Art or not?

Hello folks!    I hope and pray that where ever you are on this planet, that you are high and dry.    I recently started contemplating whether we need to start trying to build an ark.    I decided against it.   I think I'll just get a pair of floaties next time I'm at WalMart and call it good.    It'll stop raining when God's ready for it too and not a second sooner.    We need rain just like we need sunshine and we're getting a sampling of both right now.    And the cool mornings have been so nice too.    Here it is the middle of May and still having mornings down in the upper 30's to the low 40's.    The best that can be said is to enjoy it, because summer is just around the corner and I know I will be craving some of those cool mornings.    Bet some of y'all will too.    hehehe

I'm usually not one who talks much politics on my blog or anywhere else for that matter.   But this year is a big year in politics.   We either vote for the same old, same old and get the same old, same old knowing it will another 4 to 8 years of more of the worst that the politicians have to offer.    Or we vote for someone that is not in anyone's hip pocket yet and get what we get, not knowing for sure what we're gonna get.    It is a conundrum!!    I do and will continue to pray on this matter and pray for all of our leaders to just open a can of "common sense" somewhere along the way.    Common sense and doing what's best for the country at large has gone by the wayside, in favor of doing what's best for the "good ole' boy" establishment.    One thing I will venture to say here and I'll say it loud, "Hell is getting hotter every day!!!"     I do believe, since all government was established by God, our politicians will have to answer to God on that "Great Getting Up Morning" and will be held responsible for their actions.   That gives me a bit of satisfaction, knowing that God will judge righteously, whereas I know I wouldn't.     We don't have leaders like we once had!!!!    Leaders that was not afraid to bend the knee to call on God in prayer.    Leaders that would stand up for what is right and would strike down anything that was wrong, immoral or perverted!    They used to welcome great men of God, like Billy Graham and others, to speak to them and have prayer with 'em.     With that said, I'm anxious to see the outcome of this presidential election.   You see, a lot of the "hollywood elite", (hahahahahaha, thats's so laughable) have promised that if one contender over the other gets elected, they will pack up and leave the United States of America.   Ohhh lawdie, I pray pray pray......     To them, I say "don't let the door hit you on the way out!!!"    I dream of hearing that great wooooshing sound of all of 'em leaving!!!!!    In fact, I would happily hold the door open for 'em.     Heck, I might even be willing to chip in for a couple of one way tickets out of the country!!!!    What do you produce for the American people?    What good do you really do?    Do you pay the taxes that you SHOULD be paying?    Come on, admit it, you look down your face-lifted noses at the very people who put the money in your pockets, don't you!!!   What do you stand up for?     We know you by the fruit you produce!    Rotten produces rotten!!!!    Do you speak truth or do you promote perversion?     I say to them, "I don't need hollywood and the immorality that hollywood is all about!!!    I don't need hollywood telling me how I should vote!!!   I don't need hollywood telling me what I should think about anything!!!     I enjoy watching a little television, but you know what, I don't need actors, apers, mimic-ers telling me ANYTHING!!!!"     They're JUST actors!!!!!!!!!    But alas, I'm afraid it's just another big hoax, just getting my hopes up like they did about 12 years ago!   Oh well, it doesn't hurt a girl to have a dream does it?    Join me in praying for that great wooooshing sound!!!      And I wouldn't care if the news media followed suit!!!!    They don't report the news, they fabricate what they want to tell.    They spin their own stories just like spiders weaving a web and they have fed us garbage for the last 30-40 years and we have gobbled it up!!!!    They tell the people what we should think and how we should vote and what we should believe.    I don't need that bunch of immoral vile lie spewing people telling me anything either.    My desire and prayer would be for all of 'em to trip over one another finding the nearest door outta here!!!!    I'll hold it open for ya!!!!

2 Chronicles 7:14 (ASV)  if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Those words are as applicable today as they were when God spoke them to Solomon many years ago. If you are a professing, believing, born again Christian, you belong to God!!!!    God wasn't talking to the pagan world, but to His people who had called on Him as their God! Where is humility today? Everyone wants to stand and beat their chests and claim king of the mountain all the while, the mountain is turning to a rubbish heap.    We need to humble ourselves prostrate at His feet crying out for mercy!!!      God help us before it's too late!!!    God does not hear the prayers of the unrepentant, so we as God's people need to repent and seek God.    God never hides Himself from someone who is seeking Him.   But, we will not find God if we are still happily rollicking in wickedness.    We, as a nation, are happily rollicking in wickedness and God will not tolerate it forever!!!!!    But, God says He will forgive us of our sin and He will heal our land!!!!    Come on people of God, trust that God will do what He says He will do!!!    The first chapter in Romans says that God will turn the people over to their reprobate minds and that is exactly what we are seeing, now more than ever, in the upside downness of sin. What used to be evil and vile is now the norm!!!    I don't know about you, but I don't like it!!!!        I despise what has happened to the morality of this nation!!!!    We either stand up and say something or we sit down and shut up and take it.        Somebody once said "if we don't stand up for something, we will fall for anything".    We have fallen for everything that is perverse, despicable, detestable, evil, immoral and vile!!!!       God wants to heal us and our land, what do you want?

In reality, I do pray for what is best for this great country!!!!     I do pray that God's chosen vessel will be elected for president, whomever that is.     In reality, I do pray that whomever it is, will determine in their heart to serve God and do what's right for the people!!!!    I realize that one person can't make everyone happy, but it's not hard at all to tell where someone's loyalties lie.    If the presidential contender has the intention of going to God before any decisions are made, then wise decisions WILL be made, just sayin'.     I'm not telling you how to vote, but I would suggest that if you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, talk to Him and listen to what He says before you cast your vote.     In any kind of race there can only be one winner, but in this particular race, there will be lots of losers and that is us, the American people, the VOTERS!!!!!    What are we willing to take a stand against?   Is anything worth standing for?    Or nothing at all?    We decide.    I pray we make the right decision!

This is something I have been working on this week.    I have had a blast with these, as I get to hammer out a lot of frustration.    hahahaha     These day's there's a lot to be frustrated about.    Anyway, these are bookmarks hammered from 14-16 gauge copper.     I am gonna look for some larger copper this week.    I hope to find 10-12 gauge.    Lowe's will have it, so off I will go sometime.

These are about 6 or 7 inches long.    I pulled some ribbons and threads and braided them once I got them looped onto the bookmark and then I put beads and buttons and rolled paper beads on them.

My next step is to make a pretty presentation card to put them on.   I appreciate all the suggestions from some friends on the Google+ Kraafters Kommunity group.    I was stuck and they pulled me out.   Thanks!!!!   I have a few more shorter ones that I am working on and will share pictures of all of them once I have them on the presentation cards.    Hope y'all like them and I will take any more suggestions that you may have under consideration.

Out in the crafting world there has a really good question that was asked.    One person wanted to know if what he had done in a digital format was considered "art".    It has provoked a great conversation, from the ones that have actually responded to the question.    It was something that really stirred me.    And I started questioning within myself what I think about art, and what do I consider art to be or look like.     This is just gal's opinion and nothing else.

When I was growing up and still in school, for some reason or another, I had pre-conceived notions in my head of what art should look like.    But when I started seeing works of the so called "great masters", I'm left with mixed emotions and a lot of it is not so good.    Who determines what "great" art is?   Just like with writers, we were always being told to try to figure out what the author was actually talking about or what the author was trying to say.    I'm not taking a test on what someone is "trying" to say, but I will take a test on what has been said.    I don't like trying to analyze what someone else is trying to say, they either say it or they don't.    It's not up to me to put my words in someones mouth/writing.    I think it's pretty much the same way with any other art form.    For me, I love colors and color combinations and different types of base materials to work on and with.     When I work on something, I'm expressing myself..     Shoot, I may not even be trying to say anything with what I do.    I may just be doing something for the sheer delight of it.   I'm not trying to tell the viewer what to think of it, period.    I wish I could go back to school and tell some of my teachers to "just get over it" and move on and don't tell me what I think about something is wrong.    Art is 100% perception.    I'm not taking a test on what someone else sees in a piece of art, but I will tell you what I see.    So,,,,,,,maybe I don't perceive something the way someone else does, don't tell me I'm wrong and I won't tell you you're off your rockers.    hahahaha     My sense of humor is different to most peoples, and when I look at something or read something, I'm always viewing or reading through the filter of my humor.    If something makes me laugh, then my perception is that it's pretty good.    The same thing may provoke someone else to tears, it doesn't mean my perception is wrong, it just means we see things from a different perspective.    Am I wrong?     Not any more so than the person who doesn't see it the way I do.     I truly believe it all goes back to one's perception of what we see and read, nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.   Perception, perception, perception!!!

So, I would really love for someone to tell me who determines whether art is good or bad.   No one has the right to tell you that what you do is NOT art!     I'm just a country gal with country ways and country ideas and I guess I live my life based on practical principles.    Based on what I actually see in a piece of art and what I read that an author has actually written, instead of based on what someone has told me I should be seeing and reading and interpreting it a certain way.   Anything less than that and it then becomes their point of view that I am seeing and reading and I don't like seeing life thru anyone's eyes but mine.    I love art and I love trying to create art in what ever form it takes and I do it for myself and if someone else happens to like it, then great, if not, that's fine too.

Colossians 3:17   And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.    (New Living Translation)

What ever you do, do it as if you are doing it for the Lord!    After all, He is the First artist and the Greatest artist of all time!!!    Any skill talent or ability comes from Him.     We either praise Him through our art or we don't.    At the end of the day, I want Him to be happy and pleased with whatever I do and that's truly enough for me.    No matter what your artistic ability is, serve God and praise Him with your gift of art and thank Him for it.   That's what I try to do with my art and I pray that He will help me develop more skill as I try to serve Him.    I pray for God to be seen more and for me to be seen less in everything I do.

What about you, what's your artistic point of view?

Ladybug, I hope and pray you have a great day today and that it is dry in your neck of the woods.   Hope to see you soon.   Sweetpea loves you very much!!!!

Well, that just about does here for me on this episode today.    I will be gearing up shortly to try and get some items made for the county fair and the FCE Creative Day coming up pretty soon.    As I do, I'll share my pieces with y'all.    So, stay tuned and be on the look out.     Till next time, God loves y'all and so do I.    hugs and love, Patty