Creative restorers...what a lifegiving way to think of our work as artists. Thank you for this. I will be thinking about this and how I can embody the concept in my own life and work.
You recommended Called to Create to me recently...I went and researched the author and got this book and another he wrote entitled "Master of One." I've not read Called yet, but I devoured Master of One as it really seemed to directly address areas I've struggled with, specifically: narrowing down creative pursuits and committing to one with the goal of becoming an expert. As a "multi passionate" artist this is something I've wrestled with for years. I'm a photographer...I'm a writer....I'm a perfumer...I'm a web designer...I'm a dollmaker...I'm a graphic designer...I'm a web designer...I'm an illustrator...Truth is, I've done all of these things, and some of them well, but none of them as well as I could if I eliminated many of the others and directed most of my creative resources to one or two.
Another author I greatly love, Alexander McConnell, wrote in his book "Small But Full": "You do well to let go of whatever is pulling you off your path and fix your eyes straight ahead. The joy that will bubble up in your heart will far outweigh any temporary grief or sense of loss."
I am trusting this and holding out hope that this is true. There actually has been a sense of grief or loss in letting go of certain expressions of creativity, but I want to devote more energy to becoming excellent at what is truly mine to embrace for the glory of God. In Master of One, Jordan Raynor suggests using experimentation to narrow down what seems to be natural, God-given talent and then moving forward from there. This is kind of where I am right now and I would appreciate your prayers, if you have a moment sometime.
There is a song that embodies what I long for my creative life to be. It's hard to put into words, but this song--lyrics, feeling, instruments, mood, everything--reveals presence and purpose and lament and longing and joy. The reason I mention it is that there is a cello player in the song who brings me to tears for the beauty of his craft as he contributes his part to the song. He has just his part but he clearly is a master artist. That kind of skill doesn't come overnight, and it makes me wonder what sacrifices he made along the course of his life to become that skilled at his musicianship. What other interests, dreams, and arts did he say no to in order to commit to becoming an excellent cellist? He has no idea that his gift moves a weary and longing mama to the point of tears streaming down her face.
My art is an instrument too, an instrument of worship, something of beauty. I would love to identify what precisely is mine to hold on to, devote myself to in service to God, and become excellent in for His glory and the blessing of others.
Brian, you and your ministry do this also! You are a wonderful example of this kind of focused, "boundaried" creativity that is powerful and lifegiving because you do not spread yourself so thin over a variety of pursuits that have nothing of substance left. I'm so thankful for the time you spend writing and creating, and for the wisdom you share.
Here is the song, by the way, if you're interested. It's the kind of song you put your headphones on and immerse yourself into. My favorite lyric of all time is in this song and I have been wanting to make art with it, but of course there is the question of copyright. But this song and these lyrics are my soul embodied:
Creative restorers...what a lifegiving way to think of our work as artists. Thank you for this. I will be thinking about this and how I can embody the concept in my own life and work.
You recommended Called to Create to me recently...I went and researched the author and got this book and another he wrote entitled "Master of One." I've not read Called yet, but I devoured Master of One as it really seemed to directly address areas I've struggled with, specifically: narrowing down creative pursuits and committing to one with the goal of becoming an expert. As a "multi passionate" artist this is something I've wrestled with for years. I'm a photographer...I'm a writer....I'm a perfumer...I'm a web designer...I'm a dollmaker...I'm a graphic designer...I'm a web designer...I'm an illustrator...Truth is, I've done all of these things, and some of them well, but none of them as well as I could if I eliminated many of the others and directed most of my creative resources to one or two.
Another author I greatly love, Alexander McConnell, wrote in his book "Small But Full": "You do well to let go of whatever is pulling you off your path and fix your eyes straight ahead. The joy that will bubble up in your heart will far outweigh any temporary grief or sense of loss."
I am trusting this and holding out hope that this is true. There actually has been a sense of grief or loss in letting go of certain expressions of creativity, but I want to devote more energy to becoming excellent at what is truly mine to embrace for the glory of God. In Master of One, Jordan Raynor suggests using experimentation to narrow down what seems to be natural, God-given talent and then moving forward from there. This is kind of where I am right now and I would appreciate your prayers, if you have a moment sometime.
There is a song that embodies what I long for my creative life to be. It's hard to put into words, but this song--lyrics, feeling, instruments, mood, everything--reveals presence and purpose and lament and longing and joy. The reason I mention it is that there is a cello player in the song who brings me to tears for the beauty of his craft as he contributes his part to the song. He has just his part but he clearly is a master artist. That kind of skill doesn't come overnight, and it makes me wonder what sacrifices he made along the course of his life to become that skilled at his musicianship. What other interests, dreams, and arts did he say no to in order to commit to becoming an excellent cellist? He has no idea that his gift moves a weary and longing mama to the point of tears streaming down her face.
My art is an instrument too, an instrument of worship, something of beauty. I would love to identify what precisely is mine to hold on to, devote myself to in service to God, and become excellent in for His glory and the blessing of others.
Brian, you and your ministry do this also! You are a wonderful example of this kind of focused, "boundaried" creativity that is powerful and lifegiving because you do not spread yourself so thin over a variety of pursuits that have nothing of substance left. I'm so thankful for the time you spend writing and creating, and for the wisdom you share.
Here is the song, by the way, if you're interested. It's the kind of song you put your headphones on and immerse yourself into. My favorite lyric of all time is in this song and I have been wanting to make art with it, but of course there is the question of copyright. But this song and these lyrics are my soul embodied:
For ‘God with Us’
Will come to save
And surely He shall comfort those he loves
And so we wait.
https://youtu.be/rXSqPJmLXKI