Christian artists have a very visible and audible means of influence. I want to form a loose coalition of artists in Knoxville Tennessee. The goals are to change the city and surrounding areas while informing the community that the works rendered were done by Christians. Some sought after benefits will include visual improvement of the area, increased community pride, concern, and awareness of the area history. Quality of life will be improved, and tourism may be increased. Murals have done this in other cities.
However, the scope is not limited to visual arts or murals. As my experience is in the visual arts, I will leave music, drama, and other endeavors to those competent in the field. For visual arts, I expect the work to include many mediums, such as commercial art, vehicle graphics, textiles, murals, and more.
At this point, I don't have an exacting vision of the details, only some ideas, which are open to discussion. At the top of this page, you will see a logo, roughly resembling a cross. The goal of the Knoxville Christian Artists, hereafter referred to as KCA is to credit the group and its individual members with the works rendered, so that the community will be aware that it is Christians that are making an influence, not for pride's sake, but to show that the new life given by the Lord is relevant to the issues of life. That Christians are capable of expressing the deepest experiences in an intelligent, skillful manner, and as much as anything else, are free to explore new mediums and genres because they are not bound by confines of popular trends and philosophies, such as nihilism.
The plan at this point is that each artist, upon contacting me, has limited permission to use the logo. Each artist will have his or her own number at the bottom of the logo. The number one artist is The Lord himself, so that number is not available. Using this logo at the bottom of area projects will let people know that it is the movement of the KCA, and will give limited credit to the individual artist. There is concern that an organization or denomination will use the logo on numerous works, thereby making the public think that a particular theological persuasion is the essence of the KCA. That organization is free to do so, but only under one number, thus, those with sharply contrasting views will not have to be completely associated with said organization. At this point, that's as clear as I can reason the possible outcomes, if you see where an improvement can be made, by all means contact me.
Some of my thoughts regarding the nature of art to be rendered: When was the last time, if ever, that you took a close look at the wing of a cicada? A beautiful sight, the joy I feel is a form of worship. Much of popular secular art employs a look of death. It isn't what I want to glorify, and it is limiting, confining, a servitude of sorts. However, I think there is an appropriate time to employ somber images. The individual artists must express their own experiences, passions, and concerns.
For me to render a mural by myself would be quite an undertaking, so I envision the KCA artists working together on projects, to expedite them. Be it as volunteers or paid participants, I have no preference. At this point I have no limitations on whether work is commercial or non profit. I do not want to see the logo used for works that are lewd, pornographic, blasphemous, or lead people into sin.
Thank you for considering, discussing, and participating.
Jim Donahue.