The Desire to Create is Inside Each Human Soul – Part 6

You may not know what you are yearning to create at first, but you will find your dream. This is true for Tom Holdman and it is true for each of us as well. This is part 6 of 7.

The Most Difficult Piece of Art

You can see that this head of Christ I had painted. Christ’s head has got to be the hardest piece of art to do. This is because everybody has a personal relationship with Christ in their hearts. His image has to show that he is strong, yet humble, he is meek and compassionate. All these emotions rolled up into this head. That is no small task as an artist trying to portray that.

So how do you get that emotion and that feeling? How do you touch the viewer who will experience this piece of art? Really, art is an emotional experience. It isn’t up in your head, it’s not a logical experience, it’s an emotional experience. As an artist you are trying to pull that out of the viewer.

A Visual Learning Experience

Christ’s coming to the America’s displayed in the Brazil Temple. Like most pieces, this is filled with a lot of symbolism.

For instance, on this sky up here, there are clouds but not just straight clouds. They are angled into his head almost like it helps your eyes go to the image of Christ. Like he is involved in the creation too. Even the clouds are obeying him, they are arching him. And the flowers the ground. What do they mean? Good art is an educational experience. You can look at piece more and more and it will actually teach  you something.

This flower happens to be myrrh which was mixed with oil and given to Christ at his birth. This flower is Gail that was mixed with vinegar and given to him on the cross. This flower is the lily and that is an emblem of his resurrection. In this  window I have the flower at his birth, at his death and at his resurrection. Now suddenly that piece means more to you.

What else do I have in here? I have this water that is near his feet carved into the stone. It is an emblem that he is the living waters. These rocks here, show he is the rock of my salvation. As an artist, what story are you trying to tell? I feel that people can also learn with their eyes and not just their ears. To have a visual learning experience. I get a change to help create that experience. This is a bigger responsibility than most people might guess an artist has.

Tom Holdman (on right) and Cameron Oscarson working on the Roots of Knowledge project.

That is why I don’t take it lightly. I get on my knees and pray for help. Who is the ultimate artist? God above. I pray that He will help me to inspire the hearts of other in art. He does help with in getting ideas and trying to listen to the Holy Spirit on how to do a scene. It is a big responsibility.

I don’t keep a journal and I should keep a journal. At the least I have a journal in glass. That has been in a way a journal to me. That after I am gone, it is there. It will continue to touch people’s heart. In a way that is my journal. 

This documentary will finish in Part 7