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Instruction and Artist Musings

Copyright © 2021 Sherry Barrett
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Artists are Grace Dispensers

11/20/2017

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My husband met Philip Yancey at an event last year and received a copy of his book Vanishing Grace.  Justin enjoyed his dinner conversation with the author and suggested I might enjoy his book. I finally got around to reading it and this part really grabbed hold of me:
GRACE DISPENSERS
While discussing the growing antipathy toward Christians, a friend remarked to me, "There are three kinds of Christians that outsiders to the faith still respect:  pilgrims, activists, and artists. The uncommitted will listen to them far sooner than to an evangelist or apologist."  Although nonbelievers do not oppose a spiritual search, they will listen only to those Christians who present themselves as fellow-pilgrims on the way rather than as part of a superior class who has already arrived.  Activists express their faith in the most persuasive way of all, by their deeds.  And art succeeds when it speaks most authentically to the human condition; when believers do so with skill, again the world takes note.
As a Christian artist I have a responsibility to dispense Grace. To do this effectively, I must become the best artist I can be so that my skills do not interfere with the message. I must spend hours practicing and refining my art in order to present the most clear and understandable images possible.
I am often quoted as saying, "Just because you're a Christian doesn't mean you can suck at your job". As Christians, we must be better at our jobs than the average person because we are representing the King. Christian art should never be synonymous with second rate, just okay, cliche, or predictable art. If we do our job properly, Christian art should mean inspired, beautiful, truthful, insightful, excellent. I may not be there yet, but I have a life time to perfect my artistic skills and leave something that outsiders of the faith will hopefully respect, admire, and stir them to investigate the source of my beliefs and their own. In the end, I hope to be remembered as a dispenser of grace-filled art for a hurting world. What are you dispensing?

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    Sherry Barrett is an active artist who takes inspiration from great works of literature, historical figures, and wise people.

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  • Home
  • Gallery
    • Drawings Slide Show
    • #MeToo - Hope In Release
    • #SpillGrace
    • Images for Instrospection
    • St. Nicholas Project
    • Abstract Art
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Other
    • Art Resources
    • Instructional Videos
    • Art Life Coaching
    • Line Dance Resources
    • Dance Blog
    • Acrylic Painting Slide Show
    • Abstract_Paintings
    • TOU
  • New Page