Hard Questions

Questions posed during our NW Arts Ministry discussion.

• If someone says to you that you are called to create truthful works of art, how do you understand this call?
• How do you understand the truth of what you are doing?
• Are you presenting a particular view of the world?
• Are you asking questions?
• Are you communication?
• Are you expressing?
• What is the relationship of fiction to truth?
• What are the standards by which we can judge our work? The work of others?
• Can a piece of work be called Christian and be false?
• What is the difference between what we "like" and what is "good?"
• How do we cultivate spirits that are willing to ask the hard questions about our own work, receiving the criticism that is ultimately necessary?

Last night, after bouncing around in a fog of discussion, Jeff announced that next time we meet we need to tackle the question...

• What is art?

...before we can move on. Well, that should be easy. No problem. The answer I like the best is one that was given by one of my art professors in college. He said,

"Art is a little boy's name."

I know that discussing all of this is good for me but it is painful all at the same time. There are no easy answers and sometimes the thinking makes my head spin. It's like watching a time travel movie where the man goes back in time and fathers the kid who will grow up and save his life...or something like that. These things breed headaches. But they are good headaches and it is good to be stretched and challenged. I suppose I'll just have to stock up on Ibuprofen.