erin wegner

self portraits

2012-01-29T22:29:00.000-08:00

one of the most interesting self portrait projects i have seen. worth watching the video

i love self portraits. they comprised a lot of my work when i was in school... sometimes i really miss doing them. sometimes i think its a little narcissistic to spend so much time taking photos of yourself. but there is something that is really intriguing about the way a person approaches their self portrait and choose to portray themself.

growth

2011-10-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

my avocado tree has made progress.

. . . so have i

i got baptized. again.

2011-08-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

I got baptized yesterday! It was really great, and I learned a lot from it. I also got a lot of strange responses for my decision. A lot of people thought it was weird that it took me so long of walking with Jesus to get dunked. I can see why someone might think that, so let me do some explaining.

My brother and I got baptized when I was nine and he was five. We stood on the stage in front of the church our mom brought us to, and we were told to answer yes to the following questions: do you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Do you want to follow Him? The congregation was asked if they would help out, if they would assist my parents in teaching us how to be a Christian. A booming "we will" was their response. The pastor proceeded to sprinkle our heads with water, there was some giggling involved, and then we got to sit back down with our parents (with our complimentary hand towel, of course). In many churches, baptism is a choice made by parents for a child. Instead of choosing to raise their child to love and follow Jesus, for some reason baptism is implemented as an attempted means of salvation. I feel that this is a dangerous approach. If you choose to look at baptism with this viewpoint, it is too easy to then leave the rest of your child's "spiritual upbringing" to chance, assuming that they will happen to dedicate their life to following Christ. There wasn't much about the following years that taught me to walk with Jesus. Sure, I learned a couple things about the Bible, and I made a few friends. But I did not head off to college with any sort of idea of what it meant to be a disciple of Christ. I had no idea how to maintain a relationship with Him.

The example we see in the Bible of baptism is a public proclamation of a believer's faith in Christ (Matthew 29:19-20; Acts 2:37-38, 41-42; Acts 9:18, Acts 16:14-15). I am positive that at the time of my first baptism that I was not saved, I had not accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Baptism is also seen to be an act of obedience to Christ (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2:37-38). It is very clear that baptism is a response of obedience after placing one's faith in the saving power of Christ's work on the cross.

How this applies to me here and now, after a couple years of sitting under good Bible teaching and by the grace of God having had a lot of people help me learn what it means to follow Christ:

I honestly had never even thought to get baptized. The past couple years, a number of my friends have chosen to, and I have been so blessed to able to witness that! But for some reason, I never considered it for myself. I never put much thought into the theology behind the baptism that I had experienced as a kid, and did not take the time to consider this commandment in my own walk with Jesus. A couple months ago, the thought came up in my mind while I was at a baptism that maybe when I was baptized the first time it didn't quite count. But I chose to just not think about it. It seemed silly, I've been walking with Christ for a couple years now, isn't it a little late for that? This past week, as I knew that baptisms were coming up again, the thought came up again. The Lord really laid it on my heart that this was something that I needed to do. That it was time to be obedient in this area. I was reading in Colossians and I knew in my heart that Christ was calling me to get baptized.

... having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Colossians 2:12

I realized that I couldn't quite relate to that. I realized that in order to know Christ fully and to continue to understand His purpose for redeeming me, that I needed to obey Him. I am starting to understand that I don't know much about obedience to Christ, nor am I very good at it. I desire to truly allow Him to reign in my heart, and that means total submission on my end. Obeying Christ is about Him and Him alone. Its not about the opinions or convictions of others, its not about appearance, its not about selfish gain or checklists. Obeying Christ involves recognizing the sacrifice that He made for us on the cross. Obeying Christ sees that GOD SENT His only begotten Son. Obeying Christ finds true joy and satisfaction in the high calling that is being a follower of Jesus, and finding freedom in total abandon of my own will.

I want my life to be marked by obedience to Jesus, whether that means I let Wesley and Ian dunk me in a pool, or I choose to open my mouth and tell someone about the love of Christ and His ability to save, or I allow God to take my thoughts, emotions, will as His own, and for His power to be what makes anything in my life glorifying to Him.

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7

It was so awesome to witness others proclaim their faith in Christ as well! There were five other people that got baptized on Sunday, and I have been able to watch their walks with Christ each develop differently. Some I knew better than others, but it was amazing to be a part of such a wonderful day of celebration. It was really humbling to see their obedience to Christ as they are so fresh in their walks with Him. I am so grateful to be able to share that day with them and cannot wait to see what the Lord has planned for each one of them!!

good news

2011-08-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

my original avocado tree is not dead!

also- i am going to attempt to grow a plumb tree.

one more thing: i have the internet once again!!

avocado

2011-08-02T22:45:00.001-07:00

my sophomore year of college, much to my roommate's dismay, i decided to try a good old fashioned science experiment. i had recently discovered my love for avocados, and was inspired to grow my very own avocado tree (photo A). a month and a half ago or so (approximately three years later), i tried to transfer the avocado "tree" into soil, and well, it died. i am trying to revive it, but incase i fail, i am starting a new avocado tree (photo B). i also plan on doing a little more research as to when is best to transfer the plant to soil and under what conditions. my new plant's name is t.j., after tatum janel of course. i know, i know, your life ambition of having such an exquisite plant named after you has been attained. you can thank me later when my avocado tree produces an avocado.

richard henry wegner

2011-07-31T23:01:00.001-07:00

i was in washington this past weekend to photograph my cousin's wedding. while i was there, my brother and i got to have breakfast with our grandpa. it was entertaining, as always. here are some photos of the event.

he decided that it was too loud in the restaurant, so he took his hearing aids out, but then couldn't hear us (or the waitress), so he put them back in. in case you were wondering, he stores them in his shirt pocket while they're not assisting his hearing.

he's 85, and also asked that i take a picture for his obituary. the wegner's tend to have an interestingly raw view of reality. i see now where i get it. it was a little windy on the deck, so i'm not sure how pleased he'll be with his hair blowing in the portrait, but i think it captures him alright.

on another note, my step dad ended up on the cover of this hiking magazine. they gave him three free copies, how nice of them.

tuesday

2011-07-22T19:27:00.000-07:00

i went on a photo shoot with blake and jesiah. we wandered downtown springfield (i know, great location!) it was fun. i let blake borrow my digital camera while i used my tlr. i'm hopefully going to get the film processed soon. poor blake though doesn't know much about cameras and my camera was set on manual. so his first 30 photos were a little over exposed. i took this first one in his apartment. he took the second photo of jesiah and i after i reset the camera for him.

when cory starts school in the fall i'm going to have him check out a negative scanner at the uo art library for me so i can scan a bunch of negatives, both 35mm and 120mm. then hopefully i can do something with some of the images i have stored away in binders!

textile

2011-07-11T15:10:00.000-07:00

i currently am working on textile based projects. i love fabric. i love making things. i'm looking forward to the challenging aspect of textiles. generally textile based art dips into the abstract realm of things... can be kinda weird. but thats ok. i feel like the challenging part is not getting too 'crafty', which is easy to do. i'm not really aiming to be crafty... but i suppose its ok if i have to fall into that category.

1. cloth napkins. not really art, but fun to make. a slow process (lots of folding and creasing)... i will post photos when they're done.

2. embroidery on canvas. done by hand. i found some bright blue canvas (a small piece of it can be seen in the second photo of this post) for a dollar at st. vincent's. i'm embroidering isaiah 40:25-36 in grey thread. it makes my fingers hurt. canvas was probably not the wisest choice on my part. but the color is just so great, it needed a purpose and i'm hoping the final outcome will make it worth it. i'm going to stretch it onto stretcher bars that are 36''x36''. of course, more photos to come later.

this is my work space. i'm moving into a new room next week and i'm excited to be able to spread out a bit. my tiny 10'x10' room is a little confining.

i decided to not forget

2011-06-07T23:19:00.001-07:00

that i am a photographer. i am an artist. and i do not employ that part of my created self nearly enough. not that in order to make art i can only take photos, but i think i need to take more time to create.

so, here's my meager start. a reminder to myself.

until further notice

2011-06-07T21:46:00.001-07:00

i think tatum is my soul mate.

or something like that. however that applies in best friend world. she's just really great, and i am unbelievably blessed to have her as my friend.

this is a quote from mrs. kara towne about tatum and me: "your lives are gifts that one day you will fully know was a saving grace to each of you."

this is SO TRUE, i am fully confident that tatum is a picture of GOD'S GRACE manifested in my life. we didn't pick each other, we were handed to one another, and then drug through life and growth and whatever else. friendship is something that i don't quite understand, but i have learned that it is hard to come by in its purest form, and once you've found it then well, you better not loose track of it. because you'll be left wondering why other relationships are missing that depth of love and trust.

end table!

2011-05-04T22:33:00.000-07:00

i bought this table at saint vincent's this weekend for $32

i am attempting to make my apartment look like we like to be in it. this weekend i'm going to tacoma, and will bring a coffee table back to eugene that my grandpa made.

i sanded down most surfaces of the table, then sprayed a clear, matte spray paint on it. i wasn't sure how it would turn out compare to painting a nicer varnish, but it worked well! its nice and smooth! and definitely warms up the living room.

bring projects

2011-03-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

i've been wanting to check out this place called Bring Recycling, its in Glenwood, which is a strange little town, I would actually call it an in-between. Basically, Bring is full of all sorts of fun, dirty, old pieces of people's houses. For example: doors, windows, hardware, moulding, sinks (lots of sinks). Sometimes you can find really great pieces to use as art/decoration/etc. on my trip out, i found a couple of fun things. a window, which has one pane of frosted glass. and some pulls for my dresser drawers! i have been looking for drawer pulls all year! but they're expensive and i never found any that were quite right. these were only $0.50 each and were so simple! (all the ones that i've found have been too decorative). of course, these finds created a couple projects for the rest of my day...

i'm not sure what i will end up doing with the window. i would like to paint the wood to make it look really clean. i'm not looking for the "shabby" look. my first inclination is to paint it yellow. but i have beat yellow into the ground, and i need to branch out. we will just see. i might go to the UO art store, because they have a wonderful spray paint color selection. i'm also thinking of using white vinyl on the glass. not sure what i will cut out though. lettering or imagery? it will probably be lettering, but that takes so long that i'll have to be really dedicated to the project to make that decision. after sanding all the wood, the window cleaned up pretty well! has good potential as a luminaire, but that would require some more construction. potential is always hopeful though.

matrimony... however holy

2011-03-10T21:07:00.000-08:00

so... i have recently been presented the opportunity to design wedding invites for a number of gals that i know. the images above aren't quite complete. they are basically "appropriated" images. i created them in illustrator, and gave them my own twist of course. i deserve no credit in all reality. its kindof fun... but not my favorite thing.

reasons i DO like designing wedding invites, save the dates, etc:

1. creative outlet

2. people are getting married! i'm usually a fan of that.

3. i get to use illustrator & photoshop for hours on end and get mindlessly sucked into the computer (only downfall: my eyes start to sting. but i turned the brightness down on my computer)

4. there must be more reasons... hm.

reasons i DO NOT like designing wedding invites, save the dates, etc:

1. people are very picky (understandably so, i would be to)

2. people are also very vague (1 & 2 are a very bad combo) they don't communicate their pickiness until after you made what you thought they wanted. then they just send you pictures to copy instead of letting you be creative

3. i usually spend much more time than intended on any given project

4. don't get me wrong, i'm not complaining, just processing. trying to understand "people"

lamp

2011-02-15T20:02:00.000-08:00

made with white corrugated plastic and hot glue

galatians 2:20

2011-02-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

tatùm janel elder this post is for you. you've inspired me to blog once again, we'll see how long it lasts. this is what i made carson for valentine's day! its a little late but i think thats fine. it is vinyl stickers on plywood, i cut them out by hand (bleh, my fingers hurt), and then finished it with "gel medium". it will take a while to dry, i'm hoping it will be dry by tonight. its nice cause it filled in some of the knots of the wood. it will help to keep the letters on.

well, thats all i've got to say about that. i hope someone enjoyed this post!

Kyle & Rebecca

2010-06-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

more to come later...

blake :: chef extraordinaire

2010-06-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

some of the most fun portraits i've taken in my brief and uneventful photographic career.

to whom do you belong?

2010-03-12T22:03:00.000-08:00

You belong to Jesus, therefore obey Him. Let His word be your law, let His wish be your will. Since you belong to the Beloved, love Him. Let your heart embrace Him; let your whole soul be filled with Him. Because you belong to the Son of God, trust Him. Do not rest anywhere but in Him. You belong to the King of Kings, so be decided for Him. Do not waver in your loyalty. Although you are not branded outwardly, live your life so that all will know to whom you belong.

-Charles Spurgeon

funny how the Lord always knows the encouragement i need. without fail.

and i will remove the heart of stone

2009-12-17T17:15:00.000-08:00

i haven't posted anything in a really long time! well, i made some art for the ekklesia office. its pretty simple. water color and ink transfer. 36x24".

a challenge to women

2009-10-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

I just read this the other day, and its well... challenging. I hope and pray that my life can reflect these qualities. Each of these points are deep, and point women toward devotion to God and security in Christ.

By John Piper

January 1, 1995

1. That all of your life—in whatever calling—be devoted to the glory of God.

2. That the promises of Christ be trusted so fully that peace and joy and strength fill your soul to overflowing.

3. That this fullness of God overflow in daily acts of love so that people might see your good deeds and give glory to your Father in heaven.

4. That you be women of the Book, who love and study and obey the Bible in every area of its teaching. That meditation on Biblical truth be the source of hope and faith. And that you continue to grow in understanding through all the chapters of your life, never thinking that study and growth are only for others.

5. That you be women of prayer, so that the Word of God would open to you; and the power of faith and holiness would descend upon you; and your spiritual influence would increase at home and at church and in the world.

6. That you be women who have a deep grasp of the sovereign grace of God undergirding all these spiritual processes, that you be deep thinkers about the doctrines of grace, and even deeper lovers and believers of these things.

7. That you be totally committed to ministry, whatever your specific role, that you not fritter your time away on soaps or ladies magazines or aimless hobbies, any more than men should fritter theirs away on excessive sports or aimless diddling in the garage. That you redeem the time for Christ and his Kingdom.

8. That, if you are single, you exploit your singleness to the full in devotion to Christ and not be paralyzed by the desire to be married.

9. That, if you are married, you creatively and intelligently and sincerely support the leadership of your husband as deeply as obedience to Christ will allow; that you encourage him in his God-appointed role as head; that you influence him spiritually primarily through your fearless tranquility and holiness and prayer.

10. That, if you have children, you accept responsibility with your husband (or alone if necessary) to raise up children who hope in the triumph of God, sharing with him the teaching and discipline of the children, and giving to the children that special nurturing touch and care that you are uniquely fitted to give.

11. That you not assume that secular employment is a greater challenge or a better use of your life than the countless opportunities of service and witness in the home the neighborhood, the community, the church, and the world. That you not only pose the question: Career vs. full time mom? But that you ask as seriously: Full time career vs. freedom for ministry? That you ask: Which would be greater for the Kingdom— to be in the employ of someone telling you what to do to make his business prosper, or to be God's free agent dreaming your own dream about how your time and your home and your creativity could make God's business prosper? And that in all this you make your choices not on the basis of secular trends or yuppie lifestyle expectations, but on the basis of what will strengthen the family and advance the cause of Christ.

12. That you step back and (with your husband, if you are married) plan the various forms of your life's ministry in chapters. Chapters are divided by various things—age, strength, singleness, marriage, employment choices, children at home, children in college, grandchildren, retirement, etc. No chapter has all the joys. Finite life is a series of tradeoffs. Finding God's will, and living for the glory of Christ to the full in every chapter is what makes it a success, not whether it reads like somebody else's chapter or whether it has in it what chapter five will have.

13. That you develop a wartime mentality and lifestyle; that you never forget that life is short, that billions of people hang in the balance of heaven and hell every day, that the love of money is spiritual suicide, that the goals of upward mobility (nicer clothes, cars, houses, vacations, food, hobbies) are a poor and dangerous substitute for the goals of living for Christ with all your might, and maximizing your joy in ministry to people's needs.

14. That in all your relationships with men you seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in applying the Biblical vision of manhood and womanhood; that you develop a style and demeanor that does justice to the unique role God has given to man to feel responsible for gracious leadership in relation to women—a leadership which involves elements of protection and care and initiative. That you think creatively and with cultural sensitivity (just as he must do) in shaping the style and setting the tone of your interaction with men.

15. That you see Biblical guidelines for what is appropriate and inappropriate for men and women in relation to each other not as arbitrary constraints on freedom but as wise and gracious prescriptions for how to discover the true freedom of God's ideal of complementarity. That you not measure your potential by the few roles withheld but by the countless roles offered.

dropped pedals and tossed garters

2009-10-12T19:10:00.000-07:00

these are from a wedding i shot in september. got some good photos of the flower girls. and well, the last one on here is just for fun.

benjamin austin jacoby

2009-09-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

this is ben jacoby, he is my step brother. i took his senior photos last weekend, here in eugene, or. it was a fun photo-shoot, and i'm glad we were able to find a couple good locations for photos!

look! new blog header image!

2009-09-16T15:10:00.001-07:00

creativity under God

2009-09-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

Good sermon from a church in LA

Reality LA: Creativity Under God, Tim Chaddick

good insight from mark driscol on addiction

2009-09-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

this topic is very relevant to me and my family, and i really

enjoyed mark driscol's teaching on it. for me personally, it has

been a long process attempting to understand addiction, its root,

its grasp, and its effects. i definitely don't fully understand it,

but i appreciate that it had been addressed from a solid biblical

stance. this whole sermon series on Proverbs is really good, you

should listen to it.

oh that i had wings like a dove

2009-09-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

i made a new duvet cover and pillow for my bed! i'm a little obsessed with grey right now. i was planning on embroidering on the quilt cover, but it will take some time to do, so for now i just embroidered on the pillow i made.

psalm 55:6 "oh that i had wings like a dove, i would fly away and rest"

grandma young

2009-08-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

i shot a wedding this weekend, and here is the bride's grandma.

more photos to come later.

a good word from spurgeon

2009-08-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work.

-Psalm 92:4

Do you believe that your sins are forgiven and that Christ has made a full atonement for them? Then what a joyful Christian you ought to be! How you should live above the common trials and troubles of the world! Since sin is forgiven, can it matter what happens to me now? Luther said, "Smite, Lord, smite, for my sin is forgiven; if Thou hast forgiven me, smite as hard as Thou wilt." In a similar spirit you may say, "Send sickness, poverty, losses, crosses, persecution; send what You will, for You have forgiven me, and my soul is glad." Christian, if you are thus saved, while you are glad, be grateful and loving. Cling to the cross that took you sin away; serve Him who served you. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Rom 12:1). Do not let your zeal evaporate in some little exuberant outburst of song. Show your love in expressive ways. Love the brethren of HIm who loved you. If there is a Mephibosheth anywhere who is lame or halt, help him for Jonathan's sake. If there is a poor tried believer, weep with him and bear his cross for the sake of Him who wept for you and carried your sins. Since your are thus forgiven freely for Christ's sake, go and tell to others the joyful news of pardoning mercy. Do not be content with this unspeakable blessing for yourself alone, but publish abroad the story of the Cross. Holy gladness and holy boldness will make you a good preacher, and all the world will be a pulpit for you to preach in. Cheerful holiness is the most forcible of sermons, but the Lord must give it to you. Seek it this morning before you go into the world. When it is the Lords work in which we rejoice, we do not to be afraid of being too glad.

maya elizabeth reynoldson

2009-08-08T20:53:00.000-07:00

here are my first ever baby portraits... we didn't have much time or space. this is my cousin katie and her daughter maya. we snuck away from my other cousin's birthday party to get some photos done. babies make weird faces. maya is 3 months old.

my teeth are going to fall out

2009-08-08T00:55:00.000-07:00

today, i skipped my dentist appointment. i was supposed to be in tacoma by 11:00am, but instead, i caught up on sleep and didn't leave eugene until about 11:30 after running some errands. my brother's friend, daren, made us dinner. he barbecued hamburgers. i thought they were joking, it was weird. i've been cleaning out my bedroom at my mom's house. its quite the process, and i don't think it will ever be complete. but i've made a good start and have a box or two of treasures/junk to bring back to eugene with me. the itinerary for the rest of the weekend includes a birthday party for my cousin in seattle and an excursion to mars hill church with benjamin.

elderly extravaganza

2009-07-23T23:08:00.000-07:00

this evening, we all dressed up like old people and ate breakfast together. it was just about the best idea that tatum and i have ever had. i strongly encourage others to have similar parties, it was highly entertaining. we're hoping to reconvene in about 50 years.

also, tatum is leaving for mexico tomorrow. she thought that her flight was at noon, but she's come to find that she leaves from portland at 6:00am. we will be leaving from our house at about 1:30am so she can make it to mexico.

::the harts::

2009-07-11T23:24:00.000-07:00

27 june 2009

more will be up on my flickr site soon...

idependence

2009-07-05T15:34:00.001-07:00

i had a great 4th of july... i really like these people

train time

2009-06-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

today i rode the train from tacoma to eugene. actually, i had to get on the bus in portland, but my train was late so i missed the bus. so amtrack put me and some fellow train-riders in a taxi.
but, photoshop kept me busy while i was on the train. here is the result of my efforts...

actions

2009-06-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

i'm in tacoma, and i don't have a whole lot to do here. so for the past few hours i've been playing with photoshop actions and downloading some from the internet. this is my favorite so far. the rest are just color adjustments and such.
this is a photo of my brother, dad, grandpa, and me! taken at my grandpa's house, he lives on the beach.

"just pray about it"

2009-06-11T15:26:00.000-07:00

about two weeks ago, two mormon boys came to my house. their names are matthew and taylor. we chatted about the trinity and christ's eternality, and i invited them back for an "interfaith discussion". and well, it was interesting. for all those who may be interested in watching a video on joseph smith's early life, please let me know, because they let us keep the dvd. basically, these mormon boys know nothing and couldn't answer any of my questions. they contradicted themselves multiple times, took verses from the bible out of context (which was expected). a few minutes after they showed us the video they decided that they were taking up too much of our time and so they left.
also, fun fact: mormon missionaries cannot go swimming, for safety purposes. but daniel, the non-elder who decided to tag along, was more than willing to float the river with us!

2009-06-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

ok, so i know that i haven't "walked" yet, but i am done with college. this morning, at approximately 11:14am, i walked out of my art history final. as i walked down the hallway it slowly dawned on me exactly what just happened. ok, i'm actually still not sure about exactly is taking place. i'm done with college, i don't have a complete understanding of the meaning of that statement, but i like how it sounds and i like that i don't know what comes next.
this is what a college graduate looks like:

tomorrow all of my family will come here and we will start a weekend of over-exaggerated celebrations. i'm looking forward to it.

the final episode

2009-06-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

bird nest installation

2009-06-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

this is my final project for my screen printing class...

forbearance

2009-05-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

I taught at "Biblical Womanhood Talk" last night, a monthly women's fellowship and teaching gathering through Ekklesia. It was such a blessing to hear how the Lord used my studies to change the hearts of these women. I love being a part of a church body thats full of people who desire to grow and change and conform to the word of God. Its encouraging.

…..

Forbearance: tolerance or mercy, although human sin deserves punishment, God in His
forbearance, or longsuffering patience, gives an opportunity for repentance.
To bear with: to endure.

The result of forbearance: to become perfected in Christ.
:: James 1:2-4 :: “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let that endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

:: Romans 2:1-4 ::
These things: sin. You are condemning yourself when you judge the sin of others. How often to we think that we could do so much better, do we compare others to our own standard?
v. 4: we underestimate God.
- His kindness: common grace, for everyone! Shown through His divine mercy, Christ on the cross God has been gracious toward all sneers. No matter how badly someone else seems to have twisted the image of god, sins against Him and maybe even against you, we are to treat every single person with the kindness that God has shown us. Kindness is a testimony to God’s work in you, and is a deliberate act to bring a sinner back to God.
- Tolerance: the act or capacity of enduring the differences of others. In this context: to hold back judgment.
- Patience: indicates duration.

:: Romans 3:21-26 ::
This is another explanation of God’s forbearance with us. God is always the standard by which we are to live our lives. Christ shows us the ultimate act of forbearance by literally bearing our sin. Because we have Christ in us and can grow in righteousness through Him, we can grow in forbearance! For this to be acknowledged in us by God, it must be true in our heart. Like we talked about a few weeks ago with purity of heart. You can’t fake forbearance, its not just some law to try to follow. Forbearance includes your thought life.

:: Ephesians 4:1-3 ::
Our calling: salvation. You have accepted the sacrifice of Christ, so act accordingly. If you have faith that He is enough to save you from your sin, to restore your relationship with the Father, then you ought to have faith that He can sanctify you; He can assist you in growth and change according to His word.
- Humility: the first beatitude commanded by Christ, describes His noble grace. We can only attain this by truly acknowledging that all we have and all we are comes from God. Humility puts focus on God and on others. If we stop focusing on ourselves so much, forbearance will come much more naturally. To be annoyed and un-forbearing is selfish.
- Gentleness: meekness: controlled strength, mild-spirited, self-controlled. Kindness, compassion, a spirit of fairness and consideration.
- Patience: long-tempered, an outgrowth of humility and gentleness.
- Tolerance in love: this is continuous and unconditional.
All of these qualities work together. We must grow in all of them to reflect Christ more clearly. We cannot love as Christ loves while lacking any of these characteristics.
- v. 3 :: if we walk this way individually, we can have unity as the body of Christ. We must be diligent to actively preserve this unity! THIS IS IMPORTANT. Satan loves to creep among us in this way: through accusations, annoyances, anger, impatience, he creates disunity among believers. Disunity makes us ineffective for Christ and stunts our growth. God puts difficult people in our lives to make us grow in godliness. Depend on others and let others depend on you.

:: Colossians 3:12-13 ::
a picture of forbearance: this is the attitude and behavior that God expects of us.
- Inner conditions lead to outward demeanors. Put on: this must be true on the inside for it to manifest in your actions. We must immerse ourselves in the word, in the study of Christ and the writings of the apostles for this to be true in our hearts and our lives. This takes time, careful study, and lots of prayer. This is a process, and just like sanctification of any characteristic, it takes time.
- Compassion: mercy: to help the miserable. Tender sympathy.
- Kindness: goodness toward others, mellowing all harsh aspects of a person.
- Meekness serves others. We must battle our self-centeredness.
- “If one has a complaint against other, forgiving each other.” It does not say: go tell all your girlfriends about it or, sit and wallow in self-pity and hold a grudge. NO! Its says: “forgive one another”. I know it seems so difficult at times, but the beauty is: Christ has conquered all things on the cross.
- Philippians 4:12-13 :: “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
- We bear with one another. This means we stick around, we don’t abandon someone because we are impatient, don’t give up. This may last a lifetime.
- Don’t complain about others! This is so easy to fall into, especially when we feel wronged or angered, but this is not showing Christ’s love. A lot of times, we just need to get over it.
- What is more important? … to express your frustration, or to glorify God?

:: Philippians 4:4-5 ::
Gentle spirit: contentment with and generosity toward others; graciousness with humility. You have to have a gentle spirit to let it be known, so work on that first. The way you react to others is a reflection of your inner spirit.

:: 2 Peter 3:15-18 ::
Longsuffering: a very long fuse. :: James 1:19-26 ::
Forbearance is the doing of God’s word and the display of His grace and love.

:: Romans 12:2-8 ::
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Forbearance is NOT the assisting of sin! There are times when we do need to remove ourselves from a situation. If someone is causing you to sin or is abusing you in any way, that sin needs to be dealt with, and a third party may need to be involved. We are still to help others deal with their sin, to come alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ. The point of forbearance is to patiently and lovingly walk with others as they walk with Jesus, to edify and encourage, to show His love in a tangible way, and to lead unbelievers to salvation through Christ.
If your “forbearance” is not doing that, then it’s not biblical. Take a step back, reevaluate in prayer, and find a new way to approach the situation. Remember that those who do not know God cannot understand the things of God. Don’t expect unbelievers to try to live holy lives. Believers, on the other hand, are to be held to God’s standard.

- “Our sins will fill up to the skies.” Is this picture true in your life? Let the blood of Christ wash it out to make room for love and grace. You are chosen, holy and loved. All of this points to Jesus, so just fix your eyes on Him.
- The other side of forbearance: submission. How can we make life easier for others? How can we assist them in righteousness?
- Remember! This all starts with the heart. This is between you and God first, its about getting on your knees and begging for a change of attitude, new eyes to be able to see how to love others better. We cannot do this on our own, this involves complete reliance on the Lord!

:: James 5:7-11 ::

engagement photos!

2009-05-24T19:06:00.001-07:00

today, robert and sarah took me to a top secret location to shoot their engagement photos! it was lots of fun, they're awesome and i'm glad they're getting married.

water mark!

2009-05-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

thanks to brian aebi who made a watermark for me! i really like it, and now people can't steal my photos!

long bird necks

2009-05-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

this is an image i made for my screen printing class. i'm really excited to print this!!

congratulations on completing your italian minor

2009-04-29T11:52:00.001-07:00

this is my final paper that i wrote for the completion of my italian minor! i'm that much closer to being done with school!!

Non ci sono molti libri scritti in genere romanzo storico in Italiano e non è un genere che è studiato molto; il genere sta ancora sorgendo (Della, 3). Romanzo storico presenta ai lettori una storia che succede durante un periodo notevole durante storia, ed usuale attorno ad un evento importante in quel periodo. Nel titolo del genere c’è “la contraddizione insita nei termini stessi” (Sivieri,137). Romanzo storico spesso presenta eventi attuali dalla punta di vista di gente vivente durante quel periodo di tempo; questi libri “utilizzano l’evento passato in chiave allegorica, senza curarsi eccessivamente dell’esattezza della ricostruzione” (Sivieri, 137).
Nell’esempio di Biglietto d’Amore, l’autrice, Laura Mancinelli, scrive di un testo reale. Il Codex Manesse è un manoscritto illuminato copiato e illustrato tra circa 1340 e 1340. Il manoscritto è stato prodotto a Zürich, alla richiesta della famiglia Manesse di Zürich. Contiene 140 poeti, lo facendo il singolo fonte più completa per testi di canzoni d’amore a Germania Medioevo. Mancinelli prende i fatti che sono, e con le piccole parti d’informazione, scrive uno romanzo lungo, piena di storia e di novella. La parola tedesca Minnesänger, unisce le parole per amore romantico e cantore, riflettendo il contenuto della poesia e della novella scritta da Laura Mancinelli. Mancinelli prende un fatto storico, una cosa tangibile per la base del romanzo. Usa i caratteri, il dialogo, i temi, e gli eventi per creare una storia nuova, più elaborata. Mancinelli abilmente tesse la realtà con la sua immaginazione nel libro Biglietto D’Amore. Tra i fatti del Codex Manesse, luoghi reali, tradizione culturali del tempo, eventi storici, ed alcuni gente reali, ci sono misti nel romanzo caratteri, eventi, e luoghi specifici che non sono veri. La distinzione è vaghe, prendendo la storia in vita.
Nel dialogo, Mancinelli porta alla luce una varietà di soggetti pertinente al tempo medioevo e interessante a noi oggi. Per esempio, le due protagoniste parlano durante il viaggio dei Crociati, e Mancinelli inserisce dialogo che da opinione “medioevale” del soggetto (Mancinelli, 48-49). I due uomini giovani parlano casualmente di che pensono dei Crociati e le dicerie che hanno udito. Il stile in cui Mancinelli scrive i dialoghi mette il lettore proprio nella medioevo con Hadlaub e Guilbert, pensano come i protagonisti, considerando quel soggetto (ed altri) in modo nuovo. Veramente non sappiamo che pensarono le gente comune medioevale delle Crociati, però Mancinelli ci da un’idea. Hadlaub e Guilbert anche discutono questioni morali come omosessualità, poligamia, e i monaci. Parlano ad un livello casuale, come noi oggi, così il lettore può collegare con la storia. Il lettore ha un senso falso di contesto, perché questi situazioni e conversazioni sono finzione.
Nel altre novelle di Mancinelli, la tema di cibo è una forza forte circondando gli eventi e progressione del libro. “Cibo, la preparazione, e il piacere che fornisce è l’area semantica che diventa l’allegoria preminente” nel romanzo di I Dodici Abate di Challant (De Renzo, 139). In Biglietto d’Amore cibo è anche la forza motrice per gli eventi; non esiste una scena senza cibo durante tutto il viaggio, non descrive un giorno senza cibo. Interazioni tra i personaggi è sempre centrato attorno al cibo, se amore o semplicemente amicizia. Le scene più appassionati sono accompagnati da cibo più buono. Mi sembra che sia importante allora che la vita andava mano in mano con cibo perché la preparazione lungo e la raccolta di cibo era più coinvolgente per più persone.
Sessualità ed amore è un’altra tema del romanzo. Il libro comincia con una storia d’amore e passione tra Hadlaub e Lisi, la figlia di Messer Manesse. La prima storia d’amore è innocente, anche se Hadlaub aveva letto poesia d’amore che certamente ha parlato di cose più vivaci. Ma, quando parta Hadlaub dalla residenza Manesse per il viaggio, non sa che venga dopo. Durante il viaggio con Guilbert, Hadlaub è introdotto alle cose di cui ha letto. Prima, abbiamo una pausa al monastero di Einseideln, senza incidente e senza cibo buono. Pero da qui in avanti c’è sempre questa tensione sessuale, e si manifesta sempre differente: Lisi, la ragazza giovane con l’infatuazione, poi le due moglie del mugnaio (una di cui prende in, infine (che ho gia tradotto) l’eremita nel bosco. Tutte tre questi incontri sono molto differente, e tutto nuovo per Hadlaub. Vediamo la tema di cibo con la tema d’amore e sessualità; sempre prima di avere un esperienza amoroso o sessuale nuovo, Hadlaub mangia con il personaggio con cui ha l’esperienza (le stesse personaggi elencato prima). Mancinelli mischia molto bene le temi di amore, cibo, e la storia per finire con un romanzo completo, complesso, e veramente romanzo storico.
Il genere di romanzo storico è un titolo ampio, e ogni libro aggiunge il gruppo. Non esistono in isolamento. Un romanzo storico è “riconosciuto dai suoi qualità- identificabile nelle combinazione di personaggi inventati e personaggi storici con eventi che succede veramente nel passato. Mancinelli fa tutte due queste cose. Il suo libro contribuisce al genere di romanzo storico ed aggiunge la definizione. “La storia esige veridicità assoluta al passato” (Della, 1), ed ovviamente Mancinelli non prova a pretendere di scrivere la storia; veramente aspira a creare un modo di capire l’idea del tempo storico e come venga d’essere il Codex Manesse.

the incident

2009-04-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

weird things keep happening to me!
today, i was riding my bike home down 14th st, and a girl in a suburban opened her car door about five feet in front of me! i ran into the door full speed and head-on. it was like hitting a brick wall. i ended up on my back, in the street next to my bike. i was quite surprised to say the least. the girl was very concerned, understandably. i got up, was fine for the most part. the front wheel fell off my bike, but i just put it back on. then i invited the girl and her friend to church, after explaining that i knew this was a strange and awkward situation. then i put the chain back on the gears and rode away. my bike is kinda wobbly, so i need to take it to the shop and get it straightened out. and my knee hurts, but not a lot.

life update

2009-04-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

yesterday, when i was riding home from the art studio at about midnight, i was inspired to try to ride my bike without holding onto the handlebars. i've been tempted to try it out lately, but i'm always to scared to attempt when i'm on campus because there are so many people! when i come home late from the art studio i ride the wrong way down 13th AVE because there aren't any cars, and it was the perfect chance!!
and so, i succeeded at riding my bike without holding the handlebars! it wasn't that hard, i don't know why i was so cautious to do it. now i look like a pro bike-rider. its great.

i am a basket case

2009-04-15T00:34:00.000-07:00

its official, i have completely transformed from a space-cadet to a basket case. ok, i may have retained some space-cadet tendancies, but have developed a wide array of basket case characteristics. most of my hours are scheduled, and the rare ones that aren't are a scramble to complete my overflowing plate of assignments. i am learning to deal with something new: stress (most people in their 3rd year in college have already learned about stress, but until recently, i hadn't encountered it). although i am astonishingly more productive than i have ever been in the past, i still feel as if i get about 1/2 the things done that i need to.

the good news: God is stretching me! i've been growing a lot for the past year +, and its amazing to see the ways the Lord is continuing the process. i love that this process is humbling and always shows me how much i need to rely on Him. so yes, i have to figure out how to be diligent and work hard and serve God and seek him, and while its a lot to learn, i love it.

God is good, and i can't wait until this term is over.

the narrative

2009-04-12T11:15:00.001-07:00

here is my most recent photography project. its not actually due until next monday, which is appalling because i don't think that i've ever finished any project a whole week early! i changed the lighting from the last two 'chapters' of this narrative; this lighting is much more romantic and surreal.
so the idea for this 'chapter' flooded my brain on friday as i was walking home from school in the morning. i had been hoping to come up with something in my brainstorming process, but nothing that i had thought of seemed complete enough or posed enough questions. part of this series is that it tends to encourage the viewer to ask questions that in my opinion, are unanswerable. the actions of the character in these images don't quite make sense, don't seem to have a purpose or direction. although i'm looking forward to see where this stairway goes and why that light might be so blinding.

screen printing adventures...

2009-04-07T13:51:00.001-07:00

i'm taking a screen printing class! its quite a bit of work, but i really like the process. i have to think a lot about layers, and i can work from photo-based images, so its really fun. last night i stayed at the studio until about 2:30. i was making a few prints, and then making images on my computer to print out and then to put onto the screen. here are the images i worked on, i just put the one of my dad onto my screen, it has four layers, and i'll probably go make the print on wednesday night after church!
oh, and the bottom image is of me as a baby at the ocean, although its a bit distorted and hard to tell. i'm excited to see how these turn out in print form.

fiber arts

2009-03-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

i sewed this sheep for my final project for my "off-loom textiles" class. i dyed the burlap, embroidered the side, and then sewed and stuffed the sheep. it was fun, and now it lives on my bed. i got an A on my project. :)

sheep art!

2009-03-18T10:44:00.001-07:00

jesiah shared this video with me, and i think its so funny! i love sheep, they're my favorite animal.

hosea

2009-03-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hosea 2:7 She will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them; And she will seek them, but will not find them. Then she will say, 'I will go back to my first husband, For it was better for me than now!'
"Mostly, when we cannot obtain in this world what we wish, when we have been wearied with the impossibility of our search of earthly desires, then the thought of God returns to the soul; then, what was before distasteful, becomes peasant to us' He whose commands had been bitter to the soul, suddenly in memory becomes sweet to her, and the sinful soul determines to be a faithful wife."

professionalism

2009-03-11T23:57:00.001-07:00

The Fabricated Image: Artist’s statement: Final Portfolio

2009-03-10T15:04:00.001-07:00

The original inspiration for my work came from our assignment Constructed Realities. I began to explore the idea of creating a scene that would be almost normal, but then begin to deviate from “normal”. I was looking to create an almost surreal moment, which causes the viewer to ask unanswerable questions. There is no desire for these images to make sense or be straightforward. Bruce Charlesworth’s work encouraged me to present a seemingly serious process that contains hints of humor behind it.
The character interacts with a plant in a creepy, strange space. I chose for the lighting to come from a single-source flash to push the feeling displacement that occurs in this space. I wanted it to seem as if she was being watched and documented, and I feel that the use of lighting pushes this further. For part two, that proceeds the original scene, the girl continues to interact in this space with the plant, and a second character is introduced: the goldfish. It is not shown if she pours the fish into the sink or not. I also wanted for these images to not be able to be placed in a specific time period (within reason), so I chose props that would not signal to a particular era.
In the future I would like to continue with this kind of work that questions reality and process.

final photography portfolio

2009-03-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

statement of the week according to erin and tatum

2009-03-01T22:04:00.000-08:00

The Bible should stretch you. You can't stretch the Bible.

These past couple weeks I've been reading a book titled "Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth" by Wayne Grudem. Basically he addresses a lot (180 or something) of claims by "evangelical feminists" about what the Bible says about various women-related topics (mostly concerning women's roles in ministry and marriage). The conclusion that Tatum and I have come to is that within this subject, and many other "controversial" Biblical topics, liberal Christians and other people opposed to the truth of the Bible stretch God's word to fit their views, claims, ideals, etc. We are to desire for the Word to stretch us! It seems so simple, that we are to read the Word with a pure and humble heart. But then too many people read things into scripture that are simply not there. Many people have this silly idea that the Bible is meant to fit into and change for culture. This idea can lead toward universalism and has infinite possibilities for false doctrine.
God's Word is truth, and He wants purity of heart and a humble spirit from us.

victorian wallpaper

2009-02-23T08:24:00.000-08:00

jesiah designed me an awesome business card! he did an amazing job!

click here to go to his website and see the other cool things he can do:
http://www.upcast.net/

constructed realities

2009-02-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

this series of images does not represent a single moment or event in my life, but rather refers to a continual, repetitive process. this work is both about the event documented and the images that remain. i am attempting to introduce Life into places that seem incapable of housing it, that seem completely undesirable and uninhabitable. i find that the more i pay attention, investigate, have faith, embrace process (in both life and art)... the more beautiful and fulfilling the outcome.

with that said, i'd like to include some quotes from Sol LeWitt's "Sentences on Conceptual Art" (1969) (although i wouldn't dare place my work into the Conceptual art category)...
13. a work of art may be understood as a conductor from the artist's mind to the viewer's. but it may never reach the viewer, or it may never reach the artist's mind.
18. one usually understands the art of the past by applying the conventions of the present thus misunderstanding the art of the past.
19. the conventions of art are altered by works of art.
22. the artist cannot imagine his art, and cannot perceive it until it is complete.
25. the artist may not necessarily understand his own art. his perception is neither better nor worse than that of others.
30. there are many elements involved in a work of art. the most important are the most obvious.
32. banal ideas cannot be rescued by beautiful execution.

proof

2009-02-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

studio lighting... food fetish

2009-02-09T18:23:00.000-08:00

business cards

2009-02-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

favorites?

banksy

2009-02-03T17:53:00.000-08:00

i like this art. this guy is a graffiti artist from the UK. he's over publicized in the art world, but i still like what he's about. i appreciate his social commentaries and love that they're on such a large scale. i also love that he's pretty much anonymous as far as his real identity goes, and that he has started to move toward showing in galleries while remaining a 'street artist'.

days of future past

2009-01-29T22:36:00.000-08:00

this are some images of my first 'of loom textiles' assignment. the title of the assignment is 'days of future past'; its a reference to an x-men plot line in which the characters in the present are trying to prevent an event that they know is going to happen in the future. they fail, and whatever catastrophe that they were trying to prevent happens anyway. so our assignment is supposed to have to do with the future, or allude to it.
so what i did was, i crocheted a "chain" made of whatever crochet-able materials i could find. its all one, long connected chain and alludes to the span of my life and the events that occur along the way. during the process, if a material inspired some thought about my life, i would write it down on a piece of white fabric, then attach the strip to the chain with a piece of copper wire. part of the idea of this work is that it won't be finished until, well, i die. it also refers to the repetitiveness of daily life, the notion that we get along with what we can find, and the fact that all the pieces of our life affect the following pieces and we must continue to build upon what we have already been through.
i know its kind of silly. i generally don't make art like this. i think that for some reason sculpture is super abstract to me, and i'm not used to working in this medium. it made more sense for me to photograph both the process and the product. oh, and i decided to present the work in a suitcase, to further push the idea that no matter how we feel about the 'baggage' and experiences in our lives, we usually have to carry them around with us... praise the lord that jesus fixes the broken parts for us

vorrei dirvi qualcosa...

2009-01-28T02:22:00.000-08:00

CHE io non posso scrivere una tema in un modo efficiente. so che questa è molto strano perchè sono una studentessa universitaria di terzo anno, e, (mi sembra) che io avessi potuto imparare come si scrive una tema fin'ora! pero, studio l'arte. beh, non è abbastanza giustificazione, anche gli artisti devono scrivere qualche volte...
allora devo cominciare il lavoro, devo finire la tema prima delle sette perchè ho un'incotro allora. sono stanchissima e sarò stanchissima tutta la trimestre. magari no, ma ne sono quasi sicura.
ciao.

this is about Jesus

2009-01-26T08:50:00.000-08:00

I'm super busy this week and should be working on homework right now, but I felt like taking a moment to post this image. This is my first assignment for my Studio Lighting class (its actually called "The Fabricated Image"). We had to set up a scene inside a box. I think about half of the class set up little forest scenes with props from a hobby shop, but I decided to take an alternative route. I'm really not satisfied with the aesthetic outcome of this image (this is a digital picture, I also took some shots with a 4x5 view camera... but I don't like those either), but I love the concept, and I think I'll try to redo this sometime to make it better. I'm pretty sure I could do it at home with a "home made studio" consisting of desk lamps and flashlights and all that good stuff.
Anyway, this is my first photograph that is directly about Jesus, but I feel like its not good enough for Him. I suppose, in all reality, nothing really is. You would think that it wouldn't have taken me so long for my art to be a direct reference to my Savior, the love of my life... but I suppose that I'm always a little late in getting the things done that I need to. Praise God for his grace and patience with me.
Now we'll just have to see if I can make my "Days of Future Past" fibers assignment about Jesus. That will be quite the challenge.

it tasted like poison

2009-01-19T21:32:00.000-08:00

today i applied to graduate. you're supposed to apply one term before the term that you graduate, which for me is next term. it was kinda scary for about half a second, i almost decided to apply later this term, but once i got it over with it was much less scary than anticipated. in fact, it was very anticlimactic. i got to check a few boxes for the alumni association (for the craft center and young life), then when i was finished it went back to the screen that i see all the time.

this morning i went to starbucks, and there was an old lady in front of me in line. she had her walker and when she got the register she turned it around to sit on it while she proceeded to interrogate the barista about how her house coffee would be served; how much cream would be in it and whether or not it would be caffeinated. because yesterday she got an americano, she took it home and when she went to drink it, "it tasted like poison!". she basically accused the barista of purposely giving her the most disgusting thing she could think of ever consuming. i laughed for about three blocks when i got back in the car.
i think i will like being an old lady.

sunshine, quiet times, and crashing waves = good weekend

2009-01-18T23:11:00.000-08:00

This weekend the Eugene Young Life leaders went on a retreat to the ocean (more specifically: Florence). We stayed in two amazing houses right on the beach and the weather was wonderful (not windy and no clouds!). I went with semi-low expectations of coming away from the weekend with anything super-valuable, but basically God proved me wrong and blew me out of the water. The simplicity of what He is teaching me is pretty great: step it up. Yes I'm seeking Him in my quiet times and fellowshiping with His people in a church body and serving Him in that body and in showing up at North Eugene HS and meeting girls there and trying to teach them about the amazing love of Christ, but I can do better. I can seek Him more, get deeper, change faster. I can serve Him better, be more bold, love people to His standard.
I approached this weekend with low expectations, yet when I took the time to sit and listen to the Lord, He spoke so clearly through His word. I was so blessed to be able to spend time with such amazing followers of Christ who are serving Him in the same kind of places that I am, seeking to lead highschoolers to Christ. The teams for each of the highschools look different, and none of them are exactly like the "traditional YL club", and it was so encouraging to be able to see the diversity in the ways the Lord works even within the same organization, in the same city, under the same director.
God is awesome and is moving in our city. He is using so many people to do His work, and I know that number will continue to grow in number and depth.

i electrocuted myself today

2009-01-13T21:41:00.001-08:00

Today I was making a lamp for one of my classes. While I was putting the hardware together, I plugged the light into the wall before putting the socket shell with the paper liner inside (because I wanted to make sure that I put it together correctly)... and when I flipped the switch to turn on the light, it electrocuted me! My hand locked up for a second and then I threw it at the wall, and the light bulb exploded. Then my arm was numb and tingly up to my elbow. It broke the socket, so I had to go take one from a different lamp I made.
Tatum, Kelsey, and Tucker witnessed the whole thing. It was really funny about a minute later.
Here's a picture of the lamp that almost cost me my life...

funny article

2009-01-12T13:59:00.001-08:00

I found this article via ArtForum, a contemporary art magazine. Its about how to avoid embarrassment on facebook and especially pertains to future politicians. Some of the suggestions seem a little obvious, but its funny nonetheless.

Vote for Me, Not My Facebook Account

Although the statements made in this article may seem to be no-brainers to many people, I think there is a real point to the idea of this article. How often do we think seriously about the things that we put on the internet? Whether its facebook or a blog or a photo-sharing site, once you put an image or a thought onto the internet, there's no getting it back. People have the ability to appropriate any idea or image from the internet that they desire to have as their own, and can then use it anyway they see fit.
I don't really know where I'm going with this... maybe it really has to do with the futility of this world and our lives, who knows.

not by my own accord

2009-01-11T19:05:00.000-08:00

I've been reading about being controlled by the Spirit, and all these things that go along with that (which is a lot). And it has been very applicable to the happenings in my life (as it should be). Of course I have all these ambitions about who I want to be and how I want to live, and yes, these desires are based on what I read in God's word, but will not be achievable by any means unless I am completely surrendered to the Spirit of the Lord. And instead of this thought being intimidating as it potentially could be, it is liberating, knowing that the perfect, omnipotent, omnipresent, holy, immutable, righteous Creator of the heavens and the earth has the desire to change me and direct my life provided that I simply surrender to His Spirit. I know this and I have known this for some time, and yet, I seem time and time again to fail; to take my life into my own hands and run rampant through this world doing as I please according to my own desires and intentions, all the while, God is patiently whispering, "be filled with My Spirit" (Eph. 5:18). I know that I can do nothing apart from Him, and so, time and time again I find myself repenting of my inability to follow this simple command and asking the Lord that He would do this work in me.

"For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh in death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. HOWEVER, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:5-11)

And so, because the Spirit of God is already in me, I can be led by the Spirit. I can seek to live my life for the glory of God, to submit to the Spirit, be changed for the better, and live with my eyes set on eternity.

This is a photo I took of my dad. He's had a pretty crazy past couple years, and the recent months haven't let up. He needs to know Jesus, so if you're reading this post, and you're someone who prays, could you pray for him?

back to school

2009-01-04T16:02:00.001-08:00

I am going back to school tomorrow! So I thought I would create some art to commemorate the event.

come dio vuole

2009-01-02T02:07:00.000-08:00

peace has nothing to do with the earth, nor can it be found there

2009-01-02T01:28:00.000-08:00

I read Psalm 4 today.
I can call on the Lord, and I am dependent on His answer, He is not dependent on my call. I call out to Him because He has redeemed me in the past, I have faith that His grace and mercy will be poured out again. David the Psalmist, as well as myself, desires for men to give up their worldly pursuits and to seek God. How long will it take for their eyes to be opened? If they only knew that God's worth is inexpressible and that His intent is that we would understand the Truth. That Lord has set apart the saved to do His work. He hears when I call out to Him, He hears when all call out to Him. Have fear of the Lord so not to sin. A person with no respect for God has no reason to follow His ordinances. Meditate on the Word of God, on your sin and shortcomings, on God's grace. Be still in the presence of the Lord. Your sacrifice to the Lord is to be righteous, not tainted by unholy motives, by resentment, by being less than whole-hearted. To trust God is to be committed to Him, to show your faith in action. Faith is not just something to have, it is something to do. The unbelievers' lack of faith blinds them to the glorious light of God. I once has the same attitude, but God has changed my heart. The Lord gives more joy than could ever be provided by anything on this earth. In all situations, only the Lord can provide safety. He is always with me, so I can lay down my head in peace, a peace that only the Lord can give, that surpasses all understanding.
Peace has nothing to do with the earth, nor can it be found there.

oatmeal

2009-01-01T13:07:00.001-08:00

I have made a recent discovery... I love oatmeal. I didn't know until now, but its really great.

Merry Christmas...

2008-12-29T15:54:00.001-08:00

... from the JW's (Jacoby-Wegner's) !

2008-12-29T15:26:00.000-08:00

nostalgia

2008-12-29T15:25:00.000-08:00

a few days to go

2008-12-28T23:11:00.000-08:00

"history is really His story"
I love that. I just listened to Welsey's teaching on the Christmas Story. It was really good, and as I was listening to it, I was thinking about my time here in Tacoma, and the ways that Christ's gifts applied to what I've been experiencing. (of course Christ's gifts always apply) But three are brought up in the teaching: great joy, the glory of God, and peace. My time here has not been easy, but I asked the Lord that He would use this time to change me and challenge me. And its amazing how the Lord answers prayers when you ask according to His will.
The other night I was at my dad's cabin in Packwood, WA, reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, and he came home and we got in an argument (its hard for any sort of disagreement not to turn into an argument, no matter how rational I try to be) . So while there was this awkward silence, I was having to fight my own flesh that desired to just go into my room for the rest of the night, and all I could think to do was to read out loud to my dad. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I couldn't think of anything to say, and I knew I wouldn't have another time just the two of us. So I read Lewis' explanation of the Trinity to my unbelieving dad. I don't know how much of it he processed. But it started some less-hostile conversation, and therefore served its purpose. We started talking about the Bible and its relation to other religious texts and my dad's problem with all of them and how according to him the Bible is just a history book, and all these "religious texts" do is start wars and make people kill each-other. Our conversation didn't get far, but I had peace anyway. Because I died to myself, the Lord may be able to use part of that conversation. The Bible is the account of God working in our world. It is His story. And I don't care how crazy my dad or anyone else thinks I am, I will stand for the truth of God's word. It breaks my heart that he can't believe in it, because he needs joy, God's glory, and peace in his life more than anything else in the world, he just hasn't figured that out yet.
I can't imagine how someone would try to achieve true joy, glory, and peace without receiving it from Jesus Christ.

Anyway, I'll be back in Eugene on the 30th, and I'm super excited. I'm really looking forward to school this term, and the Ekklesia School of Ministry class on Pastoral and Women's Ministry. When I'm in Tacoma I feel like my life is paused. I'm just visiting. It will be good to press play again.

music

2008-12-16T23:38:00.000-08:00

here's some christmas music that jesiah and i recorded... thanks to jesiah's genius!

Silent Night

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

"stuck" in eugene

2008-12-15T14:25:00.000-08:00

i was going to leave for tacoma today, but apparently the roads are bad... this is what its like to be "stuck" in eugene! its actually quite pleasant. i walked to the bank and read and full city, i'm going to do more reading and then go make dinner at lizzy and jena's place. oh and i've been recording some songs with jesiah, someday i'll figure out how to post them here.

2008-12-09T12:23:00.000-08:00

well, i don't think that anyone really reads/looks at my blog besides classmates, but i'm going to continue this blog... forever? i will post images and thoughts... and whatever else i feel like posting here! so, enjoy, whoever is reading this.

final project: artist's statement

2008-12-04T01:08:00.001-08:00

My final project evolved into something quite different than I originally imagined and intended, which I suppose happens often and is a beautiful part of the art-making process. My first plan was to simply photograph a male in his domestic space, which I did do, yet I wouldn’t have expected to end up photographing my dad. While often times men have trouble keeping up domestic spaces on their own, my father takes this to the extreme. The space in which he lives (which is actually an office, not a residence) is dirty and disorganized and lacks a kitchen, and is a reflection of what the rest of his life has become.
Knowing that I would only be in Tacoma for the weekend, I took a lot of photos of my dad in and outside. He was very interesting to photograph: he told my roommate stories, talked about the things he loves, at times he seemed to be completely unaware of me and my camera and yet there were a few moments in which he seemed to be reflecting on why I may have chosen to photograph him in his current situation, and what that says about how I view him and how I will portray him. Because, while my goal was to have a subjective approach to photographing my dad, I am sure that my past experiences with him and even something as simple as my photographic style and aesthetic preference have influenced the outcome of this endeavor. And of course I know that as an artist, my intentions and thoughts become unimportant as soon as someone else views my work. Immediately their past experiences, conceptions, prejudices, thoughts, etc become the rules by which my photographs will be judged.
Photographing my dad was an interesting experience. I learned new things about him by interacting with him in a way that I never have before. It was both strangely intimate and impersonal at the same time. And it gave me a glimpse of the loneliness that he has found at the age of 53, living in an office in the middle of a strange, industrial part of Tacoma.

final project: images

2008-12-04T00:32:00.000-08:00

final project: contact sheets

2008-12-02T18:18:00.000-08:00

2008-12-02T18:16:00.001-08:00

2008-12-02T08:01:00.000-08:00

link

2008-11-20T10:24:00.000-08:00

i like this guy's art. its kinda silly, but i appreciate that.

http://explodingdog.com/

book

2008-11-17T14:00:00.000-08:00

critical mass

2008-11-17T13:33:00.000-08:00

critical mass... i came to understand this project a lot better once i was finished. thats not to say that i would redo it, but that while i was shooting, i wasn't sure exactly what i was taking pictures of or why. i did not shoot according to any sort of standard, preconception, or definition. i shot according to what i saw as i moved around town for a couple days. i edited my images down according to which ones caught my eye first, and then which ones seemed to be connected to the others in any way. the connections may be obvious or not; conceptual or visual. in the arrangement of my images in the book, i laid them all out on the floor in my living room, there’s a definite shift from day to night and a subtle shift back to day. the arrangement is semi-chronological, but not entirely. some sort of concept or connection, which not even i can define, drives the variations from the chronological order.

critical mass: sample images

2008-11-13T15:30:00.000-08:00

critical mass

2008-11-13T15:18:00.000-08:00

i posted my critical mass pages onto my flickr account. its a really interesting way to view them. check it out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erinelizabethwegner/sets/72157608986685236/

critical mass: contact sheets

2008-11-13T15:11:00.001-08:00

mapping

2008-11-04T14:28:00.001-08:00

mapping: contact sheets

2008-11-04T14:16:00.001-08:00

singular image

2008-10-19T21:17:00.000-07:00

the singular image: contact sheets

2008-10-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

1. idolatry

2008-10-06T21:02:00.001-07:00

idolatry
i·dol·a·try (ī-dŏl'ə-trē)
-noun, plural -tries
1. the religious worship of idols.
2. excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc

idolatry of ideas, change, an idealized future, a figure.

idolatry of image, style, self, trends.

idolatry of unlimited information, facebook, technology.

1. idolatry

2008-10-06T21:00:00.000-07:00

inlfuence

2008-10-03T15:18:00.001-07:00

McClaran photographs in such an unbiased way that his subjects speak for themselves, he does not impose new ideology or identity onto his subjects. He has successfully documented many variations of the American way of life: from the unlawful racism of the Ku Klux Klan, the heart and soul of the blues in the south, to the peaceful landscape of eastern Oregon.
In his project “Angry White Men”, McClaran proceeded to explore the shifting of the political center point as well as a look into the darker side of extremists and their motivations. The series documented a group of people that included radical right American politicians, environmental extremists, Ku Klux Klansmen, anti-gay activists, and other fanatics who strive to push their own beliefs onto others.
Robbie McClaran’s photography makes a statement about the beautiful diversity of this country, and how some ought to embrace it more than they do. McClaran views each person as equal through the lens of his camera(s), and I think he makes a wonderfully artistic example for the rest of us.
In a similar fashion, I want my art to be an accurate representation of our world. Better yet, I want to obtain an accurate concept of our world for myself, and express that notion with my photography. I think McClaran does a great job of this, and that is why I chose him as my inspiration. I hope that my photography will present imagery that could change someone’s perspective from false to true, from biased to compassionate. I think that even as we observe things around us that are depraved, we must have a clear understanding that is saturated with love. We must seek the highest good of everything around us.

influence

2008-10-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Robbie McClaran...

Pete Dexter (Author)

Rev. Michael Bray (Angry White Men)

Rosie Smith & Kimberlee Reed, McGhee Arkansas (Delta Project)

New York City, 1988 (Free Drinks)

Shepard Montana, 1995 (Free Drinks)