CLAY
“Clay” by Tricia Richards
…
Will I step aside for other Moving in to take a place, That I thought was mine forever Mine to shape, my special space? Can I change a lifetime’s habits Paths I’ve trod for years and years? Believing I was God’s annointed Pushing through the pain and tears. Now I see, I am the clay, And you the craftsman moulding dreams. Hold me in, so you can fashion, Higher callings, heavens themes Give me grace and grant me vision Far outside this earthbound life That I can be, a vessel, holy Worthy of your sacrifice. …This poem was written by Tricia Richards. She and her husband Noel travel the world sharing his songs and Tricia’s poetry. We were honored this past week to have met them and have shared in their wonderful ministry. You can find more out about them at www.noelrichards.com.
After 9 Years, We Have a Photo!
When photos of four of the five busts in the British Virgin Islands were originally taken in 2000, the film roll was accidentally double-exposed and the photos were lost. We’ve periodically searched the Internet for a photo, but have found none with close-ups until now, almost nine years later! On the Internet we just discovered an excellent photo of the building and portrait busts in front, taken by Robert English, an American who was vacationing in the Caribbean in December 2007. Robert has graciously allowed us to use his photo, and we extend our thanks!
God gives us gifts that are meant to be shared
It has been a long time since I wondered where my artistic gift came from. So many times in the course of a drawing, painting, or sculpture I step back and think, “Wow, where did that come from?”, knowing that the skill or idea didn’t come from me, but from the author of the gift… I think, more than ever now, after 30–40 years of dabbling in art, I understand better than anyone where my gift comes from and who gave it. So many people have said to me, “What a wonderful gift you have” or “What a wonderful talent”. My general response is, “We’ve all been given gifts to share with others… I imagine that you can probably add and subtract or sing or cook or keep house or whatever”. My gift, the gift of art, is no more or less important than any other. For me now, I don’t find great fulfillment in finishing a piece… I can’t look at it and think, “wow, you’re good”, anymore than I can do that when I manage to make an edible meal. It’s just work. It’s what I was created to do. To take credit for it seams so wrong to me. It’s God’s gift, and He gets whatever glory there is. Now, there is our part in the equation: we have to be willing to do whatever it takes to refine our gifts… to be faithful to the calling, to practice and to bring it to a place of excellence. The gift IS from God; the cultivation of it is up to us.
-Ginny
2-Man Show in Graham, TX
For the entire month of September 2008 our work will be exhibited at a 2-Man Show at the Old Post Office Museum & Art Center, 510 Third Street, Graham, TX.