Allison Thurman is family. She’s one of my people. When I met her in Community Group less than a year ago, she didn’t talk that much. But one day she mentioned that she painted and I was like “oh, cool. I painted in college too.” Then I went to her house, and y’all this girl PAINTS. That’s when I began to see who she really was. Like I said, she doesn’t talk much, but when she talks, it’s spot on every time- sheer brilliance. And when I talked her into showing up some of her paintings, she said- and I quote- “I’m not really much of a writer.” LIES. ALL LIES. So take some time and let this girl speak to your soul. It’s like everything I’ve ever tried to say on this blog can be summed up into her words. What’s that thing that Goethe used to say? You should read and look at something beautiful every day? Well friends, you can knock both of those out here. Allison Thurman, y’all. She’s the real deal.

When Your Art Becomes Your Worship (by Allison Thurman)

I never really remember a switch going off when I started loving the arts. It was a natural accumulation of events that led me to start creating. At first, it was black and white drawings. Some time later, I took a group painting class where I first encountered oil paints. Then for about 5 or 6 years I really didn’t do any art voluntarily. I had art classes in school, but that was nothing out of the norm. Then in my sophomore year at Texas Tech, I needed an elective so I took Intro to Drawing. Most of the class consisted of pencil and charcoal drawings, with a focus on very basic technical rules of art such as perspective and lighting. In what free time I had in college I enjoyed painting, but my focus was on other things. I have only just begun over the past year to truly appreciate art and am still discovering the meaning of it. I hesitate to even call myself an artist simply because it is something that I am just beginning to explore and dip my toes into and I really don’t have any formal training. Art is my escape, a stress reliever, a way to focus on something that I do for myself. Art is an instrument of healing. As a nurse, I can often get so caught up in the wellbeing of others that I forget to search myself and care for my own emotional wellbeing. Art allows me to escape and renew my soul by meditating on the truths of Christ. It allows you to escape the black and white of the world and see the color in the world that Christ has placed for our joy and His glory. However, the more I dip my toes in it and experiment with art, the more spiritual analogies I see in it. Discovering these has made me love it that much more! To me, art is no longer simply about the end product, but more importantly about the process of creating and exploring; it is about self discovery. Painting is a process, a process in which there are no rules or limitations. Anything is possible. Each brushstroke is a decision-whether intentional or not, yet you never know what will happen until you jump in and do it, just starting anywhere. Progress requires action- it probably wont be perfect, but it can be perfected. In discovering art, you have to remember the old ways, but try new ways. It is essential in progress. We must always move forward, fighting against the easy, the known, the natural. It takes time, courage and risk, but it has potential to alter creations forevermore. I can say with certainty that I have yet to create something that is perfect. There is always something that bugs me. But such it is with sanctification. We are messy human beings that will never be perfected, despite our best efforts, until the day which our creator restores our souls and the earth is made new. My comfort zone became art realism in oil paintings. However I make myself branch out and try other mediums such as acrylics with different gels to add texture. Another favorite is chalk art and calligraphy if I’m in the mood for something more relaxed. I’m always listening to music when I creating art- usually worship music or something like Ben Rector. I find it very hard to create something beautiful if the whole body is not involved. The mind, hands, and spirit must unite to express itself through a beautiful creation. Calligraphy and lettering is a lot like singing. It allows you to preach truths to yourself that your head knows but heart is struggling to believe. To me, it is a process of trusting, believing the unseen, the uncertainties. It is often meditation and prayer. I cant remember a time when I lettered a scripture or lyric that my heart was battling and didn’t walk away with my heart more at rest with the promises of Christ. I always find it funny (and is sometimes frustrating :p) that I like art, considering I certainly have a type A personality. My mind operates on science and facts. I like order, planning, and very rarely act upon emotion. I have to teach myself that it is ok for everything to not be perfect. That imperfection is beautiful in light of the gospel. Although it is a stretch, I have to force myself to participate in abstract art. Abstract art is not about defining specific things or ideas, but letting your heart take natural form- you just have to let it flow out. It teaches you to embrace that which you can not control, to open up and express your emotions on the canvas.  I learn that art is an extension of God’s creation. Art is worship. It is allowing the Spirit to flow out of you, being vulnerable, make the unexplainable and non-tangible take form. When creativity flows out of intimacy with God, it speaks for the emotions and hopes of our hearts. It makes that which is hard to express, stated without words. And it moves others to experience something outside of themselves. So my challenge to you is next time you need your heart to believe in the truth of scripture, lose yourself in the creative process of art. Use it as an act of surrender to our Father. This will take a different form for everyone, but do something that stretches you just a little. For all spiritual, physical, and personal growth takes a little bit of getting out of our comfort zone and experiencing something new. Create something new as a reflection of the newness Christ has created in you and a representation of the hope of the day in which all will be made new, letting the Spirit open your heart and lead you to experience Him in a new way.  

I know, SHE DID ALL THIS HERSELF. With her own hands.