For the Good of the City Our city of dreams Los Angeles is built on dreams and ambition. Even back in 1890, Andres Arroyo said, “Los Angeles is not a culture. It is a commodity.” Long before the entertainment industry arrived, L.A. was selling a dream of a better life. It is probably why the […]
Depicting Evil in Art Depicting evil in art and entertainment is a given if we plan on creating honest work. Encountering evil people, movements and temptations are part of life and a part of the art and entertainment we create. Evil must be understood to be portrayed, but at what cost? If we don’t understand […]
Christianity & Creativity: Imago Dei In this second video in our series on Christianity & Creativity we discuss the concept of the Imago Dei. If we realize we are made in God’s image (Imago Dei), we realize our creativity comes from Him. The best way to understand our Christianity and creativity is to examine how […]
Stop saying artists are prophets Artists hate being labeled. Why? Labeling is a failure to see the unique, and to distinguish what is precious. For years, many ministry leaders and well intended friends have called artists prophets. This was done in the hope of affirming their gifts and recognizing their abilities. The irony of saying […]
Spiritual Adulting for Artists We all want to make a difference and we all want success. We want both, and so we should. And yet, this side of Eden nothing goes as planned. We have to face the reality of our own limits, our sin, and the evil in this world. There is no financial […]
Creative burnout is real. Many creatives face it everyday in a very real way. You can ignore the dangers at your own peril. Or you can find a way to get deep, real rest. Professional artists are like professional athletes. You worked hard to get where you are, and you developed your talents. As a […]
Becoming a healthy artist isn’t something most artists ever talked about in their universities, their studios, or their galleries. From professors to patrons, the focus has been on your creativity, and your innovation. Yet, if you are going to have a productive and long career, then becoming a healthy artist is critically important. As creatives […]
Enjoy this new vlog series entitled Christianity and Creativity. The first video in this series is about Bezalel, the first person in the Bible to be filled with the Spirit- an Artist! If you are interested in the intersection of faith and art, this new video series is for you. Also mentioned in the video […]
Creativity Demands the Whole Self One fact of being a successful artist or creative professional is this: creativity demands the whole self. Any other way produces anemic and lame art. One of my early convictions about creativity, art and faith came from a jazz professor. I studied jazz at Westmont College in the days when […]
Artist as Entrepreneur All Artists are Entrepreneurs. Filmmakers may understand this mindset sooner than actors or painters or dancers, but make no mistake, YOU are your own business. The sooner you realize this the better. It is fine to think of yourself as an artist, but it is absolutely critical that you see yourself as […]