a visual journey (of the heart)

one of the things i find an absolute joy is when i get to connect with other creatives face to face in their own creative spaces. you can learn a lot about an artist when you take the time to get to know them right where they live (and an artist spends a lot of time in their creative space-regardless of if the artist is a painter, a sculptor, a writer, a film-maker, a musician, a cook, an actor, a dancer, a craftsman, a photographer, -and the list goes on. -and regardless of whether or not the artist is actually "producing" or "selling" any art). the goal is more than getting to experience the art that they make. it's even more than learning about the creative process they go through to make their art. the goal is to connect...to know...to feel...to listen...to understand. yes we can connect an artist's art and be completely inspired...but i find it more satisfying when i'm able to connect with the artist's heart. 

yesterday i had the wonderful experience of spending several hours connecting in conversation with an artist who spends a lot of her time in her studio allowing creativity to be the language of her heart. 

Lisa Cheney is a graphic design artist in Boise, Idaho who utilizes mixed media visual art techniques and life journaling to fuse a unique style and voice to the growing genre of visual journaling. she teaches workshops and classes and her work has been featured in several magazines. 

when Lisa journals she lets herself be real upon the pages. her world is full of joy and pain, color and darkness. the pages of her journals and the texture of her canvases are filled with color, words, emotion, and honesty. her work is both beautiful and raw. and i love it all! 

Lisa and i share a lot more in common than just our first name. we share a love for the story. we both have a drive to do the heart work (no matter how hard) throughout the journey, and we recognize the need for grace to let the story come forth (however it needs to). life has layers...and Lisa's art is full of layers. i learned from Lisa that when we allow ourselves to invite others into the layers, we invite the opportunity for more chapters to be written in our story.  

my time with Lisa was filled with homemade books and journals strewn about displaying colorful imagery and writing that tells her life story through art. our conversation flowed throughout the day like one of those curly straws where you can see the liquid moving down and around and through as you happily await it's arrival. and as i exited her studio i found myself longing for another sip. 

i think it's appropriate to say, that when it comes to inviting you in to the layers of her story, Lisa can explain things better than i can...check out her blog and learn more: a visual journey

Envision, NNU, and VineArts Leaders Retreat

I've returned from my month long art ministry road trip around the Pacific Northwest. It was an amazing time of travel connecting with other creatives and art ministers in Seattle, Vancouver BC, Bellingham, and Portland. If you'd like to read about my journey and see photos you can go to my blogsite: www.traveling-artist.blogspot.com for the posts I wrote from the trip. 

It's only been days since I've arrived back, but in between doing laundry, getting some sleep, and processing through my trip, I've already been plugging back into the art community here in the Boise area. 

Envision (Oct 2013):

 Wednesday evening I attended the monthly meeting of Envision. It's for creatives of faith who desire community amongst other artists for encouragement, inspiration, and connection. This month we heard from abstract artist, Connie Sales. She shared her life story with us and invited us to enter into a contemplative time with God through her art. I met Connie a few years back when I first performed at Art in the Bar (an art event produced by Dead Bird Art & Framing, held quarterly at The Knitting Factory in Boise). Connie's raw and profound artwork drew me in immediately. Her work is a window through the pain of life's heartaches to the hope that Christ is. Her work speaks of her journey but it's also a voice of any humans journey. I appreciated her vulnerability then and I continue to appreciate it now. Being at Envision this week was a wonderful way to enter into my re-entry from my travels.

NNU (The Call Conference 2013):

On Friday I joined a team that comprised of a few of the VineArts Leaders, some Envision Artists, and some Fresco Art Students, (along with staff from NNU) to bring a morning of Art & Worship to some incoming students at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. This special kind of collaborative art is something that Artist, Sculptor, Mentor Dean Estes has been bringing to NNU for several years now. Time was spent weeks in advance praying for and preparing 3 large canvases that would be the outline of a collaborative art piece for the 50-60 young adults to work on together. 

 Throughout the morning, Dean spent time speaking to the students about a topic he holds very dear to his heart (how to maneuver through the changes of life). He shared Scriptures and quotes and stories that connect in with the theme of the incoming conference, all the while he invited them to paint on the canvases together. 

 Students were invited to come up and make their mark upon the story. Side by side they experienced what it was like to co-create (with God and with others). 

 When they were completed they were able to see that though they are individuals they really are a part of something so much bigger than themselves. Together in community they have the opportunity to allow their little bit become part of the larger picture. 

 Afterwards those of us who were facilitating the event gridded out and cut up the 3 canvases. The students were randomly given a piece to take with them: a reminder that they are important. I love helping to facilitate these kinds of events. Through creativity, I get to watch people's hearts open up and hear God's heart for them and their lives.

VineArts Leaders Retreat 2013:

 photo taken by Jessie Nilo

I got to spend all of Saturday with my Art Family up in the mountains of Idaho for a VineArts Leaders Retreat. We carpooled up together (a convoy of Art Ministers) to enjoy a day of renewal and filling.

 photo taken by Jessie Nilo

We gathered at a cabin in Crouch, Idaho owned by ministers Jerry & Val Reddix . They minister to ministers, pastors, & missionaries by providing a place of refuge and retreat. Yesterday wasn't a day to plan events or tackle administration tasks for the arts ministry. It was a day set aside for worship, prayer, connecting in conversation, sharing stories, art making, and communing with God and with each other. 

 We had times of worship and prayer together that was deeply enriching to our hearts and souls. 

photo taken by Jessie Nilo

We were able to engage with each other heart to heart. Listening, loving, learning.

And we were able to co-create with God and each other to speak life to others through creativity. 

I value days like yesterday when we set aside the labors of business and the things we do to prefer one another in community. To lead others...it's not just about being in charge or being out front or knowing stuff. It means having a heart that is willing to be stripped and broken. It means being teachable. It means having an attitude of service and humility. It means choosing community when hurts and woundings, insecurities and fears, want us to shrink away into isolation. We were made for community. We are relational beings. But it can be hard. With so much going on in each others' lives, it can be difficult to allow ourselves to be open and to be vulnerable before each other. But I believe that by being open to God ministering to us as individuals and ministering to us as a team it aids us in maneuvering the bumps in the road that we come upon on our journeys (personally, with others, and in ministry). It's a beautiful thing when you get to see your "family" members becoming who they were meant to be. I'm very thankful for my Art Family. They help me gain the courage to be fully me. 

Fill me up Lord that I may be poured out.

I'm heading out on the road soon...it's an ART ROAD TRIP!

This traveling artist is about to head out once again on an art ministry trip. This time it's a month long road trip around the Northwest. I'm loading up my car to head out on the highway. I'm stuffing my backpacks full of art supplies, throwing in some easels and canvas, packing my sleeping bag and a cooler full of nourishment and leaving Boise for the open road. My stops...Seattle WA, Vancouver BC, Bellingham WA, and Portland OR. Stay tuned for creative blogposts along the way. You can follow me at: www.traveling-artist.blogspot.com

Marten Evergreen performs at private party

Marten Evergreen has performed at concert venues and bars, in urban alleys and parks, and now in a backyard! Friday night the artists of Marten Evergreen got to be a part of a special event. We got to perform live at a private birthday party! It was my friend Heidi Tucker's 40th birthday and we held her a 70's hippie/summer beach party in my backyard. Along with normal birthday fanfare, we had a night packed with live entertainment. The birthday celebration was filled with live music, art, and dance. The evening started with live music performed by local musicians Gabe Miller, Kona Estes, and Molly Ellis. It progressed to the live art performance by Marten Evergreen, followed by dance party music by Sarah Goetter. The night ended with a drumming circle around the firepit. 

This was our performance area set up at the end of the backyard in a suburban housing development. 

Here are two videos, taken by one of the party-goers.

Performance: Breathe: YHWH

Performers: Lukas Evergreen, Lisa Marten, Jessie Nilo

Music: Fallen by Volbeat

part one

part two

Here is a photo of Heidi standing with the finished 2D paintings that were created during our live performance. We had stretched primed canvas onto chip board. We prepped the primed canvas by pre-painting Hebrew lettering (the Hebrew name of God: YHWH: Yahweh) and then we hid it underneath a separate piece of canvas that we stapled on top. During the performance, paint was splattered and sprayed onto the canvas and danced upon. Once the performance was over we removed the top canvas to reveal the lettering underneath. 

Marten Evergreen would like to offer the option of hiring us to perform for private parties. To learn more about us click on the Marten Evergreen tab on this blog, check out our Marten Evergreen page on Facebook. If you're interested in hiring Marten Evergreen email me at: revelatorart@yahoo.com or Lukas Evergreen at: lukasevergreen@gmail.com . If you are interested viewing and purchasing any of the 2D paintings that have been created during Marten Evergreen performances, contact us. They are on display at Nebula Shift in the Bistro Building downtown Boise. 

2nd Coffee Studio Location Art Show

So along with the art show displaying 19 of my paintings at The Coffee Studio in Meridian this month (6360 N. Saguaro Hills, Meridian, ID), I now have 9 more paintings on display at The Coffee Studio's 2nd location at 8205 W. Rifleman, Boise, ID (corner of Milwaukee & Emerald). 

If you find yourself in the area of the Boise Towne Square Mall, please stop into The Coffee Studio and enjoy a refreshing beverage, some yummy treats, and take a look at my art show. 

I don't know how long these paintings will be up, but they'll be there at least until the end of August. If you do stop in at either Coffee Studio location, please make sure you say hello to the baristas and tip them well...the owners and employees of both Coffee Studio locations are huge fans of local artists and musicians and have treated us all very well. 

creating a wall mural

I really enjoy commissioned work. There's something really appealing to me about the artist-client relationship where I can be challenged to utilize my skills and talents to create something from my own hands and in the process work at bringing someone else's idea, vision, picture into something tangible and concrete. Occasionally I get the opportunity to be hired to paint a wall mural somewhere. The hard surface of a vertical wall and the placement of that wall in relation to the other objects or spacial qualities of the room, etc., can add it's own challenges to the process.

I liken myself sometimes to a chef bringing their own knives to a job as I come prepared with my roll up pouch of brushes and painting tools wherever I am asked or hired to paint.

Perhaps like a mechanic who probably prides themselves in how much grease and grime is on their hands after a days work, I too find that I revel in the amount of paint color I just seem to naturally get on my hands, my shoes, my clothes, and just about anything in my splatter range after a hard days work painting. When painting wall murals I typically utilize water based latex house paints for the easiest application and clean up process. It also makes it easier for coverage if the wall is going to be repainted in the future.

To start a mural I typically project the image that I'll be painting onto the wall using an overhead projector or an enlarger projector. Then I trace around the outline of the image with chalk to give myself an outline of where to paint. This technique is very helpful when working with detailed images or images that might be well known by the public (like a movie persona or scene). With this most recent mural project (which was in the Book Cellar bookstore located in Vineyard Boise church in Garden City - a neighborhood of Boise) I had been hired to recreate some of my own studio paintings (with some personalized additions and changes) onto a concrete block wall in a bookstore...being that the imagery was well known to me (having been original ideas of mine) I chose not to use the projector. Instead I freehanded the chalk outlines to give myself a general idea of where I wanted things.

My first task was to create the look of a used drop cloth as the background to the three paintings I was recreating. This tromp l'oeil (trick of the eye) effect was part of the request of the bookstore as we contracted. The challenge for me was to make the "drop cloth" look like it had paint spills and splatters with out actually physically splattering and making a mess on the wall. The main reason for this was that the location of the wall that I was painting was above a large music CD shelf and close by were several book shelves and tables with new merchandise on them. I did my best to cover and protect things but I needed to "reign myself in" on my "action painting" expressions. The other reason was that the wall was vertical. Typically a drop cloth is placed on the ground where a painter is painting and so drips and splatters and messes are created from above the cloth. With the wall being vertical I had to figure out how to paint those drips and splatters and messes to look like they had been created from above instead from the side. 

The first "painting" is titled "Fill Me Up". The imagery in this painting is of books, writing materials, and a coffee mug. Reading, studying, writing, while sharing a cup of coffee fits well into this bookstore that is housed inside Vineyard Boise church. I painted a little N4 on the coffee mug (this is representing a motto that Vineyard Boise has regarding reaching out to the community in it's immediate surrounding of Garden City "In Garden City, For Garden City")...it's a reminder that as we are filled up with God's love we must be poured out to others. It's all about loving much and loving well.

The second "painting" is titled "Sing Over Me". The imagery is of three birds flying. The birds represent the presence of the Trinity in our lives...watching over, caring for, and delighting in. Worship (the act of spending time with, honoring & revering, serving & giving, learning & growing, singing & expressing through the creative arts, loving and living for God) is a huge value of how those who attend the Vineyard actively try to live their lives.

The third "painting" is titled "Rain Down On Me". The imagery is of the skyline of the city of Boise. It features a rainy sky pouring out over the city of Boise. The rain represents God's Spirit (filled with love) pouring out over the city we live in to empower us all to love those within our community.

Here is the finished wall mural. Each of the "paintings", which were based on three of my original paintings, together became one large painting of its own. 

One last added piece to the mural...just as I was finishing up, the manager of the bookstore (who enjoys a bit of fun) asked me to add in a "Where's Waldo?" sort of mystery. Upon his request I painted a tiny T.A.R.D.I.S. from Dr. Who hidden somewhere on the "drop cloth" background. It's moments like this that I'm reminded of how much I really enjoy the artist-client relationship! 

Fact is...the police box travel machine actually fits in with the theme of the three paintings I created in this bookstore. When you stop and think about how books and music and movies (all sold in the bookstore) allow us to be carried away into stories, characters, time periods, places, points of view, understandings. They help us to learn from the past and look to the future by engaging in today and becoming who we are supposed to be...it makes sense. 

Fill us up. Sing over us. Rain down on us. 

I really love being an artist and getting to do this sort of thing for a living! 

If you are interested in seeing the mural I created in person (along with several other murals I've painted in the Book Cellar over the past few years) you can stop in to the Book Cellar located in Heritage Hall at Vineyard Boise church (T-F 9am-5pm, Sun 8am-1pm) to check it out. The church is located at 4950 N. Bradley St. Boise, ID 83714. www.vineyardboise.org

Coffee + Art + Music + Community = LOVE Poured Out

 And this is my prayer for you...that you will not only love much, but love well. These are words I dedicate my life to live by. 

Last night was my art opening at The Coffee Studio in Meridian, Idaho. 

I'm the featured artist for August. I have installed 7 mixed media paintings on cardboard along with revealing a new 12 piece mixed media series on wood. 

I love opportunities like this (being featured in a local establishment)...because I get to invite others to come alongside me to also be featured. I'm a firm believer that I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for so many others who have helped me, encouraged me, mentored me, challenged me, and promoted me along the way. And so it is my belief that any chance I get I want to do the same for others...however that can look. 

And in this instance it was a chance to have some local musicians featured, some young people invited in to play, and so many others to be thanked and loved on. 

Here are the paintings I have exhibited for the month of August...

 "Enter the Storm" 

14x30 acrylic on foam core

this piece is about allowing oneself to embrace the storms of life instead of running from them

 "Fill Me Up", "Sing Over Me", "Rain Down On Me"

each 24x30 mixed media on cardboard

these 3 paintings are all about being open for more 

 "All Things New"

24x30 mixed media on cardboard

this painting is about the chance to start over fresh

 "Surfing the Koru"

24x30 mixed media on cardboard

this piece was inspired by my trip to New Zealand in 2011

it's about embracing new beginnings

 "Open Heart" 

24x30 mixed media on cardboard

this painting is about trusting love

 "Hope"

24x30 mixed media on cardboard

this piece is about believing that there is something to hold on to

"There and Back Again: An Heart's Journey to Love Much and Love Well"

this 12 piece series is a story of the journey of a heart through life (as told through tiny paintings & written statements). it's meant to allow the viewer to interact & engage with each "station" as a personal journey, to reflect upon one's own life and enter into the story wherever the viewer connects. at the end the viewer is encouraged to take a pebble or a tiny shell with them as a token of remembrance of their heart's journey.

 the intro piece, stations 1-5

 station 6

stations 7-12

I was so blessed by the turn out of folks who came to the opening. I thrive on interaction with people. I love relationship. It warms my heart to have a room filled with old friends, new friends, and those who will soon be friends...all connecting and conversing and communing with each other. The combination of a great coffee house, delicious drink and food, an engaging art exhibit, live music, and loads of conversations going on is such the perfect atmosphere, in my opinion. 

After viewing the art exhibit, the crowd gathered to listen to the live music and watch me paint.

 Singer/songwriter Janet Lund opened and closed the evening with her original songs (many had an emphasis on friendship and coffee, which delightfully connected into the theme of the night)

 Singer Molly Ellis sang songs we all enjoyed while I painted live. Molly's voice captured all who were present and I found myself singing along as I painted. During her set she invited 3 young girls to come up and sing a song together. The trio stunned us all with their young talent and I was reminded of how important it is to pass on things to the next generation and invite them to be an active part of what we're doing today. 

 Shortly after the young ones sang, one of them came over to me to engage in conversation with me about my painting. I invited her to join me in painting. She gladly chose a brush and went to work on a piece of her own using bright colors I had already chosen on my pallet. It was a beautiful picture as we both were creating side by side to Molly singing in the background. 

Here is the painting I created live. 

"Pour Out Love" 

24x30 mixed media on cardboard

I specifically created this painting with the owners of The Coffee Studio in mind. It was a gift to them for having such open hearts to invite local artists and musicians (like myself and those who joined me tonight) to be featured each month in their shop. The Coffee Studio is locally owned and involved. They truly are people who are pouring out love to their community one cup at a time. 

Thank you all.

Painting Live in a Windstorm

Last night was First Thursday in Boise. It happens every month. Many establishments stay open later to promote business downtown. Art galleries have big opening receptions for art exhibits. Live music can be heard from  venues throughout the city streets. It's a great event to grab some friends and experience some fun downtown.

 I was a part of 10 Barrel Brewing's art event in their parking lot. They roped the parking lot off and created their own beer garden. Accompanied by live music, several local artists were asked to set up to display and sell art and paint live while customers were invited to hang out and enjoy.

 I really enjoy being able to paint live (whether it's during a church service as part of creative worship, or for a big art event with my performance art company, or like last night where I was able to paint and also talk to the public)

 I don't often get the chance to be a part of events where there are other live painters. This was a treat for me last night to not be the only one! I enjoyed getting to watch the other artists create live.

 During the evening I had several friends and 10 Barrel customers stop by to say hello and check out what I was painting. I was working on primed cardboard. I glued another one of my paintings onto it (of the Boise River) that had been painted on canvas. Then I glued on pages of printed words throughout the background. And then using acrylic paints I layered color and texture to bring it all together as one painting.

 And then the wind hit! WHOOSH! We got a huge gust of wind that swept through the parking lot alley. It was part of a large windstorm that suddenly blew into the Treasure Valley. This photo wasn't staged. I really was holding down my paintings and easels from blowing away. Canvases were like sails. My neighbors table took flight and blew into my easel. Artists and others throughout the alley were rushing to save artwork, chairs, tables, and everything else that was crashing down and whipping up into the sky. In a matter of moments our little event came to a halt. And in the midst of the chaos, my friends and I were laughing! It was so crazy funny! Truly...it was quite a sight! I'm very thankful to those who stayed to help me keep things from blowing away and then helped me pack up everything to my car.

 So after things got packed up (and yes, all artists packed up quickly and the musician left, and the guys tending the beer kegs closed down) we took the party inside 10 Barrel! They really do have great food and drink! I love my friends...thanks guys for helping to make my night memorable! 

Here's the finished painting that I was creating live last night. I had completed most of it before the wind hit. I added the splatter once I got home...if I had done that at the event the paint would've made it everywhere but the canvas! 

I love being an artist! Life is such a crazy adventure!