Part 1 : Living Life is an Art
Every success emerges out of many failed stories. Similarly every completed painting is birthed out of triumphant outcome of overcoming many personal battles and warfare. Ask yourself why some half-complete paintings are chucked aside at the corner of your room? Why is the canvas sitting there starring ‘blankly’ at you after months or even years of hibernation? All of us go through this in one way of another whether is arts or any creative work. It bothered us but somehow we do not really know how to confront them. Pushing them aside only allow frustrations and guilt to seep in. Soon we will start to wonder how did we get ourselves into this position? Before we realized, we have already made up our mind to get out from the ‘discomfort’ and resigned to the fate that we are not called to do art. Something inside us died.
I went through the process of creating and giving up many times. I am now in my 12th year of painting and still going through this turbulent ride each time I start to pick up my paint brush (though it does get easier each time). I considered drawing/painting process as the ‘pause button’. Over the years I have learned that art slows down my steps by engaging our emotions and thoughts; confronting me to re-evaluate my desires and values. In short : it allows me to see more clearly and try to make sense of the chaos in life. Once we see truths about life from within, it empowers us with corresponding actions to overcome in life. The Art of Living!
Be still, and know that I am God…(Psalm 46:10)
‘Resting’ in the Lord does not equate to inactivity. Creating art process is similar to the stillness : it slows down our activities to learn the truth of who He is; which in turn reveals who we are; and propels us forward with corresponding actions to do His works that He has already prepared for us.
Art is indeed a verb not just a noun. It is not just an end product that reveals the world around us or served not just as an instrument for redemptive evangelism; most important it teaches how to live life when we interpret the soft skills in arts. Art is a chaotic sequential change process that gave us a safe platform of life to engage, confront, embrace and overcome. So let us begin…. again.
Tirosh Journey 