The New Renaissance Rising WorldWide Art Day

Today artists met in the VineArts Studio in Boise, Idaho to celebrate together. Click on the YouTube link to watch a short video created by artist & author J.Scott McElroy talking about The New Renaissance Rising and what it means for artists and churches worldwide:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bYqzxEXpmc We utilized Video

Worship & Prayer

Teaching & Sharing

Art & Creativity

I had so much fun! I love it when we come together for a common purpose! This is the painting I created during our New Renaissance Celebration. It's a 30x40 mixed media abstract expressionist collage on canvas. I call this "The Spirit of Joy" based on the Scripture Isaiah 61.

teaching

over the years, as part of my art business, i have taught private one on one painting lessons in my own personal art studio. once in awhile i do get the chance to teach for VineArts in a workshop capacity to numerous people. i have taught 3 abstract workshops over the last 4 years. this last weekend i had the opportunity to teach a pastels workshop. i taught some basics of utilizing soft pastels and oil pastels. i had 10 artists join me for 3 hours and we enjoyed playing with the 2 mediums together. it was a good time of experimenting with new techniques. pastels were my medium of choice when i first started out as a full time artist. many of the paintings that i sold during those first few years of dedicating my life to art were mainly oil pastel paintings. i encouraged the artists in my workshop to not be afraid to push themselves beyond what they might normally do with the tiny stick chalk & crayon like mediums and have fun with them. this might mean trying short strokes of color layering dark to light creating an impressionistic look...it might mean using your fingers to mix & blend colors onto the papers...it might mean using water and a watercolor brush with the soft pastels to get a wash watercolor paint effect....or it might mean applying the oil pastels thickly with pressure and using a pallet knife to create texture like an oil painting. the workshop seemed to spark interest for all who attended and each created amazing paintings full of vibrant color and life.

if you're interested in upcoming VineArts workshops, please keep checking our webpage at: http://www.vineyardboise.org (click on Ministries at the top, that will give you a drop down menu, click on VineArts under the heading Worship, there will be links you can go to for info on various subjects)

New VineArts Book Study

I'm excited about what's going on! Last night we launched a new book study at The Palate Discipleship Group in the VineArts Studio. We are reading & discussing a book titled, "Finding Divine Inspiration: Working with the Holy Spirit in Your Creativity" by J.Scott McElroy (an award-winning radio producer, writer, visual artist, national voiceover artist, and Vineyard Pastor). This book will take us on a journey of learning how to partner with God in our creativity.

Here's what the author has to say about the book:

"God wants to collaborate with YOU!

There is a New Renaissance coming in the arts and God has a special place for you in it! In Finding Divine Inspiration you'll learn how to hear God's voice and collaborate with Him in the work He has for you.

God wants to reform the arts, to bring a new infusion of Divine Inspiration into the mainstream and an explosion of arts in the church, but for these changes to come His artists must develop a lifestyle of collaboration with Him. Through solid biblical guidance, exciting historical and current examples, and practical steps, Finding Divine Inspiration shows artists how to partner with God in their life and work. Its a concept that can help invigorate your spiritual life, bring new inspiration, enable you to share God's messages more freely and ultimately transform the arts."

-J.Scott McElroy

http://www.findingdivineinspiration.com/

http://jscottmc.wordpress.com/

http://www.thenewr.org/

ABOUT "The Palate":

We are a discipleship group in which visual learners can grow spiritually and creatively in a safe place, through a sampling of artistic activities and solid biblical study. Our focus is worship, prayer, study, and community through creative things like film clips, book study, sketching, painting, poetry reading, encouragement, worship, & prayer. Our goal is to become ever closer to Jesus Christ. We meet the 1ST & 3RD MONDAYS OF EVERY MONTH IN THE VINEARTS STUDIO FROM 6:30PM TO 8:30PM. And yes, we spelled the name like your tongue. Come and feed your inner artist!

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

a crazy creative idea

I've mentioned before that the great American expressionist painter Jackson Pollock has been a huge influence on my abstract expressionist paintings. There are several of his works that I really like, but one in particular has stood out for me over the years. It's called "Male & Female". Today I painted my own version of that painting...but not on canvas...on one of the walls in my art studio!

I got this crazy creative idea a month ago when film director John Hughes passed away. John was the creative mind behind many of the teenage angst movies we high schoolers of the 80's connected with...movies that starred actors we affectionately called "The Brat Pack". After his death I spent a couple of days watching some of those movies and being nostalgic high school and the 80's. One movie in particular, "Some Kind of Wonderful", became a favorite of mine (on so many levels). It was about a guy who wanted to be an artist who had a drum playing tomboy as a best friend. Both characters struggled emotionally as to where their place in life was to be....and in the end they found true love and acceptance with each other. But I digress...

The artist had this painting on the back of his bedroom door. The entire door. And it when I rewatched the movie and saw that in the scene...I knew what I needed to do. Today I did more than paint a door...I painted a wall. And with each stroke I thanked God for blessing me with this crazy creativity inside of me that can't be squelched. This wall in my studio is a tribute to Jackson Pollock...but also to Some Kind of Wonderful...a chance to hope and dream and be who we really are.....glorious in the sight of God!

getting out of your comfort zone

Tonight I got to participate as a leader in a special event that VineArts facilitated for the youth of Vineyard Boise. We held an Art & Worship night for them....an opportunity to get them out of their comfort zones to work together to create something that represents who they are as a youth group. There was close to a hundred teenagers!

We prepped 3 large canvases with outlines of scenes painted on them that represent some core values of what the youth group stands for (1. a scene representing Christ-like behaviour of serving others, 2. a scene representing encountering Christ through worship, 3. a scene representing relationship & fellowship as believers in Christ & participating in baptism and communion).

The youth were encouraged to each spend some time painting on each of the canvases....together! They could paint whatever colors they chose, however they wanted to paint, they could embellish on something someone else had started...they just couldn't destroy what someone had painted.

Throughout the night there was a worship band playing, one of our VineArts leaders spoke to the group as the kids painted (he had inspirational stories, poems, quotes, and things to share), the Youth Leaders helped with some of the logistics and made sure each of the youth were participating at some point in some way, and those of us VineArts Leaders who were there helped with the paint & encouraged the youth individually as they painted...all the while the youth were painting the scenes and spending time in prayer and worship as they felt led.

It was an amazing night of creativity! I always love being a part of these kinds of events. I get to see how a group of people (many who have no art background at all) can let down their walls and let go of their fears and allow the simple act of painting open up whole new worlds for them. For many of the them, painting is not something they do naturally (and that's okay, cuz this kind of event helps to get people out of their comfort zone and paint side by side with each other...artistic talent isn't the point, willing hearts are the point....which this can be a scary thing even for seasoned artists!). Many people also don't connect or understand worshipping God & creating art at the same time...this kind of event gives them an opportunity to actually experience what it can be like to partner with God creatively. It's incredible to watch what happens!

They were unable to finish the paintings tonight in the time we had, but they will have a chance to finish them over the next couple of weeks. The canvases the youth worked on will later be hung up in the youth room as inspirational artwork.

cathartic creativity

have you ever been compelled to do something spontaneously...as if you were encouraged from within to do or say or be something meaningful?

have you ever had something from the past creep up on you in the present? i mean...where, because of a current situation, you feel transported back emotionally to a place that seems so familiar and you have to remind yourself what was in the past and what is right now.

recently i experienced this sort of thing (and although i won't go into detail of the whats and the whys, for that isn't my point here, rather i want to focus on what happened in the midst of it). instead of reacting or responding like i might normally have done, i chose to paint my way through the emotions...a cathartic & therapeutic experience with art.

don't get me wrong...painting has always naturally been a bit therapeutic for me whenever i allow my creativity to flow. and i have on occasion utilized art to help others experience some inner breakthroughs and freedom in their lives. but rarely have i created art for myself to specifically work through a personal issue of my own. i know, i know...it's about time, eh?!

years ago i drew a pencil sketch of how i saw myself at the time based on what i was experiencing emotionally. this week i felt a deep intense desire to search for that sketch amidst my numerous sketch books and bring it to life through paint onto canvas. i never did find the sketch but it has been engraved in my memory for years and i decided to go ahead with it anyways.

as i cranked up the music and began grabbing paint cans and brushes, inspiration washed over me like a giant ocean wave and i was overcome with a new vision for the painting. it became clear to me that i wasn't supposed to just paint the sketch the way i had drawn it all those years ago...but rather, i was to paint the sketch as it would appear today (with where i am at emotionally now). i was to depict the changes in me (i am not the same person i was when i did the original sketch) and therefore beable to tell my story of emotional and spiritual growth.

now i recognize that i'm speaking very vaguely and i apologize (i don't really want to go into details here). but if you can think about what i'm trying to say...almost 20 years ago i did a sketch about myself that depicted my emotional state during some very difficult circumstances in my life. it was a very dark, lonely, selfish sort of sketch expressing deep hurt and pain in response to negative circumstances in my life. the sketch showed destruction and desolation and it was quite depressing. then this week i was compelled to paint that sketch...but instead of painting it like the original, i knew i was to paint the same concept or scene...but representing where i am today emotionally. i was to still express deep pain and hurt-for we will always have sorrow & grief in our lives, but this time showing a huge difference: instead of selfishness and lonliness, there would be hope, freedom, and community through God's love-for it is through great suffering that the most intense joy is experienced. and through painting it that way it was to show the change and growth in my heart.

and I must say...it really was therapeutic! when i was finished i stepped back from the canvas with tears streaming down my cheeks. it's an amazing feeling when you have been able to look into your heart (amidst all the brokenness and woundings) and see God & His Body and experience His love, His acceptance, His grace, His forgiveness. it's liberating!

the above photo is a bit of the painting i created. this is the center of the canvas. i just wanted to show you some of the emotion that is in it. art can be an amazing tool for understanding.

Painting During Worship

These photos were taken this last Sunday morning. Myself and the Director of VineArts were able to join in as part of the worship team on the stage for the morning services at the Boise Vineyard. Along with the band, we helped to lead the congregation in the worship of God by painting inspiring words and colors onto the backdrop painting. Together we painted side by side.

The thought of creating art as being a viable way to worship God can be somewhat of a foreign concept to many people (regardless of if they're followers of Christ or not). I believe the words of Romans 12:1 in the Bible "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life---your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life---and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing to do for him." I believe that God placed creativity in each of us (and just as we are all uniquely different in who we are individually...that creativity will look and feel different for each person). Art is one way that many of us are able to express who we are deep down. Just as the singers sing their songs, the musicians play their instruments, the speakers speak their words, the dancers dance their movements...the artists create their art. I believe God wants us to worship him no matter where we are or what we are doing.

What is worship anyways? What does it mean to worship God? Good questions.

Thankfulness. Praise. Gratitude. Awe. Wonder. Joy. Peace. Hope. Love.

Perhaps we should chew on the Bible verses in Philippians 4:8-9 "Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious---the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned, what you heard, and what you saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."

It's all about the SONG.

I've posted before about the performance painting I have done in music venues downtown Boise. It's no different to me whether I'm painting in a church or painting in a club (and I don't believe it makes much difference to God either). It's no difference to me whether I'm painting a landscape in oils or an abstract in mixed media. And it certainly makes no difference whether I am painting a "religious" scene or not. I paint because it's what I was made to do. I paint from heart. And I worship when I paint because it's what I'm compelled to do.

Deep thought: Next time you do that thing you do (whatever that is)...consider for a moment...could you offer it up as worship to God? What would that mean to you? Would you be okay with that? Does it change you at all inside when you do? It's just something to think about.

photos taken by R.H.

drops like stars

i just read Rob Bell's newest book "Drops Like Stars". i'm compelled to recommend it to you. it speaks to the artistic spirit. it speaks to the human heart. i found myself profoundly touched by the message in this simple-yet-memorable coffee-table-style book that houses stunning photography and "a few thoughts on creativity and suffering."

i've been a fan of Rob Bell's teachings, books, and NOOMA dvd films for several years now. if you would like to check things out, you can go to the following websites:

http://www.robbell.com

http://www.flannel.org

adding to the backdrop

today myself and the director of VineArts continued painting on the backdrop that hangs on the stage in the sanctuary. we added words and phrases and color to the right hand panel during the 2 morning worship services while the worship band led the congregation in singing. the backdrop is 3 12ftx18ft canvas panels hung up like curtains. the theme of this backdrop goes along with the sermon series that the pastors are teaching us right now. we're focusing on the letters in the New Testament that Paul wrote to various churches while he was in prison. here i added orange and yellow to intensify the color and bring out the stones in the painting that turn into parchment letters as they burst forth (representing the Word of God coming forth to everyone).
here i added blue and a purple-red to distingquish the stones of the prison more. i also did some splatters of various colors throughout to contine to add to the grungy texture effects.

currently we are studying the book of Collossians (the letter that Paul wrote to the new Christian church of Collosai). here the director painted a phrase that the book opens up with in the first chapter "grace & peace to you".

the director also painted the word "fullness" which is spoken of in chapter 2.

another phrase that the director painted was "mystery revealed Christ". Paul talks about that the mystery of who the Messiah was to be was fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

here is the word "Song" that the director painted on the center panel during the worship services for the first Sunday that the backdrop was up. it was the introduction to the sermon series. the word "Song" was painted to represent the common thread throughout the Bible, throughout history...that the Gospel of God is a Song to creation, sung through Christ's life throughout the pages of the Bible and into our lives. we are to "sing the song". it's a metaphor...it means that God's heart has always desired for us to be in relationship with him...and for our hearts to be free.

the word "identity" was also painted by the director on the kick-off Sunday onto the left panel of the backdrop near where the cross is situated on the stage in the sanctuary. it means that our identity should be in the freedom of Christ and life with him...instead of in the bondage of our problems and circumstances.