RockTheDesert

American Flag...Creative Expressions

Happy Independence Day!!! July 4 has always been my favorite holiday. I've got great memories of parades, fireworks, backyard bbqs, the beach, friends, family - celebrating freedom is pretty sweet! Just for fun, I spent some time on Google, looking for creative expressions of the American flag - some of the images are a little too big for the column - just click on the pic and it will open in a new window. Enjoy!!

"Freedom has a scent, like the top of a newborn baby's head" - name that tune!
Faith Ringgold is an African-American artist, renowned for her painted story quilts.
This pizza looks pretty yummy, although the blue corner is a little suspect...
This one made me laugh...
Love this mosaic.
Aren't the shells pretty???!!!
This one's sort of subtle...
This one is beautiful, don't you think?
Classic example of why the world needs HOA's!
This cake looks a little too sweet for me...maybe just a small piece with homemade ice cream on top!
I've got to get me a couple of these!
I need one of these right now - not for the rain, but for the heat!
I'd be itching like crazy in this vest - but it is awfully cute!
I really love stained glass - this is so cool!
I'm off to a BBQ with friends and family...grilled ribeyes are calling my name!

WCW - In Memory of Mary

Today is Watercooler Wednesday! WCW is a collaboration of creative people who gather around the watercooler at Randy Elrod's Ethos blog every Wednesday. Click HERE to read Randy's latest WCW post and to join the conversation!

This week is Holy Week - started on Palm Sunday will culminate on Easter Sunday. I found some great Holy Week devotionals at Austin Stone Community Church. Today's devotional features a 3-dimensional original painting by Christina Drake entitled "In Memory of Mary."

Artist's Note: This picture is called "In Memory of Mary" and is the worshipful response of one of our partners to the picture of the woman anointing our Lord.  Our artist wanted to capture the picture of submission and sacrifice of the woman, as well as the many colors of grace of our God.  The painting is also three-dimensional, with a shelf at the bottom filled with brushes, tools and entire tubes of paints.  "No amount of paint, tools or expensive perfume can ever compare to what Christ did on the Cross for us..."  Artist: Christina Drake.

WCW - Inspired by Alyssa

It's Watercooler Wednesday - check out the creative ideas around the "watercooler" at Randy Elrod's Ethos blog! Randy's post is about  Interactive Architecture. Check it out HERE.

Here's my first submission:

I look to my daughter, Alyssa, for creative inspiration most of the time. She is a dreamer and a poet and has a deeply artistic soul. I stopped by her house last week and took a few photos of her current works in progress...

1. Sign Language "fade"

2. Fabric sewn on paper in frame

3. This phone wasn't made by Alyssa but purchased on eBay - I am inspired by this phone and something about it makes me insanely happy

Recreate wrapup...Thursday Afternoon

On Thursday afternoon we visited Kalein. Please visit the website for information and inspiration about this place that is about to be...124 pristine acres that will someday house artists from around the world who want to change things. Artists who are not content with the status quo. Gifted artists who feel a calling to something deeper than themselves. The mission, the goal, the vision, the purpose (whatever you may call it) is to provide a place to encourage and equip extremely gifted artists to discover, develop and discipline their calling.

We were transported to Kalein via 4-wheel drives towing trailers filled with hay! We were greeted by Alpaca and horses. A bonfire warmed us up along with steaming hot chocolate!! I took a few pics while I wandered around the property. When we were all done exploring, Randy Elrod called us all back together to share his personal vision for Kalein. It was a beautiful time of intimacy and solidarity as musicians and dreamers. After Randy finished talking, he introduced us to Charles Robinson. The last pics I've posted are of Charles, his wife, Siouxsan, and his sister-in-law, Dana. They shared Native American dances with and blessed the Kalein property with a dance of blessing.  I absolutely loved this part of our day. Charles has a non-profit called  The Red Road.  Go to his website and read it - every inch of it is interesting and informative and enlightening!

A Favorite Thing

This painting is one of my favorite things. I purchased it in Rwanda in March 2007. It is hand-painted batik on cloth (at least that's what the shopkeeper told me). I love it because when I saw it, I had an "aha" moment.

The familiar DaVinci version of The Last Supper, with it's aging European-looking men, has never been very inspiring to me personally.

I haven't found one disciple in particular whom I identify with. They are just Jesus' disciples, the ones He called to follow Him, the ones He did life with, the ones who had specific purpose in serving with Him and carrying on His message after the Ascension, the ones who started The Church and ministered to the people just as He did and started spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth, just as He asked them to in The Great Commission.

Hmmm. That sounds like OUR job description too. Only now, when I look at my painting, I don't see specific faces and personalities. I see me. And us. We are the disciples Jesus has called to do exactly what the disciples were first called to do. Follow Him. Do life deeply with Him. Live with His purposes driving our lives. Serve people. Carry on His message of hope, healing, justice, compassion, mercy, love, peace, eternal life, abundant life. Be a passionate member of The Church, minister to people through the church and sometimes in spite of the church. Take the Gospel message to the ends of the Earth. In whatever way you possibly can.