Living a Creative Lifestyle

Living a Creative Lifestyle

Most of us in the fine arts and performing arts live what many consider, a creative lifestyle.  And while that’s good and great, and sometimes not so good and great, I know there are many of you that read these blog postings that see yourselves as enthusiasts – not artists.

Last week I was having coffee with a friend and in the course of our conversation (and between my incoherent ramblings…) we managed to talk about how people who aren’t or don’t consider themselves artistic or creative can actually live a creative lifestyle.  I like that because it’s inclusive and not exclusive.

For an enthusiast, this isn’t necessarily going to be through artistic endeavours nor should it need to be, but it can be through creative endeavours that don’t include picking up a paintbrush, a guitar, or other tools of the artistic trades.

It may be how and what you model to others through your life – the little things in everyday life that eventually add up so much so that they become something bigger than you, leaving a lasting impression or impact for generations to come.

Imagine that.  You – the enthusiasts can live a creative lifestyle and practice the art of helping others.  This is something we all can participate and share in – as it should be.

And let’s be honest, it’s probably best not to leave it only to us artistic types since we tend to be as organized as a herd of cats.  Hey – just speaking from experience here.

The God of Ordinary People

I’m not a theologian, nor a hapless sheep, and I’m certainly not a model Christian. In fact, I’m probably more of a model sinner – much in need of God’s grace on a daily, if not moment-by-moment basis. I’m okay with this.

I find it interesting and at the same time disturbing that in our culture we seem to have concluded that God chooses to only use spiritual giants; the high gifted, multi-talented, richly diverse, faith-filled people of this world and not the spiritual pygmies. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, God has a well-documented history of working through the broken vessels of this world, “the scalawags and ragamuffins” as Brennan Manning puts it, or as a friend in Ireland says, “the cracked pots.” He has used questionable characters that are of little social standing, ill tempered, liars, adulterers, and murderers to accomplish His good purposes – and He continues to do so to this day.

We find it far more pleasant to be known for and seen for our strengths, and not for our weaknesses. But in His infinite wisdom, God chooses to use ordinary people like you and me, imperfect ambassadors of the gospel that we are, to reach out in faith with compassion filled hearts to those just like us, those that are as equally as needy and wanting, only in different ways.  That’s how this extraordinary God is revealed and encountered in the peaks and valleys of everyday circumstances and the ordinariness of life.

We Are All In The Gutter

The Irish poet and dramatist Oscar Wilde said, “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”  When I read those words, it says to me that we’re all starving beggars on the way to the banquet table and that perhaps we should come as we are, to people as they are.”  What do you see in that quote?

Art as a Hammer to Shape Culture

I’m just back from visiting with friends in Kyiv, Ukraine and speaking at an arts conference while there.  To the left is The Art of Helping Others logo we printed onto T-shirts, which translated means “the art of doing good.”

One interesting topic of discussion at the conference that resonated with many of us was the thought of art as a hammer to shape culture.  This comes from the quote, “Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it.”  So what does that mean?  That’s a good question, which I may not have a watertight answer for – but I do have an opinion.

While I believe we should hold a mirror up to everyday life and reveal the reality – even the frailty of the human condition, we should pick up the hammer, be forward thinking, innovative and imaginative enough to be creatively dangerous, and shape our “circles of influence” in our communities, which will eventually affect culture itself.

So, what is the hammer?  I like to think in part it’s the words you write from the depths of your heart that inspire others, the lyric and melody of a song longing to be heard, a painter’s brush wielded with emotion and faith across a canvas, a moment in time captured through the photographer’s camera lens that needs no words yet leaves us in awe.  The dancer that dances first, then thinks later.  It’s the power of the arts to uncover truth.

Disregard what others expect of you or may think and employ the hammer passionately – use it differently than ever before.

Forward Thinking Jesus

I think most of us would agree that Jesus was forward thinking, so why isn’t that necessarily true of the Church?  While we’re often responsive in the arts, it’s uncommon for us to be forward thinking enough to allow artists the freedom to be uniquely innovative, capturing imaginations once again, and engaging culture.

Is it because we prefer safety and predictability?  Unfortunately, good art isn’t always safe or predictable, and while being in control is comfortable, it’s not exactly biblical and has little to do with exercising faith.

Bertolt Brecht said, “Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it.”  I know of some churches and artists striving to be innovative and forward thinkers, and thankfully so.  We only need more to pick up hammers and begin to think through shaping culture – not just subcultures.

Deepening the Mystery

Francis Bacon said, “The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.”

That quote has always intrigued me but I feel that to only deepen the mystery falls a bit short.  Why?  Because to only deepen the mystery doesn’t seem to allow people the full experience or opportunity to search for truth and wonder – denying them an essential component in the process of discovery.

Part of the role as artists is not to avert our eyes or ears from the world around us, and yes – to deepen the mystery through our art, drawing people in to consider some of what we have forgotten and perhaps that we’re asked to sometimes endure, but also to subtly reveal beauty, wonder, and the truth.

Attempting To Fill An Empty Space

“All art is the same – an attempt to fill an empty space.” - Samuel Beckett.

As a visual artist, I have often contemplated what empty spaces in life primarily motivate me or that I am desirous to fill.  Perhaps the same is true of you.  Is it the attempt to fill the empty space of a prestigious art gallery, a blank canvas resting on an easel, the space between people’s ears with words, imagery, music – all to evoke emotion or a particular response?

I like the quote from Samuel Beckett because it can be applied to life in general and to those of you that consider yourselves ‘non-artists.’  For you it may not have much to do with artistic endeavours – but we all attempt to fill empty spaces in our lives.  And what of the people God places in our paths everyday that happen to be doing the same, whether conscious of it or not?

I think it’s important for us to first ask and wrestle with questions like these, then answer how through our lives and our art we can address people’s deepest longings and their attempts to fill an empty space.

Not Enough Room for Diversity

A couple weeks ago I received confirmation from a well-known conservative blogger that supports charitable humanitarian causes, that he wanted to blog and tell his audience about what I’m doing in the arts with The Art of Helping Others (i.e., providing funds to charitable organisations to help the poor and marginalized).

Days later, an email arrives in my inbox from him saying that obviously we see things from different perspectives and approaches, and that he will not share with his audience about what we do.  That was it – done and dusted, no other explanation.  Initially, I was a bit disappointed, but really – mostly perplexed.

I’m okay not getting a mention on his blog, but idealist that I am, what troubled me most is I had hoped that in the arts, culture, faith, current events – you know, wherever or whatever direction your political, economic, geographic, religious, cause-related compass points, that ultimately, there would be room enough for diversity and discussion.  Yes, feel free to pity idealists like me…

What do I take from this as I walk away and glance over my shoulder?  For some people, there may be room enough for diversity in the matter of opinion – as long as it aligns with their own, but unfortunately dialogue doesn’t always seem to be a part of the process, and that is indeed a shame.  Why?  Because if we choose not to dialogue, how will we ever begin to understand one another and where we’re coming from.

If you’re inclined, visit The Art of Helping Others and let me know if there’s something I’ve missed.  Idealistically Yours.

Artists – the real architects of change?

It was once said, “Artists are the real architects of change, and not the political legislators who implement change after the fact.”

Given all the talk of change in the States, what’s your opinion of this quote?  Do artists really fill the role ‘real architects of change’ and if so, what are you seeing to make you believe this?

Welcome

Welcome to The Art of Helping Others blog.  Contribute to the conversation about art, awareness, activism, culture, faith and humanity.  Why?  Because your voice matters.  Will our blog postings be sporadic?  Probably, but we are artists and we refer to that as ‘artistic license.’

Art. Awareness. Activism.