Art & Drawing

'shorn of any faith in God, the arts have become imbued with the qualities of a secularised religion. The only immortality anyone believes in now is the immortality of the artist, whose soul is encapsulated in his works for all eternity.' - Will Self

Tomorrow is the first of a new monthly drawing meeting, I'm running. It is a 'drop in' style at Cornerstone church office premises in Kingston.

I've been looking online- revisiting the advice of my Art foundation tutor (I learnt from him over ten years ago). I found some refreshing and good advice to approach drawing with a new sense of adventure. However, before embarking on this new drawing activity I am happy to remind myself and be ready to remind others that drawn artwork is not the immortal treasure we often deceive ourselves into believing it is, with our investments of time and money to go to see masterpieces, or preferring quiet Art galleries to lively church meetings. It is good to be skilled and work hard to draw well as drawing is a skill and a gift from God. But to many in these times, Art in itself can become a God.

Perfect

Billy Corgan sang a song entitled 'Perfect' on the Smashing Pumpkins 1998 album Adore… in this picture (that I have hand- drawn copies of, numerous times in the past) from one of the singles on the album, he looks to me to be an angel-like image (but phoney) of perfection, a bit like Sinead O Connor in 'Nothing Compares' video.

These past few days I have felt a heightened awareness of other peoples expectations of perfection in the people and spaces around them. And the negative feelings this produces (in me!).

So in turn I've become more aware of how I also follow this pattern, in projecting my own ideas of perfection onto others and myself.

Anthea Turner 'The Perfect Housewife'.

In Cornerstone Church, Kingston that I am part of, the teaching repeatedly emphasises the importance of understanding grace - admitting that we cannot achieve perfection in our own power, from our own efforts. This is in contrast to previous churches I've been in, where the emphasis would be 'what am I doing for God?'. I'm not criticising the latter teaching as it was presented in the context of the believer receiving Gods grace, then being encouraged to follow up with action, not being lazy about their personal commitment to follow Jesus.

But it is true that as Christians we do need to be repeatedly hammered and commit to being personally conscious of the gospel of grace, that nothing we do on this earth will ever earn us a place in the eternal perfection of being with Father God in heaven, a place of no imperfection. It is a free gift from God to you when you admit your sin to him and ask Him to rescue you.

"To all perfection I see a limit but your commands are boundless" - The Bible, Psalm 119:96.

Jesus and the Sabbath

I designed this graphic for a current series of sermons in Cornerstone church.

September Pictures

The Map I'm working on.

Grasshead, from the workshop last weekend.

Grassheads, Map

Two creative projects this week!

I've taken Monday afternoon off work to spend all afternoon and evening creating a beautiful map of Kingston for September freshers to be given at the Cornerstone stall in Freshers week. I need to be 'fresh' and friendly about this.

Grassheads workshop on Sunday afternoon. I am drafting an email appealing for ladies used tights! Maybe my boss will donate unwanted elastic bands that the postman leaves on post bundles. This will be very exciting if I plan it right. The possibilities are endless. Stop motion animation of grass head hair growing anyone?

Reading

I'm currently reading a fat book called 'The Way We Live Now' by Anthony Trollope, set in 1870s London. I recognise some of the posh road names from customer references at work. My job is in an office providing curtain poles to mainly London based Interior Design Companies.

I'm now on page 552 and am very proud of this.

Why? The honest answer, to impress my Dad, or at least have something to talk to him about. When I told him last year I had read a Jane Austen book 'Persuasion' he said to try some Trollope. Its an opportune time, now that I live in New Malden without a television or boyfriend.

It has been a labour of love but at 75% of the way through the book it has started to become more interesting and I feel able to enjoy reflecting on the meaning of the characters and to try to work out what the author is trying to say. I am now eager to discover the authors conclusions on who should end up marrying who, who will be wealthy at the end and if there will be a sense of justice.

Anyway, back to my Dad.

He is one of the most amazing, humble and intelligent people I know. He has written many small plays and in February (19th, 20th and 21st), two of them will be on show at the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, acted by TADS (Tewkesbury Arts and Drama Society). I think he is also acting in both. I cannot wait to go as I saw one of the plays in October last year and it was cracking, and expertly directed by TADS member Oonagh Hughes. I have read the other one 'Committtee Meeting' and it will be interesting to see it on the boards.

http://www.rosestheatre.org/live/tads.aspx

So I wanted to show him that I respect his opinion enough to read the whole of this blooming book. As he is getting on in years I thought it would be a good idea to create more connections. It turns out he hasn't read this one though, but I intend to have finished it by February when I'll pass it on to him.

Vote for me! Vote Vote Vote!

http://enterthepitch.com/1287106671.pitch

I hope to put images of the storyboard onto this blogspot.