Inspiration can originate from within the most basic sensations or the deepest horrors. Makoto Fujimura, a world renowned painter, studied the traditional Japanese Nihonga technique in Tokyo. A creator of semiabstract art, he also integrates his Christian faith into his words and works. His book Refractions contains a series of his personal essays and speeches. They address a variety of topics, including Christianity’s relation to art, creative processes, and the impact of September 11, 2001 within the art world, as well as the broader culture. As Makoto Fujimura lived in close proximity to the World Trade Center on that day of tragedy, a majority of the book deals with the aftermath of the collapse of the towers. He had to evacuate
…show more content…
Many essays would begin by announcing that an artist friend had recently died or would pose a question about the definition of art or its relation to faith. Yet at the end of each section, the author had related his subject to Christianity in a simple way while providing hope for all creators of art, usually including some spectacular imagery. He also integrates his Japanese-American heritage into the book. This is accomplished by discussing the special artistic program in which he participated in Tokyo, the construction of the traditional washi paper used in Japanese art, and the comparison of the metals he uses in his Nihonga paintings with the streets of heaven. The first page of each section also includes a picture of a work of art, most of them his, to add a visual component to his …show more content…
Usually with writing, I simply wait for the impulse to strike me, and I must write down what comes quickly or the impulse may escape. Sometimes I listen to music, allowing the emotions arising with the notes to guide me, but such a technique usually works best with painting, as lyrics can distract when attempting to compose individual words. Watching a movie, reading, swimming, a church service, and even the act of painting itself can trigger inspiration for written works so long as I begin shortly after their conclusion to retain the feeling. Occasionally, even the darkness of my own depressed feelings can awaken the feeling that I must write, though such experiences often produce more angst and darkness within the
Many essays would begin by announcing that an artist friend had recently died or would pose a question about the definition of art or its relation to faith. Yet at the end of each section, the author had related his subject to Christianity in a simple way while providing hope for all creators of art, usually including some spectacular imagery. He also integrates his Japanese-American heritage into the book. This is accomplished by discussing the special artistic program in which he participated in Tokyo, the construction of the traditional washi paper used in Japanese art, and the comparison of the metals he uses in his Nihonga paintings with the streets of heaven. The first page of each section also includes a picture of a work of art, most of them his, to add a visual component to his …show more content…
Usually with writing, I simply wait for the impulse to strike me, and I must write down what comes quickly or the impulse may escape. Sometimes I listen to music, allowing the emotions arising with the notes to guide me, but such a technique usually works best with painting, as lyrics can distract when attempting to compose individual words. Watching a movie, reading, swimming, a church service, and even the act of painting itself can trigger inspiration for written works so long as I begin shortly after their conclusion to retain the feeling. Occasionally, even the darkness of my own depressed feelings can awaken the feeling that I must write, though such experiences often produce more angst and darkness within the