“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters,”   Genesis 1:1-2.

“Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft.  And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan,” Exodus 35:30-35.

This is perhaps a question that has gone on for thousands of years, and even though, some have articulated it, perhaps no one can ever fully arrive at the answer; for really, the answer is different for each of us.

God is the first creator, as He created the heavens and the earth, and He did this out of nothing.

He didn’t already have dirt and water, and colors, and paint, to begin the process.

Actually, we are told that He spoke these things into existence.  Perhaps it was a deep desire within Him to create the world around us, so that He could give His love to this world.

But actually, the creative spirit is so much a part of His very nature that He couldn’t help but create.

We live in a world where everything is at our fingertips.  We can browse the internet and find just about anything that we wish.

We can explore the hidden jungles of the Congo, or look upon the nomadic people of Siberia, and learn more about their lives.

We can discover what makes up an atom, and how its smallest minute parts, contribute to its overall design.

Much of life is made up of the mundane, and actually, without creativity, we become a people of lifeless, mediocrity.

When historians explore the past, they find the treasures that were made by its people.  And without the mosaics, the sculptures, the books, and the songs, their culture is lost.

But again, the question arises, why do we create?

What is it about the process of painting, sculpting, writing, composing a symphony, or acting that compels one to do this?

Many that create have a story that they want to tell the world, and not just in words, but in a painting or a three-dimensional piece.

And then again, some create pieces of art simply through the elements of color, line, shape, and texture, just to express this onto the canvas.

And it doesn’t necessarily have to mean or say anything, because it is simply communicated through the use of these artistic elements.

And then that of course, leads one to the question of “What is Art?”

And that question, has also haunted many over the years.  But perhaps that’s a question for another time.

For as there are a myriad of different types of art that we see all around us, there are also a myriad of different creative people, all of which, have their own approach and desire to express the world around them.

It is true that some create a dark world that speaks of despair and hopelessness, because this is the world that they see around them.

These are those who have not found the life of Christ within, and instead, have chosen to portray something out of a dark dream that is devoid of light.

We see the outward world around us, and yet each of us has their own interior world where they view this world, each in their own way.

The ultimate purpose of an artist is to allow society to see what their inner perception of the world is, and then to express this to them in a way that is understood.

Then the success I believe comes, when that artist expresses his or her view in a way that is understood, and it captures the purposes that they had proposed.

Sometimes, one just wants to paint a rose, or a landscape, simply because it is beautiful.

And then there are other times, when one wants to capture the pathos of a scene of suffering, so that the world will understand and perhaps become more compassionate.

Finally, the process of wanting others to purchase their art, and to be able to sell it, becomes the final aim of creating it.

If one wants at some point to make a living at these things, then somewhere along the way, their art will need to sell.

This is especially true if they don’t have any other form of employment, or are just living on a shoestring, and have a family to support.

But the problem here arises because we live in a society where purchasing art, may well not be at the top of most people’s priority.

We all have to put food on the table, and bills to pay.  If we see a sofa-sized landscape painting at Walmart that is priced at $24.95 and then we settle for it.

We do this because it’s cheap, and it will fit nicely in our living room.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a print, or the frame is shabbily made, because now we own it.

The days are long gone when artists could join a guild and be paid by Lorenzo di Medici, as Michelangelo was so fortunate to do.

Every prominent kingdom had its own court painter who would paint the king or the prince upon a horse, or shooting his gun.

When it really gets down to it, the ultimate purpose for an artist is simply to create for the sake of creating.

Even as one is compelled to do this, and the canvases pile up, there is still the drive to paint, and draw, or whatever.

If by chance that someone else sees the beauty in it, and has the means to purchase it, then one is fulfilled.

A Note from His Kingdom Prophecy: Stephen & Carol Hanson are full-time artists. Their website is called “The Hanson Artists”. Please consider visiting their online store or donating here, into their Prophetic Ministry.

 

Selah,
~ Stephen Hanson

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Stephen Hanson of In His Truth Ministries came to the LORD is a special way in 1975 and has prophesied regularly since.  In these end-time birthing pangs we are reminded that judgment must first begin with the household of God.  Will we be prepared and ready?

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