(Disclaimer: I have my post for last week's make drafted. I just need to get some pictures. So although I am looking ahead, I am not falling behind. End disclaimer.)
In the mean time, I'm having some trouble with this week's make. A few people at Gordon-Conwell have started up a literary arts journal for (and by) our seminary community. It's called KALOS, which is the Greek word for beautiful...I think. (You'll have to ask Jason if you want a more accurate and complete definition.) The theme for the Fall issue is "What is beauty?" And submissions are due on Monday. I've been thinking about this for almost 2 months, and I am stumped.
There's a good possibility that I'm making it far too complicated. I'm sure that the theme is open-ended and generic because they're looking to comprise a journal that is full of beautiful things, a kaleidoscopic cornucopia of beauty. But I don't just want to make something beautiful. I want my submission to say something about what beauty is. Something symbolic and deeply meaningful and profound. The world is wide open to me: I could sew, embroider, felt, knit, crochet, applique, draw, paint, write, carve, or do any combination of those things. As long as I can send it as a jpeg or a document, it qualifies. I have the tools and the skills and the time. I even have a frame--remember that old mirror frame I got at the White Elephant? What better to frame a piece on beauty than an old mirror? I know. Perfect, right? But I just don't know what to do.
I need some help, some collaboration, some brainstorming. Does anyone have an idea for me? Or even just an answer to the question, "what is beauty?" I think that beauty is anything that moves a person to worship. Like when rays of sunlight peek out of the clouds, that is beautiful, and I think, "Wow. God is pretty awesome." Or when I'm eating popcorn, I notice how every kernel is different, and I think, "How cool is God that He would create something as wonderful and varied as popcorn?" That is beautiful. Or when I talk to a person who has a rich story, full of struggle and redemption, together with them, I can celebrate God's faithfulness. That is beauty personified. But how do I turn those thoughts into a jpeg? Using creative media that no one else will think to use? Making a profound statement that is beautiful in meaning and also pleasing to look at? Like I said, stumped. Can I get a little help here?
You should send it a picture of me.
ReplyDeleteI also think that you shouldn't try to sum up what beauty is. WAY to hard and not really possible, unless you want to write an article. I think a poem or a story about different things that are beautiful, like you noted in your post, would be cool.
Again, a picture of me would work as well.
Oh my. And here I thought I had married a humble man... :-)
ReplyDeleteOh Emily, you knew better than that.
ReplyDeleteI know the deadline has passed, but I'm hoping you were able to submit something! Us creatives have to stick together. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a little late, but Andene said it would be fine if I got it in this week. I'm almost finished, and I'm pretty happy with it. I'll post pictures as soon as I'm done. Did you submit something, Mandy? I hope so! I am just so excited about Kalos!
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