Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 4
September 8, 2023
Art Unboxed – Art In Creation
“I’ve heard a baby cry, I’ve watched the lion stand, and I’ve seen the light of the sun on the mountain, I know they were all painted with the same unseen hand. Art in creation requires an Artist, and I’m so glad He signed His name. “Ask a painter what inspires them and at some point, even in a very detailed answer certain things will be present. I can almost guarantee that the most prominently mentioned item would be light. It’s been said that an artist pursues light.
Often when a painter begins to paint you’ll hear them instruct their students to begin with “their lightest light and darkest dark.” Everything in between is important, but the establishing of the light, and its contrast the darkest dark are key elements to a painting. They will also explain that how you handle light is one of the key element’s of a great artist.
The second point they will bring out may have different names, nature, plein air, the outdoors, but all will be a description of creation. Every artist will admit no brush can paint a sunrise or sunset as beautifully as it is in reality. Whether they’re a believer in God or not, on this the atheist, agnostic, and Christian agree, a sunrise and a sunset are breath taking.
Beyond the light and the landscape, artist love to draw animals and people. The majestic deer, the noble lion, the strength of the bear, and the beauty of the eagle. A great artist can say so much in painting them, but their inspiration came from life.
Painting from life, that’s another point the majority of artists agree on. Weather landscape, animals, or people, you get so much more detail from being there than you can from a photograph. An artist can walk into a room, look at fifty portraits, and pick out the five that were done from life.
Painting the face of a person is much more than the shape of the eye, mouth, or nose. It’s skin tone, dimension, complexion, expression, and likeness. Great portraits can be amazing, but artists know they can only capture part of the story with a painting.
Before a painter ever picked up a brush, or a sculptor molded clay, we saw the sunrise. Creation itself holds a beauty that a canvas can only illustrate never duplicate. I believe that artistry comes from a Divine Creator. That the One Who invented both wisdom and art, set the sun in the sky and caused the sparrow to fly.
Whether talking about the sunrise from an artistic or scientific perspective there is so much beauty in it. Beyond the attractiveness, part of it’s beauty is in its purpose. Light leads, brightens, warms, strengthens, and establishes boundaries. There is intention in its design, and in it I see God’s hand.
I see the artistry of God in the face of a child, in the smile of an elderly person, and in the greenness of the grass. Artists are like everyone else, at times they lack inspiration, searching for something they can not explain. Often they find this by going outside and viewing the beauty around them.
I believe this is no accident, but the hand of The Greatest Artist. He placed so much in His art for us to find. The chiefest of which is salvation, joy, hope, and truth but also the fact that we never have to give up, give in, or settle for anything less than what He has for us.
My art brings me closer to God because it helps me to appreciate that we are made in His likeness. He created a universe of beauty then placed us in it. He gave a pattern for a Tabernacle to Moses so man could understand that one day God would send His son in flesh to die for the world.
I write this because I truly believe no discussion on art can conclude without speaking on art in creation. An you cannot discuss art in creation without mentioning The Creator. From an artistic standpoint, God didn’t mix the color red, He invented it.
An artist combines blue, red, and green, but first they were Divinely gifted to us all. How anyone can look at our beautiful and brilliant world and suppose that it happened accidentally through a cosmic explosion I’ll never understand. I’m sorry but the delicateness of a flower and the strength of a mountain can’t be produced by a big bang.
For those that are of that mind, I would ask this question, who invented the pieces that blew apart? I’ve heard a baby cry, I’ve watched the lion stand, and I’ve seen the light of the sun on the mountain, I know they were all painted with the same unseen hand. Art in creation requires an Artist, and I’m so glad He signed His name.
With Me In The Winepress – Ephesians 1:15
This excerpt from our Bible study on the book of Ephesians reminds us that what we do must always begin and end with a focus on Jesus.
Ephesians 1:15 (ESV)
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,
Revelation 2:5 (ESV)
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
Paul follows up talking about Jesus’s love in guaranteeing us with a verse about the love of the saints. Essentially he was rejoicing because He could see God’s love in them, through their faith and love. Their beliefs, actions, and speech were fruits of God’s love working in them.
We cannot work to our fullest without His love flowing through us. We may perform the acts of Ministry, but if His love isn’t flowing freely in our lives, it will not produce what God desires to in us. It’s interesting that verse fifteen was written to the Ephesians, and later Christ would say to them in Revelation they had abandoned their first love, even though they were still working.
Working without love becomes a burden, working with love flowing reveals it’s joy. What we are called to do must never become our primary focus, it must always be The Who we are doing it for that makes the difference. The Who we serve must always be the reason for our why!
September 7, 2023
September 5, 2023
Sketch Poe And Shakespeare
September 4, 2023
Sketch Beetle Bailey
His Labor Day
11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:11 (NKJV)
The labor of His soul, that’s how one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament described Christ’s sacrifice for us. The word here for labor involves both the body and the mind. God was showing that He was all in for our redemption.
On this day when we celebrate our labors, give thanks for the jobs we are blessed with, and enjoy time with our family let’s remember something more. That His labor was by choice, not for a paycheck, or advancement of His own, but for us. His labor was so we could have far more than a one day holiday or a three day weekend.
He suffered so we could have life, and abundant life. We work so that we can provide for our families. His labor made us part of His family, what a beautiful Labor Day!
