Lies Artists Believe

No one enjoys wallowing in his or her own stereotype like an artist.

Painting with large brush strokes . . .

I have worked around artists my whole life. I am an artist. I know what you say about us and I know what we allow ourselves to believe.

Artists are always late.
Artists can’t think straight.
Artists are flighty.
Artists are unorganized.
Artists are self-absorbed.
Artists have high highs and low lows.
Artists mostly have low lows.
Artists are out of control emotionally.
Artists’ passions often lead them astray.
Artists are tortured.

Wearing his or her “temperament” of shame (wrapped in pride), the artist often wanders through life discouraged, sad, and feeling misunderstood.

Disappointingly, some artists find a toxic strength in the identity of popular opinion and embrace the labels as a badge of honor. They begin to live out their self-fulfilled prophecy of a helpless and tormented soul. They become the bad girl or bad boy everyone thought they’d become--blaming indiscretions on the “way they were made.”

Some artists wave our temperament like a banner and a license of freedom to do whatever we want. On a path of self-destruction.

I’ve seen a sad trend with artists embracing the stereotype of the tortured artist as if they have a disease as opposed to a gift. As if they’ve been dealt a bad hand as opposed to a special prophetic way to heal the world.

If I hear one more male artist tell me that “every man who knocks on the door of a brothel is looking for God” I am going to punch him in the neck. I get it. You’re full of emotion. No one understands your passion. Sometimes your sex drive (masquerading as passion) gets you in trouble. But, it’s not because you are an artist. It’s because you are making stupid choices.

Artists: If you drop the ball and show up late and give an excuse like you were tortured by a dream all night and had to paint it out on canvas to the wee hours, that is not a legitimate excuse. You didn’t set your alarm. It’s your fault.

If you didn’t prepare for something because you . . .

a) forgot
b) thought you could wing it
c) haven’t prepared for anything before and everyone knows that’s just how you are . . .

Stop playing a victim. Buy a notebook. Put reminders in your phone. People may expect you to blow it but I guarantee you they don’t like it. They tolerate you. Or ignore you.

If you have high highs and low lows that’s okay. Lots of people do. But they aren’t called artists. They’re called humans. You may need medication. You may need to be in community. You may need perspective. You may need to let go of some baggage. You may be lying to yourself. You may be in denial. Maybe all of the above.

Temperaments make sense. I get it. I believe in predispositions. I empathize with being wired a certain way. I understand having a certain bent. I too feel tormented at times. I’ve had seasons of driving my self crazy with dreams. Sleepless nights. Feeling misunderstood. I’ve been mocked. I’ve made bad decisions. I’ve battled narcissism.

Owning up to all the above, offering them to God, being accountable, allowing ourselves to be edited, practicing full disclosure with loved ones, and surrounding ourselves with people we trust to help us navigate life in Jesus is the way forward.

It’s time for artists to stop constantly getting caught with our hand in the cookie jar and blaming it our natural bent towards the smell of cookies.

Two Shows This Weekend

If you live in the Jackson area, I am doing two shows with my friend Mark Cox this weekend and we'd love to see you.

Friday night 7:00--Jackson Coffee Co.

Saturday night 7:00--Cuppa (in the ART634 building).

Blessing of the Beer

Today I have been invited to pray and ask a blessing on a new brewery in town. Bad Bear Brewing is now located in the same building as Sleeping Bear Winery in Parma.

Today is their grand opening with 6 beers on tap, 2 ciders, food, live music, and what is sure to be a grand celebration.

There is an old Catholic prayer I have become fond of . . .

“Bless, O Lord, this creature beer, which thou hast deigned to produce from the fat of grain: that it may be a salutary remedy to the human race, and grant through the invocation of thy holy name; that, whoever shall drink it, may gain health in body and peace in soul. Through Christ our Lord.”

The phrase that grabs my attention is “that it may be a salutary remedy to the human race.” Something that is salutary promotes health, peace, healing, wholesomeness. This is from the same root word where the word “salute” comes from. Salute literally means “peace.”

In the military, a salute is given when the hand that is usually used to fire a weapon is raised to the brow as a sign of respect. As best we can tell, this action came about in the age of chivalry when knights would approach one another and raise their visor to expose their face and look someone in the eye as a gesture of peace while their left hand held the reigns of a horse and their right hand was far away from their sword.

It is the same concept when raising a glass of beer, wine, and spirits. Today, when we toast properly, we do the same. We hold our glass high, bless someone else, look them in the eye and pronounce peace.

It’s become customary for me and my friends to exaggerate looking into each others’ eyes when toasting. Big open eyes. Raised brows. We always laugh at this point and the exaggeration reminds us of the blessings God has given us. We promote peace over a brew. We tell stories of redemption. We enjoy God and each other.

Beer is a blessing when treated with respect. The process and the labor that goes in to making a fine beer is fascinating to me. It’s a shame that beer is sometimes about an end result of drunkenness. But, for me and my house, it is no more about drunkenness than a swim in Lake Michigan is about drowning.

So today, we will celebrate with friends, count our blessings and enjoy the fruits of labor while we pronounce peace upon one another and thank God for abundant life in Jesus.


Further reading. In case you were wondering . . .


One thing we often hear from recovering alcoholics is they appreciate Westwinds’ stance and our ability to use our influence to give people a good example of what it looks like to enjoy alcohol responsibly—to enjoy without abuse—to celebrate without sin. Perhaps this is one of the reasons Jesus turned water to wine as his first miracle. He turned perception on its head.

Some might argue it was “grape juice” or weak wine but make no mistake, in John 2 we read a clear story of the “kind” of wine he supplied. “ . . . the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." (John 2:9,10)


All Bible believing Christians agree that drunkenness is a sin. At Westwinds, we ask that everyone act according to their conscience when it comes to alcohol consumption. Because of past sin, some who have had problems with alcohol may need to abstain for fear of stumbling into old sinful habits.

For those who enjoy alcohol with biblical moderation, we recommend using discernment when providing hospitality for others who may have conscience or addiction issues. Westwinds does not sell alcohol on the premises. We do occasionally use real wine as an option during the celebration of communion. Westwinds’ staff is permitted to enjoy alcohol within the biblical guidelines.

It’s been said, “Wine is agriculture's finest artistic achievement.” We celebrate the artistry of making fine wines and alcohol. Westwinds even made it's own wine a couple of years ago--a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. We sold the wine and raised nearly $8,000.00 for arts programs in Jackson. However, it is not our goal to get people to start drinking. If you drink, do so responsibly, in good conscience, under the direction of The Spirit (as always).

Westwinds is in relationship with many recovering alcoholics and even supports/hosts multiple meetings throughout the week in connection with AA. Our official stance on alcohol has been crafted with the blessing and support of the leaders of those groups.

We look forward to the day when our Lord and Savior will prepare for us a redeemed feast with wine:

"On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation." - Isaiah 25:6-9