art of christmas in july

Covenant Artists is taking on another group art endeavor! This time we will be working in community and digging together into the scriptures that prophesy and tell the story of Christ's birth.

Based in prayer and Scripture, our hope is to create a show that will convey the Spirit of Christmas in a Sacred Space. We will talk about what this means as we encourage each other along the journey to create our own inspired pieces. Our goal is to include many forms of expression including fiber arts, painting, sculpture, clay, photography, drawing and more.

Artists interested in participating are invited to join us biweekly for inspiration while considering our works for the show. We'll be meeting from 7-8:30 p.m. at Folsom's Oak Hills Church for these special times of gathering to explore our role in God’s plan for our gift from Him, the Creative Spirit.

Meeting dates:
August 5th
August 19th
September 2nd
September 16th
September 30th
October 14th
October 28th

For more information email Judith Monroe at judith@judithmonroe.com.

teresa's eggs...

So only about three months later, here are close ups & some of Teresa Harbert's words about her works. (Sometimes time really does fly!)



“Waves” Chicken Egg Pysanky

Sometimes I have a specific symbol in mind when I start an egg, and sometimes I just play with shapes. This wave pattern was fun to stretch into an all-over design.




“Quilt star” Chicken Egg Pysanky

I’ve always loved translating traditional quilt designs onto my eggs. Here the Ohio Star pattern features prominently.




“Feathered Pinwheel” Chicken Egg Pysanky

My challenge in this show was to take simple forms such as this pinwheel and make each one unique. Without the distraction of color the design had to be distinctive enough to stand on its own.




“Eternal Circles” Goose Egg Pysanky

All the bands of design circle this egg without a break which historically in the art of pysanky signifies eternity.




“I Am the Vine” Chicken Egg Pysanky

We bear fruit as Christians only when we remain connected to Christ.

Thanks so much Teresa, and next time I will be faster, I promise! jm

imagine that...

I wrote this review for Amazon, so I thought I'd share it here, too. I've gotten to know the author, Manuel Luz, and I'm happy to recommend his book, Imagine That.

For too much of my life, I didn't understand the connection between my creativity and my Christianity; after much studying and prayer, I came to realize that art can be an outpouring of my faith and an integral part of my relationship to God. Reading this book, Manuel Luz takes the reader through much the same course of questioning, study and prayer, pointing to our Creator God as the source of our creativity.

Manuel shares his heart while digging into the relationship between the artist, the church and God, with all of the follies and joys that come with any set of human relationships, then points toward a way for understanding on all sides. In the chapter "Art and the Spiritual Disciplines," the reader learns how art can be a spiritual discipline in and of itself, bringing the artist closer to God.

"Imagine That" has become one of the touchstone books in my collection on art and faith, a book that I devoured cover to cover and that I am now leading a group of artists through as the basis for study and discussion. The questions that Manuel poses at the end of each chapter have led to some of the most profound and stimulating discussions I have ever had with my fellow artists.

I've also compiled a list of books on Art & Faith you might be interested in reading, which I add to now and again. jm

now showing at art & soul gallery

Reflections in Black and White
February 21 – April 18, 2010

Teresa Mihalko Harbert

I consider myself a “latent artist,” having discovered my artistic passion far along this path called life. And connecting this passion with my life in Christ has given me a whole new depth of awe and wonder about God, my Creator and my Savior.

The Church sets aside these forty days of Lent as a time of personal reflection. Exploring the Lenten Season through the art of pysanky has not only stretched me as an artist, it has given me a new appreciation for the history and the practice of Lent as a time of preparation for the Easter celebration of Christ’s Resurrection.


Art & Soul Gallery
OAK HILLS CHURCH
1100 Blue Ravine Road, Folsom, CA
916/983-0181 www.oakhills.org

commit your works...

This is an assemblage artwork by Terry Flowers titled, "Commit Your Works to the Lord" (I'm pretty sure.) I'm going to ask Terry to comment on this post and tell us more about it.

commissioned visions

Recently I was asked to do some artwork inspired by the cemetery in Davis, a smaller town west of Sacramento. There was just no way that I could create work that addressed our mortality without addressing what the Bible says about it...


"Renewal"
acrylic image transfer from digital capture in mixed media collage on 16x20" canvas

"Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18


"Breath"
acrylic image transfers from digital capture in mixed media collage on 24x30" canvas

"No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever." Psalm 16: 9-11

"Each of us is but a breath" Psalm 39:5

new visions

New versions of some of my original Visions of Heaven work, all three here are black & white photos collaged onto 8x8" canvas with mixed media.



"River of Life"



"My Father's House"



"City of God"