PIECE #1 - LET THERE BE...

Title :  "Let There Be..."

Date :  05/31/11

Materials:  Acrylic, Polyester Thread, Coated Wire

Description:
This piece was inspired by God's act of creation, both in the universal sense and the personal sense.  Something is born into lack.  Be it light, sky, seas or life itself; an idea, a conviction or even a desire, all are created to fill a void.  It is when we leave the act of creation up to God, that we see such expanses filled to the zenith of their potential.

"Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep."

    - Genesis 1:2 (NIV)

In this piece the emptiness, or lack, is represented by black threads.  The dynamism of these threads portrays the formlessness of the lack.  It calls out for structure, calls out for purpose, but when such a call is answered, there is resistance.  The very newness of creation causes unrest.  It is not of the authority of the lack however, to deem the commencement or even the identity of the creation.  That power belongs to God, the Creator.  Upon the onset of creation, the lack is overcome, it recoils and dies.

The white circles represent the epicenter of the creation.  Power radiating outward from a single and eternal source; pushing through the emptiness, all the while consuming it, allowing the creation to trump the lack.

The white threaded form represents the creation itself.  Organic and dynamic, it represents everything God-breathed.  Still in its embryonic stage, the form is destined to grow into indentity.  Though currently unrecognizable by human eyes, it still bears the same material as its creator.

Side note:

In order to create the white form in the center of the piece, I created a nifty little device to help hold the thread in a grid pattern.  May I present to you...

The HairLoom*

Ba-Zing!

*patent pending (just kidding, Feds)

Thanks for the prayers! Keep 'em up, I'll need them!

GETCHA' PAINTBRUSH READY!

Tomorrow, I start my week's worth of art blocks for the Glory of God! 

For those of you who don't know, I have been working along side some amazing people the last two semesters.  Seriously,  getting to know these brothers and sisters in Christ (names will appear in later posts) has touched me deeply and impacted my life in ways I am just beginning to plumb.  I thank
God for placing me in such a wholesome and encouraging environment!

That being said, a few months before I started working with these guys, many of them embarked on a commitment to create a piece of artwork a day for 365 days; all for the GLORY OF GOD!  They would use a 6in x 6in wooden block as a platform for each piece.  Other than that, they had the freedom to express anything they wanted or felt led to.  It's amazing the disparity of styles and mediums I have seen come out of this project.  You could literally see the dynamics of a individuals' walk with God laid out before you in a grid of wood and media!

After working with these guys and seeing the amazing personal revelations provided through this process, I really became infatuated with this project.  Well, earlier this spring, I came to find out that guest artists are invited to participate by working on a few blocks of their own.  Needless to say, I was excited!  So, I grabbed a weeks worth and decided to work on them this summer.

In holding true to the nature of this project, I will be creating one block a day for seven days.  I am making a point to avoid any pre-planning.  I want each day to provide me with an opportunity to be lead by the Spirit, though I do have a few mediums and techniques I do want to try.  There will be one deviation though.  By having a pretty lax schedule this week, I will be avoiding the discipline of budgeting time.

There will be plenty of struggles to be had, however.  I have very little, to no experience with many traditional art forms and materials, so this will definitely provide frustration and, not to mention, humility.  It will also be safe to say that there will be many times were I simply will not want to work on a piece.  To help keep myself stay focused, I am fasting TV for the week as well, though there will be numerous other distractions that will vie for my attention.  I also predict some nasty cases of artist's block, though this can be useful in helping me discern the Spirit's influence from simple bouts of preferential theology.

At the end of each day, I will post the finished piece along with a statement about the meaning behind it.  I will also provide a few pictures and explanations about the process behind creating the work.  If you are still reading this post at this point, first of all, thank you for bearing with me, and secondly I hope you will find both enjoyment and meaning each piece.  Also, any prayers about diligence and reception would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you and God Bless.

(P.S.  If you'd like more information on the 365 project visit EvokeMinistires.org.

BABY'S FIRST PHOTO DEMO

The compression monster beat up these photos.  I'd suggest viewing them on my Smugmug or Flickr.  (Found in LINKS section)

So, lately I have been really getting interested in studio photography.  I really like the concept of being able to control every component of the picture.  Though I have just begun to dabble in art, I have come to really appreciate the amount of work and meticulousness involved in creating even just a simple product shot.

A while back, I came across an article explaining the method behind taking pictures of smoke in a studio environment.  I was intrigued, and after one failed attempt over winter break, I decided to revisit the challenge tonight.  I was very happy with the results!

(Interesting God note:  Over my last few photo sessions,  I have been learning to recognize the necessity of God's presence in order for any progress to be made.  Not just in the photography itself, but my attitude toward a passion such as this.  More thoughts on this to come in a later post.)

Anyway, here is a quick synopsis of the process:

First off, this is a super ghettofied version of a studio setup but it works for someone on a budget, though ease of use and flexibility are not exactly the names of the game.

I ended up rearranging some items in this photo.  See notes below.

1.  Baking Pans - used as reflectors.  (Note: pointed away from the backdrop)

2.  Black Backdrop

3.  White Diffuser - ended up being used as a white bounce in the same position.

4.  Canon EX II Speedlite w/ 10ft sync cord and partial snoot.  Ended up moving it in front of the diffuser and pointed it directly at subject with snoot still blocking spill onto background.

5.  Camera hooked up to computer for instant/accurate feedback.

6.  Candle.  (I'd suggest using incense for a more constant, cleaner stream of smoke.)

7.  Canon Digital XTi w/ 100mm Canon Macro EF.  Hoya UV Filter (safety precaution.) All on tripod.

8.  Towel - To prevent elements from sliding around.

Few Tips:
Shoot in a pitch black (or nearly black) room.  Use hand or other object to set correct focusing distance.  Switch to manual focus.  Use a remote release.  Have patience. 

P.S. - These smoke pics look pretty sweet with the colors inverted.
(CTRL+ALT+Command+8 for you Mac users.)

WELCOME BACK FRIENDS!

---

NOTE:

     (In order to quickly establish credibility as a blogger, I figure I should act like I've done it for a while.)

So....

Hey loyal, well established, and ample readers!  Sorry it's been so long!  Boy, blogging sure has changed over the years!  I remember when blogs were nothing more than diaries that happen to be left at bus stops and laundry mats.  Times, they are a-changin'!

Anyway,  I want to let you guys know about my recent and long overdue reunion with my two bestest buddies, Kyle Paxton and Jake Roberts!  I'm pretty sure it has been over two years since the three of us have even been in the same city at one time.  Needless to say, I was ecstatic!  Oh, and this meeting happen to be at one of our favorite places on earth, the beach!  (Romantic I know!  Another couple had the same sentiments.) 

[Dear mystery couple] 

     If you happen to stumble across this, congrats on your engagement!  I hope we didn't spoil the moment.

Back to these guys:

I thank GOD for these men!  They have been nothing but a blessing in my life!  These two have been paramount in creating an environment in which I can see GOD at work and openly discuss the trials and joys of pursuing a life centered on Christ.

To keep from starting a trend of long-windedness right off the bat, I will refrain, for the moment, from diving into how much these guys have impacted my life.  However, I will be sprinkling Kyle and Jake themed anecdotes and shouts of thanksgiving and praise throughout the duration of this blog.