Art is...

I have talked frequently here about my love of our Nativity children and the joy I receive in talking with them about God. Yesterday for children's time, we were talking about how God calls us, and I asked them to think about any old way they had experienced this call. One of our boys said "art", and when asked to say more, said that he knew that God had something to do with art when the artist was stuck and didn't know what to do.

Who could say it better?

My favorite photographer growing up was Ansel Adams. I think partly for our shared love of Yosemite, and partly for the inspiration he gives my eye. Today I found this quotation of Adams, which is part of a letter he wrote to a friend.

He says "art is...both the taking and giving of beauty, the turning out to the light the inner folds of the awareness of the spirit."

Who could say it better?

I have known for a long time that my own creative sense, eye, work, photography, desire for color, has something to do with the holy, but I am coming closer to being able to put easy words to this part of myself. For me, the words have to come easily, or they are coming too soon. As life is a journey, so is understanding. These two encounters this weekend help me. Thank you!

Limantour beach at sunset