Great Art Through Community
The following is an excerpt from a talk I recently gave at the Gathering, an annual conference by Artists in Christian Testimony (ACT), International, in the Nashville area. As their first keynote of the weekend, they specifically asked me to speak on the importance of community for artists of faith.
“Think for a moment about great art. Great art is hardly ever done in a vacuum. Great artists surround themselves with other great artists—and in the community, in the chemistry, in the iron sharpening iron, great things happen. Miles Davis surrounded himself with the best musicians he could find to create new and exciting genres of jazz. Michelangelo surrounded himself with a small army of artists to create the Sistine Chapel and the statue of David. CS Lewis famously met at a pub called the Eagle and Child, along with other notable writers, like JRR Tolkien and Dorothy Sayers, in a writer’s group called the Inklings. A group of French painters, including Monet and Renoir, met together regularly and created an entirely different style of painting later called impressionism. And probably the most recent collaboration of great artists is Pixar, which is filled with Christians at the highest levels, doing art that is affecting our very culture.
“One of my favorite characters in the Bible—probably one of your favorites too—is the Old Testament character, Bezalel. Bezalel, for those who don’t know, was the first true artist in the Bible, and also remarkably, he is the first person mentioned in the Bible to be “filled” with the Holy Spirit. Think about that for a second. The first person said to be filled with the Spirit wasn’t a king or a prophet or a priest—it was an artist. Bezalel is described as skilled “in all manner of workmanship,” and so he was chosen by God to build the Ark of the Covenant, as well as the construction of the Tabernacle, and everything in it. But here’s the thing. He didn’t do it alone. He led teams of craftsmen, sculptors, metal smiths, woodworkers, even fashion designers, in the making of the Tabernacle.
“I think about some of the most memorable, creative, impactful things I’ve ever been associated with, and it’s always been in the context of a collaborative and multidisciplinary group. Think about it. A dramatic production requires set builders, actors, directors, lighting and sound and multimedia technicians, producers, graphic designers. A film requires an army of people, from location scouts to cinematographers, from screenwriters to special effects artists to stunt doubles. Even something like releasing an music album requires musicians, producers, arrangers, engineers, graphic artists, and some poor guy booking the tour.
“One of my very good friends—and a highly-influential “cohort” in my tribe—is a guy named Bob Kilpatrick. Among many other great things, he is the author of the song, “Lord, Be Glorified,” as well as a thousand other songs that have made a mark in furthering the Kingdom. For many years, he and I met on Friday mornings at a local café, talking about life and faith and family and this very special thing called artmaking. He and I were partners in crime for many years. I was his on-call keyboardist for multiple album projects he wrote or produced. I’ve traveled and toured with him to Europe and South America. We started a Sacramento-area fellowship of musicians called Muso. When I wrote a book and got it published, he wrote a book and got it published. One Friday morning, as we were wrapping up our coffee, I told him I had this crazy idea for a strap-worn cajon that could possibly replace a drum set. So we pulled out a paper napkin and a pen. And we started drawing and dreaming—together. And the result is this thing we call the WalkaBout Drum. I’m so very thankful to God that Bob has been an active cohort in my creative adventure for decades.
“Here’s the thing. In many of these cases—creating a fellowship of ego-driven, independent recording artists, or getting our books published, or putting on worship conferences in Italy, or developing a musical instrument—we didn’t quite know what we were doing. But the thing of it was, we were doing it together.
“As I said, it’s in the context of community that great art can happen.
“Now I know how artists of faith think—because I are one. You might be thinking, this guy kinda makes some sense, and I know I ought to get involved more with others, but… fill in the blank. But please, let me encourage you to move beyond whatever it is from holding you back—whether it be your introversion, or your busyness, or your self-seclusion, or your fear. If God is calling you to serve Him, then chances are, He is calling you into community.
“Join an artist group. Or build your tribe from people you know. Who are the potential cohorts in your life? Get together regularly with them, and invest in relationship with them. If you’re already part of an artist group, make it a point to engage personally and fully. Share coffee and ideas. Collaborate on arts projects. Co-write songs together. Be generous in your support. Be generous with your mailing lists, your connections, your resources, your heart. Encourage each other. Know and be known—artistically, personally, and spiritually.”
[Banner photo by RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist on Unsplash. Inset is a group photo of the ACT Gathering 2023.]
