The
Ultimate Artist
“And
God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.”
Genesis
1:31 (KJV)
When I was told this month’s topic
for Living Today was “Awesome Artists”, I literally groaned.
`“Why?”
Because the knowledge I have of the arts,
whether it be the fine arts or performing arts can be contained on the top of a
pin head.
I have tried, honestly, to cultivate
an interest in them. I’ve even been to art museums! In those massive and
intimidating (to me) buildings, I stood and studied the paintings, the drawings
and the sculptures. Most of the time, I came away shaking my head because I could
rarely see the beauty in the objects displayed there.
I’ve read reviews of works of art, and
listened to artists speak with passion about the beauty of architecture,
printmaking, digital graphics and film-making. I’ve admired the beautiful
ornate buildings in Chicago, and sat in awe as I watched The Phantom of the
Opera on Broadway. I held my breath as I traveled over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge
and wondered how it was possible to create an artistic structure that was not
only beautiful, but functional.
There have been times when I agreed
with those who appreciate art, some works of art are fascinating. But most of
the time, I find the artists to be more fascinating than their works.
I have to admit, I’ve never experienced any
earth shaking emotion about any kind of art. Perhaps what I’m really admitting
is that I’m not a very cultured person. In fact, I even had to look up the
definition of an artist when I was writing this. An artist is someone who does
something skillfully and creatively.
As I thought about that definition, one particular
Artist did come to mind. He is
the one and only Artist whose works have brought tears to my eyes and joy to my
heart.
I read in the Bible that He started
with nothing. Like an artist with an empty drawing pad and a sculptor with just
a lump of clay, my favorite artist began His creation in a void. But His creativity has never been matched by
any other. My list of his best works is long and there isn’t a day that goes by,
when I don’t admire His creativity.
He is a painter and I can wake at
dawn and watched in awe as He uses the sky for His canvas. His sunrises are
usually a parade of resplendent color that can take my breath away. Throughout each
day, and in any season, I can continually watch His hand at work. He paints
gardens of tall red tulips and top-heavy yellow daffodils in the springtime. He
paints fields of golden grain in summer, hills alive with color in the fall and
trees frosted with snow in the winter.
He paints the night sky with the
moon and a billion stars and His landscapes are of powerful oceans and tall
majestic mountains.
He is a sculptor too, and His
sculptures range from towering redwoods to tiny blades of grass and the drop of
dew on a rose in the early morning.
As I explored the
world of artists, I discovered that a person who creates fragrances is called a
perfumer. My favorite Artist is one of those too. He creates the scents of
clover hay, ripening apples and sweet alyssum.
My favorite Artist is also a
musician. Go outside and away from the noise of people on any summer night, and
you’ll hear a musical arrangement of cicada, frogs and crooning birds. He is a master at writing symphonies and I
have several favorites He has created. I am in awe of the sound of a mother’s
voice that can calm a fretful child. But
none is as beautiful to my ears, as the sound of grandchildren’s laughter, as
they run and play on a summer’s day.
In my study of art this week, I was
reminded that writing is an art too. And it just so happens that my favorite
Artist has written the most amazing love story.
The story
begins in a beautiful garden where the Writer finds Himself surrounded by
perfection He created. But He's all alone and wants someone to share his garden
with Him. So, He creates a man in his own image and He breathes into that man,
the breath of Life. Then, the ultimate Creator of all beauty gave to man, a
gift. He looked around the garden and said to him, “all of this is yours.”
But man wasn't happy with what his Creator gave him, he
wanted more. The story changes when the man insists on having his selfish
desires…and the relationship with the One who created him is changed forever
too.
But the love story doesn’t end there. Thousands of years
down the road, the Creator once again looked around His garden, and was
saddened by the way man had destroyed it and himself. So He gave another Gift
to the man He created. He sent His only Son to the garden, to draw man back to
Himself.
And today, every human being gets to decides for himself
what his relationship with his Creator will be. The last chapter of the love
story in not completed. You will be the artist and write that one yourself.
© 2013 Brenda J. Young
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