Parking Garage Revelations
Amerey and I headed to Black Bear after tackling one grocery store and before another, sandwiching lunch in between the two (Mom joke).
We took our time at lunch, Amerey fed baby Moira, Cecilia and I took a few turns about the room. One of the things I love about Black Bear (besides the local organic food) is the featured local artists. One wall featured logs of various ages and sizes cut precisely in a beautiful pattern, as if a forest had been hacked by one giant saw blade at the same time revealing the pattern of circles in each tree. Another wall featured paintings of fish in vibrant oranges, greens and browns. So gorgeous.
After lunch,we headed out into the cool, fall day and into the parking garage next door.
“And the antithesis to Black Bear and the Mountain People’s Co-op (across the street), serving organic, whole foods is this parking garage,” I said to Amerey as we descended into the cool depths.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the contrast as I drove home later that day. It made an impression on me. I couldn’t think of what to compare it to until I got home and saw a post that put my thoughts on the matter into words. You see, I kept thinking of the church as that giant cement structure in the middle of the creativity, the whole foods, the bright colors, the artistry.
“Our society celebrates the left side of our brain. Oh, I agree it should be celebrated and exercised and developed. All good stuff!
But we have TWO sides of our brain!
The right brain is full of creativity, dance, sport, wonder, music, dreams…
And should be celebrated.
I’m sure it is. But for some reason I just hear so much more about the left side. Science, math, facts, logic.
I think we’ve got a healthy combination of academia AND rock and roll going on in our house! Wild hair colors and creative clothing. Writing, dreaming, drawing, playing, singing LOUD, shooting lax, dribbling down the court, tossing the pigskin (like I can really talk football😁) working hard, loving their friends, planning their future.
Just wanted to say it. That’s all. Here’s to the RIGHT side of the brain!
Go have fun today right side. Be bold. Be creative. Dream a BIG right brained dream!” – Missy Pratt via Facebook
She hit the nail on the head and let me take it one step further. The church (as a whole) sometimes struggles with creative spirits. What we miss as a body is that we are creative, we are made in the image of our creator God who is in the business of Creation.
“…Christian artists often are not understood in their own fellowships. Artists, in some ways, are a peculiar breed, by nature sensitive and driven by their gifts. People who sell insurance or work in a factory or serve hamburgers in a fast-food restaurant find ready acceptance in the church, but when a new member says, “I’m an artist,” people shift uneasily. Vague associations of bizarre behavior, a sense of disapproval (Why don’t you do something practical?), combined with a feeling of cultural inferiority, color many people’s reactions to artists.” State of the Arts by Gene Edward Veith Jr.
Sometimes Christians are afraid of creativity, of art, of words like passion, desire, unless it pertains to a verse in the Bible. We shouldn’t be like that concrete building in the middle of the world of color. We should be boasting of the blues, greens, the paintings, singing at the top of our God-given lungs, sketching, etc..
The truth is, we don’t know what art is. We think the world owns it. That it belongs to them. It doesn’t. Art has it’s origins in God. He created. We simply copy His work.
Artistotle defined art as the capacity to make.
Dante explains that men are to earn their living in two ways, by means of nature and by means of art.
“20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle and purchase possessions.
21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all [cutting] instruments of bronze and iron.”- Genesis 4:20-22a
Genesis lists the creative artistic beginnings as well as those who work in the business realm. Cain built a city. Jabal was a business man. Jubal was a musician. Tubal-cain was a craftsman with bronze and iron.
We follow in the footsteps of our forefathers when we do the same. The church has room for both the left and right sides of the brain. We should support and celebrate both. For those of you who are predominantly right brained: write, paint, build, sing draw, design, refinish furniture, compose, the possibilities are endless. God is infinite. He gave us the artistic bent.
Jump out of your car, run out of the parking garage and be the creative, wonderful contributor that He created you to be!
*Note- I am so happy to say the church I attend is rich in the arts. The walls are aesthetically pleasing with rich colors. The Fine Arts department is alive and well! The fine arts department is putting on a full scale production of Scrooge, based on Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol!
Linking up with Kristin Hill Taylor for Three Word Wednesday, join us!