Christian Artist

Affluence

 

10/12/06

"Grafted in"

Grafted In: photo media by Jennifer Phillips While in Berrima for a photo shoot for a multicultural exhibition called "Affluence", I saw a double headed tap for the first time. I thought it was a great symbol for affluence. Most taps have one spout for the water but this one had two! So I took a photo of it. At home I took more photos of taps and water and grafted them on adding flowing streams in Photoshop. The taps were great symbols for the Christian church, a new branch grafted into God's family, with the water of the Holy Spirit flowing through. I began to think that this was no longer suitable for the exhibition, but when I looked up the definition of "affluent" I was surprised how well my image portrayed it: "flowing freely" and "tributary stream flowing into a larger one" "profusion" (Garmonsway. G. N., 1969, The Penguin English Dictionary Revised Edition).

"No longer separated into groups of foreigners and people of God, male nor female, but all are made one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28

"Affluent"

Affluent: photo media by Jennifer Phillips I decided to make another image showing the waters of Judaism and Christianity flowing into one larger pool - part of an ocean (The majesty of God filling everything like a great ocean) with one tap spraying the water out, visually paraphrasing the bible - no longer two groups, God's people and foreigners, but all one in Christ. A multicultural pool created with a profusion of photos - a multi photo collage. Affluence! But sometimes we are like a rusty watering can not making the most of our resources.

"For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge (including that gained visually) of the manna, the prestige and weightiness of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea." Paraphrased from Habakkuk 2:14
"I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream." Isaiah 66:12


The Lolly Tree

Choice is Sweet: photo media by Jennifer Phillips While in Berrima I also saw a shop full of sweets, a profusion of colour organized and constrained in lines of jars. Many lollies in one jar. Many jars on one shelf. Many shelves in one shop. A multitude to satisfy desires beyond the basic needs. It amazed me. It sprang thoughts of how affluent we are - so many lollies to choose from. It reminded me of the church - a multicoloured treat. I thought that being affluent meant having the wealth and resources that create a wider range of choices, having an abundance of choices and the freedom to choose. It was like a lolly tree with jars of lollies peeling off like bark. I came across the following bible verse and I felt as though I was in that place: "He enticed you from the narrow mouth of distress, into a broad place with no constraints - freedom; and spread out before you a table full of fatness, giving you an abundance of food to choose from." Job 36:16
Having an abundance of choices and a free will is not only like a river flowing freely but it is also like ribbons and leaves dangling in the wind. I shaped the tree like a wine glass to use as a symbol of affluence and a reminder that even our affluence comes from God. When we drink from the communion cup we remember Christ - the grape voice wining and warning. God's word is sweeter than lollies. His word builds the tree of life in us and choosing to heed it paradoxically, gives us the greatest freedom. Choice is a sweet blessing

"Light is sweet" Ecclesiastes 11:7
"God answered me with freedom" Psalm 118:5


Please Sir Can I have Some More

Please Sir can I have Some More: photo media by Jennifer Phillips While at Lake Bathurst for a photo shoot I saw an old stamp vendor and gold pan - Empty, discarded, and rusty. The trappings of a past communication and income generation method have become technological waste products of our consumer habits. I thought of Dicken's Oliver, who was hungry because of the greed of those in more powerful positions and thought that the things we value can be as temporary as a ribbon blowing in the wind. and whether hungry or not we still want more, more, more. Today's treasure may be tomorrows trash so what should we who are affluent value most?

 

Exhibitions showing some or all of the above works

Affluence Art Exhibition 2007

Disposable - A f f l u e n c e Travelling Art Exhibition

Kings Art Exhibition 2016

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