Now that we’ve covered what an art mentorship can be, let’s move to a deeper look at each of the three included components.
No one can be the artist they are called to be without first seeking Christ. This is the most foundational move we can make as a student of the arts: deepening our relationship with God.
At the very beginning of existence itself, God created. Notice it didn’t say, “God thought,” or “God looked,” or “God studied,”. No, it was an act of creation that spun the world into life.
This was God’s first recorded move ever to be written.
He is the first Creator to exist and the Creator of the created.
So when we create, we are reflecting the One who made us. We are, in many ways, echoing the first recorded act of God every time we move along the wings of inspiration to breathe life into something new–something unseen, something brought to sight.
In a way, artists walk and live in faith. They often create something none of us have seen before–even though there are recognizable elements (God is still the Only One to have created the context), but the artwork developed by an artist’s hand is new. Something that didn’t exist, but now does.
The very first Scripture verse in the Bible where God Himself speaks directly of His Spirit being within someone–is in reference to an artist:
“And the LORD spake unto Moses saying, See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,” Exodus 31:1-3
This is how ART is created. In the Spirit of God. With the Spirit of God. By the Spirit of God. It’s how the world itself was born, and how life burst forth to become regenerated for thousands of years.
“Creation” comes from the Creator.
Art can never be separated from the spiritual.
And as such, art/creation is powerful.
In today’s busy world with relegated ideas of what belongs where, we can come to believe that “art” is the rich man’s commodity or the dreamy foolishness of a starving person who loves to hold a paintbrush. We can shift “art” into the world of “cutness” and “a hobby”, or believe it’s been too far runined by secularism to belong in a Christian’s life. We can chop up the concept of art into cubes of practice–graphic design, fine art, poetry, music, videography, photography and more. We can believe that “we’re not into art” (and yet never realize that we LIVE and breathe by art everyday). Art can seem to take on many forms and many names, and yet, art is creation. And creation is everywhere, whether by God’s hand or His hand through man. Thus, art is everywhere. And it is powerful.
And just as art was woven from the very beginning of life by a Hand divine and powerful, so too, when life fell by the human hand, the enemy seized upon the opportunity and developed a path of destruction by that which had once been a melody only of life.
So art can travel towards life or death. (Though gratefully the good will always have the upper hand as it comes from a Stronger Source than the other.)
Thus, art is a battleground. A force for good or for evil.
Just as the source of art comes from the most divine place, it can also be misued and abused by that which comes from an evil place. It is all spiritual, because art came first from God Himself. And to live, breathe and appropriate art well, we need to be deeply connected to the true Divine Source of it.
But this will cause us to enter the battlefield–because now, in a fallen world, lines are drawn. And we are either on one side or the other.
Art cannot be separated from God, nor can the creation of it. And as such, it places us in a war.
We cannot create for the good of mankind and we cannot fight against evil–without God. It is impossible without Him.
This is how we become courageous and effective artists in the world: knowing God deeply and personally.
In an art mentorship, you will be encouraged weekly to invest in your relationship with Christ. What that looks like in a practical sense will depend on the individual structure of your course, but here are some ideas …
It could look like instruction and encouragement in how to have a daily time with God in His Word and prayer. Printable Bible studies or other resources may also be included.
You may have the opportunity to hear about things that God is teaching me and what I’m currently reading or meditating on, in the Word.
We could even do a Bible study together, studying a topic that is on your heart to deepen your understanding from God’s Word.
If strengthening your prayer life is of interest, we could explore developing your understanding of certain components of prayer. We could also do a study on David in the Psalms and how he prayed to God, which is something that has personally helped and encouraged me.
Coloful Bible journaling is also an option we could bring into the mentorship and I could give you inspiration and instruction on how to pursue deeper Bible study using a journaling Bible and creative supplies.
There are multiple ways to build an ongoing course of spiritual encouragement to help you become the artist you were meant to be! If you’d like to explore this possibility further or have questions on the topic, please don’t hesitate to write me at melissajacie@gmail.com.
