Rebecca Craig
Faith...and...Art
I believe faith and art are intricately connected. Creation itself is a work of art. Scripture is a work of art. The Bible is not just a book – it is a library filled with expressions and interpretations of the encounter with the divine. It contains poetry, letters, history, apocalypses, symbolism, metaphor, allegory, lament, music, narrative, etc. Our Creator God inspires and moves us toward artistic endeavors. The Bible is comprised of literary works from people who expressed their encounter through these different forms of writing. It is God’s Word revealed through human expression.
Being an artist has actually helped me to recognize the depths at which God’s self-revelation operates. Scripture, like art, is subject to interpretation. And I don’t think that is a bad thing, I think it is a beautiful thing.Sometimes the message and meaning that someone gleans from my painting can be completely different than what I intended. But that doesn’t mean it’s automatically “wrong.” It’s just that’s how that individual interprets and understands that image. People interpret scripture in much the same way. We bring our own experiences, our own ideas, our own thoughts and circumstances to the text – and we interpret in that light. God’s Word is God’s Word… but how I hear God’s Word and understand that – that is the process of interpretation we all must go through.
About Rebecca
Rebecca received her Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, and her Masters in Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Her early career involved working in story development for Disney Feature Animation where she was able to combine her love for both writing and art. After a few years living and working in Hollywood, she determined the Hollywood lifestyle wasn't what she wanted long-term and shifted into marketing and advertising as a graphic designer and marketing director. When the call to ministry came in 2004, her artistic talents began to lean toward "Christian Surrealism," combining the styles of her favorite artists, Josephine Wall, Salvador Dali, and Michael Cheval into spiritual-themed artwork.