Lessons from the paint 1

As an artist I am constantly up to my elbows in paint. I began my artistic career at the age of 8 although I remember creating art since I could hold a crayon. The act of creation still amazes me. It is one of the most basic and connecting aspects of all humanity. Everyone in some form or fashion creates. It's part of who God made us to be. Lately I have stopped listening to the noise of life and the murmurs of those who would have me walk their path and not my own. I have started listening to an amazing Creator who is just as willing to hang with you under a tree and watch the leaves fall as he is to sit by your side in a church service. My friend, father and Lord has recently revealed what I have come to call "Lessons from the Paint"

Lessons from the Paint are those incredible God moments where the creator of the universe bends down for just a second to reveal something so simple yet so profound. These lessons usually show as I have splattered paint from ear to ear and have entered the sacred silence of painting. This sacred silence is my deep meditative state where I exist in a different place and time. Minutes fade into hours as I live in this state of mind and the creator uses this brush of clay to make his art. That is something very important to remember before we continue - "I am just the brush, someone greater than myself is the painter. Give praise to the one who deserves praise" -Anyway I feel it only fair to share these wonderful moments with those who would listen or in this case...read.

Everyone has tried those little paint by number pieces of art sometime in their life. They are a fun and basic way of learning to paint. The thing is if you did absolutely nothing but paint by the numbers you would never truly learn to paint for yourself. You would in a sense limit the Creator because you were trying to walk in someone else's lines. Lines that constrict you to an acceptable level of creativity. Much like how the world wants to constrict you to a socially acceptable level of worship or joy. So many times in church or even in everyday life we only worship or truly connect with our God when directed to by the "lines". The lines are those who want to control us and fashion us into what they want us to be. I have listened to the "lines" for so long now. I once upon a time attempted to be what they wanted me to be. The thing about becoming one of them is you are not becoming ...well, YOU.

I can paint just about in any style or fashion I chose. It was part of my training as a professional artist. I can copy great masterpieces from the past and they can come pretty close to looking like a copy. Though I may be influenced from these great works of art, my art never truly becomes my own until I find my "style". It took my awhile to find my painterly style through experimentation and many many mistakes. Then one day it came in the painting "Morgan's World" I just relaxed into the painting and something greater than myself took over. I discovered that the creative process is in a sense linking into the one who is the Creator. This process is understanding your mistakes your failures and letting something greater take the reigns and guide you. This is the true creative process, at least for me. This experience is not a process that is constricted by laws and traditions but a process that is completely open and truthful. I am overcome with such an amazing sense of kinship with my Creator when I paint. It always astonishes me how he can take my complete disasters and transform them into something incredibly beautiful.

This revelation came to me as I was sitting trying to paint from a stencil on a wall mural. It was such a basic pattern when He reached down and said almost humorously "You are one of "My" painters and you're painting from a stencil? It would be so much better if you would just relax into the brush strokes and enjoy the process." So I relaxed, let myself surrender to something greater and painted. Would you like to know what happened? I made mistakes. Some lines were thicker and some thinner some even went way out of the stencil area. It was not a perfect painting but it was a painting that was done with my Creator. The finished product looked pretty cool. Sure if you looked close and wanted to you could see those mistakes. But when you stand back and look at the whole picture it's quite beautiful.

Like my painting I have made my mistakes. If you wanted to you could find and point out my mistakes but when I stand back and look at the whole picture I see the paint covered hand print of a God who loves me beyond imagining. I tried to stay in the "Lines" but it wasn't until I surrendered to the greatest painter did I learn my true style. A style that has influences from great painters but is still being who He made me to be. "I am not the next of them.... I am the first of me." Hoobastank once sang. I can attempt to walk to the "lines" beat, their mind sets and their pathway or chose the path that is less travelled. I choose to listen to the one who is greater than all combined, the one who travels the pathway with me. If I don't meet your expectations or prerequisites I am NOT sorry because greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world.1 John 4:4 . I take the path less travelled and that my friends has made all the difference.

Marshall mourns loss of professor, artist - News

Marshall mourns loss of professor, artist - News



Where to start? Stan Sporny friend and teacher passed into the great beyond this week. I studied with Stan for 8 years and received my MA in illustration and painting from his guidance and knowledge. He was one of the reason I loved Marshall University and the art of painting. He was my maestro in every sense of the word. I still hear his voice every time I paint just as he guided me through all my years of study. He was an adventurer, musician, artist, political philosopher and a great guy to know. I will miss you my friend!