The Studio Artists ~ Group Exhibit

I’m so excited about the studio artists group exhibit, which features nineteen artists who are part of the arts community, the studio. God has gifted these people with a heart to create and skills to bring forth beauty. You will enjoy a wide variety of mediums: pottery, jewelry, woodworking, glasswork, acrylic, watercolors, pastels, and photography. It’s an eclectic group of personal artwork from the artistic hobbyist to the professional full-time artist.

This exhibit runs the month of January.

the studio is a monthly gathering for visual artists that meets the third Wednesday of each month from 7:00—8:30 PM in Living Word’s Coffee Bar. Artists find inspiration in one another and deep community is forming.
The goals for the studio are to connect:

• artists to artists  
• artists to the church 
• artists to the community 
• artists to God, the Master Artist

I invite you to attend the studio and hope you find inspiration and even a new way of looking at your creativity in the light of who God’s created you to be, in His image.

 

Grace & peace,

 deAnn Roe

Snow Photo Challenge by Beth Smith

Christmas Decor

by Beth Smith

I dig this image - like a Christmas tree covered with snow, so unlike the one in my house. But I do remember the flocked trees of my youth. I prefer the real thing.

Thanks Beth for sending in your image!

grace & peace, deAnn

Snow Photo Challenge from Austin Fitz

Junko

by Austin Fitz

I love the shallow depth of field of this image. The bird just pops off the screen!

Thanks Austin, for sending in your image!

grace & peace, deAnn

Snow Photo Challenge by deAnn Roe

Festive Entrance

Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Dallastown, PA

Snow Laden Ladder

Our backyard

Snow Drift Mountain Range

Bethlehem U.M.C. Dallastown

Now, waiting for the next big snow to hit our area.

Grace & peace, deAnn

Snow Photo Challenge by Jutta Stallman

I really love the dog shot, nose in the snow and I'm wondering why.

Thanks Jutta for submitting images for the Challenge!

Grace & Peace ~ deAnn

Snow Photo Challenge by Chris Gold

Merry Christmas!!

The above images were taken by Chris Gold.

Thanks for submitting your images, Chris! I hope it snows again like this before spring!

Grace & Peace,

deAnn

Snow Photo Challenge by Deb Williams

Sunrise by Deb Williams

Bird in Snow by Deb Williams

Wintery Scene by Deb Williams

Thanks Deb for your images, they are nice! I particularly like the last one. It reminds me of Narnia - the light post and all! Thanks for participating in the Snow Photo Challenge.

grace & peace,

deAnn

Snow Photo Challenge by Chris Morgan

Suspension by Chris Morgan

Snow Castle by Chris Morgan

We Jump by Chris Morgan

Great images, Chris! Very creative and it looks like you guys were having lots of fun. Thanks for submitting your images for the Snow Photo Challenge.

deAnn Roe

I Played My Best For Him

For some reason this year Christmas music has really been speaking to me. Lyrics I've heard over and over have become mute to my ears and heart. However, God really captured my emotions one day when the familiar song, "Little Drummer Boy" came on my Pandora Christmas Radio Songs station. I've always dismissed the song, only hearing the prominent "pa rum pum pum pum" segments. But this time, I really heard the lyrics. Actually they went straight to my heart. I'd like to share them with you, minus the "pa rum pum pum pum's."

Come they told me,

A new born King to see,

Our finest gifts we bring,

To lay before theKing.

So to honor Him,

When we come.

Little baby,

I am a poor boy too,

I have no gift to bring,

That's fit to give the King.

Shall I play for you

On my drum?

Mary nodded,

The ox and lamb kept time,

I played my drum for Him,

I played my best for Him.

Then He smiled at me,

Me and my drum.

At the artists' gathering last week, the studio. I had these lyrics for everyone. We read them quietly and shared anything that stood out. Some stated that they never really noticed the lyrics before and really liked them. Others made note to certain parts of the song, "I have no gift to bring, that's fit for the King." One mentioned the fact that the animals kept time - which brought up a neat thought about how nature participated.

There isn't a line in this song that doesn't speak to me. I can relate to the little drummer boy, as I believe all artists can. I am a poor boy (girl, actually), with no gifts to bring, fit to give a King (Jesus). But all He wants is for us to show up and play our best for Him (or paint our best for Him, draw our best for Him, write our best for Him, or create our best for Him).

Then He smiled at me, me and my drum (or canvas, etc.)

As we head into the last few days before Christmas, remember the words of the "Little Drummer Boy." It has deep spiritual message for us. Often we judge our "best" by how the world sees our artwork. But God doesn't see it that way. As an offering for Him, He only expects we show up and do our very best.

Then He smiles at you, you and your art...

Grace & peace,
Merry Christmas,
deAnn

the studio 12/16 ~ RECAP

The Arts @ LW ~ the studio
December 16, 2009

Connecting Artist to Artist
We all shared our 2 or 3 peices of artwork that is being submitted for the January group exhibit. That was so much fun to see the work we've only heard of from one another.
What are your personal artistic goals for 2010?
Be in an exhibit outside LW. Be in _______ (number) exhibits.
Start a website featuring your artwork.
Take a class to learn a new skill OR to sharpen your current skills.
Donate a piece of your work to a benefit art auction.
Accomplish ______ (number) pieces of work in this year.
Read a book on arts and theology.
Experience art as prayer as spiritual formation.
______________________________________
______________________________________

Connecting Artist to the Community
First Friday Lancaster is Friday, January 1 – New Years Day

http://www.lancasterarts.com/index.php?pID=293 this link has the info about which galleries and businesses are closed OR open on New Years Day.

Websites to check out:
• http://melyndavanzee.blogspot.com/ ~ a cool blog by a Christian artist in the Midwest
•  http://www.fcreatives.com/ ~ Fiel Patricio, a York Artist
•  http://www.yorkartassociation.org/ ~ York Arts Association
• http://www.yorkarts.org/ ~ York Arts
• http://artgalleryyorkpa.com/ ~ City Art Gallery, York
• http://www.studiogallery234.com/ ~ Studio Gallery 234, York
• http://culturalalliance-york.org/ ~ York Cultural Alliance

The Connecting with God segment will be posted later this week. It needs to stand alone and not be shoved to bottom of the recap post.

Grace & peace~
deAnn

the studio: wednesday, 12/16

Tomorrow evening is the studio ~ where artists gather. We begin at 7pm in the coffee bar art gallery at Living Word Community Church. We are an artists community where we come together as artists who love Jesus, long to impact our community, and desire to deepen our walk with God.

If you are participating in the studio collaborative exhibit for the month of January, bring your 2 or 3 pieces of wired to hang wall art or 3D artwork to the studio tomorrow night. Since it the week before Christmas we'll have a relevant reflection as we head toward Christmas day. We'll also share about the art work we are submitting for exhibit and of course, eat chocolate and other holiday yummies.

I hope you can make it!
See you at 7pm in the coffee bar gallery!

grace & peace, deAnn

Sistine Chapel

Travis Thompson, one of the studio artists here at Living Word, sent this to me - to share with artists. Enjoy deeply. Grace & peace, deAnn
-------------------------------------------------

Have you ever been to the Sistine chapel? I have had a awesome opportunity to see it. It is about 1,000 time more impressive then any picture I have seen. Some interesting facts are that the Sistine chapel follows a belief common to Byzantine churches. The outside of the chapel is plain and has virtually no interest. All the beauty is inside. At one point the Italians held this virtue so high that this is how they built their churches. The Sistine chapel is a chapel not a gigantic church common in Italy. The ceiling is 131' x 43' so if you were to get 100, 150 or so people in this room it would fill up fast. It was just a chapel but Michelangelo (the sculptor) still poured his heart and spirit into this painting. It took him 4 years of standing (not laying down) to complete this project. He only accepted the commission when he was allowed to paint what ever scenes he chose. I wonder how many millions of people have walked into that chapel and have felt the power and omni-presence of God? I wonder what it would look like if we lived with that kind of dedication, passion and love?

Sections form Psalm 103

"Praise the Lord, my soul,

and forget not all his benefits- ...

For as high as the heavens are above the Earth,

so great is love for those that fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us. ...

for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust. ...

But from everlasting to everlasting

the Lord's love is with those who fear him,

Praise the Lord, all his works

everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul."

Thursday Pages Writing Group

Don't forget - Pages is this Thursday, December 10 from 7-8:30 pm in the large conference room at Living Word. The large conference room is across the hall from the church kitchen.

Bring your laptop or writing pad and a writing project you've been working on or putting off. If you have no projects, that's okay. We'll have writing prompts for you to choose from. The first 30 minutes of Pages is connecting as writers. The last hour is spent silently writing.

In this busy season when dedicated writing time is difficult to find, come to Pages and write away.

NOTE: If you come in the Coffee Bar entrance of the church, please be aware that the Women's Winter Event, "Girls Night Out," begins at 7pm in the coffee bar that evening. We'd just ask that you'd quietly move to the large conference room so that the event will not be disturbed. Look for the Pages sign on the conference room door.

Grace & peace,
deAnn

Inspiration for Photographers

I came across this beautifully done website for a photography studio in downtown York called, "The Susquehanna Photographic." If you want to be inspired, as I certainly was, look at their portfolio.

This Christmas season, instead of the typical holiday snapshots, re-image your subjects and be creative with your photography. Try snapping the photo from a different vantage point (instead of standing and taking the photo) or play with lighting, use a tripod for low lighting situation instead of flash (that is if your subject isn't a 2 year old zooming across the room!). This would be a fun PHOTO Challenge too - we've not had one for a while! More to come on that, but be thinking beyond the box when when you have your camera in hand over the holidays!

Happy Creating!

Grace & peace ~ deAnn

Shady Diamond Illusion

The Studio Recap - November

It's a little late in coming, but here is the recap from the studio in November. In December, the studio is Wednesday, 12/16 at 7pm in the coffee bar at Living Word. The studio seeks to connect artists to artists: artists to the community: artists to the church: and artists to our God.

November 18 ~ the studio: where visual artists gather

Connecting Artist to Community

First Friday York and Lancaster, Friday December 4 (Day after Tomorrow!)

Cool websites to check out:

• http://www.melodyhogan.com/Welcome.html This is Melody Hogan’s website (Chris Gold’s cousin)
• http://cre8ed2cre8.blogspot.com/ Here’s Melody’s blog
• http://thenewr.org/ The New Renaissance Rising website
• http://thenewr.wordpress.com/ The New Ren Rising blog
• http://www.internationalartsmovement.org/ International Arts Movement
• http://www.lwcc-arts.blogspot.com/ The Arts @ LW blog

Connecting Artist to the Church

January group exhibit featuring the studio artists.

Submit two or three pieces of art, wall hung or 3D, on or before Wed 12/16 (which is the studio date in December - just bring your artwork to the studio). Attach a gallery inventory sheet (email deAnn to receive one) with each art piece numbered according to the numbers on the inventory sheet.

Email the info about each art piece to deAnn and I’ll print out art labels that will hang with your piece. I’ll need an artist statement/bio, focusing not only on your schooling and artistic accomplishments but more importantly on how you experience God’s presence as you move into your creative endeavors – this info will go in the gallery booklet, the heart behind the art. Be sure to include your website, email, and phone should someone be interested in your work. My contact info: droe@lwccyork.com or 755-0089 x126.

Connecting Artist to God

Worship is a state of spirit. The meaning of the New Testament Greek word most often translated “worship” (proskuneo) is “to fall down before” or “bow down before.” It’s from the inside out, with purity of heart and openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit within us. I visualize worship as a mingling of my spirit with the Holy Spirit.

Typical ways of worship: Music on Sunday mornings, singing, silent prayer, raising hand towards heaven, standing up, kneeling.

But we are not all created the same. What may be a way of meaningful worship to one may not be so meaningful to another. God’s wired us all differently. I feel close to God and am lead into a spirit of worship when I'm in nature, particularly with my dSLR in hand. Observing every little thing, being in amazement of God's grace and creation, I attempt to capture the moment digitally with my camera. I look for God through my lens. As artists, we may experience God powerfully through the creation of an art project. Your creativity very well may be the special "language" between you and God - a way of Him speaking to you and you listening and responding. How are some ways you experience God and “fall down before Him” in worship?

Can you consider, as artists, that our creative/artistic bent can be a powerful way to meet with God, to hear His voice, to feel His love, and receive His grace all in the context of worshiping Him? Art is way more than creating something asthetically pretty. It can be a prayerful reflection of your life with God, your translation of how you see the world, and a significant way to listen to that still small Voice speaking into your heart. What is He saying to you?

Grace & peace,

deAnn

Congrats Photographers!

Here is some EXCITING NEWS! Tony Schlies and Jutta Stallman of LW's photography group, APERTURE, had photos published in the recently released "Capture York" hardback and very beautiful book. This is so awesome! Congrats to our published photographers!

I was at Borders Bookstore the other week and saw it there in the Local Area section, near the coffee bar area. It's a gorgeous book and is on my Christmas list. Obviously you can pick up your copy at Borders or you can order it online. I'm not even a York native, but I sure want a copy.

Grace & peace,

deAnn