroll down the page).