LeAnne Martin
AuthorSpeaker
Christians in the Arts

Friday, September 22, 2006

Christians in the Arts--Welcome!

As I stood in front of the painting, I realized that no photograph or reproduction could have prepared me for the beauty before me now. At the National Gallery in London, I gazed at a French Impressionist painting I had loved since my college art appreciation class but now I was actually seeing the original. It was Claude Monet’s "The Water Lily Pond,” one of a series of paintings of his pond in Giverny, France, done in the late 1800s. My eyes could not get enough of the early summer-greens of lily pads floating beneath the arched bridge.

The artist’s gift, given to him by the Creator, touched and moved me. Other visitors milled about, I’m sure, but for those few moments, it was just me, the painting, and the Lord. Thank You, God, I prayed. Thank You for the gift You gave the artist that made such beauty possible. And thank You for Your creation, which inspired it.

When I finally walked away, I knew I would not be the same. Through that painting, I had perhaps the most memorable worship experience of my life.

Excerpt from an article I wrote called “Worship: The Work of Art" that first appeared in The Lookout magazine, September 2002.

Have you ever been profoundly moved by art like I was, whether it was a painting, a symphony, the ballet, the theater? Do you love to experience art or to create it? Are you an artist who is a Christian or a Christian who loves the arts? Either way, you are in the right place. On this blog, I will be presenting Q&As with Christians who are artists, art enthusiasts and experts. I will also write about the arts from my own perspective. Occasionally I'll include quotations, helpful resources, practical information, etc. Soon I'll be adding links I like that you might enjoy as well. I plan to post twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays.

On Thursday, I’ll be starting a series of Q&As with two artists involved in the cultural debate: Nigel Goodwin of Genesis Arts Trust (www.genesisartstrust.org.uk) and Bryan Coley of Art Within (www.artwithin.org). They'll be talking about how Christians in the arts can impact the culture, the church's role in our culture, and more. I think you'll find their comments inspiring and insightful.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Greetings from Colorado Springs, LeAnne. You're a welcome addition to the blogging world. - Chuck Boudreau

Nancy said...

Great blog LeAnne. I'm looking forward to your next posts!

Crystal Laine said...

You are awesome, LeAnne. This is something different and I look forward to learning here. One of my favorite topics.

Sholar said...

Hey LeAnne,
What a moving description of your in-person glimpse of The Water Lily Pond. I haven't taken much interest in the arts, but that might change with your blog. I already want to return to check things out.
Rhonda Sholar

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