In Action
Daniel
Palmer is a fourteen-year-old home schooler and professional
artist! He has sold approximately twenty to thirty watercolor
paintings, many to restaurants who display them in their
restaurants all across the state of Texas.
Daniel began art lessons six years ago with oil painting. His
parents saw his God-given talent and provided room for it to grow.
After several years, through trial and error and much hard work
and study, he taught himself how to paint watercolor.
Because he is a big baseball and football fan, he began to
pattern his pictures after sports artist Dan Smith, painting his
favorite sports figures in action-especially baseball Ranger Will
Clark. He got his guide pictures from the editor of his
newspaper, Sports Illustrated, the library, and various
other easily accessible sports sources. People who have seen
his work comment on his extraordinary ability to make his subjects
appear so lifelike. His biggest achievement was when Applebees
asked him to do five watercolors for them to put in their
restaurants; He wants to continue painting stars like Nolan Ryan
(see picture) and perhaps go to art school after graduation.
Pantomime
Not
many people really know what pantomime is, but those who do
know how challenging and fun it can be. This beautiful form of
silent expression has graced the secular arts community for many
years, but now if has moved into the Christian arena in a new and
exciting way. Todd Farléy, a graduate of Marcel Marceau’s
school of mime in Paris, and his wife Marilyn (who was also a
student of the great mime master) have begun a ministry of
evangelistic mime called Mimeistry. Based in St. Louis, they hold
workshops and travel on performing fours during the summer.
During the winter, they teach mime at The Centre, a conservatory
of Christian arts just outside of St. Louis. If you would like
more information about Mimeistry or would like to receive their
newsletter-the Mimeograph-write them at: Mimeistry,
1555 Derhake Road, Florissant, Missouri 63033.
To find out about the Centre, use the same address, but replace
“Mimeistry’ with “The Centre Attn. Toni Helmers”
or call 314-839-3322.
Home
Schoolers Come Blow Your Horn
When
people discover you are a home schooler, they probably tell you
that you must be missing out on all the fun-graduation, prom,
sports, band, or orchestra. After all, home schools are too small
to do anything fun-right? NOT! If you have access to
any of the first three, they’re probably arranged by your
local home-school group. But even if there isn’t a single
musical home schooler in your area, don’t give up! There are’
probably several nearby musical groups that would love to include
a musician like you.
Colleges, universities, and junior colleges are the best places
to start. If they’re within driving distance, so much the
better; but even if the college is ~oo miles away, they can
provide you with valuable information. Call the switchboard or
the music department and ask for the name and number of a music
instructor or ensemble director that could help you. Large
universities sometimes sponsor youth orchestras, conducted by one
of their music majors. Small colleges and junior colleges are
always eager to allow junior high and high school students to
fill the gaps in their ensembles, bands, and orchestras. Even if
the college you call doesn’t have its own orchestra,
remember that the instructor you talk to is likely to know about
bands or orchestras in your area. Also ask for information about
summer music camps. Large colleges frequently host or sponsor
music camps throughout the summer, which you can attend as a
commuter or resident. Even if the college doesn’t host
anything relevant to your situation, the music faculty probably
receives mailings about events or groups in the area that are
open.
If you play a band instrument, private or public schools may
offer the widest, and closest option. Private schools’
musical groups are typically small, and many principals (and
conductors) are glad to allow you to participate for the same
fee they charge their students. Several months ago a home school
friend of my brother’s played his trumpet at an Anderson
University basketball game as part of the Liberty Christian
School pep band. Public schools have widely varying policies on
home-schooler participation. Unless your school district is known
for causing home schoolers trouble, they’re worth a phone
call.
What
if orchestras or bands take too much time, or cost too much
money? You can still gain some public playing experience by
volunteering your time at a nursing or retirement home. Gather a
few friends (it’ll make you less nervous, plus ensemble
experience is valuable) and phone a home’s Activities
Director to set up a good time to play. Many will be thrilled to
have a new idea and activity to put on the calendar, and the
residents (especially those at retirement homes) enjoy the
opportunity-if only to see a few friendly new faces. When I
played at retirement homes, I found that many of the resident
ladies used to be piano teachers and were delighted to hear live
music again.
So next time someone says you are missing out on band or
orchestra because you are not in public school, you don’t
have to agree with them! Instead, you can tell them, “There
are so many musical opportunities, I have a hard lime choosing
among them all!” -by Kara Griffith
Editors
Note: Some cities have local orchestras or bands that give public
performances year round. To find out if there is one in your
area, you might try the city’s chamber of commerce or a
local activities or convention center.
Did
you know?
British
hymnwriter, Isaac Watts, one of the greatest hymnwriters of all
time, accepted Christ as his Savior at age fourteen. After he
graduated from college, he became dissatisfied with the church’s
hymns, many of which were unbiblical and disrespectful to God.
Isaac and his brother began to, talk of producing their own
hymnal. Their father scoffed at the idea and finally challenged
them, saying, “if our hymns are so bad, let’s see you
write better.” Isaac accepted the challenge and the next
week wrote “Behold the Glory of the Lamb”. For the next
four and a half years he wrote a hymn a week. His greatest hymns
include “0, God Our Help in Ages Past”, “When I
Survey the Wondrous Cross”, “Jesus Shall Reign”,
and the classic Christmas song, “Joy to the World”.
After his death, Isaac Watts became known as “the Father of
English Hymnology.” -by Rebecca Lynette Wells
Our
Purpose
The
purpose of the Music and the Arts Task Force is to inform teens
about music, dance, art, and opportunities to develop, the
talents God has given them. We want to equip young people to take
back the arts for the Ultimate Creator. In the words of one
of our Task Force members, Heidi Reimer, “The world uses and
abuses the arts for its own glory and in ways that mock God. It
has a way of taking God’s beautiful gifts and perverting
them. As disciples of Jesus, we’ve got to strive to do all
to the glory of God.” In the Music & Arts Section we’ll
highlight young people using their artistic abilities. We’ll
also review the work of great Christian artists and musicians. As
an editorial staff, we have decided that at this point we will
not review contemporary Christian music. We believe there are
many other fine sources for these types of reviews, and we can
use our energy most effectively by focusing on exploring the many
other forms of expression that are sometimes over-looked.