FAITH

Someone recently asked me if I was a faith or a non faith person. I found I had to do some deep thought and soul searching to answer that direct question. Not every one has the same definition for faith. Some think it means the same thing as trust. Some are thinking it pertains if one believes in God or not, etc.

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My response: I find it difficult to answer your question concerning faith. I am a mathematician and computer scientist and lived most of my life logically programming computers to serve human user requirements. There are times when it is best to follow one's heart and soul instead of one's mind. The mind is limited, the soul is not. Faith is simply a positive assumption for what is not yet empirically knowable, what intuition and receptivity to truth allows us to believe to make our world coherent, cohesive, and compatible for communities to function competently.

ABOVE

ABOVE

Life does not end,

But affirms love,

To love again,

Higher above.

 

 

Unity and Maturity, The Bond of Peace.

The contractor assigned to my kitchen restoration project was asking $1900 to paint some of the rooms in my home where the old vinyl floor with its asbestos was removed, and I thought that charge very high but was going to go with it anyway. My sister urged me to get some other painter’s estimates, and so I did by calling numbers in the Home Services section of Sunday’s Arizona Republic newspaper yesterday. 

One man answered the phone and came within 15 minutes and bid $1100. 

Another responded to a message I left on his answering machine, visited, and then said he would get the estimate to me by the end of the day. I never heard from him and have dismissed the thought of hiring him at any price. 

The painter I chose came this morning at appointed time to look at what needed to be painted and then told me his estimate was $830. He gave me his business card and on it was this Bible scripture Eph. 4:1-8. After he left, knowing I had hired him and he would start Wednesday of this week, I looked up the scripture he thought important enough to display on his business card. His company is Young Brothers Painting ROC#271331 License Bonded and Insured. He only uses Dunn Edwards Paint because it saves his customers money http://www.dunnedwards.com/ . I have chosen Swiss Coffee (white) as my interior color. All of the different paint brands have that color.

After I thought I had selected the painter for reasons I thought important, another painter came about 1 hr later and bid the job for $689.  He also is using Dunn Edwards paint and additionally he is from Illinois, my native birth state.  We talked and I signed the work order for him to begin painting Wednesday confident that I was saving money and still getting my painting work done well since this painter also was licensed, bonded, and insured. Perhaps, it was one of the gifts mentioned in Eph. 4:1-8 ...

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

¹ As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it says:

 

“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”

Mensa Artists Owl Digital Art Graphic

When I create an art image, it is interesting for me to analyze how it reveals my sub-conscious mind and soul, expressed in an associative and conscious communicating way. I am finishing the Mensa Artists Owl  art image into an 18 x 24 inch print mounted on foam core board perhaps to be professionally framed and presented to the Phoenix Artists Guild for critiquing. Visit http://ymmartin.com/mensa_artists

A friend recently questioned why the figurine doll was included in the graphic placed in front of the owl, and I replied: "It's a jester entertainer, musician doll figurine, representing all performing arts artists."

Also, my Mother’s name was ‘Doll’. The instrument the medieval feminine doll is holding/playing is an ancient historical trumpet, one of the oldest instruments in man’s history, and in Junior High, I studied and learned to play the trumpet (could already play the piano) prior to playing the tenor saxophone in marching band, dance band, and state high school musical contests. The small figurine doll (feminine) is included in the art graphic memorializing my Mother who liked and collected curio figurines of all sorts, the medieval music playing imp doll represents the eternal life communicating spirit of my Mother expressed through her love of music and dancing. The owl symbolizes my Father who taught me about owls and nature, loved learning, revered knowledge, and was very intelligent and wise. The poem on the graphic is titled “Not Lost In Time” and signifies the continuity of artistic thought and achievement, timeless, being a unifying force in history rather than being divisive. The last line of the poem says, “we’re not apart, but whole.” conveying mother and child are never separated spiritually, more conceptually, the artist and their art are never separated, hence the intellectual property ownership copyright laws.

Wind instruments: Brass

The trumpet was (and is still) a very loud instrument, which was used for outdoor activities such as tournaments, fanfares, and in battle. Since the technique of bending brass had not yet been applied to instruments, the medieval trumpet was very long, sometimes even as much as six feet. The long middle-register trumpet was known as the trompe or buisine. The shorter, higher-pitched trumpets were called trompettes.

Juror's Statements

For artists entering their art works to an art show, it is very helpful to know the jurors criteria used for selecting works to be included or awards made in the show.

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For the 2011 Glendale Adult Center Art Show May 3rd-May 30th Larry Willis wrote the following:

First, thank you for inviting me to jury your exhibition. I enjoyed the experience especially when I found out there were going to be no pieces left out of the show. All I had to do was give awards. I enjoy looking at art and those involved in the creative process. So it is hard for me to judge harshly those who are pursuing what they love to do. I once expressed, “Those who can - create, those who can’t - curate and everybody is a critic.” When you are a juror you take on the last two roles. (I’d rather be creating.) When evaluating art I look for three criteria, (1) skill of media (technique), (2) inventiveness (originality of idea) and (3) balance (this can be balance of design, color or both). When all of these come together … it’s great. All of the pieces that received awards, including honorable mentions, displayed at least one of these, many two and some all three. (Others that didn’t get  ribbons displayed some of these qualities also.)some  who got honorable mentions were in the running for higher place (it was hard to decide.)

 In “A Grand Evening”, Carl Holle’s originality was scale. Grand can mean large, but the grandeur was displayed in a small piece. It also had balance of design, color and showed his skill as a painter.

Something to keep in mind is that all judging of art is subjective. What I chose might have been different from another’s choice. When I began entering my work in exhibits I put 3 paintings before one jury and all were rejected. I entered the same three in another juried exhibit and got 1^st place in painting. This gave me perspective so as to not take it too hard.

Again Thanks, Larry Willis
www.phoenixartspace.com/larrywillis

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For the Phoenix Artists Guild 2011 Spring Exhibit at the Beatitudes Church, Juror Ruth Knowles, Arizona Artists Guild President wrote this:

Phoenix Artists Guild Spring Exhibition

Looking at art work gives me an opportunity to see people’s unique vision, their personal interpretation of their world.  I also appreciate seeing a certain amount of risk taking some artists take to convey their vision.  Thank you.

The PAG Exhibition presented challenges for me as a juror of awards.  I selected work that illustrated technical skill and craftsmanship in the particular medium as well as attention to the basic Elements of Art and Principles of Design.  I also considered Concept, Originality, and Composition of each piece.  Additionally, I wanted the hand of the artist to invite me to look closer and to linger. 

As a caution, I remind artists to present work as simply as possible: neutral mats, simple frames.  Try not to be influenced by a framer or a garage sale find.

----Ruth Knowles

                                                                                                        

Robert Genn, High Ego Force

Robert Genn’s Twice Weekly Letter, The Painter's Keys website., today wrote:

 

 

“Fact is, great art comes from both the schooled and the unschooled.

It may have more to do with the old business of "character."

In our game, character is the confluence of four virtues:

high motivation,

high curiosity,

high work habits

and high ego force.

Funnily, among the folks I compete with, those four virtues are most often found among the unschooled.”

 

and he also included a John Holt quote,

 

"What makes people

smart,

curious,

alert,

observant,

competent,

confident,

resourceful,

persistent--

is not having access to more and more learning places, resources, and specialists,

but being able in their lives to do a wide variety of interesting things that matter, things that challenge their ingenuity, skill, and judgment, and that make an obvious difference in their lives and the lives of people around them." (John Holt)

 

Robert Genn’s message content was thought provoking. The ‘high ego force’ is a phrase I have not seen before, and yet it is so descriptive of leaders and achievers. It is the propelling fuel of initiative overcoming the inertia of stale mate, status quos, and apathetic, conforming acceptance of existing environmental or social negatives surrounding us. 

 

There exists an operative social conditioner which chastises persons for being too egotistical, and why is that? Conceit is not a virtue, and it is linked to being too egotistical and self centered (selfish). What is the magic that separates high ego force from egotistical and conceited? 

 

Perhaps Robert is linking high ego force with self esteem and belief in one’s abilities to overcome obstacles, to be able to make productive progress by eliminating problems? Persons who say “I can” versus those who say “I can’t” have high ego force. The traits and attributes of achievers distinguishes them from non achievers. Can persons achieve if not being self motivated, action oriented, and having a strong knowledge of who they are regardless of others preferring they be someone different, or others attempting to change either this or that in them? It is essential to know when to listen to others, but to not abandon self determination and personal self development as determined by your innate self directives.

 

Polonius:
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!

 

Laertes:
Most humbly do I take my leave, my lord.

 

Hamlet Act 1, scene 3, 78–82

You Are An Artist

Michael Gormley Editorial Director of American Artist writes:

You Are An Artist

How do you know if you are an artist? Most children give their imaginations free reign, drawing and painting their wildest dreams with selfless abandon. Unlike most grown-ups, who put aside their art materials to pursue more “serious” activities, artists keep at it, committed to preserving a childlike wonder with the world and a deep desire to express that wonder. That’s how you know you are an artist—you need to create as much as you need to breathe. The world calls this art, but really you’re just doing what comes naturally.

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Yolanda Martin

(editing attribution BetteLou Tobin)

What is Michael Gormley saying?

Isn’t there more to being an artist than the uncontrollable impulse to create? As we mature we learn to think that unless we can create what is judged to be good art by others then we stop creating, or else we must work and learn to improve our art so that we can continue creating art, but still seeking approval from others as validation that we are artists so as to continue to enjoy doing what gives us so much pleasure.

Too often, the professional artists building their reputations in the art community emerge, separate, and distance themselves from other nonprofessional artists, those who with childlike wonder simply enjoy creating art and expressing themselves emotively, with originality and sensitivity resonating with the subject being communicated. The artists, whose priorities and motives are to make a living from their art, create art with underlying emphases that their work must be sold, should never feel more important or better than the artists creating art solely for the pleasure, health, and happiness they get in the art making process.

Art is, for the majority of artists in the world, an enjoyable, quality ’me’ time, leisure pursuit, not a laborious, competitive business enterprise fraught with details of marketing and commercial economics trying to obtain revenue from the art created.

You are an artist simply because as a human being you were born with a need to discover, to experience, and to communicate your perceptions and life interactions, sharing those with others, affirming your realities and your existence through your own original creations. You are an individual worthy of enhanced positive self concept obtained through your personally chosen artistic endeavors. You should judge your art by your own standards, and not those of others who would discourage you perhaps only to better themselves by suppressing your individuality and personal worth.

The world is advanced by those who create, not by those who conform. You are an artist who can create what no other artist can create because you, and you alone, have a right to be you, the right to express your unique individuality. You are not a rubber stamp of another’s thought constructs about you. No one should be allowed to oppress and suppress your abilities and potential.

Build on your strengths, improve your weaknesses, and create love and positive energies around you because you are an Artist!