Opening

2x2
a collaborative art exhibition

July 5, 2007
5:00-8:00
Private Opening






At 5:00 we opened the NYCAMS doors for the Tribeca 2007 Collaborative show. The theme, "2x2" said on many levels what we were doing with the gallery. Two is the smallest number of people needed to collaborate. Also, the theme explained the format of most of the art in the gallery as a square, or 'two-by-two.' (get it?)





This was the first exhibition I've ever gotten to be a part of.... it was so exciting! And, by it being a show in New York City, one which accomplished artists, professors, and the public flocked to see, I feel so much more encouraged as an artist. (yes, an artist! I just called myself that!)

It was an eye-opening experience in the sense that I feel like the goals I have set for myself and for my art are actually attainable and that I really do have the potential to make a difference in the culture I live in. The whole process of creating art with a Christian worldview is exciting, challenging, scary, and humbling. Going into this summer project and continuing through the whole first week of being in New York, I was absolutely terrified. I was very aware that I was the very youngest person in the group and that my portfolio and skill level were definitely not up to par yet in the technical aspects. In my mind, this equated out to me that I was too little and inexperienced to be able to affect anything or make art that was of any value.

God blew that out of the water. And what I love the most about the changes that happened in my art and in my mind and with my friends is that is that I can't take any credit! God used me, in spite of my flaws and naivety and inexperience ... and He showed me that He is amazing, and that He is the one who gives life. God has the power to do absolutely anything... He could easily just zap the world all at once and solve every problem that ever existed, but he chooses to use us (!) to help make change!

My friend Hannah describes it this way: Picture yourself as a kid hanging out with your dad in the garage, and you're hammering nails into boards of wood. Your dad is hammering the nails so easily... one or two hits and the nail is in all the way embedded in the wood. Then he hands you a rubber hammer... the real hammer is too heavy for you to hold at your young age...

And he lets you help him hammer. He could have easily and effortlessly hammered every single nail in, but he is letting you help because he loves you and wants you to have a part in it. He wants you to be able to say that you got to help with this one... or that one over there....



I kind of feel like that's what God has been doing for me by letting me come to Tribeca... and by putting me where he has at Winthrop... or by letting me meet people here who I can hopefully continue to be friends with for a long time.