Going Back to Church

“Tennessee Chapel” was one of the first pieces I did, it’s the first piece I ever sold, and I really like it. I like it so much, in fact, I decided to do another one.

At first glance, it’s very similar to the first, but I made some important changes.

This time, I included open doors, lights on inside, and steps leading to the church.

As I was doing this I was thinking about choices. We all make choices everyday, but I was specifically thinking about choices related to going to church, to God, and to religion.

As a youth leader, these choices have become very important to me, and I find myself thinking about them more than I’d care to admit, especially when people don’t go to church for one reason or another. Do people actively choose not to go to church? Do they just not go because it’s easier to keep doing whatever they’re doing? Do they think other things are more important? Than community? Than worship? Or do they just think that if they keep walking they’ll find something better? I have seen the overall trend in our society away from church and religion in general, and that plays into this a little too. I think I subconsciously had the road veer away from the chapel rather than leading to it, but that’s me reading more into the drawing after the fact.

I made sure to have the doors open and lights on this time when I drew the little chapel. The door is always open. Maybe not the physical doors or the physical church, but you know what I mean. Leaving a church unlocked all the time in Atlanta would be all kinds of irresponsible, but dang, that would be cool if we could. (If you have never listened to Keb’ Mo’s song“The Door”, go check it out- great song.)

Anyway, you can keep walking down the road, you can turn and walk up the slightly more difficult hill to the church/ religion/God/whatever, or maybe you walk on, turn around, and come back later. The doors will still be open. That’s the key. No matter what you choose- the church is still there. God is still there. It’s up to each of us to walk up the hill and make the choice.

Now, as I’ve always said, art is as much about the viewer as it is about the artist, and this is just what I was thinking as I made it. It’s up to you what you get from it. If you like it, check out my other stuff at www.charlesmakesart.com

Peace,

Charles