(Source)
art
Art and Religion
Art is man joining in with God’s beautiful and pointless act of creation. It is sheer gratuity. It is utterly free and frivolous. And in this frivolity, the artist rejoices and glorifies the Creator present within, whether or not the artist knows this. He joins with God in creating the universe out of himself. Therefore art is always essentially religious, even when not explicitly so, and even without the artist’s knowledge.
And to receive a work of art, is to be drawn into this new revelation/manifestation/apocalypse of the artist and of God Himself. We see something truly new, something that cannot be seen and cannot be unseen. If we allow it, we will be drawn into the artwork and so into God.
Art has no function, and if it is for the sake of function, it is not art. It is not there to do a job, to make a point, or to communicate a message. It is pure, frivolous, creation and expression. It is inside, waiting, desiring to come out and be born. It is a child, not a robot. It is the child born of the promise and of grace, not the child of slavery and the law.
When art falls away from this calling, it is no longer art, and will become something boring and all too often ugly. And our souls will be smaller, less bright, and less open as a result.
I feel this has happened within our culture and in the Church too, in our architecture, our music, our artworks, and even our liturgies. There is far too much that reeks of our own ideas and aims, rather than the inspiration and pointless beauty of true art/worship.
What is the solution? Adore God. And if He inspires you to some art, however amateur or fine, do it, and do it for its own sake.
God bless you!
Crucifixion
Simon Bisley
Garden- Fr Tansi, CFR
I’ve recently found my new favourite Christian musician, Fr Tansi, CFR. I bought his album recently, and just absolutely love it. It’s some of the most prayerful music I’ve ever heard. You can find his music, and how to buy it yourself, here.
God bless you!
Madonna
Mother of Light
[I’ve decided to start sharing some art on here. I think we undervalue and underutilise beauty today, and need to reverse that immediately]
‘Truly I have set my soul
in silence and peace.
A child on its mother’s breast,
even so is my soul.’
(Ps 130:2)
God bless you!
The painting is called, Mother of Light, and it’s from http://www.artofamaryknollsister.com/Details.asp?ProdID=628&category=2 (but I found it through pinterest).
Much needed beauty
I just needed something beautiful, and I found this, and thought I’d share it in case anyone else needs the same. I wonder if beauty is always restful… Right now, I don’t very much care
God bless you
Christmas drawings
Merry Christmas.
I drew these pictures before Christmas last year. It started as just drawing at the top of my work, and became a project of drawing, bit by bit, the whole nativity at the top of my work, whenever the work wasn’t so crucial. I got pretty serious about it as it went on, and was a bit scared I would ruin the final scene.
After a few, I realised that my drawings, as poor and simple as they are, were functioning as worship, meditation, and evangelism. I worshipped through them, as I depicted my great God, and the working of His great plan. To draw, and after each drawing, I meditated upon the scene. And they were a basic evangelization, as friends could see the story unfold, and I asked for their artistic input.
I think I like them far more than anyone else, because of the process.
God bless you, merry Christmas, and have a happy new year.
As A Little Child 