It’s A Masterpiece!

It’s a Masterpiece!

Impressionism. Symbolism. Cubism. If you’re a fan of modern art (and who doesn’t love a good abstract now and then), you can thank the organizers of the Armory Show of 1913. It was the first major US exhibition of works from that experimental period, which lasted from the 1860s to the 1970s. This landmark event opened in New York City on February 15 and featured paintings and sculptures by soon-to-be famous artists such as Renoir, Monet, Cézanne, van Gogh, and—for the first time in the United States—Pablo Picasso.

You may be surprised to know how much some of Picasso’s paintings have fetched at auction or private sale. Femme aux Bras Croisés: $55 million. Dora Maar au Chat: $$952 million. And for his Garçon à la Pipe, a collector paid $$1042 million! Is any painting worth that much money? One thing’s for sure: if someone discovered an ashtray Picasso made for his mom in third grade, it would sell for a fortune too. Not because it was a masterpiece, but because it was made by Picasso!

Indeed, we tend to assign value to art based on the one who created it. Think about that. Who is the greatest artist ever, the one whose work has inspired every artist to come after him? Here’s a hint: he set the universe in motion, created birds and trees, and continues to do miracles today. A gallery is too puny to showcase his marvelous works. More incredible than any mere rendering of nature, God designed the universe from scratch and continues to reveal himself as the grand artist to this day. That makes everything he creates of infinite worth . . . including you, which he describes as “very good” (Genesis 1:31)!

Sometimes we can question our value. Things happen to us. Someone makes a rude comment. We make mistakes. But you are a precious masterpiece worth more than any Picasso. You are God’s creation. As David says in Psalm 139:14, “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”

Daddy-Daughter Time

Dads treasure the drawings and crafts made by their children. Reminisce about special projects or refrigerator art you’ve shared over the years. Does one piece stand out? Why? Have you ever created a unique work of art? Why is it so meaningful?

Get artistic together and make something for Mom. It could be as simple as a bookmark, as practical as jewelry, or a masterpiece of your own design.

What’s The Word?

God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!   Genesis 1:31