Mediocrity versus Beauty

Over at her Tumblr blog, singer/songwriter Audrey Assad weighs in on beauty, truth and creating great art. If you’re familiar with her songs, you know Audrey has a way with words. Her blog writing is no exception. This passage was my favorite:

“Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel is regarded as one of the world’s greatest works of art. Even it, in all its beauty, falls short of God’s Beauty. You cannot help but admit, though, that in its brilliance it assists the human heart in transcending this world and glimpsing the next. We’re not all going to be Michelangelo (I’m dang well sure I won’t be) but we can work like mad to make something really, really good. I daresay that in our “GOD IS DEAD” society, Goodness and Beauty have a crucial role to play in converting the world to Him, alongside Truth. So we definitely shouldn’t settle for mediocrity in our work. Ever, ever, ever…whether we plumb toilets or paint portraits. I fully plan on continuing to make art. But I am feeling a kick in the pants..a deep-seated need to be working much harder and doing better things. No time for putzing around in a muddle of ease and jargon…”

While I’m on the topic of creating great art, I want to draw attention to the Act One Program in Hollywood which helps Christians do just that. They’re the “premier training program for Christians pursuing a career in the mainstream entertainment industry.” I’ve referenced Act One before in a number of articles because they do admirable work that reflects the Christopher approach of lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness. Their current tagline for their summer screenwriting and producing programs is “Become a Better Filmmaker: Change the Industry, the Culture, the World.” Applications are due April 30th.

In addition, Act One is holding its 2nd Annual Screenplay Competition. If you’re an aspiring screenwriter or know anyone who is, you can find more information on Act One’s website.