A few years back I created a website that was meant to be a gathering place for Top LDS Artist, but because of limited time I never really made it what it could have been. But as part of that project I researched some information that I want to keep for future reference:
Art has an important role to play in life, and a direct impact on the human experience. We create art, we live with it and around it, we bring it into our homes and our lives. Art is something that helps to define us as humans and separates us from the animals. It is related to language, intelligence, culture, politics, faith and many other subjects. Obviously art also has an important role to play in the church. Art can enhance a sense of the sacred, it can influence feelings and emotions, and bring a feeling of reverence or refinement. Art can challenge us, disturb us, lift and motivate us, or even inspire us.
As an artist and as active believing member of the church, I sometimes ask myself questions like:
What art should I create?
How should I use the talents I have been given?
With a family, a job, busy church callings.. how much time and effort should I put (or am I justified in devoting) towards creating art?
Does talent come with responsibility? Is this a calling?
Does art need to be beautiful? Does it need to be "great art"? Does it need to be a masterpiece?
Art is a complex and challenging subject in many ways, and the believing Latter-day Saint artist will ask different questions than other artists. Perhaps even male artists will ask different questions from female artists (given different roles we play in the church or family).
Below you will find a collection of information that we could find related to art, being an artist in the church, and using the Spirit to inform our creative processes.
How does or should the gospel inform our art? What role can the Holy Spirit play in the creative art process? Does the gospel teach us what kind of art we should create? Does it teach us something about what subject matter we should pursue or explore? What should be the objectives of the Latter-day Saint artist? Some possible answers might be:
To teach the gospel, or preach a visual sermon
To show a historical or scriptural event - to tell the story of the church
To celebrate the gospel, to rejoice
To pursue beauty - to explore and present the beauty of nature & God's creations
To invite the Spirit of God