Christian Art Show in Illinois - Lively Arts to Exhibit Their Work

Lively Arts will be doing an exhibit at La Spiaza. March 5 to April 5. Above is the official flyer designed by Tim Botts.

The artists will be available to discuss their works, including Lively Arts founder and calligrapher, Tim Botts, and Natalie Lombard, banner artist.

The exhibit features the works of Tim Botts, Scott Davis, Gary Lobdell, Natalie Lombard, Frank Nicholas, Kathy Schneider, Dan Stulz, and Colleen Yang.

The show's opening will include a spoken word performance by Anthony Trendl and guitar by Scott Davis. They will perform together "Love Song for Charlie Parker," an homage to the Beats, and other pieces.

La Spiaza Coffee House
114 N Main St
Wheaton, IL 60187
(630) 221-8772

Lively Arts is a gathering of Christian artists, meeting the fourth Monday of every month for show-n-tell, and to connect artists with the church and the community.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17, NIV

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Vincent Van Gogh Discusses Evangelism

"It is true that every day has its own evil, and its good too. But how difficult must life be, especially farther on when the evil of each day increases as far as worldly things go, if it is not strengthened and comforted by faith. And in Christ all worldly things may become better, and, as it were, sanctified. Theo, woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel; if I did not aim at that and possess faith and hope in Christ, it would be bad for me indeed, but no I have some courage."

-Vincent Van Gogh

Strong Arguments on a Shaky Premise - Review - The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution

The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution

"The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution" by Denis Dutton concludes itself before it begins, and it does so masterfully. It tries too hard, and asks too much of the reader, all with more aplomb than solid premise.

Charles Darwin argued a species evolved to protect itself, to multiply itself in his theory of evolution. All instincts meet that function, one way or another; no instinct exists that does not meet that function except for anomalies that are bleed from the gene pool.

Art, says Dutton, is instinctual. I caught this in the rambling introduction, and on the back flap. The back flap owns great praise summed up by Steven Pinker, a psychologist (not an artist or biologist or geneticist) who is listed six times in the bibliography. That's far more than any other author (including Kant, Derrida and Aristotle). That's except for Dutton himself, who happens to list himself six times as well.

In other words, his introduction was a chapter in itself, but lacks the strength of a good structure.

He does not adequately show why beautiful birds', in their beauty, are form and not just function, and how, if that is true, humans are part of this. Instinct's goal is never art for art's sake, but pure function without form. The base animal mind is not asking for art, but for a way to gauge the worthiness of a mate.

He tries to define art, which he agrees is a dicey thing to pin down, loaded with bias, knowledge issues and "personal idiosyncrasies." He dodges around the cultural differences, while swooning toward tribal art with only the most vague critique.

Among his larger challenges are ones surrounding the Dadaist movement, and forgery. This begs back to his chapter, "What Is Art?" Not Dutton, nor I, can clear up whether Dadaism is art or just a philosophically statement. He rightfully cites "Fountain," the urinal signed by Marcel Duchamp in 1917 as a pinnacle of what the Dadaists offered.

Dutton sees art as including the visual, musical and literary arts, and tries to respond to all of them at once, integrated and interdependent. That might be more than his small book can handle, as the topic requires several times the volume to make the necessary points.

Readers, in turn, cannot appreciate the book without a vast range of knowledge in each area. Dutton includes notes, but misses the opportunity to quote more from, at least, the literary pieces. Pictures, too, are in order. I caught myself reading this with an online search engine and encyclopedia opened, and even then, am not convinced I understood all his allusions.

Art may have, in its past, some kind of instinctual use, but Denis Dutton does not prove it. "The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution," discusses making an argument for itself, but never really lands. As Dutton himself once asserted about another writer, his book "beats readers into submission and instructs them that they are in the presence of a great and deep mind."

I'm not so sure.

Anthony Trendl
http://AnthonyTrendl.blogspot.com
http://anthonytrendl.com/

Andrew Wyeth died July 12, 1917 - January 16, 2009

Artist Andrew Wyeth died.

July 12, 1917 - January 16, 2009

http://www.andrewwyeth.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wyeth

General Karitos promo video

General Karitos promo video.

Christian Artist Robert Mullenix's Work To Appear at Merchandise Mart (Chicago)

Robert Mullenix, a fine artist based in Ohio, will have his paintings displayed in a much larger show at Chicago's Merchandise Mart, on the 7th floor. He is a Christian who happens to be an artist. Although his themes are not always directly Christian, they are consistent with looking at the glory of God, with piece titles pointing Heavenward.

The show is December 4-7, 2008.

The Artist Project Show
http://www.theartistproject.com/

Robert Mullenix's art site
http://rwmullenix.blogspot.com/

LEAST: A CHANGE IN ME – Artists Impacted by Relationships with the Least

LEAST: A CHANGE IN ME – Artists Impacted by Relationships with the Least
October 23, 24 and 25, 2008 - West Chicago, IL
See Wheaton Academy's website for more.

Brochure

WHAT: A student festival of art honoring the LEAST
WHY: Relationships with the LEAST have transformed our hearts, minds, and lives.

“What you begin to learn is that giving and serving have little to do with what we have; they are expressions of who we are.”– Kori Hockett (Assistant Principal, Wheaton Academy)

“The LEAST have shown me what it looks like to rely on God completely. And frankly, they do a much better job of relying on God than I do.” – Erica Nellessen (Student, Wheaton College)

“We might possibly need the LEAST more than they need us so that we can learn that quality of life doesn’t come from material possessions – it comes from within and from what we care most about.” – Rae Thompson (Student, Wheaton College)

"Whether it is the financially poor or the poor in spirit, the LEAST have shown me to love at a simpler, in-the-moment kind of way.” – Matt Hockett (Video Teacher, Wheaton Academy)

"We all have seasons of life when we are the LEAST, and it could be a year later when the wounds that we have, which are still healing, are exactly what enable us to see and recognize them in someone else." – Quinn Riebock (Professor, Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja)

“My faith is more like what Jesus longs it to be, I have found purpose and joy and significance I never had before, and I experienced community with my friends both here in Chicago and across the globe in Zambia that I had always wanted to find." – Chip Huber (Dean of Spiritual Life, Wheaton Academy)

“I have learned how easy and wrong it is to stick people in a box.” – Tom O’Connell (Student, Northwestern University)

"Interacting with the LEAST in Africa, I realized that all of our lives are connected. We need each other." – Mark Fernandes (Student, Wheaton Academy)

“I was reminded that regardless of distance, I share in the support and the caring of this Zambian community through prayer.” – Aimee Daniels (English Teacher, Wheaton Academy)

“The kingdom of God shows up in the weirdest places, amongst the people that seem least likely to inherit anything. And yet there it is, exploding through basketball sneakers and worn down jeans.” – Ryan Souders (Assistant General Manager, Cleveland City Stars)

“When working with the homeless, they forced me to listen, not just hear. They broke my heart and mended my heart.” – Josh Burick (History Teacher, Wheaton Academy)

“I see how the LEAST give the little they have to provide for my needs, knowing full well that I, more then they, am often the LEAST.” – Caroline Helmke (Student, Taylor University)

“Even though I was able to give her a few material things, she gave me a gift that could not have been bought – the joy that comes from having hope.” – David Petersons (Student, Houghton College)

“I stood there holding a little boy with a head enlarged and deformed; he had hydrocephalus. And through that moment, my soul would not stop thirsting to know the healing power of God's mighty hand.” – Susanna Frusti (Student, Bethel College)

“Working with a woman with Lou Gehrig’s disease at a nursing home, I saw greatness in the LEAST. All accomplishments and titles, riches and fame, forgotten…. but the lives she touched remained…and that made her great.” – Rachel Proch (Nursing Student)

“Those that the world has so tragically labeled “the LEAST” ironically have some of the most valuable and needed perspectives to make this world whole.” – Lauren Tomasik (Student, Wheaton College)

HOW: Step into this process.

Consider Micah 6:8.

“And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Reflect on your relationships and community experience with the LEAST.

Respond to one of the following questions:

• How have the LEAST taught you to act justly in our world?
• How have you been impacted by the love and mercy you have received from the LEAST?
• How have the LEAST moved you to a life of humility?
• How has your view of God changed through time spent with the LEAST?
  

Create a piece of art that honors the LEAST:

• Theatre – one act, monologue
• Photography – one or a series of photographs
• Dance – choreographed narrative piece or otherwise
• Video – short film, public service announcement, music video, mini-documentary
• Visual Arts – painting, graphic design piece, drawing, sculpture,
• Music – instrumental, vocal
• Writing – poetry, short story, essay
• Other – art forms not mentioned above

WHEN: Submitted pieces must be received by October 6th, 2008

Festival will take place on October 23rd, 24th and 25th, 2008

For more information about the Wheaton Academy community response to poverty and AIDS, visit http://www.projectleast.org/