Springville

I honestly have quite a difficult time looking at spiritual art.  I feel this inner conflict about how to handle it.  I don't know if I should judge it, give in to the representational and/or cliche things that might be depicted, or if I should even treat it the way that I treat contemporary art.

One thing I do know is that when I look at spiritual art I definitely feel the reality of the pressure I feel to like or dislike something.  I kind of find myself wondering if I'm allowed to like or dislike something and I have a hard time letting go of that pressure.  These were non-representational and so they felt safer to judge than a large image of Christ.  I like the colors and shape and feel of the first one, and then I wonder if that was a correct judgment of it or not. 

This piece is similar.

Then there are other things that I like but I'm not quite sure if it's because I've been conditioned to think that it's a certain way or not.  I thought that this was an interesting piece because it freshened my perspective of Alma 32 without painting a little picture of a seed growing and writing faith in swirly letters next to it (which I have probably done at some point in my life).  I felt refreshed by it.  It breathed new life into those chapters for me.

This one made me feel similarly.  I felt refreshed by it.  The artist felt genuine to me. 

Then finally there are a number of things that I like but I don't like and I'm not sure why.  I can feel the pressure that comes from the general population.  Her hands and face and clothing are beautifully painted, they are realistic.  And then I read the plaque and I can't help but be drawn in by the story, it's the kind that you find in the Ensign.  It's only a short little blurb but it has the power to draw you in, rip your heart out, and amaze you all at the same time.  I'm not sure if I like it or if I just like the principle that is being taught by it.  I'm not quite sure if I should call it good art or not, but in my heart I feel like it's not supposed to be good art.  So I'm not sure how to consider it.  

 This representation of the Savior I actually did kind of like, but again I feel a little part of me wondering if I'm allowed to.

There was also a part of me that liked something like this.  I have no idea how accurate the clothing style or portrayal really is, but I do think it's beautiful to contemplate Christ and Mary when Jesus was a tiny baby.

It's really a difficult thing for me to grapple with.  I wonder if part of me is a little bit resistant to give into either party.  When I see 97% of the population (or at least the Mormon population) falling in love with most of these paintings, especially a certain kind of painting, I feel resistant to it.  When I see something that I (and others) like in my art classes, I feel conflicted.  Part of me resists giving in to what everyone likes and the other part of me is confused about what I really like.