"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but the inward significance." I am so glad that the Gospel of Christ has room enough for artistic expression. My favorite scripture is the thirteenth Article of Faith. I love how it invites us to look for things that are virtuous and praiseworthy. I would say that learning really comes by faith. Faith that what you are being taught is of value and trust that the teacher has experience that will help you as you establish your life. I normally feel edified after I have learned most things. I rejoice and the teacher is pleased with my apparent understanding. My problem is that pretty much anything interests me, and I love to learn so drawing the line between what I need to learn and want to learn can be hard. Learning by reason means we take what the world has gained from empiricism and value what the world tells us we should learn.
It is sad to me to see various times in Christianity where art was not appreciated or used to express deep religious meanings. I am thinking of the blank Protestant churches that sprouted up all over Europe and refused to adorn their chapels with artwork in a reactionary movement against the Roman Catholic faith. I know that living the Gospel allows us to have the Spirit with us. I also know that through having the Spirit with you leads to great power in being able to express through art our appreciation of God, as well as our devotion to Him. This also allows us to be in tune with ourselves and we can better express what we are meaning to express.
Shifting gears the Jer3miah webisode is a great example of Latter-day Saint artists coming together to test out transmedia. I love the clever way that the Internet was used as a medium for showing this program. I am also grateful for the talent of Jeff Parkins in writing this, as well as the talented cast. Jeremiah is depicted as a upright Saint, yet even in his uprightness he questions his identity and purpose. The reading examines these choices because we can see that Latter-day Saint artists that are true to their faith can create wonderful and beautiful works of art.
-Jeremy