Walking on the Creative Side

My usual artistic expression is through the medium of oil paints. But I like to stay fresh and try various mediums and manipulations of color and texture. So I experiment in my studio from time to time. But I also enjoy taking new classes or studying others’ use of different processes.

Last night was one of those special times. I attended a workshop on doing encaustics. The process involves using a heated metal surface and waxy pigments that melt and bond quickly to the paper you’re using to pick up the colors and patterns. It involves a layering process, achieving different effects with each dip, swirl, move or pressure applied.

It is definitely a loose right brain kind of activity, where no thought is really needed, as it’s difficult at best to predict the kind of texture, pattern and color mixture on your paper that will emerge as you lift if off the hot plate. That can be liberating, as you are inspired by what each move produces that might direct you to the next color or addition to your work in progress. It can also be frustrating to those who demand order and predictability, and feel they have to have a plan before they approach art-making. For they may be disappointed if things don’t go the way they expect.

What the whole process reminds me of is how our lives are to be led by the Spirit. So often we want to know the whole plan – how everything we do now will turn out. But so often the shifting flow of life with its challenges and joys may propel us into areas that we never dreamed we’d go. We can come out to a place where, looking back, we couldn’t have even planned to be so amazing!

And sometimes it may look like something has failed, there is too much dark and not enough beauty. But what I discovered is that even my darkest projects, when held up to the light, because of the transparent nature of the wax on the paper, allowed the light to shine through revealing amazing and beautiful textures and patterns!

I believe there needs to be a balance of having solid fundamentals of right beliefs, knowing who God is and who you are in relationship to him and others. But the ultimate driving force behind your life should be moving with the Spirit in the ever-closer relationship of listening to his whispers of direction and moving with him to wherever that leads you.

God is the Master Artist who brings beauty and reflection of his character to our lives as we walk with him in relationship. May you be drawn closer to him today, listening to the loving whispers of his spirit as he propels you to walk joyfully in your destiny, creating a beautiful reflection of who God is - personified through the canvas of your life.

I call the encaustic on the top left "Lady in Bliss," my first attempt. Obviously, my emotions came through right away in the artwork! You'll notice the difference of the darker one and the one below with light shining through it. The ones on the right again are the same work, the lighter one with light behind it looking entirely different. For a slideshow of more pictures from the experience, visit: http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh15/real-lifepix/Art/?albumview=slideshow