How God Uses Paintings “God’s Love on my Wall”

I am honored to host this guest post from friend and author Teasi Cannon. Not only do I treasure her insight, I am humbled by how God used my work to speak to His awesome daughter.

What looks like three paintings on my living room wall to others is actually a tangible

representation of God’s goodness and love to me. From the moment I saw Deborah’s painting, “Wild Flowers,” I knew it needed to be in my home. In combination with “Precious Poppies” and “Water Garden,” this arrangement blesses me each and every day in ways that are hard to describe. The first time I saw them together, I actually cried, and it was hard to look at them for long for fear that I would be a blubbering mess. I think it’s because as I looked at all the beautiful colors – colors that seemed to bounce off the canvas as they reflected the sunlight coming into the room – I felt God’s immense pleasure. I felt His goodness in a way that my soul needed more than I knew. I could almost hear Him laugh with delight at my joy.

There are many colors in the paintings, but the ones that stood out to me at first were happy…light…pinks and blues and greens…colors of goodness. As one who thinks too deeply about nearly everything, these paintings are a daily reminder to me that there is beauty all around, and that God desires for me to enjoy Him along the way…to stop and smell the flowers (or admire them on my wall ).

The paintings have been on my wall for a few weeks now, but still…when I stop to look at them and really take them in, I cry. Even sitting here thinking about them I tear up. I don’t totally understand yet why I respond this way, but I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m undone by the sweetness of my Heavenly Father and His gentle, kind, beautiful love for me – and the knowing that He sees me as His sweet and worthy girl.

Teasi Cannon’s blog is a fresh look at the condition of our hearts, thoughts, and how we live life.  Her authentic take on life as a real person in love with a real God is refreshing and uplifting.  Her book “My Big Bottom Blessing” has changed lives across the country.  From the back cover: “Loving the girl in the mirror isn’t about changing how you LOOK but allowing God to change how you SEE.”  Teasi is a sought-after speaker who loves to help women remember who they are in Christ.  Visit her website at www.teasicannon.com

Say What?

“Coming to Life” 36×48

Recently I have read a number of articles and blogs that suggest that practice of technique is more important than talent.  In fact some have gone so far as to say that there is really no such thing as talent.  Putting in the hours, they say,  is what matters.  Say what?  I must object!  Being a colorist, I know that there are elements of my painting style that cannot be taught or explained.  It is an innate sense of what to do next, which colors to use, and how to manipulate them to enhance rather than detract from the overall composition.  Comments from other accomplished artists “Your use of color is amazing.”  “I don’t know how you can put those colors together and keep a harmonious and peaceful painting.”  “You have a fearless us of color that is admirable.” confirm my opinion.  

My personal testimony lies in the music world.  I studied piano for 10 years;  by the time I was looking at colleges my instructor encouraged me to pursue piano on the college level with the goal of becoming a concert pianist.  I enjoyed playing piano.  I did it well.  But I could never sit at the keys and create a piece of music which by the way frustrated me to no end because I longed for creative expression from my soul.  So I opted instead for another line of study that ultimately led me to the visual arts.  That longing for expression has been fulfilled now for years. 

Combine an innate longing to create with recognition that (even as an experienced teacher) there are techniques, styles, and colors I use that cannot be taught and I find myself firmly planted on the side that says there IS such a thing as God given talent.  That said, I also will be the first to say that every talented musician still needs to practice, every gifted painter still needs to paint regularly.  Both must study  if they are to progress in that talent.  But to say that practice, no matter how many hours, weeks, or years, can replace being gifted by the Divine?  Let’s just say I “strongly disagree.” 

What do you think?  Where do you land in the push/pull between talent and education?  I’d like to hear your thoughts. 

A Matter of Perspective

Memories, 48×48

“A good abstract should work from at least 3 sides”.  I heard this from a very accomplished abstract artist set up next to me at a show recently.  I know that; I paint that way; but I had never spoken it quite so definitively.  As my life has been on full tilt, as my career feels like it is a study of shifting sands, “Art imitates life” has smacked me full in the face.

As in, I can look at all of the changes I am dealing with and working through in a negative way, or I can take a new perspective and ensure a positive result with a positive  attitude.

-Because I didn’t sell well this year on my Florida circuit I have enough inventory to relax the painting schedule and take the time to write, build a marketing plan, and explore new distribution channels.

-Because there aren’t customers clamoring to get to the studio at 10 or 11 every day I can redefine my space from retail shop to artist studio and set new (more relaxed) hours which allow me to train for the half marathon without getting up at the crack of dawn.  Or sit here at the coffee shop to write my blog.  Or close early to enjoy time with my son from out of town who is in town for a visit.

-Because my studio is full, I have two complete bodies of work that I can present.  Relaxed from deadlines, I push the envelop of my own creative style and explore the next level of “What if?” with the painting currently on the easel.

Rotated, Memories takes on a landscape look

We all have the freedom to choose the perspective by which we look at things.  I am amazed at how we see the positive in others’ lives, but take the negative road in our own.  I see wisdom and strength in a friend’s face; she sees wrinkles.  I see a friend looking younger; she sees weight gain.  I see a woman’s hair as “silver fox” she sees it as old and gray.

As an abstract artist I am accomplished at looking at the world differently.  Emotion, color, line, texture, and composition jump out at me more than image, scene, location, or place.  I am enamored by the beauty behind and under the obvious.  “Life imitates art.”  We would all benefit if we started looking for the beauty that underlies the shifts in life. “Life imitates art.”  It is the highlights and lowlights that add dimension to a painting and to life.  Looking at life as an abstract painting.  Sounds like a great perspective to embrace.

Rotated again, Memories becomes an angel

All that Glitters…

In the ever constant quest for the “remarkable” (see Seth Godin’s book “Purple Cow”)  the need for wisdom and discernment increases.  Presented with new ideas, new products, and new applications the axiom “All that glitters is not gold”  has become an” ever present companion.  Instructors present artistic uses for household products (steel wool, joint tape and compound, sandpaper).  Product specialists present the latest and greatest in the line of art supplies (transfer paper, spun polyester paper, paints ready for sun printing).  It’s exciting and inspiring.

And confusing.  It is necessary to explore, but always with the question, “Does this fit in my wheelhouse?  My sweet spot?  My artistic voice?”   The purpose of exploration is to refine the search and be selective.

It’s not easy being selective.   It’s time consuming and sometimes frustrating.  It’s not popular to be selective.  The crowd will often run after the next shiny thing that comes along.  If I am to find my unique voice.  If I am to march to the beat of my own drum.  It is necessary however.  I must check and recheck that the glitter IS or IS NOT gold.

 

Catching the Beat

“She/he walks to the beat of a different drum.”  Throughout my years that phrase has meant a variety of things.  It stood for “She’s a little weird” in my youth.  As in doesn’t fit in, fit the mold, isn’t like us.  Later it became “He isn’t a team player.  Doesn’t do community well. Won’t join in.”  Years later I find that the phrase has morphed from a negative to a positive as I am more deeply ensconced in the art world.

I am working to catch the beat of my own drum.  Seeking that which sets me apart.  The thing about this quest is how difficult it can be to hear the sound and catch the beat of the drum that says “ME”.  The competition for my ear and heart is overwhelming.  Mundane tasks at hand derail my commitment to create.   The business of art distracts from the creating of art.

Even in the creative arena voices compete.  Do I follow the voice that reminds me of what is selling around me?  Do I listen when I hear myself speak of what images I paint that have sold well?  Do I incorporate some or all of the ideas explored at the workshop on Sunday?  Do I pursue ideas presented by colleagues, customers, friends and family?

I feel a little like the chick in P.D. Eastman’s book “Are you my Mother?”  asking every creative idea that passes through my brain, “Are you my drum?  Is this the beat I walk to?”  In the story, if the chick had simply stayed in the nest, he would have met his mother as she returned with his breakfast.   The moral of the story for me is to stay the creative course I am on ( currently in the middle of a large painting).

This is not a quest of the mind, but of the heart.  I cannot reason my beat into existence.  The only beat I need to listen to is the beat of my spirit and heart, confident that it will whisper “This is the way, walk in it” as I sit at my easel,  work at my table, or stare into space.  That requires quieting my mind and allowing my heart to speak.

It is a challenge worthy of my effort.

 

 

Pigment, Paper, and Point of View

Photo by Warren Lynn, Indianapolis, IN.

 

I love to watch Food Network Star.  It is a competition among accomplished cooks and chefs to win their own Food Network television show.  The contestants are thrown into numerous situations with varied themes and ingredients.  The challenge is always to create dishes which are then presented to the camera.  All with a short amount of time and all representing their “P.O.V.”.  P.O.V. stands for Point of View.  It is never too far from the producers minds as they judge the food and the presentation.

I am currently on a journey of discovery: to fine tune my own point of view.  In the visual art world we call it artistic voice, but the term point of view just seems more attainable to me right now.  How do I see the world?  How do I then interpret that to the canvas?  Where do I want to take my viewer?  All questions to be pondered along the way.

To further explore who I am artistically, I have purchased new materials and signed up for a couple of workshops outside my area of expertise.  Powdered pigment.  From a cement mixing company.  Interesting stuff.  Can’t wait to dig in, mix it with water, medium, paint, and see what unfolds.

Collage.  “Bring interesting decorative papers…”, the instructor writes.  Don’t have any!  So my exploration really begins before the workshop as I paint my own interesting paper.  Scraps of watercolor paper from a neighboring artist await in the studio stirring my creative juices.

The creative journey may simply be a vacation rather than a move.  I may not evolve into a mixed media artist.  I may come back to my acrylics and painting knife and be thrilled to be home.  Learning what I’m not is a valuable step in solidifying who I am.

Like the brilliant splash of red that a cardinal makes against the pine branches outside my porch, I want to  know what sets me apart.  Like his song that is distinctive and heard above air conditioners and passing traffic I am searching for the point of view that will be recognized as mine alone.  Meanwhile my creative energy is being recharged and I am enjoying my quest.  What have you done to find your artistic voice?  Please share.