45 comments

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  Rachel

  1 year ago

  Randy,
  
  I just wanted to say, what beautiful art! I found your blog because I went online to look for your art. What a blessing, what beautiful colors and flowing lines. I have a perfect spot, a large wall, in my kitchen/dining room for something just like it! :) And I was blest and encouraged by your article, too. I have often wondered where are the christian artists, playwrights, screenwriters and producers, musicians, etc.? Why aren't they flooding the secular market as well as the Christian one, for surely their creations are as beautiful and, additionally, filled with the Spirit! And then, I was convicted... I have felt this draw toward a particular kind of art and I have been pushing it aside, arguing time, money, obstacles, etc... and suddenly it is dawning on me that maybe it's time to take the plunge, to honor God with a talent that He has very possibly given me.
  
  In any case, thanks for the encouragement. Keep creating!
  God Bless!
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  George Gonzalez

  1 year ago

  Nice Art! I'm A Levite Too! Thanks!
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  Daniel Borris

  1 year ago

  Randy,
  I have admired your art work numerous times and I know, that I know, it is lead by The spirit. Come on, God is evolved, so it is truly the "masters'piece".
  I concur with you that the arts are returning to the Body of Christ, as a very creative (a Gift from God and to Him be all glory) Hairdresser, I use that opportunity often to lay hands on their heads and pray for them in the spirit, while I do their hair, with them not even knowing.. By putting Jesus first in everything I do and letting Him work through my hands, the out come is always amazing. It is like sculptured hair cuts, flattering the features only as the Divine can. The color work that is done can only be described as "shear genius". I am reminded how God detests the proud and haughty and lifts up the humble when I point out feature flaws and hair obstinacy's in the narcissistic and uppity echelon. I stand in awe at the transformations that God does through me on the lowly and humble people. They always sing accolades and try to give me praise and I use that time to give God the glory and tell them as a Cosmetologist, I am concerned with condition of your hair, but as a Christian, I am more concerned with the condition of your soul. " we did a extreme makeover today on your hair, but today, this very minute, Jesus can give you an eternal makeover that will last forever"
  Congrats on being in the LA Times! you rock!
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• 

  Charmaine

  1 year ago

  Randy...Wow...I feel like Ive joined a fantastic program already in progress and missed out on the very important "fleshy" parts that set the scene for future understanding of the picture as a whole.
  
  I have been perusing ETC and trying to get a fuller understanding of the person that ventured to start this group "you"
  
  Your life seems to have been a series of not only revelations into the truths that are represenetive of God, but a maturing in that faith as to allow God to coninually reveal His purpose for your life. As in Body Art it seems that you too were surprised at Gods use of those forgotten or little used talents that were always a part of Randy from the begining of time as God knows it. It seems that you have come through many challenges and firey trials in lifes course thus far, but I can see as I read the articles and blogs that you are in tune with the regenerated creature that yoiu are and are willing to be used by our Lord. What a wonderful, worshipful position to be in Randy. How awesome to recognize your creative, artistic self as a special God given way to worship HIM.
  
  I am looking forward to an exciting, thought provoking, and enjoyable time searching the broad scope of discussion that is ETC.
  
  In Christ care and love;
  Charmaine
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  Charmaine

  1 year ago

  Daniel,
  Charmaine here. Nice to meet you.
  I love the way you expressed the importance of recognizing that creative, artistic ability comes with humbling responsibilities. Taking the eyes off of us and placing it solely on Christ.
  
  As you quoted: "I am concerned with condition of your hair, but as a Christian, I am more concerned with the condition of your soul. ” we did a extreme makeover today on your hair, but today, this very minute, Jesus can give you an eternal makeover that will last forever”"
  
  Amen!
  Charmaine
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  Cheryl

  1 year ago

  Thanks for that article, Randy. A lot of what you said hit home for me. The Lord has used your article to affirm some things He's been saying to me.
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  Amen Rachel! So...get to work :). I am glad you are encouraged. What kind of art are you thinking about doing?
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  Groovy! You are welcome.
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• 

  Randy

  1 year ago

  Dude, you know I love ya' and all. I appreciate your sincerity and love for God.
  
  But I have to admit something.
  
  Reading your comment my mind visualized you praying over a lady, she began to glow like Moses and then, once the masses could look at her again ... she had great new highlights.
  
  :)
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  Well, that is very cool Charmaine. I am glad you are here and enjoying it. Thank you for participating.
  
  Actually, this blog is very random. It's not like the series LOST though. If you miss a post... you can pick right up with the next one. Plus, there is all kinds of ways to search and browse around.
  
  Glad you are here and thanks again.
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  You are welcome. I am glad you are affirmed so ... get busy creatin'.
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  Cheryl

  1 year ago

  T'is my job:) How blessed am I?!?!?! Your thoughts about Levites were what popped out most. My place as part of the tribe of Levi is what the Lord revealed to me when I was confronted with the lie that I didn't belong in the Church. I have never heard anyone else speak about being a part of one of the tribes until your article. Your article confirms my experience with the Lord.
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• 

  Amber

  1 year ago

  Hi Randy,
  I read your article and I just had to find some way to contact you and let you know that right now...it's pretty much the best article that I've ever read on boundless (mostly because I can totally relate). I'm currently in college at an art school studying graphic design, and while I do have plans (I want to work for a magazine), my desire really is that God will use me to glorify Him and speak through me with the work that I do (I know he will too). I liked how you said, "It's not about being an "artist for Jesus." It's about Jesus expressing Himself through His people artistically". Gosh, I love that! Your article was so encouraging, and I'll start praying that same prayer that you mentioned in that article that the "Lord would rescue the artists within the Body of Christ and bring them home". Thank you.
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  cool :)
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  Wow... I am very honored. Thank *you* and I can't wait to see some of your work.
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  Jeff Dahlberg

  1 year ago

  Great article, different from what I expected. If you haven't already, I would consider trying to get your art on neckties.
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  Thanks Jeff. I have had quite a few people say that my drawing would make for good textiles.
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  That's brilliant...I would wear skirts with those patterns.
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  cool... I just wish I knew how to do that.
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  B.T.Carolus

  6 months ago

  http://www.spoonflower.com/welcome
  
  and where I found them:
  
  http://www.needlenthread.com/2008/12/not-quite-...
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  Well, you could finance it yourself, talk to a textile mill and get them to print silk for you, then get a clothing manufacturer to sew the fabric into skirts, ties, etc. for you. Then see if you can distribute them through boutiques, or a catalogue company like Anthropologie. Or you could see if you could sell your designs to a textile company. Or you could go through a high-end designer. Or you could contact somebody at a place like FIDM and ask them for more details about how to do it. However you do it, you'd better send me a skirt ;)
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  One thing that I think needs to happen is a re-thinking of the way that art is produced in the modern world. The old fashioned way of art production (both visual, performing, and literary) was either by amateurs who happened to also be great artists, or via the patronage system.
  
  The patronage system has been more or less abandoned by the modern art establishment because they associate it with lack of artistic freedom due to its function as a part of heteropatriarchal capitalist oppression. Although (in America) the NEA and NEH do fund artistic endeavor, the art world does everything it can to ensure that the NEA does not have any input into the 'creative choices' of the artist accepting grant money from it. Hence the "Jesus dunked in urine" art that the NEA manages to subsidize with the tax-payer's money. Because artists have managed to divorce themselves from patrons, however, they've managed to isolate themselves from a very important piece of criticism: that of the average(ish) person who is much better at distinguishing brilliance from...the other output of the establishment. Modern artists exist in a somewhat narcissistic echo chamber that often praises works that really are terrible, just because it pleases them that they 'get' something the average Cretan off the street couldn't understand. It results in "The Emperor's New Clothes" art, which leads to things like completely black canvases hanging in the Smithsonian. Some great artists decided it was great, and no one dares to point out that it's just a black canvas because they will be admitting that they don't 'get it,' even though there's nothing to get.
  
  Another method that has created art and literature but has been abandoned of late is the gifted 'amateur.' Most of the great writers (up until Pope) were amateurs. The modern method of entertainmant is a pretty passive affair; we wait for Disney or Fox or TimeWarner to put out a new movie or hire a new pop star or publish a new magazine. Then we sit in front of the tv and sponge everything in. Before entertainment giants existed, people had to entertain themselves. Because of this, many upper and middle class members of society would engage in artistic endeavor, including playing instruments, singing, writing, and painting. This was true in China as much as in England or Italy. Great examples of this would be Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, the Florentine Camerata (which invented Opera, among other things), and the Salons of Paris. Basically average people came together and shared their artistic endeavors with each other. When something great was achieved, it was shared outside the circle of friends, leaving us with gems like Milton's Paradise Lost, Ovid's Metamorphoses, and Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea.
  
  I think that a returm to a style like that might have a great impact on the quality and variety of art produced in the modern era.
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  Will do... I just have to take a break from taking over the world to do it.
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  Ellie, that was excellent. this comment would make a great paper.
  
  I really like the idea of the amateur artist because that is the way most of what I enjoy is produced.
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  Maybe you should start your own salon...I would but I don't have enough time right now. Not to mention I don't have my own house. But someday I intend to host my own salon.
  
  I could say more, but maybe I should just write a paper about it...
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  No... feel free to write all you want about it. Plus, start my own "salon?" I don't understand.
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  Ok, you...invited this.
  
  The word 'salon' (think French accent) means living room. The concept being (in France, anyway) that a woman (or a man, but this was back in the oppressive times of early capitalist heteropatriarchy when people mistakenly thought that women tended to be more empathetic and better at the whole social skills thing, so usually a woman) would invite artists, writers, musicians, and intellectuals into her drawing room (fancy term for living room) in order to facilitate discussions of art, literature and politics. We generally use the term 'salon,' which has 18th century conotations, but the Florentine Camerata would be another instance of this; versions of Salons pre- and post-dated 18th century France. The basic point in having one is to invite people into your home specifically to discuss these things on a set day (e.g. every Tuesday, or the third Tuesday of the month). They may bring a sample of their artwork or a poem they wrote, or something like that, and everybody discusses their work. Or they may just be their for a more general discussion of relevant issues. It is one of my life goals to be the hostess of a salon.
  
  Shakespeare would be a good illustration of patronage/amateur art production. Most of his plays were written either for a company that commisioned them, or for a nobleman/woman who commisioned them. This means that he was payed to produce a play, and, depending on the situation, either had free reign to write whatever kind of play he wanted, or was asked to fulfill some set of parameters by his patron. His sonnets(read # 73, 18, 130), however, were written (it is believed) with the intention of being distributed among his literary friends. They represent some of the greatest poetry in the English language, but he didn't get paid for them, or publish them, he just wrote them and presented them to a literary circle.
  
  User-generated content on the web is another interesting aspect of a new form of amateur art production. flickr, fanfic sites (which I already talked about), blogs, youtube, and music sharing sites, allow average people to develop their talents and distribute them on a wide scale. Unfortunately this has occured at the same time as a massive downward trend in American education, both fine art ed. and regular education, and so often (big understatement, I realize) the content is not of particularly high artistic value, because the (largely) twenty-somethings and teenagers have not been exposed to much to build on. Also, we have not placed many societal standards onto the web which demand mature, non-vulgar behavior from anyone.
  
  I think that it might be possible to harness things like blogs and those 'art' sharing sites into a place for encouraging an explosion of new creativity. I already complained once about the poor standards of fanfic. The issues (aside from bad writing, Mary-Sues, pwp, etc) are that nothing new is ever generated. Talented fen use their literary gifts to create new scenarios out of other authors' works, but they can't publish, and they aren't developing their own character development skills, or even setting development, or plot development. If they could be convinced to try writing original fiction instead, we might see some truly great work. And since much of this would be preliminary, and they are used to the online format, it might be really great to exploit it to convince them to create new works.
  
  flickr is much more elevated (partially just because yahoo is good at censoring while allowing you to privately post whatever you want) probably mainly because its users tend towards a slightly older demographic. But it would be great to get many more elevated movies on youtube (like your flu homage).
  
  And blogs would be what pulls everything together and gives it the critical and meta-discussion that it needs to function coherently. Bloggers can give the intellectual spin on the offerings of the artists, or call attention to good pieces, or create platforms for discussion of new trends in method, schools of thought, subject, etc.
  
  I think I'm going to go off and write a book now.
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• 

  Randy

  1 year ago

  That's awesome but the "heteropatriarchy" ..... interesting how one single word can garner so much attention.
  
  I completely agree with most all of your assessment except I think the standard for truly great art being produced by the masses for their own sphere of influence started diminishing clear back to the Industrial Revolution. There has been a lot of great art since then but nothing like times past.
  
  And there certainly isn't any real clear critical review that is truly constructive like their used to be.
  
  But I digress. Can't wait to read your book.
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  You can only sit through so many classes being told about the evils of said word and its enforcers down through the ages (who are, of course, at their worst as late capitalist oppressors) before you either drink the kool-aid or start mocking modern academic trends whenever possible (which is a prerequisite to graduating with your sanity still intact).
  
  I agree that the *late* Industrial Revolution, is more or less the date when all of this shifted, or at least the point where the groundwork for the shift occured. Certainly 'the art establishment' seems to have undergone a radical shift, Whistler may be the last great, traditional visual artist. Shostakovich and Stravinsky are the last great, traditional composers; they far outlived anyone else (except Britten?), but their influence was dampened because of the oppresive (dare I point out -- Communist?) system they lived in. Other than them pop-culture has dominated the 'arts' that the average man is exposed to (see corporations like disney). The 'art establishment' became incredibly insular, with Dada and minimalism marking the end of any truly great art production.
  
  I'll send you a copy of my book when you send me one of your skirts ;)
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  Agreed and believe it or not I was tracking with everything you said ... mostly :).
  
  your last sentence had be laughing out loud.
  
  

  ... when you send me one of your skirts ;)

  
  
  That just sounded kind of funny.
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  You know what I meant...right? Although now that you point it out, it does sound a little fishy out of context.
  
  I know you were tracking with me.
  
  I guess a further question (yay, more questions) would be: How do we inspire people to start creating?
  
  One thing that I have often wondered is why so few people enjoy classical music, which is far superior to modern music in complexity, emotional development, and often sound quality. In a way I think that popular music could be related to folk music (its a complicated and not readily apparent, I know). But even the folk music of ages past had more musical merit than Eminem or the Spice Girls. I think that partially the reason rock, country, etc. are so popular is that they are readily accessible by people with no musical training. I have the ability to follow the complexities of a Beethoven Symphony because I've played piano for 15 years and have listened to classical music for longer. In playing classical pieces I've tried my hand at interpreting them, and learned about their complexity. However, if somebody has no idea what they're listening to and is exposed to only the 'classical music for people that hate classical music,' they will never be able to understand it.
  
  This is where fine arts education, encouraging creativity in children, and museum/concert/gallery visiting comes in. By causing people to have some understanding of what it takes to produce a piece of art (via personal experience gained by attempting it themselves) as well as exposing them to great pieces (Van Gogh cannot be appreciated except in person) in order to get a better sense of what they're like, we can foster the sense of understanding and appreciation that it missing.
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  Yes, I do understand where you were coming from and if my designs ever become high fashion I will make sure you get a sample.
  
  I would agree about being more creative about helping encourage others to create.
  
  ::: ponder :::
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  Totally different topic...Why do really long posts break up the border around them? And how does lingospot decide which words to make blue and underlined?
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  I don't know and I don't know. Wanna donate to the template fund? :)
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  Template? Although maybe I shouldn't pursue this further...I will be blamed for another episode of "Randy Changes His Blog."
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  That's ok. I just turned off threaded comments because the new Wordpress 2.5 is about to be released and if it doesn't afforded threaded comments built in I am not sure my current plugin will work.
  
  the cool thing about the current theme is that while I have done some tweaking and pulling on things. I have basically had the same core theme for two months now. That is kind of remarkable.
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  Cheryl

  1 year ago

  Ellie, I really appreciate your thoughts here.
  
  I've had personal experiences as a guest artist in salon style evenings. They were a little different from what you described but I would say they have been some of my favorite performing experiences (classical musician here). There is something about the intimacy of a small group sharing art that is conducive to artistic risk taking, heartfelt expression, and vulnerability.
  
  I too, have wondered why so few enjoy classical music. It's inexhaustible.
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  "I too, have wondered why so few enjoy classical music. It’s inexhaustible."
  
  Cheryl, I think if I could find the answer to that question I would die happy. OK, maybe it would take more than that, but, seriously, I'm tired of people looking at me like I have a second head when they ask what's playing on my ipod and I tell them Beethoven, or Scarlatti (of whom nobody has heard), and then being told how great fill in the modern popular musician is. It's like walking out of a three star restaurant and having somebody walk up to you and suggest you go to Denny's next time. And I really can't understand why people don't see the absolute beauty within so much of the classical canon. It is inexhaustible.
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  sorry ladies but I turned the threaded comments back on. I missed them. Template bugs will be worked out later,
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  That's good...I like them too. Plus when you took them away it made this a little confusing because it wasn't clear who was replying to what.
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  Cheryl

  1 year ago

  Mmmmmmm Scarlatti...and Horowitz:) I have heard Scarlatti played brilliantly and brutally. I think I could understand someone not liking classical music if their first experience with it was a bad performance. There is certainly a bevy of bad performances on CDs. You do need to know what to look for. It would be like experiencing poetry read without observance to punctuation.
  
  Yes, the threaded comments are easier.
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  My only cd of Horowitz is awful...not because of him, but because it was recorded in Moscow back when it was the capital of the USSR. There is so much messy background noise that all of the detail is muted; and it's just distracting to hear those strange sounds.
  
  There is a certain truth to the bad performance theory, surely. Last year I took music appreciation (admittedly for the easy A -- there was a Steinway in the classroom too, which I got to play ::sigh::), and the song that the textbook chose to introduce opera (big opera fan here, btw) was a crowd scene from La Boheme. It was really horrible to listen to, because it is really a 'moving the plot forward' song, with a great deal of different elements and no really dominant melody. Obviously the song was chosen because it displays (as well as possible without visuals) the different elements of opera, solos, chorals, recitativo, the orchestra, the breadth of possible scenes, characters, etc in one story line. But the problem with it was that nobody in the class (excepting me) had any clue what was going on because they don't know the story of Boheme (hint, it's the opera Rent is based on) and they don't speak Italian, and the song isn't one of the famous Arias, it's mainly people 'talking' to each other. So the song just sounds like random people screaming for no definable reason. If I were going to choose a song to introduce someone to Opera, I'd choose Toreador Song (sometimes called Votre Toste), which displays many of the same elements with a catchy tune to go with. Strangely enough the people I've introduced to Opera have come away with at least a pretty good understanding of it, while the people in my class did not enjoy their introduction to Opera, and couldn't really figure out why I like it so much.
  
  But opera is a bit of an acquired taste, regardless of your introduction to it, and classical music is a much broader field. People are actually constantly exposed to classical music. Because it isn't under heavy copyright protection it very often winds up in commercials, movies, and tv shows. I have a very good friend and we both grew up playing piano under the same teachers. We also weren't exposed to much popular music as kids. She will listen to classical if it's on, or make a little extra effort to attend a concert, but she mainly listens to 'modern' music. I am the exact opposite: I'll listen to The Plain White T's, but I spend most of my time listening to classical. How did that happen?
  
  By the way, a great deal of modern poetry is based around the idea that meter and punctuation is superfluous to the poem (which is just horrible).
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  Cheryl

  1 year ago

  I saw that Horowitz concert on video. It was brilliant to watch. He was so still. He makes it look easy even at 80 something years old.
  
  It's too bad your music appreciation professor couldn't explore the more glorious parts of an operatic work like Boheme. Trying to find one piece that holds all the operatic elements seems a daunting and impossible task. Boheme is not an opera I would choose to introduce someone to recit. Mind you, recit. is a lifetime study all by itself. The music appreciation course sounds very rushed. No wonder your colleagues didn't come away with an appreciation of opera.
  
  Classical music takes time, stillness, and imagination. A taste for classical, opera in particular, can certainly be aquired. Although, I've known many to fall in love with it on first hearing (myself included).
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  B.T.Carolus

  1 year ago

  I know that I'm dredging up an old post, but Roger Kimball, the co-editor of the New Criterion, published an article in the Wall Street Journal a couple of days ago about Classical Realism, my favorite branch of modern art. I have just discovered, through it, John Morra, who paints some of the wittiest still lifes I have ever seen (Kimball has written a lot of brilliant stuff about modern art, if you google his name you can find it).
  
  I don't know whether Morra (or Jacob Collins, who the article is about) are Christians, but their art is all about displaying the beauty of natural forms, which glorifies Creation.
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  Randy

  1 year ago

  Very cool. Thank you for the heads up Ellie.
  
  <abbr>Randys last blog post..The Discovery on ... http://randythomas.org</abbr>
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