Mormon Artist

What are our unique challenges and opportunities as Mormon artists? Where can we find compelling stories of light?

I think these are some really difficult questions. I believe that being an artist of any kind presents unique challenges and opportunities based upon one's situation. There is a difference I think, between being a Mormon artist and an artist who is Mormon, depending on how you want to look at it. To be an artist who happens to be Mormon may do different work than a "Mormon artist"... While a Mormon artist doesn't have to limit their artistic work to paintings of Christ and the pioneers, I think their art should allow for the Spirit, whatever it is they are creating. One really cool thing about following the strict morals of the church is that we as members of the Church as somewhat forced to learn to express ourselves abstractly. My best friend goes to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. So much of the art I've seen by her classmates is in many cases very explicitly sexual. In my opinion, it is distasteful. I believe that it requires more skill and insight to depict these natural and universal sexual emotions in ways that are more subtle and inoffensive.

On the other hand, it is my honest opinion, no matter how blasphemous, that I have felt the Spirit 100x stronger during certain R or PG-13 movies than I ever have in Sunday School. However, it is important to remember to look at these films as individuals and not just by their rating. An average Mormon may avoid such ratings, however I believe that as members of the church, we should look beyond what we are presented with and attempt to find the good in everything (within reason). There is no reason a beautiful, compelling, and thought provoking movie cannot be a story of light just because it wasn't made by Disney. The same goes for many other types of art. I think that it goes unsaid that painting for example, depicting the unclothed human form is not inherently bad because it is a blatant display of nudity. Instead, I believe art in any form can be a tremendous way for us to grow in our testimonies. Instead of approaching naked bodies as purely taboo because of sexual implications, we should marvel at the beauty, complexity, and Godliness of the human form. We can find stories of light anywhere we look. I think it can be especially good to step outside our comfort zones. While i think members of the Church tend to want to stay pure and sheltered, I think it is important to experience what life really is like. For example, I heard a story about a Bishop who loved the book Madame Bovary because it taught him so much about adultery and other such misfortunes in life. It made it so that when members of the ward would come to talk to him, he was better prepared and informed and better able to help them through their problems. Art works in ways that help us experience things we would never want to actually experience in real life. We can still take home the lessons learned through others' mistakes without actually having to make the mistakes ourselves. We become more empathetic, loving, and understanding of others the more we involve the arts in our lives. Anything can become a story of light if we are open to learning and progression.