Christmas Season, Christian Artists

With Christmas just around the corner I thought I would share with you some contemporary Christian artists (or art with Christian imagery).  Some of these artists are well known names you may recognize and others are up and coming.  They are all exceptional and well worth exploring further.  Click on the artwork to learn more about the artist and their art.  I'll be back with a post the first Friday in January.  Have a very merry Christmas and may God bless you and your family this new year.

Jean-Marie Pirot-Arcabas

Ron DiCianni
His 12'x 40’oil on canvas mural “The Resurrection”
*See more in This Week's Videos at the bottom*

J Christopher White

Chidi Okoye
 

Chris Koelle
some of his work with Christian Imagery (positive or negative)

Thomas Kinkade
America's most collected living artist

          In a nut shell

   1-Enjoy the art
   2-Have a merry Christmas
   3-See you next year

Quotes
Thomas Kinkade


“My mission as an artist is to create glimpses of a world that is tranquil, peaceful and full of the beauty of God's creation. That's what I mean when I talk about sharing the light.”

“Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life. It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to serve others by using them.”

Videos

Christain artist Ron DiCianni shares his thoughts about painting "The Resurrection" with close-ups and details of this remarkable forty foot oil on canvas.




A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz (writer & artist) first aired on television in1965.  This is the classic meaning of Christmas scene were Linus recites Luke 2:8-14,




Here is a great version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" performed by  Katie Melua a few years back.

Directed Randomness

When you are in the process of developing new concepts and ideas, using some form of directed randomness can be very helpful. There are many ways directed randomness can be introduced into your creative process.  It's best used when you are at a point where you want to open new doors to entirely new areas of thinking.

To better understand how directed randomness works consider the following.  I have a small library in my studio that is filled with books I have accumulated over the years.  When I am working on a project and I decide I could use some directed randomness I will stand in front of a book shelf, close my eyes and randomly select a book.  With my eyes still closed I will arbitrarily open the book to a section. I open my eyes and begin to scan the section I have found.  I then focus my mind on finding useful parallels and connections between the random passages and images and my project.


By selectively introducing this randomness into your creative process you are able to focus your problem-solving brain on entirely new areas.  It’s a way of willfully kicking your brain outside of the box it currently resides.  As you practice this technique you will better understand how and why it is so valuable.  As you come to understand why this method works so well you can begin creating your own techniques to meet your unique challenges.

Another approach I like that helps me achieve this controlled randomness is a haphazard online search with preset rules.
For example:
     1-Have an objective in mind.
     2-Go to Google’s main search page and type into the search box any two words that come to mind. 
     3-Go to the fourth and fifth words of the fourth search result and type them into the search box.
     4-Go down the new search results page and brainstorm connections to your objective.
     5-When you discover one that really works go with it.

A quick demonstration of how this might work:
   1-Objective: to improve a paperclip
   2-Two random words that came to mind: “Light Shade”
   3-4th & 5th words that appeared in the 4th search result: “Two Disc”
   4-Brainstormed connections to objective from search results page:
      -Paper clips could be shaped like a musical note
      -Paper clips could be shaped like famous musician caricatures
      -Small square paper clips could have famous musical CD art on them

This random online brainstorm demo took about four minutes and it allowed my mind to consider completely new areas of thought that might help achieve my objective.  Give this method a try and let the new connections propel your imagination into genuine discovery and innovation and you will be amazed by this methods productive value.

          In a nut shell

   1-Use directed randomness
   2-Open a book randomly to a page
   3-Scan the page for useful connections to your project
   4-Do the same with random online searches
   5-Understand why it works
   6-Create your own directed randomness approach

Quotes
Roger Bannister


(Talking about breaking the four-minute mile.)

“No longer conscious of my movement, I discovered a new unity with nature.  I had found a new source of power and beauty, and a source I never dreamt existed.

Videos

David C Roy's kinetic sculptures are wooden machines that are wound up for hours of uniquely interesting motion.  To explore his work further I recommend his website Wood That Works.




I stumbled across this video recently and thought it demonstrated some interesting optical illusions with movement.  It gave me some interesting ideas and I thought it might spark some creative ideas for you.  See what you think.

Make Something

Creative thinking actually increases the brains health and elasticity.  A great way to develop creative thinking is to make something new.  Dr. Daniel G. Amen (physician, psychiatrist, clinical neuroscientist, and bestselling author) says that for brain health “it is important to work your brain often”.  He recommends “learning something new and different” on a daily basis.  One way to do this is to make something new.  It can be a small project or an ambitious one as long as it requires new areas of learning and presents you with new challenges.

What should you make?
What would you like to make?
Just about anything that interests you will work.  Here are a few random ideas to get your brain in gear.  Click on one to learn more or let them open the door to a good online search that leads you to a worthwhile project.

Make A Guitar
Building A Solid-body Guitar

Make An Igloo
How To Make An Igloo

Make An Online Painting
Free Artpad Online Painter

Make A Camera

About Pinhole Cameras

How To Make A Pinhole Camera

Make A Sports Garage
Garage Mahal Sports Garage

Make A Sunclock
Making A Sunclock
Optical Sphere Sunclock

Make A Flow Chart
Easy To Use Diagram Software
Free Online

Make A New Color Scheme
Kuler: Color Selection Tool
Free Online

Make A Fried Turkey
How to fry a turkey
Without burning down the house

Make A Paper Craft Project
Make a Papercraft LED Lantern

I didn’t know what a Freedom Gundam was,
but the following video is pretty impressive.

Make A Tiny Sculpture
Unbelievable! and he was able to sell his 
life's work (up to that point) for $20 million.




Make A Large Sculpture
This one is unusual and it demonstrates
the remarkable skills of hyper-realist 
sculptor Ron Mueck.



The following website links may help you choose a project as well.

As you engage in the making of something new recognize the mental stimulation it produces as well as the mental discipline that it takes to follow it through to completion (especially if you chose something more ambitious).  Each stage in the making process presents new challenges for you and your brain to overcome.  Each challenge overcome promotes a sharper brain and permanent new understandings that can branch out into new concepts and ideas.  You also strengthen your will to be a finisher and in today’s world that is an enormous advantage.

Choose something interesting but don’t get bogged down in the choice.  If necessary give yourself a deadline in the choosing process and always give yourself a deadline for the project you choose.  It only takes minutes to begin the process so take the time to make something new and experience the inevitable personal improvement that comes with stepping outside your comfort zone and creating.  Thomas Edison said “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."  Don't miss out.

          In a nut shell

   1-Make something new
   2-Choose a project
   3-Set a deadline and make it
   4-Be sure to finish it

Quotes
Zaha Hadid

“You have to be very focused and work very hard, but it is not about working hard without knowing what your aim is! You really have to have a goal. The goal posts might shift, but you should have a goal, know what it is that you are trying to find out."

Videos

Reuben Margolin is a kinetic sculptor creating waves in motion.


Tim Kaiser is a musician that now makes experimental Instruments for original ambient sound.