LOL!
Stiletto Army....she is wielding the sword in Sassy shoes.
http://www.stilettoarmy1.blogspot.com
Now that's what I call creative and high spirited. She sort of fits with my previous sentiments in my blog. I could use a pair of red patton leather stilettos like that as I weild my paintbrush and exclaim Aaaaeeeeiiiiieeee! Hey, I think I have a pair that I could dust off and whip out in my closet mess somewhere in my pile of many shoes.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
High Spiritedness, Disregarding Public Opinion, Cajuns and Van Gogh
When I think high spirited......I think Doug Kershaw, Jo-El Sonnier, and Jimmy C Newman ! LOL!
Mistakes.....I don't see no mistakes !
Painting is a faith, and it imposes the duty to disregard public opinion.
Vincent Van Gogh
Let's see........ I think I shall paint with the similar height of gusto that Doug, Jo-El, and Jimmy sing. What if Doug worried about what people thought and was wimpy with his Aaaaeeeeiiiiieeeeee? Then he wouldn't be Doug would he? And the world would be deprived. I shall exclaim Aaaaeeeeiiiieeeeeee as I pick up my paintbrush from now on to set the 'mood'.
I dedicate this to my husband Dan, who took a chance on Sunday, put his photography up for sale, and immediately got a bite by someone who LOVED his St. Louis Cathedral photo and the buyer said 'name the price.!' I am soooooo proud of my man ! His work is so awesome !
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thankyou Holy Ground Bookstore
I found an interesting book in our church bookstore "A Wounded Innocence, Sketches for a Theology of Art, by Alejandro R. Garcia - Rivera. I will post some inspiring quotes from the text here whenever I can. Let me say it again...thankyou !
I'm going to use my experience as an artist who is a catholic to draw out the 'meat' of this book. Where's the beef ? ;-)
Quote 1, more to be added later.....
From the Introduction viii - "Living theology" has its home in symbols, images, and songs. Theology lives in the music, imagery, and cultural symbols of those who must live out that which "textbook theology" attempts to understand. At this point, I do not want to be misunderstood. I am not disparaging textbook theology. I am simply saying it is insufficient in the study of a living faith. Let me make an analogy using an example from my freshment biology days. Dissecting the cadavar of a frog gives me some understanding of a frog but this understanding is insufficient to understand a living frog. Textbook theology dissects while living theology appreciates. Textbook theology provides understanding of the parts; living theology helps us appreciate the whole.
From the introduction ix "Textbook aesthetics" tends to dissect the beautiful, much like textbook theology tends to dissect the faith of a living community. Textbook aesthetics isolated the beautiful in museums away from the living currents of society. More disturbing to me, it appeared that textbook aesthetics ignored or, worse, dismissed the theological dimension of beauty altogether. If textbook theology ignored the aesthetic dimension, then textbook aesthetics ignored the theological dimension. It began to dawn on my that perhaps there exists a "living aesthetics" similar to a "living theology."
From the Introduction x "....I also hope this book gives encouragement to artists to produce works for the Church. The Church badly needs you. I hope that you will see in this work a heartfelt invitation to work together, theologians and artists, in mutual support towards the exploration of the depths of the human soul and the glory of the Lord. Fourth, I believe that taking the visual arts seriously may help advance the resolution of some knotty doctrinal questions such as the doctrine of justification. Various euchemenical dialoges have shown how pivotal linguistic misunderstandings have been in bitter doctrinal conflicts. There is a dimension of art, however that articulates doctrinal insight in a way language cannot.
Introduction xi - A theological method proper to a theology of art thends toward SYNTHESIS, putting things together, rather than ANALYSIS, taking things apart. A theology of art ought to understand the WHOLE rather than the parts.
Art after all, does not take place in some isolated place away from the ordinary cares of the world but in the midst of the garden of good and evil.
A wounded innocence is not a construction, but names a mystery. Mystery invites the spiral approach rather than the linear, and a wounded innocence is, ultimately, a pround human mystery. Mystery, however, does not imply a lack of knowledge nor does one attempt to understand a mystery without dicipline and rigor. A synthetic approach to mystery does not mean an undisciplined approach. Indeed, artists may well be more diciplined and rigorous than mathematicians.
Reviews:
What is the theological significance of art? Why has the Church always encouraged the arts? What is so profoundly human about the arts? In A Wounded Innocence Alejandro R. García-Rivera answers these questions in a series of "sketches" that are mixed spiritual and theological reflections on various works of art written in a poetic style. These reflections explore the relationship between the multi-dimensional spiritual and the arts.
The first “sketch,” “The Beginning of Art,” introduces the rest that go on to explore further the human, artistic, and theological implications of a wounded innocence. Each “sketch” reflects on a particular human work of art. Some are conventional works of art. Others may never find their way into a museum but, then, that is one of the implications coming out of this book. A museum does not define what a work of art is, its human depth does. In these deeply studied yet spiritually written reflections on each work of art, it is hoped that the reader will find his and her own creative depth described, perhaps even revealed.
A Wounded Innocence is both inspiring and informative. Readers will learn about art, spirituality, and theology, and will find themselves inspired to look at works of art, and even to produce a work of art. It sets a new way of doing theology that is at the same time spiritual. More importantly, García-Rivera describes a theology of art.
Chapters are “The Beginning of Art,” “The End of Art,” “Human Freedom and Artistic Creativity,” “Heaven-with-Us,” “The Human Aspect of Atonement,” “The Tyger and the Lamb,” and “A Wounded Innocence.” Includes black and white art.
Alejandro R. García-Rivera, Ph.D., is associate professor of systematic theology at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. The author of numerous articles, he also wrote a Catholic Press Association award-winning book on theology and aesthetics titled The Community of the Beautiful (The Liturgical Press).
"The great value of this book is the way its author . . . brings together such diverse pieces. . . . This book reflects wide reading, deep humanity, and enthusiasm." -Theology Today
"The book's clear, illustrative language as well as the range of topics and perspectives offered makes it suitable for students, professional theologians, artists, ministers and the interested lay reader . . . García-Rivera creates a hospitable environment through which the reader can apply his or her own experience of faith, art and the created world. . . . By offering his thoughts on humanity’s relationship to beauty, García-Rivera has produced a courageous and timely theological experiment that takes Christian images seriously. It is a valuable resource for anyone working to integrate his or her spiritual theology with imaginative prayer and the pursuit of art." -New Theology Review
"Anyone who aspires to be a wounded healer would profit from a reading of A Wounded Innocence." - Robert Brusic, Luther Seminary, Word & World
"A Wounded Innocence is breath-taking in the range of works of art it covers. . . . The author displays an awe-inspiring grasp of church history, contemporary theology and art history." -Art and Christianity
"Alejandro García-Rivera is more systematic than most theologians because he includes unifying appreciation of imagery and symbols in the living system of a whole faith as well as analysis of textual parts which preoccupy and divide many theologies. His approach promises insightful reconciliation by viewing art works like the Vietnam Memorial while attending to the aesthetics of doctrines like justification rather than by arguing from previous linguistic misunderstandings which separate Christians. His theology of art invites confessing, forgiving, and living with wounded innocence as creative presence in mystery more than memory."
-Doug Adams, Professor of Christianity and Arts, Pacific School of Religion and Graduate Theological Union
I'm going to use my experience as an artist who is a catholic to draw out the 'meat' of this book. Where's the beef ? ;-)
Quote 1, more to be added later.....
From the Introduction viii - "Living theology" has its home in symbols, images, and songs. Theology lives in the music, imagery, and cultural symbols of those who must live out that which "textbook theology" attempts to understand. At this point, I do not want to be misunderstood. I am not disparaging textbook theology. I am simply saying it is insufficient in the study of a living faith. Let me make an analogy using an example from my freshment biology days. Dissecting the cadavar of a frog gives me some understanding of a frog but this understanding is insufficient to understand a living frog. Textbook theology dissects while living theology appreciates. Textbook theology provides understanding of the parts; living theology helps us appreciate the whole.
From the introduction ix "Textbook aesthetics" tends to dissect the beautiful, much like textbook theology tends to dissect the faith of a living community. Textbook aesthetics isolated the beautiful in museums away from the living currents of society. More disturbing to me, it appeared that textbook aesthetics ignored or, worse, dismissed the theological dimension of beauty altogether. If textbook theology ignored the aesthetic dimension, then textbook aesthetics ignored the theological dimension. It began to dawn on my that perhaps there exists a "living aesthetics" similar to a "living theology."
From the Introduction x "....I also hope this book gives encouragement to artists to produce works for the Church. The Church badly needs you. I hope that you will see in this work a heartfelt invitation to work together, theologians and artists, in mutual support towards the exploration of the depths of the human soul and the glory of the Lord. Fourth, I believe that taking the visual arts seriously may help advance the resolution of some knotty doctrinal questions such as the doctrine of justification. Various euchemenical dialoges have shown how pivotal linguistic misunderstandings have been in bitter doctrinal conflicts. There is a dimension of art, however that articulates doctrinal insight in a way language cannot.
Introduction xi - A theological method proper to a theology of art thends toward SYNTHESIS, putting things together, rather than ANALYSIS, taking things apart. A theology of art ought to understand the WHOLE rather than the parts.
Art after all, does not take place in some isolated place away from the ordinary cares of the world but in the midst of the garden of good and evil.
A wounded innocence is not a construction, but names a mystery. Mystery invites the spiral approach rather than the linear, and a wounded innocence is, ultimately, a pround human mystery. Mystery, however, does not imply a lack of knowledge nor does one attempt to understand a mystery without dicipline and rigor. A synthetic approach to mystery does not mean an undisciplined approach. Indeed, artists may well be more diciplined and rigorous than mathematicians.
Reviews:
What is the theological significance of art? Why has the Church always encouraged the arts? What is so profoundly human about the arts? In A Wounded Innocence Alejandro R. García-Rivera answers these questions in a series of "sketches" that are mixed spiritual and theological reflections on various works of art written in a poetic style. These reflections explore the relationship between the multi-dimensional spiritual and the arts.
The first “sketch,” “The Beginning of Art,” introduces the rest that go on to explore further the human, artistic, and theological implications of a wounded innocence. Each “sketch” reflects on a particular human work of art. Some are conventional works of art. Others may never find their way into a museum but, then, that is one of the implications coming out of this book. A museum does not define what a work of art is, its human depth does. In these deeply studied yet spiritually written reflections on each work of art, it is hoped that the reader will find his and her own creative depth described, perhaps even revealed.
A Wounded Innocence is both inspiring and informative. Readers will learn about art, spirituality, and theology, and will find themselves inspired to look at works of art, and even to produce a work of art. It sets a new way of doing theology that is at the same time spiritual. More importantly, García-Rivera describes a theology of art.
Chapters are “The Beginning of Art,” “The End of Art,” “Human Freedom and Artistic Creativity,” “Heaven-with-Us,” “The Human Aspect of Atonement,” “The Tyger and the Lamb,” and “A Wounded Innocence.” Includes black and white art.
Alejandro R. García-Rivera, Ph.D., is associate professor of systematic theology at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. The author of numerous articles, he also wrote a Catholic Press Association award-winning book on theology and aesthetics titled The Community of the Beautiful (The Liturgical Press).
"The great value of this book is the way its author . . . brings together such diverse pieces. . . . This book reflects wide reading, deep humanity, and enthusiasm." -Theology Today
"The book's clear, illustrative language as well as the range of topics and perspectives offered makes it suitable for students, professional theologians, artists, ministers and the interested lay reader . . . García-Rivera creates a hospitable environment through which the reader can apply his or her own experience of faith, art and the created world. . . . By offering his thoughts on humanity’s relationship to beauty, García-Rivera has produced a courageous and timely theological experiment that takes Christian images seriously. It is a valuable resource for anyone working to integrate his or her spiritual theology with imaginative prayer and the pursuit of art." -New Theology Review
"Anyone who aspires to be a wounded healer would profit from a reading of A Wounded Innocence." - Robert Brusic, Luther Seminary, Word & World
"A Wounded Innocence is breath-taking in the range of works of art it covers. . . . The author displays an awe-inspiring grasp of church history, contemporary theology and art history." -Art and Christianity
"Alejandro García-Rivera is more systematic than most theologians because he includes unifying appreciation of imagery and symbols in the living system of a whole faith as well as analysis of textual parts which preoccupy and divide many theologies. His approach promises insightful reconciliation by viewing art works like the Vietnam Memorial while attending to the aesthetics of doctrines like justification rather than by arguing from previous linguistic misunderstandings which separate Christians. His theology of art invites confessing, forgiving, and living with wounded innocence as creative presence in mystery more than memory."
-Doug Adams, Professor of Christianity and Arts, Pacific School of Religion and Graduate Theological Union
Copied and pasted from my MYSPACE blog....
Yesterday I was sick as a dog with the flu....so I didn't do diddly squat. The kids undid all of my hard work I did cleaning the house, and I was too tired and sick to do anything about it. Austin and Cameron had cathecism from 11:15 to 12:45, and so Dan and I decided when we picked them up to go grab some Schlotsky's and we all go eat it at the park. The weather was beautiful...not a cloud in the sky, low humidity, and so we had our picnic and then Dan took the boys over to the jungle gym so I could relax alone and I laid on the blanket. There was a mexican man and his kids in a big giant humongous rainbow striped hammock in the trees next to me swinging his kids and singing lullaby type songs to them in Spanish, and that was it......it completely did me in........I was out like a light. I'm sure I was probably snoring as I do when I'm deep in sleep, and so I hope no one walked by and heard me. I was sprawled out when Dan came with the boys and woke me up. It was nice to sleep in the sun when I was having the chills. I feel much better today, but now Zachary has it and has been whining and crying all morning. I have some good pictures Dan took of the boys, but I cannot upload them immediately to myspace because it won't accept the file type or size. So, I have to modify each picture in order to upload anything, and that is a pain in the rear, and I have too much house cleaning to do to get caught up where I was before. (It's like shoveling snow in a snow storm....it never ends.....one little virus bug, and I'm back to square one every time.)
Here is the one picture that I modified to upload. I'll do the rest later....maybe.....I have all these promises to upload pics later from our experiences, but I hate modifying them. So time consuming. I really don't have a huge club foot it is just the perspective in which it was taken.
Friday, September 26, 2008
New cage and bird
Yesterday my husband Dan worked from home....it's so nice that they let him do that now sometimes. Anyway, we were able to go to lunch without the kids because my youngest started preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We went to Bistro le Cep for the first time because it is just not a kid friendly restaurant. The food was great.
Then we picked up our youngest from preschool and went to the pet store and bought a big huge black wrought iron bird cage on a stand because the one we had for our two parakeets was too small and we wanted them to be able to fly.
We saw a bright solid yellow parakeet in the midst of the blue and greet parakeets and it was so pretty that we had to get it. It was three times the price of the other parakeets because it is rare. We named it Chiquita because it looks like a banana. My two older boys were surprised when I brought them home from school.
Last night we took turns letting the boys hold the parakeet. The other two are too wild to be held. This one behaved very well. The other two birds names are Sprite (green and yellow) and Sky (blue and white). Sprite and Sky are not being very nice to Chiquita.
The boys keep calling Chiquita "Kachita" kind of like they say Pisketti instead of Spaghetti. It's funny. We keep correcting them and saying CHIQUITA CHIQUITA. Finally, I said, "Just call her Chi Chi" if you can't say it. LOL!
I hope it is indeed a 'she'. If it's a boy we could end up being parakeet breeders because Sprite and Sky are girls.
I will post pictures later. I came down with the flu today and don't feel well.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The Frustration !
Ahem......... The letter that both inspires and disturbs me to no end. SIGH
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_23041999_artists_en.html
At first this letter to artists inspired me so much, but now.......all I experience is.....frustration. How do I put that profound redemption of the universe into images ? I sort of feel as if I was better off before the letter because maybe naturally and effortlessly something was coming through into my art, but now 'the pressure is on'.
And I am having to scramble to find books on the subject on the christian arts, and read the advice the other artists have to say, and I'm just getting more frustrated. Maybe I should 'just paint' and let whatever comes out evolve and stop pushing myself so hard to reach this profound epiphinous goal.
My art is not really that 'religious' per say. I like to just portray the ordinary every day things in our lives and I like to explore my subconscious and I work out my emotions and feelings in my art which are scattered all over the place.... I have a lot of restless creative energy and must always be working with my hands... My mind is constantly bombarded with images and ideas and I have sketch books full waiting for me to paint....hardly any of the pictures are 'religious' or give off any sort of obvious epiphany, and I am just this restless clueless seeking artists trying to find my place in both christianity and in culture....which I feel sort of trapped in between the worlds as of now.
Also, I grapple between introvertedness and extrovertedness. I love people and need their feedback on my art and I love to connect to them and inspire them, and yet I want to be left alone with my creative thoughts, ideas, and creations.....but then I get carried away in this creativity and start missing the people I withdraw from in order to be able to practice my craft. I do not do well painting around people so this requires a lot of solitude. But I get lonely while I am painting. How can I show redemption in my artwork when I have not yet reconciled what the heck I am doing ? I'm not going to lie and pretend I have some profound statement in my art. I just NEED to do it. It's something that has driven me since I was a little tiny girl. I cannot NOT paint and draw.
Why does it need to be so serious ? Why can't my vocation in the arts just be 'childlike play and expression with BEING in the moment as the focus ... spontaneous light play like I did as a child?'
That's what I was doing before "The Letter to Artists". Who am I to be able to portray redemption of all of creation ? I don't know how to portray that. I do however know how to have fun painting and not thinking too deeply about it but letting in relax my overly uptight nerves that this world stresses out. I cannot even turn on the news it upsets me so bad.
I have a heart condition and creating art slows my heartbeat down and calms my anxiety and slows my breathing. I have ADHD that makes it hard for me to sit still and not be moving or doing something with my hands. I don't want to be anxious about what I'm creating and it's profound meaning in the big scheme of things. I just want to create and whatever I create I create, profound meaning or not. Much of my art has about as much profound meaning as a cup of Starbucks coffee. Note that I love to paint steaming coffee cups and silly willy cats.
Please don't put so much pressure on little old me. One of the first mistakes of art is to think it's profoundly serious. That causes my inner critic to freeze me up to where I cannot create at all. I, however, am touched....that this is considered something of an important purpose and that I am 'needed' in this area ?????
Guidance....anyone ?????
Friday, September 5, 2008
QUIET !!!!!!!
I'm thinking about deleting all of the blogs with words on this site, and just have a wordless blog with only art images. I just feel highly annoyed with words and how they can be mistakenly constrewed so easily. Or even when they are good words, they seem to still rattle and clang and clank like a ball and chains on a ghost in the attic that just won't shut up , like your dear loquacious mother who is well meaning, but after about ten minutes it's going nowhere fast because you already know this stuff and just want the advice to stop, and now it is just disrespectful after the people that you really do dearly love do not respect your quiet time and must fill every second of it with talk, talk, talk, talk, talk ! I prefer silence. Maybe I should have been a Quaker. SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, do you hear that ? No you don't, that's why I like it ! ;-)
Too many words...........too many words..........too many words........this page has too many words. They are drowning out the art. Help me, help me, please release me, LET ME GO... the art desperately pleads!
In silence man can most readily preserve his integrity. ~Meister Eckhart
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