One of the Most Inspiring Weeks of My Life:
Decorative Arts Show, Purpose in Icons, People Who Impact My Life.ENTRY ONE
I had such an awesome night tonight! I had an awesome week actually…but I’ll get to that in a bit. I was so overjoyed tonight that someone told me I actually looked like I was glowing. I felt like it. The Decorative Arts Guild had a juried exhibition which I had three paintings in. The opening reception was tonight. There were prizes for first second and third place. The range and quality of work from the entrants, mostly students, was amazing and I felt privileged to even be showing with such talented people. That experience alone, was fulfilling. After our juror, an Art History Professor with a PhD gave a 7 minute speech praising the work of the students, giving us encouragement to continue our work, and attempting to explain his decisions, he began to give out the awards. First the honorable mentions. Two of which went to my new ceramics friends, Renae and JT. The were so deserving, and deserving of even more in my opinion, as they have inspired me over the past month. More on that in a minute. Then third place..then second. Each person awarded was given very kind and heartfelt words from the juror, each very personal, commending them for their achievements. Second place was a bit of a shock to me, and I thought…Ok, there’s no way I’m going to win now. He started giving his words about first place. After some amazingly kind words, he said the words “Pietra Dura.” I then realized he was talking about my piece. I started to smile bigger…he continued talking…bigger…I could feel more and more people start to stare at me, before he even said my name. I was practically laughing. The award was 100 dollars! That was so awesome. But the money didn’t even matter. I put over 200 hours into that one painting. I put my very being into that painting. And to know that others saw the commitment I made to making something purely for the sake of beauty—that’s what mattered. To see my 89 year old grandmother there, my parents, my teachers and friends proud of me—that’s what mattered. Diane, the professor who made it possible for me to even do this painting, came up to me afterwards and said “I told you you would win!” She said that almost a month ago, when I was only halfway finished. I have never met anyone so encouraging and who had so much faith in me than her. I could write pages and pages about her. When I was told I was literally glowing, I looked at Diane and said “Its because of her!”
When I found out that I couldn’t stay and finish school in California, I was crushed. But I knew that there was a reason I was coming back to Kansas. I just knew it. After 2 years, I think I am finally starting to see what that reason is. This semester I took my first steps to becoming an Iconographer. I was so blessed to have Joanna take those first steps with me. I have pages and pages to write about her as well. Last week Diane told me that it had been years since she painted an icon. She began painting them again because she was so inspired by the work that Joanna and I were doing. It was then that I started to see what was happening. I was so moved by what she told me. About 2 months ago, Naisha randomly turned to me and said “I want to go to church with you.” Two days ago, she told me she started reading the bible. I asked her what made her start reading, and she told me that icons had become a part of her life now, just by being in class with me. (There are only three of us.) “Everyone else knows about God and the bible, and I want to know too.” I’ll never forget that. I wrote her and told her how much she inspires me. She wrote back and said “You inspire me too. To look further than what is right in front of you.” I am speechless even now. I suppose the tears make up for the words.
If there is one thing I have realized, it is that Christ is contagious. I was preparing to paint one day in the atrium, and had left my things sitting on a table. As I was walking back, I saw a student walk by. He stopped and went back. On the front of my personal icon collection book is an icon of Christ. He stood there and stared at the icon for about 15 seconds. I’ll never know how that image impacted him. But seeing that it did, if only even for 15 seconds, was sobering. This week alone I had the opportunity to share the meaning of icons to at least 2 people who wanted to know about them; a countless number over the last year. Tonight I met a woman who wants to put my icons in another exhibit on liturgical art, and possibly another one across the state. She too has become interested in icons. She is only one of the dozens of people who have expressed to me an interest in this sacred art. I myself am beginning to now realize what an icon is, because I am seeing it in action. It is not about the icon itself, but the way in which it draws us nearer to Him who is the true icon, Jesus Christ who is the image of the invisible God. And the most amazing part is this web of inspiration that has begun to weave itself in this community. If I have affected even one person, the effect it has on me is ten fold. I become more inspired by those who have been inspired. The cycle continues, getting stronger every time around. It becomes like a tornado, pulling people in, sometimes whether they want it to or not. I can only hope that my dream of bringing people to Christ by means of these “windows into heaven,” the same dream that Diane has had for 30 years, will continue to grow and become something real and tangible, if not by a school or studio or guild, than by the fruits of those who have been touched by something holy, something “more than what is right in front of you.”
ENTRY TWO
The last entry went a direction I hadn’t planned for it to go. I didn’t even get to finish talking about my night, let alone my week. Last month I met 3 ceramics students. Renae, Cory, and JT. Getting to know them and their work has inspired me in a lot of ways, ways I don’t think I could quite describe because I’m not even sure myself. It was just refreshing somehow. They were kind, dedicated, and had exceptional work. I feel like I have known them forever. I got the chance to actually hang out with Renae and Cory tonight, hopping around to a few gallery receptions. From the moment I met Renae a month ago, there was something about her. I saw in her something genuine and real and sincere. Something I dream about finding in a girl. I hate writing about this kind of stuff, so I will leave it at that. I really enjoyed spending time with her tonight and I hope we stay in touch. She made my perfect night even better.
I am going to now try to sum up the infinite words I have to say about Diane. Yesterday was the last day of class, and she brought gifts for the three of us. She doesn’t think they were anything special, but they were. Inside were a few personalized goodies for each of us, and a note addressed “To The Tiniest Class I Have Ever Taught.” Though I would like to write out the entire letter, here is just a small excerpt: “What impressed me most about the tiniest class in my teaching history was how the three of you so kindly and graciously formed a pack of friendship and worked alongside each other in such a kindred spirit. I enjoyed being with you as a group and working with each of you individually. You were all forging more than images, more than products, but the art which must exist alongside that of creativity which you all three are so abundant with….You three are very special to me and we will continue to find and seek each other out both in class and out of class. Continue to lift one another and yourselves up towards the big goals of becoming beautiful artists.” Its not so hard to see why I call her one of my “heroes.”
Now a few words about Naisha and Dack, my fellow classmates and two of my favorite people in the world. There are those few people in life that you just “click” with. One day Naisha was a complete stranger--the next day, like a friend I have known my whole life. I cant explain it. Kevin always says “I don’t get you guys…its so weird.” We talk to each other without actually talking. We start laughing together for no apparent reason. During critiques, we sit there and converse via smiling at each other until we both start laughing and Mervi (or whoever the teacher may be) has to stop and say “What is with you two?!” The way she lights up with excitement about everything just makes me smile. I have never looked at her without smiling or laughing. The other night I thought about graduating, and the thought of losing touch with everyone I had become so close to the past 5 years. But it was the thought of losing touch with her that made me cry. Its rare for me to be sad in the first place. That night I cried for nearly an hour. But no matter what, she will always be a part of my life, and I can already see how she is a piece of the puzzle that is me and how she is affecting the paths I am taking in life. To me, that is the neatest thing in the world. And then there is Dack. I don’t even know where to begin with Dack. I have never met someone who has gone through so much grief in their life and can still find ways to laugh at himself. His mother and brother both killed themselves, his dad drank himself to death, and he has nothing; literally, nothing. No family, no friends, no money, no car, no job, no house. He shops at Quicktrip and eats at the Lords Diner. He suffers from depression and sleep apnea, and to top it all off, he has to deal with being gay in a judgmental world. And yet he still finds ways to carry on with his hopes and dreams. Dack humbles me, and makes me realize that life can deal blessings and life can deal curses. Why should I be any more worthy of blessings than him? We are all equally sinners, unworthy of the gifts given to us. I’m not asking for Dack’s curses. I just wish I could give him some of the many blessings I have not been worthy to receive.
There is so much more to write, but I have been writing for nearly 2 hours and its time to rest and get some much needed sleep. This week has been one of the most inspiring weeks of my life and I am overwhelmed by everything that has been given to me, by so many people. If I can even give a tiny part of that back somehow, it will be enough to make a difference in the world, even if it is only one person. Even if it is only me.
Posted by smilinislandboy
at 12:01 AM PST
