All The Feasting With No Fasting

"Ground Zero" 14"x6", watercolor and ink, 2008, This watercolor I did a while back seemed appropriate for this post. Whatever our predicament is, it's about us.

It’s the Tuesday before lent.  Known to most as Mardi Gras or simply, a time to party.  The term Mardi Gras is French, coming from the terms:  Mardi=Tuesday; gras=fat, as in “pate de foie gras”, which is fatty liver paste.  Tradition had it that before Lent, or the weeks of fasting before Easter you would get the fat out of your house by eating it.

Growing up Episcopalian I was very familiar with Shrove Tuesday (which is the British term for today) where we would go to church and a have a supper of pancakes.  Once again, playing on the English version of the tradition that you would get rid of the fat in your house before the season  of  lent.  “Shrove” comes from an old English term which means to hear the confessions of sins.  Something it seems we’ve lost all together for this day.

This brings to mind a conversation I had with my brother Nate at Christmas, that in our day-and-age, we have saved all the party days in the Christian calendar:  Easter, Christmas, and the like, but have thrown out all together the times of waiting, fasting, and reflecting in the church calender like Lent and Advent.  It just makes me wonder what it says about who we are:  Forget the waiting, the quiet reflection, the confessing, a time of restraint; I just want to party.  It is my hope that we’re not that shallow.

Blessings on your day of confessing and as you prepare for the time of waiting that begins tomorrow.

 

Five Friends

 

A DVD worth checking out, Five Friends is a very nice examination of a seasoned man and his friendships.  I’ve watched it with my community of men in Oregon and it provided a nice space for some very good discussion. Specifically I like how it touches upon the gift of longevity with friendship, having a deep friendship and being perceived as “gay” in our culture and in addition I liked also that it spoke of jealousy between friends and fear when a friendship is threatened- a topic that my guess happens more often than not, but few choose to talk about.  It’s well worth checking out.

Here’s the link:  http://fivefriendsmovie.com/

 

The Power of Vulnerability

Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn 1606 – 1669 The Return of the Prodigal Son (1642) drawing with pen and brush, 1642 Teylers Museum, Haarlem (This seemed like an appropriate image to put on here when talking about vulnerability.)

Perhaps you too have enjoyed feeling a little smarter after listening to a TED talk as of late.  I know I have.

A good friend of mine Tom, recommended that I check out social worker Brene Brown’s talk, “The Power of Vulnerability.”  She begins her presentation speaking about how she dove into trying to understand human connection, and what she found herself exploring was shame, and our fear that if we were really known, no one will love us.  It’s a wonderful talk negotiating the risk of vulnerability and the truth of loving others regardless of the pain it will cost you.   For me I found her talk also resonated with 2nd Corinthians 12:9 for me:   “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

The talk was so good I took notes! Can’t say I’ve done that before with one of these – Hope you get as much out of it as I know I did.

Click here to link to Brene Browns talk on vulnerability

 

Stream

"Stream" 18"x8", oil on wooden panel, 2012

Here is one of the other pieces that I recently finished and have in the faculty art show that is up for its last week here.  This painting came very slowly, but I think it part it was due to the very nature of the piece.  Some things must come out in time.  I’ll post the sculpture this is based on in the future.

Part of the concept behind this piece was that the tears of the one character is the very thing that is keeping the little fish alive.  Conceptually, something I have found true in the testimony of others lives and my own.  As difficult as sorrow can be, it can have some very amazing fruit in life, that I believe can’t come about in any other way.

Well, there’s something to contemplate at least for today….

 

Current Endeavors

Yes, the exhibit at the Minthorne Gallery at George Fox is currently the faculty show.  If you’re in Newberg you’ll have to drop by and check out what all of us have been up to.  Here are some photos of the show to give you a peek:

My pieces (Muse, Surrender Everything, and Stream) on the wall.

Don Sprague's pottery and Gary Buhler's watercolors.

Large paintings by Doug Campell, on left Lori McLaughlin, with design work by David Kerr.

Books on left by Karen Badoin, with work by John Bennett and Mark Terry in the background

 

Muse

"Muse" oil on wood panel, 18"x24" Tim Timmerman

Saturday I went to a talk by the science fiction writer Ursala Le Guin, and the poet Eleanor Berry.  Both had some curious things to say about the artists “muse.”  Interesting enough, the painting above, simply titled “Muse” is part of the a new body of work I’m approaching involving creating a character in assemblage, and then doing a painting in oil of the sculpture.  This work is currently featured in our faculty show at George Fox.

This configuration should have some familiarity with those that follow my work, as this pairing has occurred before.  The message from Le Guin and Berry seemed to be to simply be faithful and responsible to your muse, your construction, and who you are called to be in the work you are creating.  I’m intrigued that as an artist I feel the muse is not something I had any say in what it would be, or how it would function.  Ones responsibility as a maker is simply to follow, to listen, and to be faithful.  A relationship worth investing in, with no predetermined results (like all good relationships I would asertain).

Hope all is well with you and your muse….

 

John Frame’s Broken Narrative

A still of Pere Jules one of John Frames character for his tale.

D'Artand Confronts the Tottentanzers Before the Gate of Desire

While in Los Angeles last summer I discovered John Frame, a sculptor I admired from Southern California, had a new exhibit entitled Three Fragments of a Lost Tale at the Huntington.  I had been introduced to his work through a fellow artist some time ago.  It was a delight of a show.  It was a dive into another world created by the Frame’s hand, and a grin erupted on my face when reading the recent newsletter for the Portland Art Museum. The exhibition is coming to Oregon February 18-May 27.  Don’t miss it.

The exhibition consists of a running film of “fragments” of a story called The Tale of the Crippled Boy.  Around the gallery space, sculptures of the figures from the film are arranged in tenebristic settings.  Large  photo stills of the story grace the walls as well.

Yes there are obvious reasons while I like this man’s work:  he creates characters that he casts into narratives with one another, there is a profound sense of mystery to the pieces,  craftsmanship is important in the creation of the work, and his work actually seems to have something to offer to the viewer beyond just tantalizing then with irony, or a trendy “gotcha” aesthetic. There is a profound sense that resonates with me in Frame’s work that the ordinary can become extraordinary, as well as the artists desire to create characters that carry truth or insight to the viewer.

Take some time on his website.   He has much of the video work that he’s done there, as well as images of the work:  http://johnframesculpture.com/the-tale  Enjoy!

(here is a link to Portland Art Museums site as well:  http://www.portlandartmuseum.org/)

Frames, O-Man

 

Good Relational Reads

I find a variety of things influencing my art and life.  For a winter night may I recommend two books I have read as of late that I found good fodder for thought?  Here they be:

The Author Shusaku Endo

Title:  Deep River  Author:  Shusaku Endo

His book Silence  knocked my socks off many years ago with the harrowing dilemma of faith it proposed.  Deep River continues examining faith this time looking at it through our longing for resolution both relationally and spiritually.  Following a group of older Japanese tourists traveling to India, their back-stories unfurl before us revealing secret motives and hopes of resolution that are drawing all of them on the trip.  Profoundly aware of a God that pursues us like a lover, Endo paints a broad picture of humanity longing for hope, connection, and redemption or simply journeying to say thank you.

Title:  Doc  Author:  Mary Doria Russell

I fell in love with Mary Doria Russell with the amazing spiritual science fiction novels, The Sparrow, and Children of God.   Creating the western themed historical novel Doc was a wonderful surprise to read from her.  Still showing her skill in creating three-dimensional profoundly human characters, Doc follows the life of Doc Holiday, of the famous Tombstone Arizona gunfight.  The books surprised me as being a story of friendship and survival.  It’s worth your time indeed.

The Author Mary Doria Russell and her book “Doc” (Although unintentional with the photos I chose here, it seems to have your hand on your chin is a good move if you are an author getting your photo taken.)

 

Summoning Adam

Here's the cover to their August edition, which is good indeed I'm sure, but you want to pick up the Nov/Dec 2011 edition- "Summoning Adam"

I recommend that you pick up a copy of PRISM magazine’s Nov/Dec issue entitled: “Summoning Adam.”  Lots of good articles in there…

The issue specifically speaks of men of faith who are on the front line of putting their hands and feet to the hard work of embodying what they believe.  From helping men get out of prostitution, to working with men in prison, to working to shut down porn shops the men in the articles in this issue are not men of words, but men of action and true conviction.  Here’s a link to PRISM’s website:  http://www.evangelicalsforsocialaction.org/page.aspx?pid=310

In the spirit of full self disclosure, I’m in one of the articles called “The Measure of a Man” where they interviewed 5 of us asking specifically what is God’s call on men’s hearts and how can the church help do that.  Here is a link to the article:  http://issuu.com/prismmagazine/docs/pages_from_nov-dec_2011_prism_measure_of_a_man

In one of the articles the director of Emmaus Ministries in Chicago told an analogy I really liked:  A man dies and goes and to heaven and saint Peter greets him.  Saint Peter asks the man to roll up his sleeves so he can see his arms.  The man asks “Why?”  To which St. Peter responds “I want to see your scars.”  When the man rolls up his sleeves and sheepishly says “I don’t have any.”  Peter simply replies, “Was there nothing on earth worth fighting for?”

Blessings-  Tim

 

 

The Journey of “A Bigger World…” Two

So it has been some months since I’ve spoke of the adventures with the book, “A Bigger World Yet; Faith, Brotherhood, and Same-Sex Needs.”  As of late there have been two events I have been invited to participate in because of folks reading  the book.

(No, as far as I know, no one slept when I spoke.)

One:  Several weeks back I spoke at the NARTH (National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality) conference in Phoenix with David Pickup a therapist in California that has been enthusiastically recommending the book. Here’s NARTH’s website:  http://narth.com/   It’s a good bunch of folks who are largely about the freedom of choice in therapy.  Some bullet points I got from being a part of their event were:

•  Be kind with those who disagree with you.

•  When working with others that have done emotional work and experiential weekends, don’t be surprised if your asked:  “What’s your animal name?”

•  When you speak feel free to “wing it” and tell good stories that fit the topic.

Two:  The other event I just have come back from this weekend in Philly is a discussion with 12 of us that approach the topic of homosexuality and our Christian faith from different perspectives.  This was put together by Evangelicals for Social Action (they produce the wonderful magazine PRISM). http://www.evangelicalsforsocialaction.org/

The gathering I participated in was called “Oriented to Love” and was run by their phenomenal editor Kristyn, our discussion was deep and thoughtful. Here are some thoughts I left our gathering with:

Community and conversation can take interesting forms.

•  To love someone is to be willing to walk with them in their pain.

•  Sexuality and specifically Homosexuality is COMPLICATED.  It is not something that can be addressed or engaged with shallow comments and actions.

•  No one get’s to choose who they will fall in love with.  Whether by family of origin issues, proclivities or the like, wanting to be connected relationally to another person  is not something you largely get to choose.  It is what it is.  In my opinion we can only choose how we will do that, and what we will determine is the most loving and Christ-like response in walking with one another in love.

•  Wise and sensitive folks will choose to self identify as “gay” or other such titles simply so they have a place; largely so they can finally belong to a community and not feel alone.

•  Sex is sacred and has been degraded in our culture to a profound degree.

•  We need community PROFOUNDLY in order to survive and succeed as human beings.

Blessings to you all – hope you are well.