Welcome to a timeless debate that will surely continue millenia into eternity – coffee or tea? As an artist or art enthusiast, chances are pretty high you swear by at least one of these glorious beverages to start your projects and keep them going, and many over the centuries have taken the preparation and drinking of the stuff itself to …
On March 29th, 1855, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow recorded the beginnings of a poem in his diary: “A day of pain; cowering over the fire. At night, as I lie in bed, a poem comes into my mind, – a memory of Portland, – my native town, the city by the sea.”The following day bore the fruits of his meditation: “Wrote the …
Every few months, a high-profile artist makes a political statement of some kind. Immediately there’s a public outcry from those who disagree: “Artists should stick to their art. Let’s not mix politics and art!” Then comes the bold, enlightened response from the artist and his/her fans: “All art is political.” Suddenly, the conversation halts. We all pause to feel the …
Perhaps you’ve heard of the most recent installment of the Star Wars saga. I have seen The Last Jedi three times now, and it gets better each time. I was speechless after the first viewing, overwhelmed by a flurry of excitement, joy, and disappointment. After two more viewings, I collected my thoughts and–aside from a few minor qualms–I have grown …
In today’s world of social action and hypersensitivity (righteous and otherwise) to championing the forgotten and underrepresented, we are still neglecting our perhaps most undervalued group – anyone who isn’t between the ages of 15 and 29.
Everybody loves sequels. We all love the idea that a story we enjoyed is continuing, that we get to see “what happens next” to characters we care about, and that maybe we’ll get the same feeling back that we had when we watched the original — perhaps in an even deeper and better way. But everybody hates sequels. Because so …
What does a Christian do when an artist calls Jesus a “boogey man”? How about the unbeliever when a musician sings “Jesus’ll kill you if you don’t get along”? Or simply his name: Jesus. Does the Christian swoon, the unbeliever grimace? For years, a favorite musician of mine has been Joni Mitchell. As the preeminent singer-songwriter of the twentieth century, …
Why would anyone read the same book more than once? I’m Josh Gastin, I’ve read The Lord of the Rings 14 times, and I’m here to answer that question. First off, I will readily admit that 14 is far too many times to read a book and I can’t exactly recommend that anyone else go as far as that. I …
In the summer of 2015 during a time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, two friends and I came upon a temporary exhibition in one of the lower areas of the museum. In the center of the space there was a soft lit, large scale abstract painting. It was tawny oil paint and gold leaf on canvas – glinting a …
“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.” Psalm 8:1, 9“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.” -Psalm 8:1, 9 The familiar passage from Psalms always brings to mind the worship chorus. I remember hearing it over and over as a child. I can hear the arrangement in my …
