Speaking to musicians...

LarrySeiler · #1 03-19-2004, 08:47 PM

I had been involved with Cornerstone Festival for 18 years...first originating in Grays Lake, Illinois about 40 minutes north of Chicago...and then it moved to 574 acres just outside Bushnell, Illinois. At about its 10th year, I was fortunate to be part of the folks that host the event. My son lives and works there as an artist and musician.

There was a growing interest to see develop within the music festival that which would represent what we believed God was doing in the visual arts. An arts festival within the festival. Thus grew what is known as "Artrageous"

The festival draws approximately 40,000 people camping for six days, 300 bands on 23 stages. For more info on that you can check here-
http://www.cornerstonefestival.com

It began with a small festival sized tent gallery exhibition where campers were invited to submit and bring art works...then each year grew. Seminar speakers, then workshops. I taught drawing and painting workshops for five years, and exhibited a good number more. In time, it became juried, work coming internationally.

I was also a musician....was a frontman in the band "Pursuit" that was popular in the Minneapolis/western Wisconsin area for three years in the big hair 80's era.

The festival grew out of the 60's pop culture Jesus movement....with members of REZ band and the Jesus People USA...which settled in Chicago, and still resides.

In short...it was my feeling that younger and younger musicians were writing, performing music, desiring to reach crowds for vastly different reasons. Many wanting to be "stars"....

My work, for those familiar...is more sublime, nature oriented, wildlife and landscapes. For a number of years it was apparent to me that most artists contributing work to the festival were very cerebral, abstract, motivated the viewer to thinking and so forth. While my work is celebrated in various galleries I began to think it was somewhat out of place for this festival environment.

I had challenged myself to experiment and respond to things I was feeling outside the box I was familiar and comfortable with as an artist.

I took an old guitar, a hollow body...loped off the headstock. I carved a crucified hand from basswood, epoxied/attached it to the guitar neck. I have an actual rail spike going thru the wrist/neck of the hand/guitar.

The body of the guitar held significance to me as hollow. We hold hope that the music might lead us somewhere, speak to us, energize and refresh...yet such we might suspect would come from a source that is filled. Sweet tone and resonance from every part of the guitar coming together in intonation, artistry in its building, labor and passion to develop skill in playing, lyrics and inspiration to restore and build.

The guitar shows a fallen nature...yet blood flows from the guitar neck to cover.

Would Christ sing blues over the world's condition, what might His solo sound like? I have the guitar cord plugging into a Bible....okay, lame...an "amplified" version.

At anyrate...I was hoping that much reflection and muse might lead to sensitive introspection, thought...and to the Spirit speaking to hearts. I hoped it would be confrontational....

I did find this entree on this particular year to find a great deal of interest among fest goers.....

as a piece of art goes...the making was much fun. Attempting to put together three dimensionally what I was seeing in my head very satisfying. In ways...it was liberating. Breaking away from the norm of what others might think is involved say with painting...opens doors to try and challenge yourself to go even still farther.

Larry

LarrySeiler · #2 03-19-2004, 08:57 PM

thought I'd share this one....to represent more what is in keeping with my artistic nature. Teaching painting one summer at the fest, I did this plein air demonstration of a nearby tent. A great band was playing inside...

talk about a plein air challenge, as people mill about, constantly moving. I love these tents and how atmospheric light plays on them. Also...painting in such an environment teaches you quickly to tune out passerbyers...hahaha, had to be 30 people at any one moment watching me, AND asking questions...

this is oil, 8" x 12"

this too...was spiritual and very inspirational for me. An atmosphere of complete celebration, in song...in neighborly cordiality with strangers....the delight of painting, and of light.

The day before...my son, his band playing at the fest...posed for me while I did a quick one. Small at 6"x 9" in oil...

and one last one....

Larry

llis · #3 03-19-2004, 10:27 PM

Larry: Thanks for sharing that with us. I think I've seen this before, but didn't remember seeing the painting you did of your son.

I really enjoy seeing paintngs of everyday life as inspired moments in time. Plein air always does this to me. I love to see the moments of our lives captured in art. Life happens so fast. It's good to be able to freeze a moment and revisit to enjoy again and again.

I also think the things we as artists capture in our paintings says a lot about us and the lives we lead. Sometimes trying to convey feelings thru talk isn't the best way to show someone what we are feeling. I think art helps us talk when words just aren't enough.

LarrySeiler · #4 03-20-2004, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llis

Sometimes trying to convey feelings thru talk isn't the best way to show someone what we are feeling. I think art helps us talk when words just aren't enough.

the fact that one person with his/her own inner being communicates things too difficult to utter to another person's inner being is in and of itself an evidence of the spiritual nature and potential of art. Deep calling onto deep...

yep...quite interesting...

Larry

sassybird · #5 03-20-2004, 05:38 AM

Larry, thank you for the link. I have bookmarked it to look over later. I would love to attend sometime. What more powerful than so many people come together to celebrate their lord through the gifts he blessed them with

I like the guitar and bible very much. It say so much about the growing gospel artists that have been gaining popularity over the past decade or so.

The picture of the hand of Jesus with the nail through his wrist makes my heart ache for the suffering this man withstood for humanity.

The tent scene, and the one of your son are lively, and show the interest and joy of being with people of like beliefs.

LarrySeiler · #6 03-20-2004, 09:36 AM

thanks Charissa....

I've been involved with a festival out of Oshkosh, Wisconsin now the past summers called "Lifest"...an old friend and his ministry Life Promotions has helped to intiate and organize. My old friend, Bob Lenz...who travels and speaks to high school audiences all across America. Years ago...my band used to play at events, and Bob would come out and speak. We got back further than that...but, the very first time Bob sponsored a music outreach was called "Power of One" with several bands playing in an arena.

Not many knew of music's power to reach out and touch...and the costs for such were numbing for many. Bob rattled everyone's cages though when he put his house up for mortgage on this thing. That confident and that determined was he. Now...Lifest brings in about 26,000 people...and Bob, having been to Cornerstone or "C'Stone" as stoners like to call it...has been hoping I can contribute my part to helping the visual arts take off there as well.
Lifest- http://www.lifest.com/default.asp

Many have seen the performance art seminar I put together for this...painting a large 6' x 4' black and white, then having a couple from the audience come up and destroy, next day I restore it. It serves as a teaching metaphor or living parable-
http://www.artlandishconcepts.org/li...eart_page1.htm

I'll probably create a new thread down the road here to initiate discussion on the use of metaphor with visual art to get one's ideas across in a deeper way.

Larry

Deborah Secor · #7 03-20-2004, 12:15 PM

Larry, may I share your image of the guitar with the Bible club at my son's high school? I'd have to download and print it... It's incredibly provocative! I just know he and his friends will be blown away by this sculpture of yours. My son plays guitar (he's 17) and helps lead worship for the mid-high kids at our church. He's enjoying this ministry so much that he's considering going to the School of Ministry there, too. (We go to a mega-church, the kind you read about, with some 12,000-14,000 people...) The music is so powerful to touch these kids--and the sculpture you made will urge them to look further. I hope it's okay to print it--let me know!

Your work at these festivals has been an inspiration to me, Larry. Have you ever experienced The Potter's Field ministry presentation? In it Mike actually throws a pot on a wheel, and the results are incredible... http://www.pottersfield.org/ Your presentations have that same kind of impact.

Deborah

chatfieldstudios · #8 03-20-2004, 02:02 PM

Larry, Thanks for sharing....I am not usually a fan of this kind of art but this one is fascinating to me. It's also hard for me to look at....you mentioned confrontational and maybe that's the part that is speaking to me. I hate confrontation and conflict...for reasons that I understand but don't need to share here. But it is one of those pieces that makes me think about my faith, my commitment to my faith and what it means to express it and deal with confrontation and conflict. Very interesting..

LarrySeiler · #9 03-20-2004, 02:43 PM

thanks Deborah...glad to hear of your son's interest. Nice to see the torch passes on....

I was part of the worship team of some larger churches, none as large as you describe...but I sure loved kickin' electric guitar into high gear praise! One thing tough about my current location is finding fellowship and worship. About 30 minutes away is a reservation gospel mission I've attended a few times now...about 15 adults and six children/teens.

He certainly may use the image. Print resolution may be low though...

take care

Larry

LarrySeiler · #10 03-20-2004, 02:44 PM

thanks Cindy...
admittedly, the work was not created ever with thought it might end up in someone's home or art collection. I know what you are saying...

peace

Larry

mmlovespainting · #11 04-02-2007, 12:20 AM

Larry,

I was searching for the thread where you painted the waterfall and played your own music in the background on youtube.

But I came accross this thread and stopped in for a min.

You've been an inspiration to me and to my son - who is mostly a musician right now, but also interested in all arts.

I just made my first youtube video... it's for an art group on eBay... but in making it, I had my son create the background music. He'd love to have you hear it.

He said it was so fun because he was worshipping as he did it. Now mind you... he has some great musical instruments but a very OLD computer he was recording onto... and a very old program he's using. But he's only 14 and this is his "debut" of his musical art!

Here's the link....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJcUrsDSRwo

OK... on to look for your post with the link to your video... I want my son to see it!

~Melanie

LarrySeiler · #12 04-02-2007, 10:01 AM

letting it download right now, Melanie...
though I have DSL...(the slowest of the options of DSL), the videos will not run streamlessly. I prefer to let them play thru...then listen in full. Will be interesting...and cool to hear a 14 year old's had performing...

I keep the link to my YouTube offerings on my blogspot...here you go...
http://www.youtube.com/paintingfromlife

letcha know I saw the video here shortly...

LarrySeiler · #13 04-02-2007, 10:27 AM

very nice...pass along my congratulations to Chris!

Accompanied the art work very well...and always makes such more interesting.

What has evolved interestingly enough...is that in writing some music to accompany some of my painting videos, my wife requested that I put together a CD of the music and more...an acoustic work.

I was somewhat surprised, but I had been a blueser/rocker much of my life, so I set out on this folk/acoustic project...and put together ten songs, four have vocals....one additional something of a spoken poetic voice in various parts looking cynically at our times called, "Cultural Wasteland"

I invited the Lord to help impress upon me greater sensitivity to what I've been going thru in putting this together, and I called the CD "Desert Muses"

here is the cover...

I'm actually very pleased with this...and I think more so, because I believe God is working some things out in me...or out of me...

I am beginning a new project now because of this called, "Wilderness Wanderings" and if things go as anticipated one that will follow called, "Wandering No More"

Somewhat mirroring my spiritual experiences at this chapter of my life...

thinking of starting a new blogspot too (which would be my third) which would share a painting and dialog would follow that would speak a spiritual thought, lesson or encouragement from it. Have to come up with a name for it.

peace

(keep it up Chris!

)

Larry

Bill_E · #14 04-02-2007, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LarrySeiler

the fact that one person with his/her own inner being communicates things too difficult to utter to another person's inner being is in and of itself an evidence of the spiritual nature and potential of art. Deep calling onto deep...

Larry, I appreciate what you have shared here. By way of introduction, I am currently working on a M.Div (theology major) (which is why I don't get to paint as much as I would like--argh). I am also something of a musician, however, more of the classical type

I have a particular interest in theological "aesthetics". I am convinced of the necessity of art in all of its forms to communicate that which words alone cannot. I have had the opportunity to submit a few works of art as part of my course work (the simplest of which I shared a few weeks back). As a theologian I struggle with the lack of precision of meaning in art, yet delight in the richness and intensity of meaning that can be expressed in art.

Thanks for sharing some of your heart in these works of art

mmlovespainting · #15 04-03-2007, 12:46 PM

Bill, my husband also has an M. Div. He too did some artwork for a class project. It was a paper mosaic of the throne room as described in Isaiah! He worked hours and hours on it... it was fantastic. If only I had known more about how to preserve such an artwork back then!!!

Have you read "Spiritual Pathways" ? It has a great description of the asthetic worshipper... I think all church leaders should be aware that many people worship with their sense of sight and beauty!

Art has defineately become a form of worship to me.... and if you set my art that I do "to sell" next to my art that I did "in worship"... their is a huge difference!!! I do sell my art, but I now focus myself on worship rather than pleasing men as I paint.

Also... I have found that even as health and activities have been stripped away from me... I can still fulfill the two greatest commandments... LOVE God and LOVE others! I do that in a couple ways... but my art is one of the biggest!!! Each painting is a love offering to God!

Nice to meet you...
~Melanie

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