Van Gogh’s Irises, which he painted while committed to an asylum, started out violet but turned blue over time. The red he used (the color associated with madness) is gone, and all we see is the purity of the primary color associated with peace. Where his life as an artist began (optimism) looked so different from where it ended (despair). But where people’s view of him as an artist was when he died (madness) looks so different from how his life is regarded today (brilliance).

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We all want to improve our craft, bring better visions to life, and find joy in the process—but too often creativity feels fraught with friction. Creative work can feel like a grind, a gamble, a hustle, or a lonely shout in a noisy room. But it doesn’t have to. This session explores five surprising shifts that can renew your creative practice through stories of rest, resilience, and community. We’ll uncover how ordinary rhythms and small choices can open the door to a deeper, more sustainable creative life.

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If you’ve grown bored with church feeling like five pop songs and a Ted Talk, you’re not alone. The church has lost its way. The songs, prayers and practices from generations of Christians before have much to teach us about the kind of Jesus-following life we don’t often see in our world today. Through them, we learn things like stillness, loving our enemies, grieving and forgiving—becoming Christlike people of mercy, joy and love.

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In this conversation, John explores the challenges in illustrating, adapting, and interpreting scripture in a visual form. Using the Holy Ghost comics, his picture book retellings of Bible stories, and his Sunday
sketchbook practice, John will highlight and explore the dangers and opportunities of adaptation. Expanding beyond an audience of those who regularly make art, he’ll discuss cultivating a regular practice of drawing for the non-artist.

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Tolkien famously described world history as a “long defeat,” since human efforts to overcome evil are ultimately doomed to failure. But the gospel still offers hope because of Christ’s ultimate victory. Endo’s novel, Silence, depicts the crushing challenges of bringing the gospel to Japan; Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev buckled under the horrors of Stalin’s Soviet regime and expresses his pain through his 7th Symphony. However, in different ways, both articulate hope against the odds.

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Playing happens in boundaries. Whether it’s poetry, the playground, or praying the Psalms: things get interesting when we explore the edges. Come hear from Bowser Hutson and Sophie Killingley as they kick around a main idea from their upcoming Play Book.

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Far from being an escape from reality, art can be an invitation to align with reality, both for the maker and the recipient. But developing a taste for reality requires both courage and good cheer. The life of Saint Lawrence, patron saint of comedians, will provide a starting point for a discussion of courage, humor, holiness, and creativity.

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Do you write, sing, play music, paint, sculpt, dance, etc., but you’re afraid to say you’re an artist? You are not alone! Hear from panelists who have struggled themselves with owning their artistry and still struggle sometimes. Bring questions and expect diverse answers, knowing we are in this together, figuring this thing out called artistry.

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Oxford is brimming with stories and rousing conversations that shaped the works of people like C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. For the last 4 1/2 years, Sally Clarkson has immersed herself in these stories and historical moments while living there and working with people from all over the world. She will share anecdotes from Lewis and wisdom gathered from experiences in Oxford, drawing from her newest book, Well Lived, a photographic journal of Oxford.

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Ned will draw from Leslie’s writings in her recent book Tiny Thoughts That I’ve Been Thinking, his book with Stephen Roach called Naming the Animals, and a lifetime of obsessive naming of things to consider why naming matters and why we should invest our time and creativity into not leaving any of our work “untitled”.

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