Escapism and the Avenue to Heaven

I’ve mentioned before (in Making a Mark) how I’ve seen a few examples of Apathy in our culture. Recently I’ve also recognized Escapism in a few places in our culture. Often Apathy and escapism go hand in hand. For example, a person who watches a very large amount of TV is not only being apathetic but they are also “escaping”.  Our lives can be very difficult at times and we look for avenues of escape, places to rest. Sometimes I see it in simple phrases like, “It’s alright”, “It doesn’t matter”, “No one is going to care”, “Don’t worry about it”, “You can only do so much”, “Do what you want”. But I also see it in deeply held religious beliefs like, “I just can’t wait for Heaven.”

I also see sports, games, and recreational pursuits as forms of escapism. For example, I recently visited a rock climbing gym, and as I  watched people climbing I found it a little bizarre how people would climb, to reach no summit, that people would climb to accomplish nothing really. People running on treadmills often gives me a similar eery feeling, people running from nothing, from nowhere to nowhere to accomplish nothing. I understand that some people use these types of exercise to condition themselves for sports or marathons or heath but even then when I see people running a marathon I see people running from nowhere to nowhere. When I watch  football, soccer, basketball, or hockey I can’t help but see people moving back and forth accomplishing nothing but wear and tear.

Sometimes I wonder if we spend our whole lives on these shuffle-boards, pretending to enjoy ourselves while we accomplish nothing, and go nowhere. I watch the traffic build and fade each day like a beating heart – all these people moving back and forth.  I wonder if we we accomplish anything through all this. I wonder if we simply end up with lives of superficial productivity. But what is true productivity? Did Neil Armstrong accomplish something when he stepped on the moon? Did the Egyptians accomplish something when they built the pyramids? I can’t help but feel that these too are superficial.

As an artist I’m often convicted that my work is completely superficial and escapist. I’ve also been convicted, that there is only one pursuit in life that is not superficial; the pursuit of character. If I have touched the stars, but have not compassion what good is this? If I’ve achieved great fame, but care for no one, what use is it? If I build a city, but have no community, what a waste this is.

These feelings have also deeply impacted how I understand my own Christian faith. I no longer see heaven as a place in the afterlife. Rather I understand heaven as intangibles, like love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness (God’s Character). Consequently I also see Hell as another set of intangibles, like guilt, shame, pride, arrogance, selfishness and hate. In my understanding God is Character – and Jesus – a living breathing embodiment and demonstration of Character and the Holy Spirit is His Character resting on and in us. I no longer understand God as an all-powerful, omnipotent deity but rather the Character of Love who wishes to dwell in each of us. Ultimately you could say that “The pursuit of Character” (the only pursuit that is not superficial), is to simply abide in God, and Him in us. God is not far off but present, He is simply intangible, For what is love but something completely intangible. God is waiting to be a part of each of us, and the gates of heaven are open wide to us all.

Remember though that true character is only revealed in the middle of challenges. God’s whole way of moving has everything to do with it being in the midst of nastiness, for this is when His Glory is revealed. For patience is common in times of ease, but a man who can be patient even under the shadow of death reflects Character. Gentleness is also lowly among tender times, but a man who is gentle in the heat of conflict reflects Character. Kindness too is a trivial thing, but when kindness is shown to a mortal enemy this reflects Character. Honesty too is a bit of common rubbish, but when in honesty one indicts themselves this honors God. To counsel peace in the midst of plenty is a blessing, but to counsel peace in a raging war is to know the heart of God. To have faith in what is tangible and visible is easy, but to have faith in the intangible is the Avenue to Heaven.

If you are new to my blog you may want to read:
Mater Information and Character
Aesthetics and Character
My Art is Currently on Display at:
The Lorton Workhouse Arts Center: Collector’s showcase
The Lorton Workhouse Arts Center: Gift Shop
The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen

Celtic Knots, Honesty and Prayer

I’ve been playing around recently with some Celtic patterns. My style of drawing lends itself to being able to do this kind of design with Pen & Ink. What is really different about my normal work in comparison is the fact that I don’t normally plan this much. Celtic designs deeply influence my work so, I’ve experimented recently with them to see what I might discover.
What I found myself thinking about as I drew this was an issue of honesty. Depending on who I’m around I find that honesty takes on a few different flavors. What I want to create and what I plan to create are in a way at odds. You see, in my normal drawings I build each mark off of previous marks working ink directly to the page without much of a plan, but in a Celtic pattern the whole thing must be planed out before the ink touches the page.
Interestingly these two kinds of honesty are sometimes represented in different forms of Christian worship. For example an Anglican or Catholic church will tend toward pre-written prayers read durring their survives while, in contrast, Baptist or Pentecostal churches will tend toward spontaneous prayer. Some people seem to think that one is more honest or true than the other. I lean more toward a middle-way though. I think that each has its use, and some people will be better at one or the other.

If you haven’t been to my blog before you might want to look at:
Some exhibitions that are going on: Exhibitions Opening
Or some writing on: Making A Mark

Exhibitions Opening

Today in Glen Allen VA (Near Richmond VA) an exhibition is opening with a collection of work from artists that work in the same studio with me (Studio 5 at the Workhouse Arts Center). I will have 5 pieces on display. This Exhibit will run from January 12th to March 12th. On Saturday January 21st there will be a reception where you can meet many of the artists. This Exhibition will be held at The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen.

Also, this weekend is Second Saturday at the Workhouse Arts Center, when all the galleries around the campus celebrate openings with food and fanfare. This month Studio 5 will have a show called “Shelter”. Durring this exhibition we will be collecting hats gloves and breakfast cereal to support Lorton Community action. This exhibition will be on display from January 11th to Feb 5th.

If you haven’t read my blog before you might want to:
Look at my Fine Art: Portfolio
Read one of my popular recent posts: Cosmic Conditions
Or take a peak into my studio: Welcome to My Studio

Matter, Information and Character

In Scientific Circles, Philosophical Circles, and Religious Circles there is frequent discussion over what “is,” or what exists. Philosophers even call this one of the main branches of philosophy, Epistemology. Descartes famously asked if he existed, to which his response was, “I think therefore I am”. Curiously, artists I’ve known don’t seem to be bothered so much over questions of existence. Artists are more concerned about what they have and have not made and if they have made good art.

Scientists are often the most skeptical about existence, clinging merely to a physical existence. In some circles I’ve seen movement toward accepting the existence of “information”. This is largely because of the discovery of DNA and the invention of computers. I heard a scientist say once that, “A computer hard drive can be both full of information or empty and this will not change its mass. This means that information has a different kind of existence than mater.” While this isn’t at all profound in Philosophical Circles, in Scientific Circles it is often difficult to imagine anything outside of E=mc^2
In our modern world “God” has become an idea as childish to many as stories, as fictional as myth. Some even wish that religion would cease, that people would give up on these old mystic beliefs. However, I’ve wondered if this battle between theism and atheism has mostly come from a misunderstanding. Could you tell an artist that their work was not good or bad because Beauty does not exist? Could you tell a scientist that their work was meaningless because the existence of matter can not be verified through an objective source, because all we experience is subjective? We are all seemingly living by a faith of one sort or another.

For many, I think we have simply not thought enough about what God is. For many, God is defined by his power, his eternal existence, his omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence. In contrast I define God by Love not power. And this isn’t my idea, but one that comes from the Bible, 1st John 4:9,”He who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”(NKJV) and again in 4:16 “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him.”(NKJV) I may not be able to prove objectively that love exists however, I can’t think of a more beautiful or meaningful thing within which to place faith. “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself; it is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, in not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NKJV) And I might add, Love does not condemn those who are wicked but, always forgives (See John 3:17).
For many people life might not simply be a choice to live in wickedness or love, but for me it was. The existence of this choice leads me to think that Character has an existence but, an existence that is different from Matter or Information.

If you are new to my Blog you might want to look at my: Portfolio
Or take a look at some of my recent Posts: Welcome to My Studio

Making a Mark

Mark making is often discussed in art classes. There is often distinctions between expressive and controlled marks, intentional marks and unintentional marks – and sometimes even hidden marks. Mark making is also a major part of existential philosophy, and American individualism. While it might even seem overstated, cliche to talk about, “making your mark on history” I’m finding that many people are really disinterested. Maybe this is the final failure of the romantics and existential philosophers – that people just don’t care.

It might be a little unfair and generalized to say people don’t care but recently I’ve see escapist mentalities cropping up. Sometimes it is just little phrases like, “whatever” but other times I see it in modes of behavior like video game addiction, internet addiction, and excessive TV. I see many young people who don’t know what to do with their lives. One of my friends even calls it the “book of excuses” or “book of responses”. Sometimes we even include our own business in our excuse. I’m not sure if this is your experience don’t many people seem unmotivated, apathetic, like there is a disease of Apathy Syndrome floating around? This is probably where the idea of “zombies” came from.

Have you ever ridden the DC metro at 7:30 am? One thing strikes me right away. It feels like you are attending a funeral, everyone is just standing there waiting, most people are dressed in black, they keep reasonable distance from one another, and utter silence is kept. Is this what we have become? Are we people waiting to die, disinterested with life? Are we only interested with our movies, parties and alcohol? In a world where so many people are trying to impress us entertain us and keep our attention (through mass-media for example) that the result is that we become a sort of victim, robed of time and interest in life.

So maybe it is time to take it back, to give ourselves some quiet time, pick up the pen and make a mark. (The images above are pen & ink drawings on distressed paper. The title of the first piece is “Barrowed Time”, the second is “Death and Significance” and the third is a close up. Both of these images have been digitally inverted)

To see more drawings like this see http://mdkiehl.wordpress.com/porfolio or click on home

Welcome to my Studio

My blog here has received over 2000 clicks since I started it a year ago! Thank you for coming by to watch my progress as an artist. Here are a few images from my studio at the Workhouse Arts Center. This is a public studio, so, you are welcome to come by and say hello. Enjoy!

Cosmic Conditions

One of the recurring themes in my work is “Cosmic Conditions”. I’m often wondering about the conditions that create an existence such as our own. For example I often wonder if something like consciousness arises when certain conditions arise. I often wonder what we could learn through an exacting study of the things that are foundational to our experience of the world. By this I don’t simply mean sensory perception but things that are much more general, for example, what I call “the permanency of action”. This is a concept foundational to a world or universe that is what we might call “meaningful” in addition to the existence of autonomous subjects, and the frail-mortal-uncertainty those subjects experience.

I think that we live our lives as a response to these cosmic conditions. We grasp at Identity, Purpose and Significance in an attempt to ward off these dreadful sublime ideas. We seek the attention of others to ward off the loneliness of our autonomy. We try to make ourselves useful, meaningful, even powerful in order not to confront the deep abyss of space and time where we are truly frail and pitiful as dust. Yet, in our limited and frail loneliness we seem to have the ability to make choices that impact our future but, even this we dread, because this is where our mistakes become the burdens to carry.

I think too many of us we have tricked ourselves into thinking that we have attained some immunity through our accomplishments. I don’t believe that any amount of power or prestige can make us immune to the meaninglessness of our condition. Should we then throw ourselves to the grave? No, in fact, I think that when we live in love, and community, when we share honestly, when we stand up for character and compassion, I think then we find that the conditions that once filled us with dread make this existence beautiful and exciting. This is a life were a sadistic death worshiper can find redemption and be transformed into an agent of patience. Profound acts of generosity and gratitude can be acted out in even the most dire of circumstances. The most startling demonstrations of beauty seem to exist among the most broken places: when individuals even on the edge of death can find the character to care for others, even their oppressors.

What does all this have to do with the drawing I made? I use drawing to help stir up contemplations. While this might look stout and serious (and sound serious), it is really a playful activity for me, like playing with Legos. I don’t plan how my drawings will look, I just doodle around. After I drew this I also damaged the paper to give it the tonality of brokenness. The first image is a digital inversion.