Painting by the Numbers

When you first decide that you want to be an artist you might pick up a “Paint by Numbers” kit. Each ‘painting ‘ is really a diagram full of many differently shaped and numbered spaces, each number representing a different color in your paint box. By religiously applying the correct color to each numbered shape it is possible for the budding ‘artist’ to create a colorful painting that should be a very closer rendering of the picture on the kit’s lid. If done carefully it could easily be hung on someone’s wall with little or no apology.

But with all due respect to those “Paint by Number” aficionados out there, it is not art; any more so than coloring in a coloring book is art or completing a jigsaw puzzle is art. It is a craft. And just as the completed puzzle needs to match the box lid, so the “Paint by Number” painting needs to replicate the next person’s attempt at the same picture. You are not allowed to paint outside of the lines.

To artfully paint a picture is exceedingly difficult for someone who does not have the eye for it (take this from one who has failed miserably in this regard). Skills are important (the craft part of painting) as well as technique. But to create a work of art requires vision as well as the ability to lose oneself in the painting, to become a part it, a creative act akin to love. The beauty of great painting is that it never is identical to another work and the visible outcome can get the ‘message’ across to different people in different ways.

I think the “Law” of the Old Testament is much like what we find in a “Paint by Numbers” set. The Laws are very important because they help us to paint a picture of what someone who loves God looks like. But it can be very trying to stay within the lines and at times we may even mistake one color for another. More often we end up painting a picture of ourselves, someone who has yet to realize a love (as opposed to a fear) of God. It is an attempt, through attention to detail, to create something worthy of being called Love.

On the other hand, a picture painted with Christ as inspiration may still have flaws of perspective but will not exhibit the structured choppiness of a ‘Paint by Numbers’ work. There will be a smoother blending of the colors, softer pastels may be used as well as bright primaries, all suffused with a light that only the Spirit can provide. The result is a unique and heartfelt work of art instead of the more commonplace attempt at making a rigid and orderly reproduction. The goal of every ‘Paint by Numbers’ picture is to look exactly like the next, whereas original productions will vary from artist to artist.

There is a lot to be said for this orderly and systematic way of developing the discipline for art; following instructions, holding the brush properly, laying down the paint and paying attention to the finer details. Hopefully learning to see the whole picture by not focusing on the many small parts. But at some point the fledgling artist will need to throw away the props and find the faith to start learning from the Teacher. God allows many canvases on which to make many mistakes and in the end we should be painting beautiful pictures with the goal of pleasing the Master.

As my friend Jason said, it’s like “The difference between looking at a Seurat from 10 millimeters or 10 meters.”

Ric Booth’s “Rich Young American”

A fairly new blogging friend, Ric Booth, has written a great poem and it has won an award. I’ve reprinted it here for everyone’s enjoyment but be sure to check out his site:  www.ricbooth.wordpress.com

the rich young american
by ric booth

my cell is padded grey on grey
fluorescent shadows flood my days

i sit and type old words so tired
and plod enough to not get fired

i cut from here and paste to there
and meet to scrawl just like i care

and ponder words to rhyme with bored
the heart screams sail but I am moored.

i know there is a better way
still fear is king so here i stay

i earned all this. i worked real hard
to brick my cell, to debt, my bars.

poor envy me, this life i lead
buy all i want and do not need.

they watch me go through one-way glass
refuse to see, i walk on past

one thing i lack, i cannot feed
i crave a faith of mustard seed

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said.
–Mark 10:21a (NIV)

Bad Boy Crowe to be Gladiator for God

Movie star from Down-Under, Russell Crowe intends to be baptized this year, in a Byzantine (?) chapel he built on his estate. In a Mens Journal interview, as reported by the AP, Crowe says “If I believe it is important to baptize my kids, why not me?”

This should prove interesting. First Mel Gibson and now Russel Crowe – perhaps there’s something in the water down there. Or maybe it’s the Fosters.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071106/ap_en_ce/people_russell_crowe_2

The Wine Minister

Oh, boy. Have I found a treasure while hunting on the web.  Here is a fellow who has envisioned a ministry that uses the best that God has given us; good wine. He calls his site:

WineMinistry

Wine, Friends, Food and Theological Musings

http://wineministry.wordpress.com/

There is a pretty good article he just wrote about how just as a wine label can reveal nothing of the wine’s character, the same can be said of people. http://wineministry.wordpress.com/2007/09/06/theology-buying-wine-by-the-label/

I also like this one about how wine can encourage and enhance the celebration of community ;  http://wineministry.wordpress.com/2007/07/

If you like good wine (or, as in my case, good cheap wine) go check him out.  (No wonder I didn’t make it very long as a Methodist.)

But for those of my friends who are doing the 12 Step he also has another site, RevJavaDude’s Cafe:

http://www.revjavadude.com/

Either (or both ways) enjoy.

Favorite Poems

In the spirit of keeping things rolling along I thought I would share a ‘poem’ that I’ve always liked:

The Life of a Day, by Tom Hennen

Like people or dogs, each day is unique and has its own personality quirks which can easily be seen if you look closely. But there are so few days as compared to people, not to mention dogs, that it would be surprising if a day were not a hundred times more interesting than most people. But usually they just pass, mostly unnoticed, unless they are wildly nice, like autumn ones full of red maple trees and hazy sunlight, or if they are grimly awful ones in a winter blizzard that kills a lost traveler and bunches of cattle. For some reason we like to see days pass, even though most of us claim we don’t want to reach our last one for a long time. We examine each day before us with barely a glance and say, no, this isn’t one I’ve been looking for, and wait in a bored sort of way for the next, when, we are convinced, our lives will start for real. Meanwhile, this day is going by perfectly well adjusted, as some days are, with the right amounts of sunlight and shade, and a light breeze scented with a perfume made from the mixture of fallen apples, corn stubble, dry oak leaves, and the faint odor of last night’s meandering skunk.

What about you? Any poetry or prose that you’d like to share?