Rob bell on the creative process

Notes from Rob Bell’s talk on the creative process at Greenbelt Festival. Brackets are mine.

Creativity starts with how you see the world
1. God is already present – first assumption. At every time you’re on holy ground learn to observe.
2. Capture the moment remember. Write things down. Take note. Take a photo.
Turn your edit button off until the thing is written/ or out of the brain. Get it out first then edit.
It nay be rubbish but unless you get it out you’ll never know.
3. You make stuff because you have to, they’re in you. (passion and need?). Youdfont have control over how it is received. The reward is not that it is received well but that you were able to create it. (God given creativity accomplished)
4. creativity is exhausting. That’s ok and it is a cost of creativity. Take a break if or when ideas don’t come.

Questions. Creativity doesn’t have to be written or artistic. Could be organisational. (Just following spirit really)

I did then ask a question about church-planting, and, in particular how he planted his church, but he didn’t really expand on the beginnings of his church any more than he did in Velvet Elvis – namely, that he was an associate pastor in another church and a group of them thought there was a need for a church plant. They were offered the use of warehouse building for the rent of $1 a year, and five weeks later they began. Velvet Elvis says that on the first week nearly 1000 people turned up. I was a little disappointed that he didn’t go into more detail on what happened in those 5 weeks.

This is beautiful

Turn the light off and put it on full screen and enjoy.

Ocean Sky from Alex Cherney on Vimeo.

Branded Children – an art project

Artist Dietrich Wegner has created some art. He called it “a meditation on how our identities evolve and how we declare them.” The simple concept was to place tattoos of brand logos on the babies (fake tattoos, thankfully) Here’s a few photos:

Although a legitimate comment on consumerism and how we create ourselves, I find it really quite repulsive. It is true that most people associate with particular brands – be it high street Gap-Man or designer labels. Who can think of Tiger Woods without there being a nike swoosh somewhere in the image?

But is this really where we want to go and what we want to encourage? That is what i find repulsive about it. It supposes that humans are little more than corporate bots there to declare our loyalty to created designs which, beneath the surface, don’t mean much, and to create wealth for the company shareholders. We all recoiled when the film, ‘The Matrix’ plugged us into computers to be their energy source and this art indicated that we are not much better, merely feeding a different machine. We are more than that.

As art, a well executed thought provoking piece. As a concept, repulsive.

Embrace Life

This is an advert for road safety done by the local government in Sussex, UK.

No blood, no guts, no gore. Just an enduring message of what is important to him. Small actions (such the act of wearing a seat belt) seem obvious when weighed up against what there is to live for. Wonderful.

Sacred Images for Polish young people

A new exhibition in Plymouth explores through photographs the things that young migrants from Poland consider to be sacred or spiritual. Fourteen Polish people in their 20s were each given a digital camera and asked to take photos of what represents something sacred to them. They were then interviewed about the photos.

Some of the photos are what you might expect – photos of Catholic church buildings, statues of Mary (there are a number in Plymouth that I had never noticed) or other things obviously associated with religion. Other photos, however, were more surprising, such as a mobile phone with showing an incoming Skype message or a photo of friends on a picnic. One person simply took ten photos of his wife.

These things, although not obviously spiritual, offer a connection to their families and the traditions that have been left behind. For some, finding equivalent outlets offer the support and connection to home. So, a picnic with friends, for example, is not the same as a traditional family meal but it suffices as a substitute. Practising their religion here is also different. Catholicism is a way of life in Poland and is done almost without thinking because it is so steeped in the culture. In the UK, where religion is no longer as embedded in people’s habits, church is a conscious choice. For them, it reminds them of what it means to be Polish.

The exhibition, entitled “Why Religion Matters To Young Polish Migrants”,  runs in Plymouth Catholic Cathedral from 21st November for two weeks.

I’ll post up some photos when I can.

I’ll see you in heaven, I think…

From Postsecret:

Allow me to rephrase: “I’m not sure whether there is a God or heaven, but if there is, I’m definately going there, but I’m not sure whether you will be”

Quiet

I’ve just had a lovely 3 day retreat in the tranquil surroundings of buckfast abbey. The quiet was wonderful as I was able to get away from the pressures of a busy church and relax, read, pray, and enjoy the good weather, home cooked food, and beautiful surroundings.

In a chapel at the back of the abbey is a quiet space with the most amazing stained glass window – probably my favourite anywhere. It was put in by a monk who learned how to be a glass worker. But the reason I like it is the image of Jesus that it portrays – Jesus stading over the communion table as the giver and centre of the eucharistic family meal.

This window is directly behind the actual communion table in the chapel, so it looks like Jesus is the presider. You cannot even sit in that chapel without realising that it is he who breaks the bread and shares the wine and distribute it to us. I spent a qhile just sitting and meditating on the gift of God in Jesus. He is, after all, Emanuel – God With Us.

Very cool piano video

YouTube – Lightpaint Piano Player.

This must have taken him ages.

Weekly roundup – Bonhoeffer, apologetics, and illustration

This week I went ot visit the Plymouth Univeristy art show, done by undergraduates on the art and design course. Some were good, some were not. One of my favourites was Ben Steer’s illustration. He has done cartoon-type designs of landmarks in Plymouth. He also drew a wonderful design-novel called Ana & Me about a girl suffering from anorexia, (which is not on his website).

Tim Keller talks about apologetics in an interview with Christianity Today. They also carry an interesting article about Deitrich Bonhoeffer and his romance with his fiance whilst he was imprisoned.

And James and Chris, who are spending a week homeless to raise money and awareness, decide what is important in life to spend money on.

Mission Shaped Questions (v)

I’m currently reading through parts of the book Mission Shaped Questions, edited by Stephen Croft.

Chapter 11 by Martin Warner. It is no secret that that society in Britain is becoming increasingly unchurched – that is, there are increasing numbers of people who have not had any significant contact with a church, except minimally at school. This means, he claims, that society has little understanding of the concept or experience of God. Where then should Christians start when attempting to communicate with those from outside the church?

Our starting point as Christians seeking to invite our contemporaries to explore the enterprise of prayer and spirituality is no longer the divine, but the human, that which, as Christians, we believe is made in the image of God. (p175)

As humanity is made in God’s image, there are aspect of himself in all of us. We must then seek to find what it is that gives is, as humans, authenticity in our humanity – experiences which counter societal individualism to present something ‘good’ and ‘true’.

He gives a couple of examples. Everyone sees the need for a holiday, otherwise they would burn out. Often people go somewhere relaxing or different – we need a rest. This, Warner claims, is a human experience of Sabbath – setting aside time to recharge and reconnect with ourselves and families in the midst of a busy world.

Another example is that of grief or trauma. Everyone recognises that a time for healing is required, and there is a need to ‘get over’ whatever it was. This healing is often done through talking. In almost every Christian body, community and talking is central. Community, fellowship and communion with God and others brings healing is small and large situations and points to the healing from God.

There was one great quote at the end of the chapter, when Warner had turned to talk about the sense of spirituality created by art, and the fact that we as people are attracted by beauty. Often artists attempt to communicate things that are not easily put into words and that point beyond themselves. Warner was opening an exhibition at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Right opposite St Paul’s across the river is the Tate Modern Art gallery which draws thousands of visitors every week. He was challenged by a reported who claimed that art galleries are the cathedrals of today.

It was an interesting point but not persuasive. We at St Paul’s are fascinated by the possibilities that the Millennium Bridge opens up between our two buildings. But what we also find interesting is the fact that galleries are filled with images all looking for a narrative; we have a narrative and are confident and content to allow images to illuminate and enrich it. (p183-4)

So – the thrust of that chapter was about identifying aspects of humanity that resonate with and authenticate our lives, to ask why they resonate, and to point to God. The possibilities for fresh expressions are endless.