Continuum

A point in time, a distinct person, an artist—how disconnected one can feel if identified as simply an individual. How insignificant if he acts, creates and lives outside of any larger scheme. The Continuum is not a piecing back together of things; it is an unbroken line that connects everything. It shows not as distinct Truth, Beauty and Goodness but wholly integrated and truly inseparable. It shows the artist not alone but as a participant in the chorus of history and tradition that has preceded him, continues after him and even presently surrounds him. He becomes part of that integrated whole, the Body of Christ, and no less necessary than the hand that “does” or the mouth that “speaks”; the artist composes in Beauty both Truth and Goodness and allows for the grasping heavenward by the only appendage which can reach such heights, the imagination, and in so much displays for all to see his place in the Continuum.

The Continuum is a community of artists located in Memphis, TN. Founded in 2009, it seeks to nurture excellence for the purpose of impacting the local culture. It’s members are artists of faith who consider art and beauty as necessary to a full and complete world view.

The Mission:
The Continuum is a local community of Christian artists seeking growth through camaraderie with like-minded individuals who share a passion for the creative expression of the Imago Dei, the ability to find pleasure in the transcendent, and a desire to influence culture with culture through acts of creative excellence.

Core Values:

1. Camaraderie - Isolated individuals are despairing, ineffective and despondent; in so much we wish to connect artists that they might find the hopefulness necessary to continue to create with praise to God.
2. Excellence - We assert that quality is important: acts of excellence are acts of worship. Therefore, we despise compromise and mediocrity and promote a perpetual sharpening and growth through ongoing discussion, encouragement, nurture and constructive critique.
3. Holism - We dare to explore the blurred boundaries of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty especially as each informs and defines the other two; we believe that to diminish one is to diminish them all.
4. Influence - Art is powerful. We seek to leverage its power as a tool to rehumanize the individual, impact the community, and radically change culture and the world at large.
5. Educate - Because art and beauty are essential components of humanity and an undivided worldview, we endeavor to reveal the magnitude of each and affirm the need for a sophisticated and discerning aesthetic.
6. Patronship - We seek to support and find supporters for the arts, by offering opportunities for artists to express and expand their respective voices.

It has become increasingly evident that truly Christian artists, those who refuse to compromise either their faith in Christ or their creative, reflective natures, lack a voice both within secular culture and within the ranks of the western Church. This is in part a result of the two subcultures that the Christian artist travels and the convictions that as both a Christian and an artist, he must maintain—being both to the divine and truth as experienced. The Christian artist who is reduced to a subculture of subcultures often feels alone in his outlook on life—ostracized by the orthodoxy of each side. For such a reason and for the hopefulness found in the kinship of like-minded individuals a local Christian arts community is believed absolutely necessary to the nurturing of a uniquely Christian perspective that overspills into the culture around it with the consequence of impacting that culture in the name of God.

The Continuum has at its core the desire to foster lasting and deep relationships amongst artists from every Christian denomination and creed as well as artistic discipline both in peer and mentor based associations. These associations seek to foster creativity, innovation and growth in each respective artistic discipline as well as encourage the pursuit of artistic excellence for the purpose of expanding the voice of the artist and the Christian in the greater culture at large.

Our community focuses on being the Imago Dei especially as it relates to God as a creative, generative force—knowing that our small acts of creation reflect our ontological source and that as image bearers of God we are licensed image-makers. We regret the lost role of the Church in contributing and impacting (even directing) the world around us with our artistic sensitivities and mores—understanding that art has an influence to move the soul, speak to transcendent truths, heal, teach and unite far beyond its sometimes simple form.

We believe that the Church has abdicated its position as artistic and cultural stewards. Having become aware of the significance of that abandonment, we assert the need for the Christian irrespective of the Church to reassert himself into this arena. With awareness to the reality that such claims will require the Christian artist to fall under great scrutiny from the secular world (and Church, alike) and that the position at the table will have to be earned back, we seek to sharpen each other through ongoing discussion, encouragement and constructive critique of both method and message—neglecting neither nor raising one above the other.

We will constantly reflect on art as an act of worship before God—knowing that any impact we have on the culture around us or any acceptance by our secular brothers will be without value unless it points back to the source of meaning. To this end, worship will be a primary motivator and inspiration to our art; nonetheless, it is believed that creative license and integrity must be maintained for we are beings of worship whose every act possesses the potential to be worshipful, and as artists we are most worshipful in our creativity.

Since such freedom to express is at the very core of a community of artists, we expect to touch sensitive issues and concepts as well as produce art that to some may be offensive and at times even appear subversive. Expecting to offend we will, even so, commit ourselves to a high level of self-governance holding as our authority in everything our beliefs in God and the triumvirate universals of Beauty, Truth and Goodness as final arbiters to our artistic expressions.

Finally, it is realized that there must exist some patron of the arts to afford the time and energy required to achieve the vision we have embarked to reclaim. Our community will seek to facilitate that patronage as best as it can to provide for and encourage the continuance of Christians in art and the artist in the everyday.

The word poet we get from the Greek more precisely translated as “maker” or “creator”. How much more profound then are God’s first words spoken for us into the void and recorded by Moses in his primordial account. That first poetic utterance, “Let there be light,” did more than just paint an image with figurative language; it overran the void taking shape and substance: the idea became word, the word became reality. On that first day with that first poem He founded all poetry (and art, too) that would issue forth from His greatest poem: man. For so man is called in the New Testament, and so is man called to express God’s poetry.

Thus Adam & Eve’s thoughts were like God’s envisioning a reality to bring it into existence, to order the chaos, to extend the dominion of God through an artful, creative, ordering process. They were called to extend the confines of the garden; they were called to extend its order over the rest of the untamed world. They were called to apprenticeship in poetry to continue the work, the making, the creation (the very poetry) of God. Their inspiration, their motivation, their vision would come from participating fully in God’s revealed beauty—daily walking with Him in all His splendor. It’s presence would produce wisdom to act for God as God’s functioning hands and imagination.

Alas, the folly of our first parents! His unspoiled, undiminished beauty was hidden from us behind the many walls and curtains and veils of the tabernacle lest our sin and His holiness come into fatal contact. So, too, was Moses, his faithful servant, denied his great desire to see God face-to-face lest he too be killed, but His wake God allowed Moses to see. The wake of God’s beauty and nothing else, yet this wake was transformative! He was transformed such that the divine glory remained on his face for all to see and themselves to also become transformed by it—transformed by the wake of a wake of God’s celestial glory. So is God’s wake amongst us now: in creation and in the artist’s vision who see as Wordsworth describes “more acutely the absence of things:” an Eden that should be, God behind the mask.

It is participation with God in His full portion of glory, which was lost with Eden and shall be regained at our teleological end, that offers one hope. Beauty in its wake offers a morsel—an amuse bouche—to tantalize the soul to the feast yet to come. Beauty in its wake offers an invitation to the banquet and as such makes one deftly aware of the hunger that consumes his own belly and the poverty and famine that exists so plainly—and everywhere—around them. God has enlisted the artist to write these invitations and to prepare these morsels that generation to generation does not become inured to its own deprivation. God enlists the artist to remind constantly each of us the form of goodness and truth, their necessity, and their value. Moses cried out to God on Sinai, “Show me your glory.” And then the law: Truth and Goodness, but first the reason to abide them—His beauty in the portion that could be endured.

We see this played out again in Isaiah. In chapter 6 the prophet is confronted by the beauty of God in all of “His majestic splendor” which results in an awareness to the reality of his own condition: his unclean lips. From this encounter with beauty he knows instantly the sin of his own people, too. The outcome of these truths was missional action as an emissary of the Holy one. The artist is charged likewise to present the truth and inspire good amongst men that there be no lack of prophets—no lack of God’s messengers on earth. Plato describes the artist himself as having prophetic purpose when he wrote:

There is a divinity moving him, like that contained in the stone which Euripides calls a magnet. This stone not only attracts iron rings, but also imparts to them a similar power of attracting other rings; and sometimes you may see a number of pieces of iron and rings suspended from one another so as to form quite a long chain: and all of them derive their power of suspension from the original stone. In like manner the Muse first of all inspires men herself; and from these inspired persons a chain of other persons is suspended. (Plato, Ion)

The artist in his craft imitates God in his creative acts, fulfills his primal calling through it, prophesizes, motivates, inspires, and demonstrates to us reality. Without the artist, God’s ordained messenger of his glory, the mask which hides God’s beauty from us might be too impenetrable to prevent despair. The artist’s calling is immense, deep, profound and essential as he discloses to his brethren his personal encounters with the splendor of God. The artist reminds constantly of forgotten glory.

To be considered for membership in the Continuum, an artist must have been practicing for a minimum of five years—preferably in a single discipline. Additionally, a portfolio is required which should be compiled and presented considering the following guidelines:

• Include work that spans at least four (4) years of creative life
• With a minimum of five (5) but no more than ten (10) pieces¹
• Use video or recordings if applicable (i.e. performance art)
• A single paragraph (more if necessary) explaining the significance of each submitted piece with details specific to why each piece was selected
• Any publishing credits, awards, etc.
• Any community involvement especially emphasizing art as the vehicle of service

The artist is also asked to answer the following questions:²

• What do truth, beauty, and goodness mean to you as concepts, and, more specifically how do they relate to your own art?
• How do you envision that membership within the Continuum will benefit both you and its members?
• Briefly describe the influence of your faith as it applies to the practice and creation of your art. Is the person of Christ relevant to you as an artist and, if so, how?³

Submit your application for consideration with any questions to jimallman@continuumarts.com or mail to 63 S. Alicia Dr., Memphis, TN 38112.

1. We will consider a single work if substantial (i.e. a published book), though excerpts of other pieces may be requested.
2. The selection panel may request additional information or desire some follow up.
3. Be concise, but consider 500 to 1000 words as a target.