who is an artist?

One question I've heard hopping around alot lately has been the question: "who is an artist?" so i thought i'd post my thoughts here. The root of the discussion often explores a spectrum mediating between two possible extremes. On the one hand, my child is an artist because his fingerpaintings are supreme, my father is an artist because of the skill and craft with which he works on his car, I am an artist because I dabble with the guitar every now and then, and my mother is an artist because of the brilliant style, decor and intentional touch she puts into her home and office. On this side of the spectrum, everyone is an artist, and the encouragement is to help motivate the creative potential inherent in everyone.

While the above is obviously true in many respects, something within us reacts quickly: but what of Pavarotti, Rembrandt, Kubrick and Austen? Is it really fair to put my tinkering around on the guitar or my dad with his car on the same level of such creative genius? If I do have I not exhausted the very content of what the word "artist" has traditionally intended to signify? In labeling everyone an artist do we not violate against a proper recognition of that class of people who are devoted with an intensity and passion to the point of sacrifice to the development of their creative expression in their particular medium? Does this not in some respect demean the gift and and contribution they make to the life of society as a whole? Is this perhaps equivalent in some ways to saying that because I currently market and sell my cds online (shameless plug) or that my child sells lemonade at a lemonade stand that we are businessmen in the same sense as Donald Trump?

I believe the statements: "everyone is an artist" and "only a few are artists" are both equally true in their own way and each reference the term artist significantly but differently. I'd like to explore briefly here thoughts on each from a more theological perspective.

Everyone is an Artist
Where I often first go in thinking of everyone as an artist is the imago Dei, the image of God that humanity is created in. "In the beginning, God created..." God first reveals himself in his story as Creator, and introductions are important, first impressions say something about who you are and how you want to be known (thanks to Martin French for this point on Genesis). So God chooses his first impression, opening his story revealing the very first thing about himself as Artist, as Creator, as one with creativity inherent in his very being, bringing forth life and diversity and color and form. And "God created humanity in his own image" (Gen. 1:27). In a passage flooded through and through with God's identity as Creator, he creates humanity, male and female, in his image. Now this at the very least says something that creativity is a part of the "DNA" of what it means to be human. To be made in the image of this God is in at least some respect to have creativity and artistry embedded in the very core of your humanity. To revel and splurge in this God-mirroring attribute is at the least a part of what it means to enter more fully into the blessed existence of life with our Creator. And this is not for the sole privilege of a few artist elites, but for all humanity, male and female, as image-bearers of our Triune Creator.

After preaching a sermon on some themes like this last year, I was approached by a great man from our congregation I really respect and admire. He's quite a bit older than I am, definitely more of a sports background (football in particular--he could still kick my butt easy) and said after the sermon he'd felt quite convicted. His home community had met for lunch and talking about it he realized he'd always identified himself more as a "jock" and hadn't seen himself as having "an artistic bone in my body" as he so eloquently put it. But standing before his Creator, an Artist with creativity inherent deeply within his very life and identity as God, and being created in his image, he felt to deny creativity in his own life was tantamount to blasphemy denying the very image of God in him. The home community had discussed how creativity could bring a new God-given richness to their lives: from the way they approached decorating their homes and offices, to the way they went about their current writing projects and family endeavors, to cultural appreciation of some of the amazing art forms in society today.

I think this elevates an important piece of the gospel: that our God is Creator and creativity is an important part not only of our Father's inherent life but of his image in us. The imago Dei calls us all in some respect to approach life with creativity and artistic passion. Bringing this blessing to our world and recognizing it in everyone: from the child's fingerpaintings to the hobbyist on their instrument to the decor, floral arrangement and culinary display at home will make for a richer life in the gospel.

But this is not all, this brings us to the second point of the way in which only a few are artists.

Only a few are artists
It is often noted that the first mention of someone being filled with the Spirit of God in Scripture is an artist, Bezalel son of Uri, filled with the Spirit for the purpose of creating the Tabernacle where God's presence will dwell with his people. (Exodus 31) Not only so, but as this passage develops it is the artists with the greatest skill and ability in their craft who give themselves in devotion to creating a place of beauty to magnify and reflect the glorious presence of God. The Tabernacle for God's presence was in some respect an image of "new creation", for as under Adam's rebellion the creation under his authority suffered with him withdrawal away from God's presence, the Tabernacle was a redeeming place where God's creative presence was "breaking in" towards the redemption of his creation. The artists were thus called to play an important role in this redemptive act of "new creation", partnering with God towards his showing up in a broken world with redemptive new life and transforming presence.

Its important to note that this was not just "everyone with a hammer" come on out and build. These were artists in the more exclusive sense of the word, those who were highly skilled and devoted to their craft. And this brings me to the point: I believe strongly there is an exclusive sense in which only some are artists. What defines this some in my eyes is a devotion to one's craft that involves a pursuit of excellence at the highest level, perhaps in some circumstances a 'natural' gift (I put natural in quotes as I believe this gift itself is to be regarded with gratitude as God-given, rather than merely the product of 'nature' in the contemporary materialistic sense of the term), and perhaps most of all requires some level of sacrifice in the pursuit of this excellence. This sacrifice might be the time required towards the development of one's craft, the money for proper materials, or perhaps the abandonment of other more lucrative possible potentials and endeavors to get good. I believe this higher devotion of priority and development of skill sets the true artist apart from the mere hobbyist and apart from the broader scope of creativity inherent in all humanity.

While on this Exodus passage, however, I believe there are a few remaining points to be made to this more elite class of artists. First, one does not need to deal with explicitly "Christian" or "spiritual" subject matter to do meaningful work towards the glory of God. The objects of the tabernacle include many "earthy" things: images of trees and flowers and pomegranates (Exodus 31-33). There is a rejoicing in the "secular" creation (which of course God has made) but God does not need his name all over it in this sense in order to be glorified. Rather, as the priests entered the Holy of Holies through the candlesticks decorated with trees and flowers and nature and all, and wearing pomegranates (a common Middle Eastern fruit) dangling from their robes, there was a strong sense to their mediating the creation (estranged under Adam) into the redemptive presence of God. As Francis Schaeffer noted on this long ago (in his classic "Art & the Bible") its also striking that the pomegranates are made in blue and purple (rather than their 'real' color red). Creative license is given to "play around" with the elements of creation outside their explicit natural form. This picture shows us that in the very early life of Israel, there would have been a sense of the "earthiness" of art, and the ability to rejoice in the "secular" (again always with the awareness of its God-given reality). This is even more elaborately displayed when the Temple is later constructed under Solomon (where the tabernacle finds its true home) with elaborate works of art, immense craftsmanship, and extravagant music.

I believe today our more elite class of artists can find encouragement to develop one's God-given artistic identity in devoted relationship with God in the making of mainstream art that is not explicitly "religious" "Christian" or "spiritual" in content or expression. This should provide great freedom for the many filmmakers, musicians, graphic designers and more pursuing their craft with passion and devotion in the mainstream sphere.

Second, however, there is an obvious call to the artist to do so and to do all to the glory of God. God is working redemptively in our world and is passionately pursuing to be re-united with an alienated creation. The artist is not called to develop his skill and craft for his own glory but for the glory of this God. The artist is not called to make a name for herself or garnish lots of money as the measure of success, but to participate in the creative life and passion of God and to make His name great: if not through the explicit content of work created then through the devotion and obedience of a life lived faithfully in artistic excellence and union with God.

In conclusion then, in response to the question: "who is an artist?" I believe a proper biblical response must have two complementary sides to do justice to the fuller picture. One side of this is that God is Creator and all our created in his image; creativity is an inherent part of the imago Dei in all of humanity, male and female, professional artist and child, and the world is greatly enriched and blessed when we employ artistic display and creative approach to all of life. On the other side is that there are some who through devotion, sacrifice and skill are artists in a more exclusive sense with a specific calling. They are distinct yet related to the broader society: distinct in the sense that they are an elite in the artistic sphere with specific skill and gifts to bring to the table; yet related in the sense that they are called to battle against the elitist spirit which plagues so much of contemporary arts culture, to see themselves not as above or removed from society but as one of many cultural streams (business, government, health, education, etc.) whose calling is to bless society and play a constructive role (or perhaps at times a prophetic de-structive role) in bringing their gifts to the table towards the enrichment of life in God's world for His glory.