I sometimes wonder if nonartists have any notion of what an artist is doing and thinking when they work. The process behind the creation of a moving piece of art must seem quite mysterious. Even to other artists it is not always apparent (which is one reason I like artist statements). Audrey Lopata, an artist who attends Hope Chapel, wrote the following about her first Christian arts conference. I love how she illuminates one aspect of the deliberation behind making art, and how being at the conference helped her figure out something important to her growth as an artist.
"Attending the CIVA conference was, like conferences tend to be, an experience much like drinking from a fire hose. The wild intelligence and brilliant words were flying so fast and furious that my notes are more a cryptic jungle of odd quotations than a coherent summary of my experience. Phrases like, “I’m looking for something that I’m not sure exists,” and “today is going to be about yellow,” gallivant across the pages of my notebook, teasing me with allusions to deeper meaning. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the conference. I left feeling mentally exhilarated, if not a bit exhausted.
"When it was all said and done, and I was trying to make sense of it all while puttering around LAX waiting for my flight, and I wasn’t sure what to think. But, as I continued to process and journal, this is what floated to the surface, the pure gold nugget of “take-away” knowledge: the idea of voice.
"The question, “what is it that you’re trying to say with your work?” was posed to me during a critique of one of my portfolio pieces. A bit flustered I answered “I just sort of felt like drawing fashion that day.” The profound lameness of my own answer really got me to thinking. And as I continued to attend the different talks and seminars I begin to see much more clearly the “voice” of the presenters in their work. Their passionate vision to communicate some truth or to pose a question that needed to be asked. I was challenged and thrilled to be in the presence of so many good thinkers. Art is the language we all speak, so what exactly am I trying to say? I’m still not sure I have the answer, but working toward finding my voice is a step in the right direction, and I’m glad CIVA inspired me to take it."
"When it was all said and done, and I was trying to make sense of it all while puttering around LAX waiting for my flight, and I wasn’t sure what to think. But, as I continued to process and journal, this is what floated to the surface, the pure gold nugget of “take-away” knowledge: the idea of voice.
"The question, “what is it that you’re trying to say with your work?” was posed to me during a critique of one of my portfolio pieces. A bit flustered I answered “I just sort of felt like drawing fashion that day.” The profound lameness of my own answer really got me to thinking. And as I continued to attend the different talks and seminars I begin to see much more clearly the “voice” of the presenters in their work. Their passionate vision to communicate some truth or to pose a question that needed to be asked. I was challenged and thrilled to be in the presence of so many good thinkers. Art is the language we all speak, so what exactly am I trying to say? I’m still not sure I have the answer, but working toward finding my voice is a step in the right direction, and I’m glad CIVA inspired me to take it."
Even though Audrey's passion is illustrating children's books, she is not just interested in making pretty pictures. She wants to find something true and bring it to life visually. This is how artists come to create art that is not idolatrous. They "illustrate" the larger story of hope against the background of all the small stories of despair or resignation. The art becomes an avenue of escape into a larger reality instead of narrowing into mere consolation.