Simplicity Revolution

Tumbleweed tiny houses ......the very name invokes images of tiny elves tucked in tiny beds with sweet dreams floating through their tiny brains, but it is actually a company started by Jay Shafer.The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company to be exact and it is just what the name suggests...tiny houses.  Compact houses that store only the necessities...everything that you need and nothing extra. (http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/) I am fascinated with  all things tiny... I once saw a tiny skillet which sent me reeling with laughter and I couldn't get the thought of making little sunny side up eggs out of my head all day.  So you can imagine my excitement over Tumbleweed Tiny Houses!!!  Everything you need... simple, compact and purposeful.

Jay Shafer founder of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

I was thinking about that philosophy and how I could apply it to my own life. With all the junk that can take my focus and distract me from what is truly important, how can I get rid of the things that do not truly matter to make room for what is needed?  I  am not simply talking about material things ( like an episode of the popular T.V show "Hoarders") but ideas, and thoughts, and worries that don't really matter in the whole scheme of things...it's kind of my unofficial goal for this year. I recently did a journal entry that helped me figure out both things that have been cluttering my life and what is really important.   I drew a big square with a little square in the center. The big square held all the ideas, mindsets, frustrations, worries and philosophies that I feel have been cluttering up my life. I focused on different aspects of life from my career to my marriage, and everything in between and just wrote down what I felt was keeping me from moving forward.  I had things like "fearing being taken advantage of", " using perfect words", " sticking with what is comfortable", " trying to figure out life all at once" and " appearing strong" all in that big box.  There were more than forty items in that box, and in the center was a tiny box which I used to focus on what I felt was really important... five items " Compassion", "Helping when I see a need", " Growing in the fruit of the Spirit (attitude), " Knowing and believing God" and "Maturing in how I love people".

The outside square are the things that have cluttered things up

In the middle are the things worth my focus

 These things are what I am passionate about and the forty plus items only serve to take my focus off of what matters, loving God and loving people.  This year I want to keep it simple.. Let the war on clutter begin!

Keeping It Real!

When I was in college I was in the painting room working on yet another class assignment when a friend came to visit me in the studio.   It was odd, not that she came to visit but that I was used to seeing graphic design majors, fine art majors and the likes in the art building prancing around at all hours of the day and night (Sometimes all night without any sleep). Since she was neither, I wondered what had brought her to this side of the tracks. We spent some time chatting and then she turned her gaze to what I was doing... A self- portrait in the style of a famous painter.. but what caught her eye was not how well she thought my technique was or how  she thought I captured the artist's style.. no that could have all been true but that was not what she pointed out. My friend asked " Why did you make your hair so short?" I was a little taken back by both the tone and the implication in the question but I thought for a bit then urged her that it was alright  because my hair was short. She told me that if she were doing the painting she would have made her hair look longer.. I guess she felt free to critique my work and my hair style that day...I have been thinking about that situation lately, because it brings to mind a painting I admire.
I am sure that you remember the great artist Vincent Van Gogh and the infamous story of how he cut off his own ear after an argument with his fellow artist Gaughin. How he wrapped the bloody ear up and mailed it to his lady friend.  That's a story that most of us would have tried to hide... to push under the rug pretending that it never happened... we most assuredly would have kept it to ourselves... nope... not Mr. Van Gogh, he chose to do a couple of self - portraits to commemorate the glorious event! " Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear" is one such painting. A somber looking Van Gogh gazes at the viewer from what appears to be his studio.   Although the background is colorful there is a looming feeling of cold. This could be because of the big blue coat  and furry hat that adorns the artist but I think it comes more from his intense gaze.. Oh and yes his freshly bandaged ear!

" Self- portrait With Bandaged Ear" , Vincent Van Gogh, 1889, oil on canvas

I admire the fact that he could have fudged the portrait.. painted himself with the flap of his hat turned down or painted himself with ear muffs or painted some long curly red hair down to his shoulders (and set a new trend for that time) in the painting but he chose to paint himself just as he was, bandaged ear and all.  It is not always easy to share with other people when we are struggling..We are afraid that when we share our weaknesses people will label us as weak. People choose to hold on to the things we share even when we are over them, they have a hard time seeing us differently. We worry about seeming too negative or placing too much burden on others.  Or boring others with our minor problems.  I have always admired people who are candid and real.  I am drawn to those who are not afraid to say what's on their mind  or share their heart with those they are conversing with (  I think that's one of the many qualities that attracted me to my husband)...Maybe I admire that quality because it's something that I would like to cultivate in my own life.
 

I.D.....Taking Another Look at the Show!

One piece that particularly stood out at the CSU art show was a piece called "Cross".  It was a Minimalist piece, simply a stark white cross with a rectangular mirror placed in the center.  But like they say a picture( or sculpture in this case) is worth a thousand words! The mirror allowed the viewer to become part of the piece.. if you stepped close to the work you could see yourself right in the center of the cross.  Depending on the angle I could also see other people walking by or standing looking up at art works, but I think the intent of the artist was to zero in on one particular person as they viewed the piece.

"Cross", by Schwartzy, made with lumber, acrylic paint and mirror

  It brought one of my favorite scriptures to mind, where Paul is writing a letter to the Galatians and begins to describe his identity.  It says " I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I , but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."  Identity is something I have personally struggled with. It was birthed by many things such as, placing too much emphasis on what I did or didn't do (I would look to those things to define me),  relying on what other people said or perceived me to be ( never a good idea) and having confusion over my place in the world (not really feeling a since of belonging anywhere)... It was holding me back, then I was lead to realize that who I am is based on who Jesus is, not on the  career I choose, not on my past or present circumstances and not on how I come across to others.

 

Me in "Cross", by Schwartzy

 One of the things that I do is write down scriptures that tell me who I am in Christ... they have become sort of like my spiritual I.D cards. I will walk around my house saying, praying and declaring these scriptures and building myself up.

My spiritual I.D's... thanks to Jesus!

I am still a work in progress...I am sure you are too. Let's find out who we are in Him and what we have in Him and live it out in our work places, our families, friendships, churches, and all over the world!

I hope you are too!!!!

Romp at CSU.... People's Art Show!

  Art ceiling to floor; wall to wall, a mysterious lady in red, yummy pizza, artists romping around with laughter, 3-D glasses , fun and fellowship.....The People's Art show at Cleveland State University's art gallery! I headed out to the gallery last Friday for the opening reception for artists and friends. I also participated in the show with two of my acrylic paintings! I walked into the gallery as artists marched here and fluttered there glancing at works that were covering every wall of the gallery and even behind nooks and crannies! My husband and I searched for my works among the beautiful rubble of creativity! There sat " Past, Present and Future at a Crossroads" high on the wall.... we spotted " Breakthrough", my most recent work, on the opposite wall a little while later.

My recent work titled " Breakthrough", in center

Me under " Past, Present and Future at a Crossroads" acrylic on canvas- far top left

As we circled the gallery a woman clad in a red dress with two red gift bags approached us, an without a word motioned for us to reach into her bag.  The bag contained questions about love on hearts. My question read " Is verbal abuse as bad as physical abuse?" I turned it over and marked Y for yes. placed my heart into her other bag as she pranced off to the next victim. All apart of the mystery of her performance piece I suppose. 

There was a Ready- Made art piece that featured a water bill from the city of Cleveland, a sink with money in the drain and sponges with hand drawn smiley faces The water running in the sink made me feel calm and at ease, probably unlike the woman when she received the 2,000 dollar bill by mistake!. Another piece was drawn in 3-D... I enjoyed putting on the 3-D glasses and taking a look... I found that I could make the robot move when I moved my head side to side ( I only moved my head side to side, because another artist insisted that I try ).

One piece contained a notepad with the word Sin written on every page... and the inscription that we could take only one! Ceramic pieces, sculptures and paintings galore; the "People" came out and left no means of expression unturned!

Join Him In Wonderland!!!

 Wonder. The very word may conjure up multiple images and emotions.... stopping to take everything in...seeing something for the first time..finding something special in the mundane.. A child-like sense of the world! But what is wonder... what is it to be in a state of wonder?  Is it escaping from our world to a far off land with mythical creatures, like in the story of Alice In Wonderland? This story has been adapted into cartoons and movies...but a few months ago the Burress household decided to get in on the action, by throwing our very own Alice in Wonderland Extravaganza!!!!  Complete with magical cookies, costumes, games, the infamous tea party an of course a private screening of the newest movie.

 Maybe we were trying to restore our own since of wonder...I think being in a state of wonder is crucial to being an artist... we hone in on things others may pass up as mundane whether emotions, relationships, objects, landscapes... we take those things and say "Hey look at this... did you ever see it like this, before".   In Psalm 77: 14 , it says " You are the God that does wonders: you have declared your strength among the people" Wow! One of the great things about knowing God is Knowing him, being able to see him in action! You know Alice encountered lots of wonders down that rabbit hole....disappearing cats...rhyming catepillars, magical food, a queen with a violent streak! But with all she saw an experienced in Wonderland nothing compares to the wonders God performs....all so we can know Him!  I have seen Jesus change hearts, give lives purpose, vanish fears with just a word; I have heard singing and praise from the lips of those who should be mourning, those in sickness claiming healing, and being healed; I have seen pasts erased. Yes! He is the God that does wonders....don't ever lose your sense of wonder in our wonderful God!  He's got more to show us!!!

Onward..To the Place Of Our Dreams!

There is a painting that I like by an artist named Andrew Wyeth, called "Christina's World".  Christina lays in a field in the foreground with her back turned away from the viewer.  One feeble looking hand is stretched towards the background her other feeble arm props her up.  Her gaze is not on us it is directed towards the background where a house is sitting through the field. Her gaze, body position and distance from the house create a longing effect.  The story behind the painting is somewhat tragic as well.. Christina a neighbor of Wyeth had some muscular disorder similar to polio, that rendered her legs useless...... instead of using a wheelchair she opted to drag her limp body around place to place...Can you imagine how tired and bruised up she would be when she reached the house in the painting..her useless legs hindered her from getting to where she longed to be.

"Christina's World"- painted by Andrew Wyeth in 1948

 There are so many things that can hinder  a person... fear..failure..rejection....depression..pride...jealousy or like her, sickness. Jesus reminds us that we are to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow him... why? Because there is a place in him that is the place only imagined in your dreams and he knows that we have things blocking our way...circumstances holding us back.  But yet He says to come follow him.... He gave is life so we could be free from those things that would hold us back from following Him...our cross signifies dying to the things holding us back... its a process it takes daily commitment and deep healing but like scripture says " Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles , and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us"  

Quick sketch I did...Jesus sets us free to get to the place of our dreams

Artzca.......what?

Pronounced arts-ca-pades. What is it? I will admit that i made this word up you will not find it anywhere in the dictionary if you punch it into a search engine my blog will probably show up.. because I made it up. my play on the word escapade.... you know an adventure that causes you to escape. Well because I love all things artsy and because it is my right as an American citizen to make up random words, Artzcapades was birthed.  It is an explosive experience with the arts that my cause you to step out of yourself and venture to another time or place or make you feel so human that you loose sight of your surroundings.  Its a painting, a film, a theatrical or dance performance or anything artsy that you truly feel speaks to you for that moment.  It sparks something new in you or reminds you of something in you that you had forgotten was there.   There is a scene from a movie called "Center Stage" that I think is so Artzcapadian (remember my right as an American citizen). The dance students in the movie are invited to attend a performance of  Swan Lake. The camera zooms in on the students as the the female and male principles dance across the stage and  end up in a warm embrace. The camera catches a tear running down the face of one of the most sassy students at the dance school.  That is an Artzcapade.I have them all the time....I bet you do too!