ColzoArt - Artist and Illustrator What a weekend! I’ve been in Oxford at Hutchmoot UK, and have so many things that I’m now pondering.
I’ve been spiritually fed, emotionally cared for, challenged, loved, reminded that I’m loved by an Almighty, Creative Loving King. I’ve sang with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, I’ve wept at story and song, made “bad” art, sketchy doodles and interesting notes.
Now that I’m home, there is a lot to think about as I move forward with Colzo Art.
Key learnings and moments are hard to express here in a post but I’m hopeful that they will become evident in my work and social media posts moving forward. However, it was so good to be reminded of something that I’ve been chatting with friends offline about, and that is what makes Christian Art.
Ally Gordon in his seminar was really refreshing – Christian Art doesn’t need a wee bible verse stuck down in the corner of it to make it have Christian worth. (That’s not to say that there isn’t a time and place for these – I have some of these artworks on my own walls!) The essence of being a person made in the image of a Creative God and therefore being inherently creative beings, that’s what makes it so. That’s not to say, there are no non Christian artists, my goodness, I could point to so many wonderful artists that aren’t Christian, but by God’s common grace, they are also makers of beauty.
Art doesn’t have to be beautiful either to make it good, it can deal with dark, evil topics showing the entire of human existence living in a fallen world this side of eternity. That, I guess was my challenge.
Mark Meynell led a session, and I hope he will forgive me for not really remembering what he said, but more the feelings it invoked, the explosion of colour and joy. I posted this image below on my instagram of a painting I made today whilst re listening to a piece of music that was mentioned. Fantasia On A Theme by Vaughn Williams to be precise… When I got home, I decided to get out the acrylic inks, coloured pencils and pastels, put the full 15 minutes of the song on and went to town making a blooming joyful mess. I followed the movement of the music, where it was rising in tempo or key, I found myself moving in time with the music.
It has been a while really since I’ve felt so free making art, now don’t get me wrong – I adore making illustrations, I really do! However, there are times when letting go and being in the moment with the music filling the soul and mind is needed.
(I don’t know if anyone would be interested in this as a print or not, but if you are, let me know and I’ll be happy to add it to my shop.)
“Fantasia On A Theme”, mixed media painting.
Image description: An abstract painting consisting of teals, pinks, blues, violets all flowing across the page in a fluid movement. There are different kinds of abstract marks made using coloured pencil, paint pens and pastels consisting of lines, circles, and swirls.
There were other seminars and concerts that I attended but I think I’m still processing them and wouldn’t do them justice in this post.
However, some things that I found to be helpful an nourishing during the weekend were “the bits in-between” as I’ve affectionately called them – the conversations over coffee or meals, the time spent in the Ashmolean taking in some art with new friends, the laughter, the tears. I will paraphrase Andrew Peterson when he talked of moments when the shores of eternity lap upon this one – that for me is how it felt. Hutchmoot is a place to pause on the way, a resting spot from the weariness of life, nourishing us so that we can continue the journey in the places God has us, and for that – I am thankful. I’m exhausted, it will take me some time to gather my spoons, but I’m thankful nonetheless.
Colzo
