Inside the Spin-Mosaic Studio

A divine appointment. Spring, 2020 found the storage hallway behind my studio free as a bird.

Wrapped in slate gray tablecloths leftover from my daughter's wedding, half the inventory of my art exhibit was stored there. This 1/2 now hangs on the wall in an empty church lobby. Among the selected, a 3-paneled tilesque series titled, "3 on a Hill as the Sky Grows Dark" abstractly and colorfully depicts the 3 crosses of Easter. The 3 panels literally grace darkened walls.

This exhibit wasn't a super-official pre-scheduled set-in-stone event marketed with an evening h'orderve reception for collectors and art-lovers. Not this time. I am leaning into the belief that this exhibit was intended all along for an Audience of One. The Great Audience.

An artist-friend asked if I had some pieces (maybe sitting around the house) that could fill their church's gallery space for a couple months. It was an on-the-fly type of thing. I didn't mind freeing up a little storage space. Okay. Away they go. She and her husband stopped over, filled their vehicle, and drove away smiling.

No one expected a quarantine to come next. My friend and I decided to leave them quietly hung until the unknown expiration date of this stay-in season.

An art exhibit in an empty church--with no one to see it. No one...but, God. An...Audience of One? 

Around that time, I woke up one morning with the image of this Lion in the forefront of my mind as if engraved on the backsides of my eyelids. 

"I will bless the LORD who counsels me; even at night my conscience instructs me." -- Psalms 16:7

"Where is God my Maker, who gives us songs in the night?" --Job 35:10.

Can God not give images of art as well as songs? --Art in the image of a Lion--the Lion of Judah? What does this mean?

His colorful golden mane was edged in royal plum weaving in and out of the sky like hands of a clock. The colors and style appeared bold yet softly segmented similar to stained glass or mosaic (like my artwork technique). The hours at the height of the night emminated the words, "Praise. Worship." Exactly as seen here.

The face was soft and steadfast. The eyes were steady and kind, "...with no condemnation" and as solid as a marble sculpture. But, with Life.

When King David appointed the details of the temple, he set in place priests of the line of Levi, musicians, singers and instrumentalists to praise, sing, play, and lift worship around the clock; morning, day, and night (1 Chronicles 9), in daylight and in the darkness. God is awake. God is ever-watchful. David believed, and set his belief in motion, that God is never off the clock; so neither should our praise be. Neither should our expression of creativity be off-the-clock.

"Look! Israel's protector does not sleep nor slumber." --Psalms 121:4

Musicians were appointed to play and sing all night; to sing solos and choir praise before the rooster crows and all day long until, as we say, the cows come home. 24/7 the praise in the temple did not stop. Music was continuous; as God's power, protection, and provision is continuous.

Omnipotent: all-powerful, infinite and limitless; not subject to physical limitations.

Omniscient: all-knowing, aware of the past, present, and future.
 
Omnipresent: His presence encompasses everywhere and everything.

They were human as we are human. Imagine having your talents appointed to the nightshift without the usual crowd coming to and from; without anyone hearing or seeing, without accolades, high-fives or a slap on the back, "Great job on that solo, Joe, and you really rocked it on the tamborine..."

We humans, we artists, create for the love of the process; but also for affirmation on the receiving end. We want people to see what we make. We want people to hear what we sing. We want, need, and long for a receiving end that is equal to our effort.

My art hung quiet and still, mounted, lacquered, framed, displayed, full of color...for no eyes to see...but God's?

Who inhabited the temple? Who inhabits our present church?

Did God meet the musicians in a different way in the stillness of the night? Were they filled with an awe of holiness in the absence of the bustle of motion and adoring praise of people. Were the ones gifted with songs on their lips and songs in their hearts able to direct the essence of praise in a purer form when not diluted...or directed to refract light towards people?

Did God meet them there in the night? Did singing in the night to an Audience of One change the artist's hearts by day?

I picture Jesus with the eyes of the Lion of Judah walking by my humble works of art in the quiet darkened night hours at the empty church exhibit. He stops to pause at the one named, "3 on a Hill as the Sky Grows Dark". 

"I remember that." He says quietly. His eyes twinkle at the organic colors of victory surrounding the harsh geometrics of my cross--which was His cross. A song comes to mind from the days of the temple singers; and he begins to hum a song of victory, while royal purple swirls within the glory of His mane.