Wednesday, February 25, 2009

and so it begins...again.



So, I gave up excuses for Lent.

It was one of those things that you suggest “humbly” in the first person to another person, wondering if it will convict them, but instead it does the exact opposite and convicts you.
As it should
.


I’ve already in the short 24 hours of this Lenten season had my fair share of opportunities to make good on my sacrifice and have now come to yet another…this blog. I have spent the better part of the last couple of months thinking a lot about this site. Asking myself questions like, “Am I really posting and discussing what I want to post, what is being laid on my heart to say? Or am I just posting what I think I should? Am I being consistent? Am I posting regularly? Am I actively pursuing the original theme and intention for this space?” ANSWER TO ALL: Not, really.

It has been fun the past 9 months or so creating/finding new content – the ever necessary “learning curve” (that I’m pretty sure I’m not quite through, yet). But I have realized, much to my chagrin, that rough hewn has been suffering from a rather acute identity crisis – having as it’s editor (moi) a person that would love it to be the next best and greatest of ALL blogs - simultaneously. But it won’t – at least not with that goal.

With that in mind – rough hewn begins anew. I renew my desire and commitment to this space being a place that explores and celebrates those in between spaces - the journeys from home to work, solitude to companionship, disbelief to faith, hungry to full, oblivious to aware, idea to object, thought to feeling… Our inhabiting these in between spaces – these processes – is truly what it means to be hewn.

And I will explore this primarily through the lens of art and faith – for those are the eyes I have been given to see with. So I will use them. Along with the eyes of others, older and wiser than I, as well as still others who are, like myself, figuring it all out as we go.

I’m excited for the three posts (for now…) that I will be publishing each week:

MONDAYS “Bus Stories” will explore the spaces we inhabit as we transport ourselves from one place to another – specifically between home and work.

WEDNESDAYS I will continue to share my artwork and projects, my thoughts, the things I see, and what God lays on my heart. Things ordinary, profound, and not much of either.

FRIDAY “Rough Hewn Profiles” I’m really excited about this one! These profiles will piggy back off of Wednesday and share the process and experience of others, primarily artists and creatives. Asking what drives them to create, what their creative process is, the themes that continually pop up in their work – even what their creative space looks like. And ultimately, how they are being changed in the process of creating work.

My hope is that this would always be a dialogue, not just a place to spout what I think is cool or interesting or seemingly wise. But rather a place where we interact with each other in this in between place called life. (I know. That line was totally cheesy, but I had to do it! Watch out, there’s more cheese to come, my friends!) So don’t be shy, tell me what ya think, who ya are, join the gang cause it's rough out there!

No comments: