Making Art
There is a movie, an independant film from 2006 called "Once" which was a small, low budget movie about two musicians in Dublin, poor but finding some small fulfillment in making music together. The movie ended up winning an Oscar for the song featured (and written) in the film called "Falling Slowly", and during the acceptance speech, the star of the film (and songwriter) who was awash with gratitude and joy exclaimed into the mic "Make Art, just make Art". Even being years ago now, his words inspire me, because I feel like that's what Jay and I are doing right now with our music.
Making Art
It occurred to me as I was thinking of the album and starting to think of doing vocals, listening to Jay playing, recording and editing all our guitar parts, through this whole process, making and bringing to some sort of completion the gift we've been given, that there is another aspect of this album that I almost forgot about. Which is amusing because it's what I do for a living.
Making Art ... The album graphics that is.
And I didn't realize that I hadn't really considered what it would at all look like yet. I sort of took for granted that we'd just use a band photo, but I don't think that's enough for the front. Or even, as I began to think, what this project needs. After all, if this is our music, Jay's handiwork laced throughout, a beautiful portfolio of his work, it seems appropriate that I should do some artwork of my own, for the front.
So. last night I started to sketch and came up with a vision -- I'm just excited about it so I wanted to write and share .... I don't think I'll post any photos yet because it's not done; I need to do some color studies ... but to give you a mental picture; I believe the unofficial title for the album is Storm. So the cover will be a rendered picture of that, dark and moody with strokes of light ... a stormy ocean, billowy clouds ... with a twist. ;)
And so we will be making art, in many facets of the word =)
Life is flowing by otherwise. Worship @ church continues to bless my heart in ways I cannot expect but am ever grateful for. And I think I am beginning to be called out a bit more in my role there, not just as a worship leader but also as a prayer warrior and a bit of a pastoral role (not in our limited sense of the word) but just being there for the women in that church, praying for them and with them for their lives and what is going on. Seems our small body of believers continues to be under attack. Our pastors' child has been undergoing chemotherapy and contantly in and out of the hospital. The latest is that they are waiting for the cancer to shrink so Little Chris can be a candidate for stem cell therapy (basically, they will harvest the "good" cells in his body, keep them and then kill all the rest of the cells and then inject the good cells back into his body in the hopes that they will regenerate more good cells, etc.) it's sounds like science fiction as I write it.
We need hope so much. Not just individually, but as a whole, as a nation, in our families. That is what I pray for. I'll leave with some lyrics to a song, that we'll be doing this weekend at church, I feel so much that this message is needed for our congregation and my prayer is that the words will connect with our hearts in such a powerful way, that our spirits will have no choice but to sing praise.
Till Next Blog ~ love a.
Desert Song (by Brooke Fraser)
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides
This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here
This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand
All of my life in every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favour and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow
Making Art
It occurred to me as I was thinking of the album and starting to think of doing vocals, listening to Jay playing, recording and editing all our guitar parts, through this whole process, making and bringing to some sort of completion the gift we've been given, that there is another aspect of this album that I almost forgot about. Which is amusing because it's what I do for a living.
Making Art ... The album graphics that is.
And I didn't realize that I hadn't really considered what it would at all look like yet. I sort of took for granted that we'd just use a band photo, but I don't think that's enough for the front. Or even, as I began to think, what this project needs. After all, if this is our music, Jay's handiwork laced throughout, a beautiful portfolio of his work, it seems appropriate that I should do some artwork of my own, for the front.
So. last night I started to sketch and came up with a vision -- I'm just excited about it so I wanted to write and share .... I don't think I'll post any photos yet because it's not done; I need to do some color studies ... but to give you a mental picture; I believe the unofficial title for the album is Storm. So the cover will be a rendered picture of that, dark and moody with strokes of light ... a stormy ocean, billowy clouds ... with a twist. ;)
And so we will be making art, in many facets of the word =)
Life is flowing by otherwise. Worship @ church continues to bless my heart in ways I cannot expect but am ever grateful for. And I think I am beginning to be called out a bit more in my role there, not just as a worship leader but also as a prayer warrior and a bit of a pastoral role (not in our limited sense of the word) but just being there for the women in that church, praying for them and with them for their lives and what is going on. Seems our small body of believers continues to be under attack. Our pastors' child has been undergoing chemotherapy and contantly in and out of the hospital. The latest is that they are waiting for the cancer to shrink so Little Chris can be a candidate for stem cell therapy (basically, they will harvest the "good" cells in his body, keep them and then kill all the rest of the cells and then inject the good cells back into his body in the hopes that they will regenerate more good cells, etc.) it's sounds like science fiction as I write it.
We need hope so much. Not just individually, but as a whole, as a nation, in our families. That is what I pray for. I'll leave with some lyrics to a song, that we'll be doing this weekend at church, I feel so much that this message is needed for our congregation and my prayer is that the words will connect with our hearts in such a powerful way, that our spirits will have no choice but to sing praise.
Till Next Blog ~ love a.
Desert Song (by Brooke Fraser)
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides
This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here
This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand
All of my life in every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favour and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow
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