Abstract art

its sweet to hear from so many of you. Good convo, beth. Ya, I’d love to get some input on this. I talk about this periodically with students and non artists curious about abstract art. Below is my simplified argument, how else can I better explain this?

First, I encourage folks to approach Abstract Art HUMBLY. If art is a visual language/ expression/ communication, then it’s an extension or expression of men’s hearts. Therefore we approach it humbly as we would any other words or other expressions of men’s hearts. We don’t go up to people and tell them how stupid their ideas are or that our little brother could think that.

FORM - Next I tell folks to approach the visual part. What kinds of elements and principles are working together? Students enjoy finding many observations about color and line and shape.

CONTENT - And then consider content. Maybe the shapes and color are the content. Or maybe there is some symbolism or meaning that speaks of the artists world view. Though this often takes further research, it is helpful to see that this is a separate aspect to evaluate.

COMMON GRACE - Look for truth or beauty somewhere in the art. God gets the credit for anything good. and anything good somehow in a small way reflects God. what fun it is to enjoy truth and beauty!

greetings

1. Name, day job
Rob Giorgio. Graphic Designer

2. the kind of art you’ll probably do for this show.
Not sure. Love pen and ink, collage and collaboration between digital and art.

3. symbols/visual ideas you might explore for Colossians 1 theme
Need to take some time and reflect on the verses and from that I will have something.

4. anything else you want us to know?
Just moved to west Philly and lovin it.

1. Name, day job
jen malament and i guard life at a pool, teach and coach swimming
2. the kind of art you’ll probably do for this show
i love pen and ink but we'll see...
3. symbols/visual ideas you might explore for Colossians 1 theme [we won’t hold you to it…but what are your initial thoughts or hopes]
i love illustration, mainly for children's book so i'm tempted to try to 'illustrate' it...give it a storybook sort of feel
4. anything else you want us to know?
it snowed for the first time in THREE years here yesterday!!!!! (charlotte nc)
it was awesome.
just awesome.

motherwell?

who did this painting last year?

off topic...but really reminds me of robert motherwell... one of my favourite artists...
kinda freaked out first time i went to the national gallery...

but wasn't allowed to use a camera inside... and only had a tiny 2mpx point&shoot from the outside...

even tho this painting doesn't directly portray a Christian theme...or something like that, it still can bring glory to God, I believe... because it reflects God... the common grace God has given man and the incredible talent and creativity He blessed so many with, believers and non-believers...so even if this is abstract...
"all things were created through him and for him."

right?

(sorry if i'm jumping ahead...continue on with the introductions...put this on hold)

whats up from philly

1. Name, day job, wife's name
Bill Melone, substitute teacher, Julia Melone

2. the kind of art you’ll probably do for this show
paintings, smaller than last year, probably 2 foot 3 foot range

3. symbols/visual ideas you might explore for Colossians 1 theme
A response to the phrases "Firstborn over all creation" (painting of a baby) and "invisible God" (not sure, maybe Richter style abstraction with the concept of 'you can't see the forest from the trees' (that needs to get better articulated), and/or taking an old figure painting and canceling out parts of the figure), and a collaborative piece with my woman. This is definitely a rich part of the bible, its fun to think about

4. anything else you want us to know?
philly is cool, Sovereign Grace Church NJ is cool, and my wife is freakin hot. and she's pregnant--we've been easing into telling friends, told our care group last week. hope that doesn't disqualify us from being a "young married couple". And no, the baby is not the collaborative piece we've been talking about, the due date's in August.

Art 2.0

1. Name, day job
Ryan James - web designer for New Attitude and Covenant Life Church

2. the kind of art you’ll probably do for this show
The enormous kind

3. symbols/visual ideas you might explore for Colossians 1 theme [we won’t hold you to it…but what are your initial thoughts
or hopes]
This passage has a "We're all in this together" feel to it as well as a very personal voice, so I'll be using a lot of vsual repetition coupled with singling out an element that's part of the larger context. Or something like that. blah blah blah.

4. anything else you want us to know?
Adam Sandler looks just like Bob Dylan circa Blonde on Blonde in his new movie Reign Over Me. Observe.

hello from erin

1. Name: Erin Barley
Job: Art student by day, waitress by night

2. A combination of abstract and representational in oil paint/mixed media and possibly clay.

3. I have some ideas but I really need to pray! Right now I am thinking of a layered piece with several panels that represent different parts of the passage with some continuous theme throughout leading to the cross. Again, I need to pray.

4. This blog is great because I live in Hawaii so I'm excited about being connected to a community of Christian artists. I can't wait for the next couple months of inspiration and work.

hi everyone!!

1. Name: julia melone
day job: graphic designer at disc makers (www.discmakers.com/design)
2. the kind of art you’ll probably do for this show:
painting/collage/lettering- something collaborative with my husband.
3. symbols/visual ideas you might explore for Colossians 1 theme [we won’t hold you to it…but what are your initial thoughts or hopes]:
handlettering, working with textures, working with photocopies from Colossians.
4. anything else you want us to know?
i'm so excited to be part of this again- i love making art knowing that it could affect the way someone views God. it is a priviledge and a gift!

hi...?

1. Name: beth ann
.day job: work at a coffeehouse...willing provider of caffeine.
2. the kind of art you’ll probably do for this show: digital photography
3. symbols/visual ideas you might explore for Colossians 1 theme [we won’t hold you to it…but what are your initial thoughts or hopes]: <-that looks like a sad face ...it's always a challenge to photograph something intentionally to convey a strong theme such as this year's...but i like trying to think of creative ways of putting words or ideas into form and finding compositions that match and fit the image in my head...so first things first...study and meditate on Colossians 1: 15-20... i really enjoy thinking about photography... then practicing...
and my initial thoughts? pray.
4. anything else you want us to know? yes. what am i doing among all of you?

hannah's survery response

1. Hannah Kim, Graphic Designer at Covenant Life Church
2. mixed media (ink and paint) or sculptural (wood..maybe)
3. I love the emphasis on creation and Christ as the beginning, and how that ties to the Cross. Visual ideas? progression of time in creation, examples of rebirth in nature...landscapes? you said no one's holding me to this, right? :P
4. I'm actually trying to following Connie's example to get more disciplined in making art everyday and I'm going to start by sneaking into Kenneth's office (when he's not there of course!) to draw the amazing view he gets from his window. It's breath-taking!

connie's survey response

1. Connie Jimenez, Art Teacher at CovLife School
2. large drawings or paint on paper. i dont know yet how i'd mount/frame a large drawing reasonably.
3. i dunno...maybe something about the incarnation and therefore figurative...which figures. (yesss)
4. i'm doing drawing a day in february for an unrelated (to this) art show. watercolors of skulls and flowers...so, i'm saying it "out loud" here, so ask me how it goes...

Welcome.

hey friends, hopefully you receive the letter I emailed out to you. Ya, so go ahead and sign in and post a little about yourself...here's a little survey to start so we can get to know each other:

1. Name, day job
2. the kind of art you’ll probably do for this show
3. symbols/visual ideas you might explore for Colossians 1 theme [we won’t hold you to it…but what are your initial thoughts or hopes]
4. anything else you want us to know?

julia's pics.

The Na 06 artists

images from Na blog

julia, i can't wait to see yours!

exploding third graders

having this sculpture in the art room has been an event in itself. today my thrid graders drew the sculpture after we discussed it for a while, complete with sound effects. i love the initial reactions when the elementary students first walk into the classroom. and this class seemed to really soak in the meaning of regeneration.

an explosion in the art room

paper-mache-ers hardly seem to notice the explosion near by.

Fighting self-focus

Hey I'm grateful for the new friendships i've gained from this little art show. and our dinner conversation on the porch was helpful. Julia and Bill, we were discussing the temptations we're expecting to come at Na. as we starting listing specific ugly thoughts, there seemed to be a common theme: Self-focus. especially in our thoughts. that lead to words and actions.

well i'm seeing the need to take action sooner than later. this morning i picked up Piper's Future Grace. Basically, he argues that all sins come from unbelief that God is more satisfying. here's some quotes from chapter 6 that are helping me to think through this:

From CS Lewis, "The pleasure of pride is like the pleasure of scratching. If there is an itch one does want to scratch; but it is much nicer to have neither itch nor the scratch. As long as we have the itch of self-regard we shall want the pleasure of self-approval; but the happiest moments are those when we forget our precious selves and have neither but have everything else (God, our fellow humans, animals, the garden and the sky) instead."

Consider artistic gifting too, with wisdom: "When we boast in our wisdom we have turned from God to trust in ourselves. We disclose that our satisfaction is not first in God's infinate, primary wisdom, but in out derivative, secondary capacities." p89

he discusses Jer.9:23 and wisdom, might and riches: "Each one lures us away from trusting God as the superior satisfaction above them all. It is radically humbling to confess that the source of all our joy resides outside ourselves." p88

(!) okay! that give me something to put on: confessing that all my joy resides outside of myself and that no amount of recognition or glorifying me will satify me. no! i find a much deeper joy in the One who deserves the Glory. magifying him is much more satisfying.

Conversation series

Hey Philly people. lol
Who has the conversation series? I say we bring that down as well. I think it was a fun a very successful project and should be in the show. can we also have these for friday morning?
Thanks
Rob

Friday ART PICKUP

Hey all,
Here is the final final details. This Friday - 5/12 - at 1301 Cherry Street - PAFA will be loading all the work into the van. My goal is to be there for 9 - 9:30am. Please have art work ready for that time, and remember to bring plenty of papers, bubble tape, blankets and etc to wrap and protect your artork, for a bumpy 3 hour drive to maryland. Any questions, please call me at 609-238-7983.

Also, better to address the issue now than later, but we have to figure out how to get the artwork BACK from Louisville. I believe Connie said that they could bring it back to Maryland, but that we would need to transport it from Maryland to Philly. IT seems like the best solution, would be the same: rent a truck and deliver work to one spot.
Rob