Faith Art Community Exploration

Score One for the Pope

2009-11-22T18:58:00.002-06:00

Check out this story about the Pope encouraging artists in their creative efforts. He touches on some good points about how beauty can be a thing that serves as a signpost to the transcendent. I love the fact that this event was multi-disciplinary in reaching out to artists that create in a variety of mediums (music, visual, performing) and even reached outside Catholicism to include those of other faiths. Good stuff.

Give to the Wind Your Fears

2009-10-25T20:50:00.002-05:00

I tend to draw on different sources of inspiration as I write music. Anything from other artists to conversations to reading material can be the an important piece of the puzzle in the early stages of a song. Several years ago I picked up a few old hymnals with a variety of songs for just such a reason.

A few months ago I came across the hymn "Give to the Wind Your Fears" by Paulus Gerhardt and translated by John Wesley. The first verse really captured my attention and was the springboard for expressing some things that had been on my heart for awhile. Over the last year I've had friends and family going through struggles of many different kinds including hospitalization, divorce and death. I am thankful for the ways that God has ministered to each of these and continue to pray for His peace and healing. This song is just an extension of that.

The first verse spoke so beautifully what I would have wanted to express that I used it verbatim and simply reset it to a new tune. I then wrote new material for the chorus and second verse that I thought better represented what I wanted to say. I would not say that it's one of my best songs, but I'm pleased with the outcome and wanted to share it in case it might minister to someone who needs to hear it.

You can check out a rough video of it here.

The Art of Letting Go

2009-10-07T09:30:00.002-05:00

I've been struck recently with the idea that I often get so fixated on perfection in my songwriting that I limit myself in my growth as a songwriter. I received Rob Bell's Drops Like Stars book for my birthday and came across the following section.

David Bayles and Ted Orland in their book Art and Fear tell the story of a ceramics teacher who divided the class into two groups - one group would be graded on how much they created in the designated time, while the other group would be graded on the quality of the one work they made. In the end, it was the "quantity" group that ended up producing the works of most quality.
They conclude "that while the 'quantity' group was busy churning out piles of work - and learning from their mistakes - the 'quality' group had sat theorizing about perfection, and in the end had little more to show for their efforts than grandiose theories and a pile of dead clay."

I have been working on a song over the last few months that I had really hoped to share with the songwriters' group on Sunday night, but was still unsatisfied with it. I worked on it for a few hours on Sunday and decided that while I still wasn't completely pleased with it, it was at least in a state where I could share it, get feedback and continue to craft. When I shared it, I got positive feedback from it and had to admit that my desire for it to be "perfect" probably was keeping me from devoting time and energy from other songwriting projects. I had to admit to myself this morning that the song probably is not the best thing I've ever written and may not be heard much. The choice that I'm left with is to either try to continue to sculpt away at it, or learn from it, move on and let it be a part of my maturing as a writer as I continue to pursue the craft.

I'm letting go, moving on and hopefully becoming a better artist because of it.

Songwriters' Group Gathering

2009-06-29T07:17:00.003-05:00

Last night we had the first of what I hope will be many Faith-Arts Songwriters' Gatherings. I really didn't know what to expect out of the night but hoped that we'd be able to break the ice, hear a few songs and get to know each other just a little bit. We had a decent sized group (with room for more) at our house where we had a little food and conversation before gathering in the piano room to play songs for each other.

Amy, Aubrey, Caleb, Hal, Micah and myself were on hand and shared songs. I shared "Wake Me Up" which we've been using in worship at Mercy Church for almost six months, so I don't know that I can really classify it as a new song, but seeing as how I don't have anything else that is more than a melodic or thematic idea, it would have to do. Each songwriter took their turn sharing and receiving feedback and I was blessed to watch what I've been dreaming about starting to happen as community began to help shape some of the songs that were shared.

It was a good start and I'm excited to see where it goes from here. I'm also excited to see who else might come along on the journey.

Songwriters' Group

2009-05-27T21:43:00.002-05:00

When we left Indiana for Sioux Falls, one of the things that I felt called to do was to help artists in their attempts to create art that is redemptive in nature and excellent in quality. I feel like this summer is finally a time to begin to dive into this task on a couple of different fronts.

For starters, Hal Swift and I are partnering to begin a group for songwriters where we can share ideas, begin to develop relationship and hopefully eventually engage in the process of providing constructive criticism, song writing partnership and resources for each other to grow as songwriters. I will readily admit that my songwriting skills are pretty basic and I've only written a few things that I can honestly say that I am pleased with from an artistic standpoint. I don't necessarily feel that songwriting is a major part of my call, but it is something that God has used to help us in the faith communities that we have served. My hope is that others who are at various stages in their development will come alongside us so that we can be an encouragement to each other and so that we will see God glorified.

Hal and I are currently planning on having our first songwriters' meeting at my house on Sunday, May 31 at 8pm. If you or anyone that you know in Sioux Falls might be interested in joining us or if you just want more information about what we are trying to accomplish, drop me a line.

This will not be the only artistic front that I am working on this summer, but most others will be specific to our ministry at Mercy Church and our efforts to engage more artistic expression in our worship gatherings.

Creative Plagiarism

2009-04-27T09:15:00.002-05:00

It's been some time since I've had a creative run in me as bi-vocation and family life leave little time to stretch creative muscles, but I've been sensing a stirring of late in song writing and am eagerly awaiting the outflow that seems imminent once the dam breaks. At the same time, I've come to distrust some of the easier "inspirations" that come to mind for fear that they are actually the intellectual property of other artists.

In the past, this was an easy thing for me to test out. I was listening to a variety of artists that I was very familiar with and when I started to come to some firm conclusions on melodic content it was pretty easy for me to take a quick break, listen to other artists that my own work resembled and confirm whether I was truly creating or merely borrowing.

I have a pretty decent musical memory and there are times that I can lock a melody away subconsciously that I've only heard a time or two only to find it bubble up to the surface as I start to write. On the occasions that this has occurred I have either scrapped the idea entirely or used it as a framework, reworking it until it has a character of its own.

At the same time, I love to actively engage in another kind of plagiarism: that of using Scripture in song. I heard Matt Redman say that worship songwriting is great because it is one of the only places that you are actually encouraged to plagiarize. This line of thinking has come to mind a few times in the last few weeks. As prelude for service yesterday, we used a song that I wrote about four years ago that is based on Psalm 13 called Unfailing Love. I've also been eagerly awaiting Brian Moss's next installment in his "Prayerbook Project" series where he's been drawing on a set of Psalms as source material and inspiration for new music.

The challenge of this type of writing is that it can be either very inspired or very, very forced. I have heard a number of Scripture based songs that sounded like they were quickly thrown together as a memory tool for a Sunday school lesson instead of being crafted carefully around the inerrant, inspired Word of God.

In many ways recasting someone else's material into something creative is much more challenging than writing completely original material. What may have been lyrical and rhythmic in the source text may sound stilted and awkward in any English translation and may require faithful adaptation. I have started the process numerous times only to find that the diligence required for this type of creativity was more than I could afford in terms of time or effort.

Still, I hope to engage in this creative plagiarism in the months ahead as a means not only of self expression, but also as a way to wrestle with the depth of life that is given in Scripture. As I try to offer faithful interpretation of Scripture into contemporary and musical language, I hope that it gives me a better sense of the heart of God and what it means to try to live a life pursuing Him.

Performance and Meaning

2009-02-23T09:36:00.002-06:00

Amy and I had the great joy of being a part of an alumni concert at USD earlier this month for the Chamber Singers group that we were in back in the day. It was a day that we had circled on the calendar for months and made it three straight years that we'd had an opportunity to do something of this nature in Vermillion; the first when Larry Torkelson called together a bunch of his former students for an alumni concert, the second when we gathered again to mourn and celebrate Larry's home going after he lost his battle with cancer and the third being this year where a new tradition started by bringing the past and present together in a way that will hopefully continue into the future.

The current Chamber Singers group performed five pieces and then we joined them to sing five more. It was a great program of sacred pieces and the performance of the current group was excellent from a musical standpoint, but I found myself thinking about how disconnected some of the singers were in light of what they were singing. Instead of great songs of worship testifying to the power, majesty and holiness of God, they were great art songs where the song was the object of devotion rather than the One the song was written to reveal.

I suppose I was no different in college. I had grown up in the church, accepted Christ in Jr. High, tried to play the part of a good Christian in High School and had settled into a pattern of going through the motions by the time I reached college where I probably approached the same types of pieces in the same way that I witnessed from many of the current singers.

As I thought more about this, I longed for communion with God through the pieces we would perform together. I prayed that God would transform those works from works of art to expressions of love, devotion, hope and faith that would somehow touch the audience in a way that would glorify God and take on a transformative, transcendent power as we encountered Him in a place where the distinction between earth and heaven blur for just a moment.

I felt His presence and worshipped with all that I had, not wanting to sacrifice performance for connection, not wanting the art to be the goal, but His glory. I know I wasn't the only one and can only hope that it made the performance more meaningful not just for us, but for those that saw something of His beauty in our offering. I know I will continue to dwell on this thought and the lessons I've been learning for a long time and hopefully it will make me a better performer and a better worshipper.

Wake Me Up

2009-02-22T22:02:00.002-06:00

I can't think of a more appropriate name for this post since it's been nearly two years since I've posted anything here. I really feel like I am in a season of reawakening and am beginning to ask some of the questions that I was asking a few years ago again. I'm beginning to dream about ways to help artists communicate their faith in ways that are as artistic and creative as possible and how to connect us to one another in a way that encourages us and pushes us to grow in our craft whether we be musical, visual or performing artists.

This video is of a song that I wrote recently that I hope will be the first of many to come as I begin to try to live out my part of the call as a singer/songwriter. I feel like I'm still in my infancy as a songwriter and hope that I'll begin to grow into the role more as I practice a bit more. I wish I would have had a little more time to craft this song, but I kind of painted myself into a corner by setting a deadline so that we could use it for Sunday morning worship at Mercy Church. I've heard it said that an artist never actually finishes his work, he just gives up on it and I feel that way about this song, but still hope that it holds up alright.

My main concern when writing a worship song is writing something that is an honest expression of my relationship with God or about who I believe God to be. The main concern when writing a worship song for a congregation is that it be an expression that others can claim as their own and can enter into freely. My hope is that this song is both an honest expression of where I am in my relationship with God and that it is something that others can relate to and can serve as an expression of God honoring, wholehearted worship for others as well.

My intention is to be more frequent with posts here as God allows me to dream dreams, write songs and partner with other believers who love God and have been given a gift to use in service to Him as well. Be encouraged. God is on the move and He is awakening gifts in His people that will be a fresh expression of His heart to a world that desperately needs Him.

My Dad's New Blog

2007-03-17T10:22:00.000-05:00

Anyone who gives me a chance gets an earful about my dad the artist. Well, now you can get to know him and his work through his new blog here! Dad's worship of God through the world He created inspires Dad's art and inspires my worship as well.

Beauty and creativity interacting to reveal the majesty of God. That is the potential of redemptive, God inspired art.

Critique and Christian Art

2006-05-05T06:48:00.000-05:00

I have alluded to the idea in the past that I believe one of the main reasons that the creative efforts of artists of faith fail to reach their full potential is that they are not challenged to grow as artists by the Church. I've been wondering lately if our current methods for critiquing artists are actually contributing to the problem.

We've all seen, heard and read critique of artistic expression our entire lives. It is usually done by having one person, with a seeming understanding of the artistic medium, listen to, view, read or experience the artistic expression of a person that they do not know. The critic is then expected to translate their experience into communication that is meant to inform more people as to the artistic merit of the recording, movie, gallery show, novel or performance that was taken in.

It is a detached method that really has more to do with commerce than it does the betterment of artists. The critic may think that they are doing the artist a favor by giving them tips on things they could have done better, but it is often done in such a detached, non-relational and sometimes mean-spirited, self-congratulatory fashion that the critique holds little in the way of meaningful feedback that really helps the artist progress in their craft.

Another method for critique that we see more and more on iTunes, Amazon and similar sites is the buyer review. In this type of setting, people can comment on pretty much any artist, album, movie... and put in their two cents alongside professional reviews. The difficulty with this type of review is that the reviewer is not held to any ideal of professionalism that might restrain the publication reviewer which can often lead to harsher, more ego-driven reviews when they don't like a particular artist or piece of work.

On the other hand, it can also lead to the removal of any critical filter as buyers chime in to praise their favorite artists' latest efforts without any regard to the actual merit of the work in terms of creativity, artistry or excellence.

The whole issue of critique is a difficult one to begin with, but is made even more difficult when ministry enters the scene. I find myself reluctant to speak my mind in conversations about particular artists because I know that God has used them to minister to people, even though their art may have been lacking in quality and creativity from my perspective. Sometimes my critique has more to do with personal tastes or pet artistic values than it does with the complete qualities of the art that is offered. Because I recognize this, only a select few get to hear what I really think.

The unfortunate consequence of our "niceness" in failing to find more effective means to critically assess artists of faith is that we create a culture in which subpar art is not only accepted, but is celebrated. Artists that are critically panned sell painting after painting of basically the same scene, same mood, same palette without ever having to deviate from the blueprint. Movies are sold and advertised heavily in Christian bookstores that are poorly shot and are written in a heavy handed fashion and somehow find homes on DVD shelves.

Instead of encouraging and challenging artists, we often coddle them and trust to record labels, movie distributors, publishers and other commerce driven entities to weed out our artists for us. This leads not only to disposable art, but disposable artists as well.

That leads me back to wondering whether our current systems of critique and commerce can ever help us produce better art, or if they will simply continue to lead us down a road where artists have to seek the solace of independent status or the less polite approach of a secular environment to allow them to flourish creatively.

Art Community Continued

2006-04-12T03:15:00.000-05:00

In "Solutions Through Community" I suggested several disconnects between the ideal of a creative community and the reality of the current state of Christian art.

Community should be an obvious answer to the first issue mentioned, that of forgoing formal education in the arts. An artist can learn a great deal about their craft on their own by studying other artists that they connect with and trying to draw things out of what they observe and incorporating those things into their own art. It is a practice and habit that I encourage strongly, but it can be a bit of a buckshot approach to growth and can often encourage more imitation than fully creative expression. Derek Webb states it well in "Mockingbird" by saying "I am like a mockingbird. I have no new song to sing. I am like an amplifier. I just tell you what I've heard, just like a mockingbird."

Part of the issue is that a great number of artists outside of the formal setting, do not have relationships with other artists, at least not relationships that challenge them to grow. Often, artists are of a temperament that leads easily to solitude. In that solitude, expression finds the space to roam freely. Part of the craft of creativity though is a phase (or several phases) of rewrite/revision. If that phase is done in isolation, we shouldn't be surprised if we don't venture far from what we've already discovered. If we are in relationship with people that we trust to give critical, but loving, feedback, they may just give us more tools to help our efforts delve into new territories of expression. This can only help us to continue to grow in our craft.

A difficulty that I've seen though is that those trusted, critical relationships are difficult to find. Often, we're stuck in an endless cycle of seeking affirmation from one another and are afraid that if we offer something other than positive reinforcement that it will not be received and, in turn, it will not be given back to us. I believe that it should be a Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" kind of relationship. It is from other artists that the most helpful, and constructive feedback comes from. Encouragement from the people you are in community with is valuable whether they are artists or not, but it is rare that feedback that pushes you to become better in your craft comes from people who are not a part of the creative process as well.

So, how do we foster connection and community between artists? It's a question that I would like to continue to address, but I would really like to hear from you. If you are engaged in artistic community with others or if you have ideas about how it could happen, please feel free to join in the dialogue by leaving a comment.

Previous Comments on "The Problem With Christian Art"

2006-03-29T10:29:00.000-06:00

(from the original post on Prayers and Dreams of a Satellite Soul)

Adela said...
Matt,

Your willingness to be vulnerable and honest is refreshing. The relationship between faith and art has been a relative topic for me over the last year. I've wrestled with similar questions. Your writing is a challenge to me . . . that status quo is simply not enough, nor acceptable. Not if I claim Christ.

"I believe that God is desiring to see artists of faith equipped and encouraged to create great art that will be incarnational in nature, inspiring people to realize the fullness of His holiness and the depth of our depravity so that we can more clearly see the wonder of His mercy." Beautifully written. Looking forward to part 2.

Adela

piano.man said...
What a great read! Yes, you may offend some by this post, but it's only because the truth hurts. We shouldn't be creating "Christian art"; we should be Christians creating art to the fullest extent of our creativity. Our God deserves excellence! I can't wait to read the rest, either.

Tim

Heidi said...
A question that I think is important for Christian artists to ask is "Who is our audience?"

I think many "subpar" displays come from hearts that are genuinely praising God, but are lacking in technique and artistic form. I think another variety of "subpar" performance comes from artists who make people the target audience (Ex. non-christians), and use propaganda-type techniques to persuade (and quickly become heavy handed and overly simplistic). It's just as easy to make Christians the target audience and then become afraid to express any hint of sin or doubt which again is overly simplistic, and reflects a lack of depth.
I wonder what God's opinion of our artistic success/failure is. I know he's most concerned with the heart, but he can also see when we are capable of much more but choose laziness or other people's approval instead!

brian said...
Good words. It inspired me to write a post of my own. http://prayerbookproject.blogs.com/prayerbook/2006/03/is_christian_mu.html

noneuclidean said...
" If we compose music, poetry or a painting that lacks quality and creativity, what does that say about the God we serve?"
This really reminded me of Calvin Seerveld. If you haven't read his book, "Rainbows for a Fallen World," you really should. He speaks directly to what your saying here. He argues that Christian artists should strive to be allusive in their art-making art that alludes to the God we serve-which is also your point here. This view of Christian art is much more freeing and encourages aesthetic growth, maturity, and a better representation of the full and expansive world that we live in. Beyond Seerveld, a book by Hans Rookmaaker, it's called death in the city or something to do with modernism, is a wonderful introduction to Christianity and the arts. He clearly lays out what should be done and what can be done and why it can be done. Wonderful stuff.

Enough with recommendations (one last one, I wrote a series on practically the same subject last year which can be found at my blog), my point in all this is to say good job. It is a true blessing to hear other believers standing up for sincerity, purity, and excellence in art. It doesn't happen often enough, and it takes more people like you speaking out that will help bring about a artistic revival for Christians that will glorify God.

Shalom,
alan

Solutions Through Community

2006-03-29T09:34:00.000-06:00

(Previously posted on Prayers and Dreams of a Satellite Soul)

I know some of you have been wondering when I might get around to part two of the post from February 27. Here's where we pick it up again. If you haven't read that one yet, I'd recommend reading it before reading this one or it will be completely out of context.

At the end of that post I asked how Christian artists might be equipped and encouraged to create art that is incarnational in nature. As a songwriter, I recognize that there is a craft to songwriting and composition in other art forms that must go through birth pangs and infancy before it can grow into the fully formed expression of adulthood. It is not dissimilar from how a person progresses in discipleship. Because of this, I am of the opinion that artists should be fostered, equipped and encouraged in the context of community.

That's a no brainer in terms of formal education. The skill is applied in a setting where assignment is issued, effort is expended and feedback is given. Repetition of this process pushes the artist/composer/actor/writer/dancer/videographer to stronger artistic acheivement and gives them tools for continued growth that carry them after the season of formal training ends.

There are several disconnects between the ideal of a creative community and the reality of the current state of Christian art. One is that many creatives forgo formal settings of education and are left without all of the tools and development they need to really grow in their craft. Second, many creatives that go through the formal setting become "immune" to critical thought that could actually help them better acheive their creative potential. Third, many creatives are insecure in their efforts and/or gifting and isolate themselves as a defense against criticism. Finally, creatives are not really challenged to grow by the Church at large because we are not comfortable critiquing the offering of other believers (at least not to their faces).

I believe that all of these issues touch on a greater need for community and I'd like to deal with each one (and any others we discover on the journey) on its own in the weeks ahead. I know there are other issues involved as well that I haven't addressed here and I would welcome any comments in order to continue the discussion. I really believe we are in this together and value the input of others that have a passion for the arts and faith.

The Problem With Christian Art

2006-03-29T09:33:00.000-06:00

(Previously posted at Prayers and Dreams of a Satellite Soul)

First, a disclaimer: This is the first of two posts that I've been agonizing over as I've looked at how to address the issues presented in as strong a manner as possible without being unduly harsh. If you believe this post to be too harsh, I pray that you'll hang with me for the second part which, I hope, will be an encouragement for where we're headed.

I've had a few interesting conversations about music and faith in recent years. Most of these conversations have involved the merit of particular songs or particular artists, but most have also been relegated to the realm of the Christian subculture.

Most Christians that don't know me would assume that I would be a huge fan of Christian music because of my involvement in and love of music for the Church. In a great number of those conversations, people are surprised to learn that I don't care for particular artists that are among the most popular in Christian music. They are often surprised to learn that I'd much rather listen to just about any "secular" hit radio station than any Christian radio station that we get around here or around where we lived in Indiana because, both lyrically and musically, the secular station is going to broadcast a better and broader range of artistic expression.

The thing that has been most interesting in recent conversations is that whether I'm talking with Christians or non-Christians, there's a set of assumptions that accompany conversations about music when faith becomes a part of the dialogue. There's an assumption that Christians should listen to and enjoy Christian music. I played for a youth conference a few years ago where the speaker (a man I admire a great deal) went so far as to say, "I'm a Christian. Of course I listen to Christian music. Why would I listen to anything else?" I wrestled with that statement for some time afterwards and came to the conclusion that it shouldn't be a blanket statement applied to all believers (which was the context he said it in) and, ultimately, it isn't healthy for the creative spirit of Christian art.

I remember when the movie version of "Left Behind" came out. It was a highly anticipated event in Christian circles because of the overwhelming success of the books and the notoriety that they brought in the mainstream media. I admit that I was looking forward to it as well. The studio took a strange approach to the release of the film; they released it on DVD a few weeks prior to releasing it in theaters. The hope was that it would generate positive buzz and that people would see it ahead of time and then invite their friends to the theater to see it. I was fortunate enough to see it on DVD before plunking down my $7 at the theater to see one of the worst movies I have ever seen. In the days leading up to the theatrical release, I was at one of the local Christian bookstores buying some CD's for the church when one of the ladies at the counter wanted to know if she could send some "Left Behind" posters and flyers with me to hang up at the church. I think I surprised her when I said, "No, thanks." She asked me why and I had to tell her that I had already seen it and thought it was a terrible movie, to which she replied, "I thought it was one of the greatest movies I'd ever seen."

There are those that will criticize me for saying this, but there are times that I believe that we will champion just about anything done in the name of Jesus Christ without holding it to the same artistic standard that we will hold just about anything else. Because of this, from my perspective, a lot of the music and other artistic expressions produced by Christian artists leave a lot to be desired from an artistic perspective. While things appear to be on an upswing in this regard, there are still a great number of Christian artists who have successful careers (from a business perspective), but create subpar art.

Makoto Fujimura (New York visual artist and an important voice in faith and culture conversation) in discussing the recent movie "The Chronicles of Narnia" stated that he thought the representation of Aslan was less than it should have been and deserved (and demands) a better telling. He said, instead, that the character of Kong in Peter Jackson's "King Kong" captured a fierceness that was lacking in Aslan and that "Kong somehow manages to create a need for redemption better than Narnia as a film." He pointed out that the character of Aslan is one of the most beloved Christ figures in all of literature and stated that, in terms of the truth behind the story, "where much is given, much is required."

I think that holds true in any realm of art where the Gospel is presented as well. If we compose music, poetry or a painting that lacks quality and creativity, what does that say about the God we serve?

Dwell on that question for a minute.

This is a question that haunts, discourages... and inspires me. It keeps me up at night, makes me dream big dreams and, I believe, is the reason that I am where I am. I believe that God is desiring to see artists of faith equipped and encouraged to create great art that will be incarnational in nature, inspiring people to realize the fullness of His holiness and the depth of our depravity so that we can more clearly see the wonder of His mercy.

How will this happen? More later.

A Fresh Start

2006-03-29T08:58:00.000-06:00

I've been blogging for the last couple of years and have decided it's time to franchise and start one dedicated completely to the conversation of how faith and art interact. I would encourage people to comment as I believe this to be a discussion rather than a platform for me to share my ideas. My hope is that through our discussion we'll discover something closer to the ideal of incarnational, redemptive art.