Since my husband had the day off we used my 4 hours of babysitting (which on most weeks will be for art making) to go on a date. We went out to lunch and tried shopping, but walks outside are our favorite.
Even in the cold.
Sunday post
John Hafen
The Mountain Stream
1903, oil on canvas, 26 x 23 inches
Springville Museum of Art
My mom sent me this quote by LDS artist John Hafen this week:
“The influence of Art is so powerful in shaping our lives for a higher appreciation of the creations of our God that we cannot afford to neglect an acquaintance with it. We should be as eager for its companionship as we are eager for chairs to sit upon or for food to sustain our lives, for it has as important a mission in shaping our character and in conducing to our happiness as anything that we term necessities.”
When I read this I thought of a journal entry I wrote my last year in high school– the time I was trying to figure out exactly what it was I would do when I grew up. I wrote:
“”Art is the symptom of a soul.” ( That’s a quote from my English teacher Mr. Dempsey.) The very fabric of our being which separates the men from beasts is our ability to create, to think on abstract and elevated levels, and our awareness of those abilities. Whether the means be visual, literary, musical or physical– the arts are humanity’s vehicle to express self awareness, imagination, creativity, and develop abstract thinking skills. Art sharpens our senses, and through expressing self awareness one becomes keenly aware of his surroundings. Reading, writing, drawing, acting, dancing; these give us emotional connections to the people, places and things around us. These connections instill value and appreciation for all creation. “
I really believe this. In making, in creating we weave threads into our relationship with the ultimate Creator. We start to feel our own potential and can see more clearly the infinite possibilities in other people. Art is an extension of our spirituality in a very real and concrete way. My favorite Joseph Smith quote today is “If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.” Human creativity is at the very core of our divine nature, our inheritance from God– in using it we can come closer to comprehending both.
I’ve been clicking through the 7th International Art Competition at the Museum of Church History and Art. Here’s one of my favorite paintings by Joshua Baird entitled By Design:
Happy Sabbath! Do something creative this week– even if it is making your kitchen sink clean. If that’s the case, really make it sparkle!
gourd birdhouses
I was so taken with the gourd birdhouses that Courtney made for Christmas. Then Barry reminded me that we had 2 gourds that had been drying in the garage for a long time. My yoga teacher gave them to my kids last growing season (in 2006). Anyway, the kids painted them and now they’re ready to be lived in.
They were pretty easy to make. Once they were painted and dry we just drew our 1 1/2 inch circles for the doors where we wanted them. The we drilled 1/4 inch holes in the middle of the circles and used a little coping saw blade to cut the holes the right size. Hollowing them out was fun. The stuff was all styrofoamy and the seeds are a crazy shape. (We saved seeds for future gourd growing.) I reached in with my fingers to loosen things up, but it mostly just shook out. Then we found some good perching sticks, drilled holes just smaller than the diameter of the sticks and glued them in. I’m sure it will be awhile before we have residents, but just the shape and color of these make me smile.
Play with Your Cousins
Before it gets too far past Christmas I need to post about some hand made gifts. These are the only thing I managed to get made this year. After seeing Amy’s Aunt Sarah Dolls I’ve had this idea in my head and finally got it out this year.
They are hilarious. I drew the bodies, then had the kids color their own. I just used our printer to copy them onto the injet iron on stuff I found at Hobby Lobby. Simple enough. It did take me quite awhile to get them done, though. I made 4 sets, so that was printing, ironing on, cutting, sewing, stuffing (my mom was visiting, so she actually did that part),and closing up– times 16. Anyway, I don’t think about things that way when I embark on a project, so things always take me longer than I think they will.
I kept a set. It is pretty funny to see Ian chewing on himself!