Friday Follow-up: Living Lilies

 Living Lilies

The responses were so positive this time:

"That is seriously cool!"

"It's pretty."

What if I told you it was made from trash? Yes, thousands of plastic caps and lids from containers we normally toss without giving them a second glance. 

The artist, Nancy Hughes, was also our guide and art critique. And here she is, telling us about the process. As she speaks she reaches out to snap shut some of the mustard caps that curious passersby have messed with.

She explained that the door panels were placed on the ground and the bottle tops arranged as best she could. Then, in collaboration with family members, she directed the desired changes from above, looking down from the deck where she could view the whole from a distance. When every piece was firmly in place, it was grouted.
Early on we came to a station titled Consider the Lilies, based on the same passage, the emphasis being on God's care for us, so lavish and personal we need not worry. That painting showed a hand carefully holding a lily. Imagine this, God clothes the lilies of the field, and they are more beautiful than anything the richest human ever wore--King Solomon, symbol of wealth and wisdom. If the heavenly Father looks after the lilies, won't He care for you?
The title of this final piece leads us to think beyond ourselves and our cares and worries to see the bigger picture. If we are those living lilies that God has designed us to be, what a beautiful bouquet we form together. When each of us redeemed ones occupy the place the Father designed for us, it is wonderful to behold!
This reminds me of the song Something Beautiful.

He can take trash and turn it into treasure!

So, my friends, this is the end of our Art Pilgrimage.

Wandering and Wondering

Art Pilgrimage: Station #21


The very last art piece of the Burning Brush exhibit.

What responses do the art and the scripture elicit from you?

Wandering and Wondering on a Wednesday

Art Pilgrimage, Station #20

 

I would love to hear from you. Any reaction, insight, comment?

Friday Follow-up

The Rich Man and Lazarus



The variety of textures and components cause me to look more closely, reread the passage and ponder what otherwise is a very familiar story that I've read or heard many times.
I look and see two levels and a great divide.
Lazarus, in the lower right, has been carried to the gates (perhaps represented by the bars in the picture) of the rich man. We can infer that he was crippled in some way and depended on others who probably regularly took him to places where he could beg a subsistence. And he must have been quite helpless so as to be covered with sores and unable to push away the wild dogs that came to lick his wounds.
The rich man, in the upper left, has everything, but his countenance does not reflect peace. In contemporary terms we could imagine him wearing the latest designer fashions, eating gourmet food, and living sumptuously.
They are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Our human natural tendency is to show respect to the rich man and have a hard time even looking at the destitute and diseased, let alone reach out and touch.

From God's perspective, the one he knew by name was the lowly one, the one we would despise. The artist portrays that set-apartness, that hallowed position, by giving Lazarus a halo.
It is interesting that this is the only one of all the parables or stories where a man is called by name. 
I love the song He Knows My Name.

Many probing questions come to mind for me personally and for our society as a whole.
I welcome your thoughts.

Wednesday Wondering

Art Pilgrimage: Station # 19


How does this art expression add to your understanding of the story?

Friday Follow-up: Who hath ears to hear...

Who Hath Ears to Hear Let Him Hear

Another artistic representation of the parable of the sower. This time the artist chose to use the King James Version. Interestingly, the art itself is more stylized which we tend to consider more modern or contemporary.

The first time we encountered this admonition "he who has ears let him hear" and the parable was back in November, an earlier Art Pilgrimage station.

Both artists chose a similar title and message, to visualize the different circumstances and responses to the Word.

The former is more literal and includes the actual words of Jesus and even scripture words woven into the painting. This one is more symbolic and colorful.

The latter bird is cute compared to the scary one in the previous station. This is probably a stretch never intended by the artist, but it occurred to me that the thieves, who like the birds come and eat up the seed, could be attractive, cute and interesting, all the more deceptive.

Several commented to me that this final panel, depicting the growth that results when we heed the Word, lacked green. Did the artist run out of time or are those many trunks of tall trees and we cannot even see the abundant foliage at the top? I am reminded of statements both in the Old  and New Testaments: 

“ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

   Nor have entered into the heart of man
   The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

We cannot begin to fathom what God has for us! 

"He who has ears, let him hear."

Wednesday Wondering

Art Pilgrimage, Station # 18

 

There was a previous station with the same title and theme, which allows us the additional exercise of comparing the two artists interpretation to notice the differences in emphasis and effectiveness.

So, there you go, a double challenge this week.

Friday Follow-up (on Saturday)

When He Came To Himself

We read the scripture and the title chosen by the artist and see the collage on cardboard, framed and under glass which unfortunately reflects the surrounding campground.

 

The focal point of the picture seems to be the upper right hand corner. Nature and the repentant prodigal look in that direction. If I remember correctly, our tour guide art critic said it represented the heart of God.

This story is more commonly known as the parable of the prodigal son, but some commentators say a better title would be parable of the forgiving father, because it is the parable of the Father's heart. In other words, Jesus' main purpose was to describe His Father's love.

The sinner in the picture is adequately represented as finally recognizing his smallness before the Almighty and opening himself up to God's love. I love the choice of posture, it says so much about the sinner who comes to his senses: he recognizes and acknowledges God's greatness; he receives the freedom of sins forgiven; he  surrenders his whole being to serve and follow; and he welcomes the sunshine of God's love.

It is good for us to remember back to those times and circumstances that drove us to our senses and reflect on the Father's love.

Wednesday Wonderings

Art Pilgrimage: Station # 17

What do you make of this one?

Friday Follow-up

Faith Like a Mustard Seed


This station left me with more questions than answers.

1) Did anyone notice that the Mark 4:30-32 reference did not match the quote?
In fact that passage was used for an earlier station titled Smallness to Significance. (BTW, as I went back and searched, I realized that I never wrote a follow-up to that one.)

2) So, what is the correct reference for the scripture quote?

It is Matthew 17:20 (NASB).
One commenter noted the sea on the right: "I think the stuff in the lower right is the sea, with waves and perhaps a rock.[mountain top, perhaps?] Isn't there one verse that says something about telling the mountain to go throw itself into the sea?" Yes, Matthew 21:21 says that. And, yes, that's what the art representation looked like to me also.
The same commenter noted the likeness of the designs on the mountain to thorns, which would symbolize the pain Jesus went through bearing our mountain of sin. The comparative smallness of the struggling person might be significant as well, reminding me of the statement in Hebrews 12:4 which basically says we have not suffered as much as Christ.
I look at the struggler and ask:
3) When have I/you felt like that, gone through something like that, barely hanging on, no strength left?

Or, as the other commenter pointed out:
4) Is it a relying-on-self, I-can-do-this, "I think I can, I think I can" attitude, instead of saying, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief , "You take over, You do this, I cannot"?

About the technique:
5) What is 'painted metal'?
 My DIL liked the stark quality of the black and white, no color. There again, technique adds meaning.

An interesting note I read in the commentary section provided by Bible Gateway: "'moving mountains' was a typical Jewish teacher's image for doing what was virtually impossible." Going over the several mustard-seed-size-faith passages, I was struck by Jesus repeatedly pointing out the faithlessness of the disciples.
In that culture the disciple or apprentice was expected to learn from the teacher, mentor and be able then to replicate, repeat, do-as-he-did. The commentary goes on "With this illustration Jesus indicates that even were we casting out mountains rather than demons, we would only be scratching the surface of a life of faith."
Then another question:
6) What could we do with faith greater than that of a tiny mustard seed!?
This challenge reminded me of the promise in John 14:12 that we will do greater things!
Can you believe it?  (Oops, that was another question!)

On the lighter side:
There is a short story titled La fe y las montañas by Guatemalan satirist, Augusto Monterroso. His stories are so short they are called mini-cuentos. I enjoyed using this one when I taught college Spanish. Here is my rough translation (for those who did not already read the original).

At first, Faith moved mountains only when it was absolutely necessary, thus the landscape remained the same for millennia. But when the Faith began to propagate and people found it amusing to move mountains, these did nothing but move around and it was increasingly difficult to find them where you had left them the night before which of course created more difficulties than the ones it solved.

Good people preferred then to abandon the Faith and now mountains generally remain in their place. When there are falling rocks on the highway and several travelers die, it is because someone, very far away or close by, experienced the slightest hint of faith.

In closing, a song that's been going around in my head and in my humming: 

Faith is just believing what God said He would do.
He will never leave us, His promises are true.
If we but believe Him, His children we become...

Wednesday Wonderings

Art Pilgrimage: Station # 16

 

  

What do you get out of this?

Wednesday Wonderings

Art Pilgrimage: Station # 15

 

Yet another puzzler!

Comments welcome.

Friday Follow-up

The Lost

Yes, the ninety nine twigs or branches on one side of the bridge represent the sheep that were left behind (probably in the care of a neighbor or another shepherd) in order to go search for the lone lost one. Can you see the one symbolic sheep on the other side?

I wondered at the outset whether there was a meaningful order to the stations of the Art Pilgrimage. I have not discovered any yet. This bridge marks the mid point, the turning around point when we begin to make our way back to the beginning or end, however you look at it, to reflect on the pieces posted on the other side of the path.

We already viewed a representation of the parable of the lost sheep by another artist, which emphasized the end, coming out of lostness, being found.

This graphic portrayal, however, emphasizes the value of one sinner. The shepherd left the flock to go after one lonely lost sheep.

Jesus' audience were the tax collectors and "sinners,"  the ones who gathered eagerly to hear Him. Meanwhile the Pharisees and teachers were muttering in the background about Jesus' habit of hanging out with "sinners".
In response Jesus tells a story, very common to their culture, of an average sheep herder. So happy was he to find his lost sheep that he invited his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him, further emphasizing the value of the one stray that was recovered.

⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

I love the commentators' quote: "When a sinner turns to God, heaven throws a party." No wonder Jesus hung out with them!

Of the hundreds and hundreds who walked across that very bridge at Cornerstone, I wonder how many noticed the tall white branches and reflected on their significance?

Friday Follow-up

Exhibiting the Work of the Holy Spirit, or Not?
The Parable about the Loaned Money

This is one where I wish I could remember all that our guide, art critic Nancy, explained about the piece. Something from art history, the significance of the three parts and the fancy metal trimmings. She may have explained the presence of a fish and other details. But, sorry, too much time has gone by, never mind that five minutes could be too long to remember things nowadays! Next time I will take my little tape recorder along.

I do recall one comment about people, faces and clothing in these paintings being rather generic and non-specific so that anyone could relate to the message and put themselves in the picture.

The story is about a man who goes away and entrusts his servants with different amounts of money to invest while he is gone. The footnote says that a talent was the equivalent of $1,000. So to one he gives $5,000, to another $2,000, and to the third $1,000.

The first and second put their money to work and double their amount, while the other does nothing with his.

The master considered his willful neglect so serious an offence that he casts him out as no good and worthless!

His portion was given to the number one guy.

What this says to me is that if I do not put to use what God has given me, whatever that may be, I am disobedient, faithless, and deserving punishment.

The painting illustrates the two extremes.

I like my DIL's comment: "I think it's appropriate that the person pouring out the money has a heart and a joyful countenance, while the person holding on to the money looks sad and has a black hole where the heart should be. It's a reminder that hanging on tightly to money does not bring us joy, but being responsible with it (including investing and giving) does.

It's all God's money anyway."

I was reminded of a similar story I heard recently. Bloggy friend Sara and  husband started this two years ago. On Thanksgiving Day each family member receives a certain amount of money to use for a good purpose. Christmas Day is very exciting and emotional as they share their carefully kept secrets, the stories of how each one used their gift to "pay it forward."

Wednesday Wonderings

Art Pilgrimage: Station #13

 

Any comments?

Friday Follow Up

Sweet Work of Love

Two weeks ago, before baby and Thanksgiving, I posted Jean Lappinga's first entry in The Parables Art Pilgrimage at Cornerstone Festival. And the following Friday my reflection, FWIW. Some of you commented that the reason you do not respond is that you never were good at drawing meaning from art. I had always put myself in that category, which makes this self-imposed exercise a true leap of faith. However, it has been fun to jump into it each time and see what happens.

Sweet Work of Love 

The artist took on two of the Luke 15 trilogy of parables on recovery: the lost sheep, and the lost coin.
I was surprised by the title she gave this piece, then realized how beautifully it speaks of God's Grace, which is what going after the lost ones is all about.

As I read the verse in twenty-eight versions (yes, 28 in all, including English, Spanish and French), the three-step search process became so obvious: turn on the light; clean thoroughly, one version says 'turn the house upside down'; and look carefully, persevering until you find the lost object. And then it hit me that this could describe our year and also be a recipe for the future.

Let me explain, we both retired mid year and have been searching, going after what we had been missing, trying to identify our gifts and dreams, and above all pursue God's purposes for our lives and remaining years.
That requires Light, to really be able to see and understand what that might be. Then comes the cleaning, to align everything in that direction. That is the overwhelming aspect for me, I have so many areas where I need to get my house in order, i.e. get rid of accumulations from my past life and work. I can easily become discouraged.

The woman in the drawing is squatting, getting down to the nitty gritty of the search for something she has lost and values highly. The task is enormous but can only be tackled one section at a time and there is nothing easy or simple about it. I find it interesting that the broken-tile design the artist chose, makes it all the more difficult to detect one lost coin. But the story says that she does not give up till she has found what she is looking for.

All three of the parables end in a joyous celebration. The artist chose to emphasize the process, the search, and leaves out the verse about the party with the neighbors and friends.

The explanatory plaque adds another reference from Proverbs 2:4-5 "and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. about the serious and intentional pursuit of wisdom, insight, understanding."

So, that's where we are: both step by step finding our place in retirement; working at it intently, and enjoying the process!

Wednesday Wandering

Art Pilgrimage, Station # 11

Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning

Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning

Art can take so many different forms. Here, what looks like "just a bunch of old light bulbs 'planted' in some dirt inside an old aquarium" (SIL's description), the artist is bringing to life, for us visual learners, the story of ten young girls waiting to join in the wedding celebration when the bridal party made its way back to bridegroom's father's home for the big wedding fiesta. The custom was for these, not-officially-invited friends of either bride or groom, to join the procession and thus be allowed in before the door was closed.
In this story, the hour was late and all of them fell asleep, so no emphasis on alertness here.
However, their preparedness, or lack thereof, was soon evident when they were awakened by the joyful clamor of the approaching party. Only the five who had oil for their lamps were allowed to enter. The foolish could not even beg from the wise, to point out that salvation is an individual choice, it cannot be borrowed.
Of course, the modern little light bulbs in this art piece, do not resemble the oil lamps the young women were carrying (most likely of clay), except that both required oil to shed light. I was unable to see them at night, but can imagine that seeing half of them shining brightly while the others remained in the dark would speak eloquently of the sad plight of those who were unprepared for what was to come.
Preparedness indicates faith, belief in what is to come.

The preceding parable has a similar message: the faithful servants remained occupied at their given tasks until the master's return and were rewarded.
The unwise, unbelieving, unprepared, not only are unrewarded, they are damned forever.
That message is repeated in the following parable of the talents.Only those who used whatever they were given, were rewarded generously. Judgment awaited the neglectful, disobedient.

To better understand the Jewish wedding customs, I searched online and was fascinated by what I found when I googled 'the ten virgins'. The more reliable sources stressed that the parables were addressed to the Jewish nation. I cannot get into the debate about the Jews alive during the tribulation being referred to here, nor about how we could prepare to evangelize and reach out to them at that time so they will believe in their Messiah. I am not a Bible scholar.

What I am sure about is the grand wedding feast that awaits us, even as Gentile believers who have been 'grafted' into that family tree, 'adopted' into the family and the Bride of Christ, and that before Jesus left he promised, "I go to prepare a place for you."

Fruit

Fruit

I promised to come back and comment on the art piece after research and reflection.
Yesterday I spent the day with a friend in the hospital, that was my God-appointed task, perfectly suited and prepared for me. We were both blessed.
But if I had a schedule mapped out, well...it was preempted.
I did look up the parable in its context and felt it was a bit disconnected. The art piece is very interesting, rather stunning. I especially like the fig painted on the glass, apart from the picture of the fig tree itself. Maybe it's because I love figs. (Incidentally, cousin Rosie passed on the last few figs--real figs, not Newtons, mind you--for a snack on my train ride back from Chicago.)
Jesus spoke this parable toward the end of his ministry. The warnings are stronger, the teaching more authoritative. The example of the barren fig tree follows a series of life admonitions.
I am reminded of the Spanish expression ¡Ojo!, (literally, eye) and its accompanying warning gesture--pointing or pulling down on the corner of the eye.
Here is the list of Watch outs.
Be on your guard for:

• hypocrisy--everything secret will be exposed publicly!
• fear of persecution--it's only bodily harm
• blasphemy against the Holy Spirit--unforgivable!
• greed--can't take anything with you
• worry--it accomplishes nothing!

Be ready for:

• service at all times
• suffering, distress, division--not peace
• signs of the times--like reading the weather

All that in the previous chapter, then very strong words preceding the parable: "Repent or die!"
And, basically, the example of the fig tree is saying: "If you do not bear fruit you will be cut down!"
The man who took care of the fig tree begs for one more year.
Does the owner grant a second chance?

So, what does this say to me? And, what do I get out of the Art Pilgrimage piece?

It urges me to make the most of every day, every moment for the Master, the King.

I think the beautiful fig on the glass, separate from the tree, shows us the attractive fruit we should be bearing.

I question whether even this blog series is a good use of time and will bear fruit.
The reasoning behind committing to this: I am increasingly drawn to art forms and wanted to challenge myself in the area of interpretation both of the parables and their representations.

What do you think?

Wednesday Wonderings

Art Pilgrimage Station #7