Whilst in the grip of the icy polar vortex, I pulled out spring colors and experimented with a new painting medium. I chose these particular colors to remind me that there is indeed hope that spring will eventually come.

In the past, I’ve worked in pastels and in oils on linen. Now, I’m playing with acrylic on ClaybordTM. Parts of the painting worked, and some parts didn’t. With the help of a table saw, I created several smaller paintings.

Recently, there was a call for small paintings with a garden theme from IAM – International Arts Movement – to help fund new programming. The auction is April 23 during Ruby Garden Dreams with T. S. Poetry Press. The event is in honor of National Poetry Month, and is an evening of music, poetry, and art. The auction tickets are available for $40 – first come first serve basis. Each auction ticket holder will take home one piece per ticket. I have sent a couple of the paintings to them.

If you find yourself in NYC in April, stop in Space 38|39 for the evening. Their address is International Arts Movement 38 West 39th Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10018. The space is in the heart of Manhattan.

To view the online catalog and to purchase a ticket for the raffle, go to http://www.internationalartsmovement.org/art-auction-catalogue-2014/

Christians should be those least threatened of all by new artistic ideas, by experimenta-tion, by taking risks, by looking at and enjoying what the other side has to say. If indeed our feet are solidly rooted on truth itself, we are those who can look the world in the eye with confidence, pleasure, fulfill-ment. - Franky Schaeffer, Addicted to Mediocrity: 20th Century Christians and the Arts.

Experimentation can be scary. I certainly thought so when I was younger and starting out my art career. Experimentation meant I didn't know. It lead to messes and potential disaster. In some areas of my life the fear of experimentation led to a sort of reverse perfectionism. If I couldn't do something perfectly or even well, why even start?

The root of this aversion to experimentation – in art, in life, in meeting God – could be found in my early church experiences as a new believer. I was trained to know. To know scripture (for which I am very grateful), to know about God, to know how to effectively share your faith (any slip ups could send someone straight to hell), to know certain doctrines, to know a particular theology. It was all very cognitive. Any natural leanings I might have had toward a more mystic experience of God were viewed with alarm and dire warnings of emotionalism and being deceived.

Looking back, it's amazing God and I didn't give up on each other. To be honest, I did give up on God for awhile. It would be better expressed to say I gave up on His people and I sort of drifted away from community.

Somewhere along the way, a deep stirring started. No doubt it was stirred by God Himself. I was not going to be satisfied with just knowing about God – I was going to experience Him.

And so, my life of experimentation began. Experimenting in prayer, experimenting in seeing God in every moment, experimenting with books such as Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas to see how other people with different faith walks encountered God.

Now, I'm experimenting in the studio. Today I'm experimenting with a painting process I learned from Julie Quinn (http://www.juliequinnstudio.com/ ). I'm using elements of that process to create works that express fire. Last week I started a couple panels with less than satisfying results. Here's the thing I find interesting. Rather than feeling upset that I'm not getting the results I want, I'm finding the experimentation and discovery are fun.

Finally.