Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #176 — No Longer Running

There are some images that live in your memory forever. Consider this image:

Kim Phuc is the name of the young girl captured in this iconic photo from the Vietnam War. Today I want to refer you to a CNN article about her journey from this terrifying moment of excruciating pain to a beautiful place of healing and forgiveness. It’s a remarkable story. I encourage you to read the entire article and watch both videos. As you read consider if there’s a matter of unforgiveness in your life, and if there’s a way for you to move from pain to healing and restoration. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #175 — Amazing Art

partial view of artwork
fiber, nails and plywood
by Samantha Burns

I want to direct you to Amazing Art, a blog post by Dave Weiss. It is indeed “amazing” and wait until you find out about the artist.

The picture you see here is only a small portion of the artwork, constructed of fiber, nails and plywood. You can see the entire piece by clicking the link above.

It was hung at a church that used the walls of its worship space as a gallery for the members’ artwork. What a great idea! We turned our lobby area into an art show one year for Easter. It was a wonderful way to challenge our artists to create around a theme (we used the theme “Redemption”), and a great way to display their work for our members to see! Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #173 — ArtWay Resources for Faith & Art

The Creation by Aaron Douglas
1935, oil on masonite, 48 x 36″
Howard University Gallery of Art,
Washington, D.C.

“Art is born when the temporary touches the eternal.” G.K. Chesterton

ArtWay is a website that offers a plethora of resources for Christian creatives and artists. Out of Europe some of its resources focus on events and exhibitions in Europe, however, there are a large number of articles to peruse, as well as an opportunity to sign up for a weekly visual meditation, emailed right to you each Sunday! You can also search through wonderful artwork there by hundreds of artists! I’ve also found poetry and wonderful quotes about the arts and faith from some of the “greats” of our Christian faith. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #171 — Art Lessons from God

Today I want to direct you to Tony Snipes who lives to “help creative people discover their purpose.” Sounds like a man after my own heart!! He offers many resources and ideas for artists and creatives.

First let’s start with Tony’s Facebook Page: Art Lessons from God. Here you can find quick links to the latest offerings from Tony. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #170 — Blind Artist Sees Color

Today’s post begs the question: What can you do in faith when life’s circumstances blind you from seeing God?

Light in the Dark
(C) John Bramblitt
bramblitt.net

This is a remarkable story about John Bramblitt, an artist creating brilliant paintings despite being blind. You’ll want to read the whole story here where you can see his beautiful work. There’s also two videos that help tell his story and process for painting with limited vision. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #168 — Free Photo Resources

Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. ~ Mark 6:31-32

We visited Kendall Conner’s The Creative Pastor site awhile back. Just in case you didn’t spend time exploring the site, I wanted to direct you there again today to take advantage of a terrific list he compiled of free stock photo resources. If you use photos for your projects, take advantage of the free stock photos provided by the photographers who share their images graciously with the sites above! And thank you Kendall for compiling these resources for us!

Create-A-Day, your daily dose of creativity #160 — Nature Inspired Art

Photo by Maddy Thomae

This is an amazing video from Rachelle Chinnery about how nature informs her artistic process.

It’s 4 1/2 minutes and definitely worth the watch!!

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #157 — Tongues, Art & St. Paul

In this article entitled Tongues, Art and St, Paul’s Rules of Order: A Few Suggestions author Amber Noel proposes that a certain aspect of the arts could be taken as glossolalia or tongues:

“Could it be that art, at its best (or at what we might call its most Spirit-led), produces a kind of visual, verbal, aural glossolalia that others may then attempt (again, by the same Spirit) to interpret well? On the other hand, if an act of artistic “speech” and its translations fall flat, or explode into total, unmanaged chaos, then could we perhaps turn to First Corinthians for clues on discernment and order?”

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #156 — Sharpie Van

Sharpie Today’s post is simply fun! It’s not sacred or deeply spiritual or thought-provoking. It won’t inspire you to worship. It’s just all kinds of fun!

What happens when you hand complete strangers a Sharpie marker and point them to your plain old boring white van?

This! (click here to see the creativity)

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #153 — Vonda Drees Art Journaling

Beloved
(c) 2015 Vonda Drees

We’ve looked at art journaling several times this year (you can check out last week’s post with links to the other posts by clicking here). Today I want to direct you to the blog of Vonda Drees: Journaling the Spirit’s Stirring. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #143 — Beautiful Sculpture of Christ

Brenda Angel with The Lamb of God sculpture

Today’s creative inspiration is a video of Brenda Angel, an untrained artist who was determined to create a 16-foot sculpture of Christ on the cross. Her original inspiration for this project was through a dream. She literally dreamed it and then made it into reality through her faith in God to equip her for this task. The sculpture is amazing! Her determination to accomplish the task despite her lack of train is incredible! Definitely worth the watch! The statue is on traveling exhibition. You can connect with Brenda Angel on Facebook to see where the exhibit will be next. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #142 — Artists in Christian Testimony

actinternational.org

A.C.T. International (Arts in Christian Testimony Intl) is a remarkable organization helping artists take their witness to the world. Founded in 1973 by Byron Spradlin, the organization has artistic ministries in over 15 countries. According to their website: Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #141 — Wilderness to Water

Wilderness to Water by Tom Graffagnino is a book that travels through grief to grace by way of the author’s artwork, photographs, poetry, and writings.

According to reviewer Kevin Moss, the book is divided in two:

“The book is split essentially into two halves: ‘Wilderness’ is a monochrome exploration of life’s tough times, explored through sketches, poems and a very thoughtful connecting narrative. Tom’s own wilderness experiences clearly prompt and influence the text, but they are never pushed at the reader. The second half, ‘Water’, is based around colour photography but maintains the poetry and narrative structure, to focus on the ways in which God breaks into our lives, even at the lowest points, to refresh, strengthen and ultimately bring us new life. The two metaphors of wilderness and water are very apt as a description of human experience.”

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #131 — Art Inspired by God

“Art inspired by God is the highest form of inspiration there is.”

Ivan Guaderrama is a remarkable, young artist whose artwork brings the Holy Spirit to its viewer in a very real and visceral way. Listen to these amazing thoughts from Ivan:

“Since discovering the gift God has given me I have been faithful in my search for the purpose in which he has given me such talents. It is more clear to me now than ever that God has given me the opportunity to spread the hope found in His word through art inspired by God. Through my relationship with Christ, my life has made some astounding changes, and no feeling compares to seeing that experience begin to take shape with the many guests that visit our Gallery. Whether or not they are believers in the Lord, there has been countless guests of the gallery that have felt the Holy Spirit move in them through the art they have seen or purchased. I have no doubt in my mind that it is the message of the Lord placed in the art inspired by God that is causing such a reaction, the gut level understanding that if you are patient and put your life in His hands He will follow through in His abundant promises. My connection to God never ceases to amaze me.”

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #129 — Free Indeed!

The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington DC makes this powerful statement:

Freedom is not free.

Take a moment, look at these images, and consider the cost.

What did your freedom cost the young man above?

What did your freedom cost the men, the women, the families represented by the more than 285,000 headstones at Arlington National Cemetery?

From the American Revolution to the current situation in the Middle East, have you considered the cost paid for your freedom?

Don’t ever forget!

And don’t forget the cost paid by Jesus Christ as he took your sin to the cross and was buried in the tomb. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #127 — Can Art Change the World?

Let’s make today a TED Talk Tuesday!

Inside Out Spurred on by the question, “Can art change the world?” street artist JR made a wish in 2011: “Join me in a worldwide photo project to show the world its true face!”

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #125 — Healing Through Art

“As long as you find yourself drawn closer to the Lord through the art you produce, you are doing what you are called to do.”
~ Trisha Stern
(c) Trisha Stern

The topic of my next book is the artist on the healing journey and the artist as healer, so I was intrigued when I found a Christian Artist Feature on Trisha Stern on The Artistic Christian blog. After experiencing severe wounding trauma in her life, art became the way out of the depths of her grief and pain.

In the words of Trisha, “Art changed my life.” She has much more to say about the power of art!! I encourage you to read the whole feature here. It will inspire you!

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #124 — Scripture Inspired Art

I’d like to introduce you to the scripture inspired art of Mara Bochart through her BEaUtiful site Shine Living.

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #122 — Learning Creativity

Bringing you an article on learning creativity from CreativePro.com today. CreativePro is a website for anyone involved in the conception, direction, design, or production of communication materials, including print designers, photographers, illustrators, and web designers. The article is geared towards their audience, but all ideas can be transferred over to other areas of the arts and creativity. Check it out here:

Can You Learn to Be Creative?

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #119 — Creativity A’Blaze’

Today’s post is dedicated to my daughter Maddy in celebration of her birthday. You are Madelyn Ruth, Magnificent Companion of God! You are my BEaUtiful daughter, ablaze with adventure and life!

I’ve posted the work of artist Colleen Briggs of Fragments of Light before. Want to direct you there again! This artwork and her accompanying story will certainly bless your day. As you read the story, you will quickly see it is an analogy for something much larger.

colleenbriggs.com

So click here to head over to her post entitled Blaze, and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you as you read and enjoy her work.

Nurturing the Creative Spirit Within

Inspiration, Resources & Bible studies from Jody Thomae

Visual & Fine Art

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #176 — No Longer Running

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #175 — Amazing Art

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #173 — ArtWay Resources for Faith & Art

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #171 — Art Lessons from God

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #170 — Blind Artist Sees Color

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #168 — Free Photo Resources

Create-A-Day, your daily dose of creativity #160 — Nature Inspired Art

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #157 — Tongues, Art & St. Paul

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #156 — Sharpie Van

This! (click here to see the creativity)

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #153 — Vonda Drees Art Journaling

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #143 — Beautiful Sculpture of Christ

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #142 — Artists in Christian Testimony

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #141 — Wilderness to Water

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #131 — Art Inspired by God

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #129 — Free Indeed!

Freedom is not free.

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #127 — Can Art Change the World?

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #125 — Healing Through Art

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #124 — Scripture Inspired Art

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #122 — Learning Creativity

Can You Learn to Be Creative?

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #119 — Creativity A’Blaze’

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