As a creative, where does one find inspiration and the ability to come up with something?
This is the question heavy on the young minds of my classmates and I as my graphic design teacher drilled into our feeble brains the concepts brought forth in one of our readings today in class. She will ask us a few times each class, how are you going to apply _______ (insert really anything you can think of…) ________ to design. Today I discovered just how imperative it is to read read read things that challenge your brain. and then read more. It’s not enough anymore to just do okay work. Take initiative to seek knowledge, apply what you learn, yes…but more important, understand it-eat it, let the knowledge become your innate thinking. That way, when I’m faced with a design problem, I already know the solution because that knowledge is part of my thinking.
tonight I had the privilege of attending a small songwriting workshop with Charlie Hall at my church.
Everything out of that mans mouth tonight was brilliant. Strangely enough, it was everything I was hearing in class earlier, but from a biblical and songwriting perspective.
Now, you need to understand something about the arts if you’re not really involved. Art is a strange type of creature that multiplies by each facet you endeavor-music, dance, theater, visual arts, etc. It just all deepens your craft.
His words, though not exact and more my understanding, were something like this:
READ THE BIBLE OFTEN because when you’re accustom to reading and knowing the word of God, it so much more readily will exude from your being. When you’re faced with writing the lyrics to a song, you can apply scripture to song writing from an innate understanding and not just quoting scripture verbatim. Provoking lyrics, and thus better art, will abound.
Simple concept really.
read the bible. devour it. so much so that it becomes the way you think and handle problems of any format.
I need to approach all my art this way-every time!
More encouraging words from the workshop impressed upon me in light of participating in the world race.
How he talked about journaling, ethnomusicology, and basic stuff about using his artform to minister to God’s people…it made me so excited to go and soak up all the culture and ministry opportunities of people around the world, and to later transcend that knowledge into art when I get back to effect people in the format God has called me to.
I can’t wait to see where God is going to take me and the things He will show me in the next year.
