In the past twenty-four hours, Eric Peters, Jennifer Trafton, Andrew Peterson, and Pete Peterson (along with quite a few others) all saw this video and said, “That belongs on the Rabbit Room!” Rightly so. Therefore we commend to you the following short. It’s also worth your time to check out the artist’s website at JakeWeidmann.com.
Forging the Future with the Tip of the Pen from This Is Our City on Vimeo.
11 Comments
Rob Collins
What a great video and message!
Looks a like an awesome person to invite to Hutchmoot 😉
Seriously though, I didn’t know that master penmen existed. I think he’s right though, to create is to connect to the creator.
Canaan Bound
“I believe that we are all created in the image of God and that we don’t only bear His image in the way that we think, the way that we act, and the emotions that we have, but in our desire to create. I believe that the things that God impresses upon us, and the things that we find we are passionate about, He was first passionate about. So I see this passion in me to create is the most intimate way that I know God.”
Beauty and Truth. Thanks for sharing, Jake and RR. Will be passing this one along.
Gillian
That is amazing. Such beautiful work.
“So I see this passion in me to create is the most intimate way that I know God.” So true. We create in imitation of the Creator.
Nathan Clarke
Thanks for sharing this. It was real privilege to work with Jake on this piece – it’s always great to work with people that are both talented and thoughtful. You might also be interested in this video we created that explores similar topics (and includes Wendell Berry quotes) https://vimeo.com/43372675
Holly
So breathtakingly beautiful!
I appreciate his message so much as one who deeply loves art that flows from a pen. It is saddening to see the lack of care that my generation gives to handwriting when there is that deeply personal connection in handwriting,
This has refueled my passion to become more like the image of God, our creator, by again creating with the tip of my pen.
JON SLONE
Fascinating.
Beautiful.
Informative.
I learned something new by watching this, that of the whole master penman thing. Engrossing to be sure.
“The pen is attractive to me because of what happens just at the tip of it. You get one shot! And what happens there is permanent!”
So true. So well said.
I illustrate as well and that is exactly the way it is. This Jake fellow said SO much in so few words.
Zack
Astounding work throughout. The piece with the ship on a sea of poetry took my breath away.
Walt
I appreciated the description of practice early in the video — saying that he will fill a page with one letter so that when it comes time to write that letter in a piece of artwork it can be executed without thought; the letter form becomes part of his self-expression.
As a classically trained musician, I can relate to this — the reason that I practice scales over and over again is so that when scale passages appear in music I can play them without worrying about the notes. With the technique taken care of through hours of practice, I can focus on expression and beauty in those passages.
Another wonderful calligraphy project/resource is the St. John’s Bible project: http://www.saintjohnsbible.org/ An astoundingly beautiful hand-written and illuminated Bible. It is worth seeing.
Pete T
I rarely write by hand anymore, but when I do I am shocked at how slow I write these days and how abysmal my penmanship is. Maybe that’s why this part stood out to me: “If we abdicate everything to the machines we create, then what we are doing is creating a sterile world that is void of human influence.”
Jake Weidmann
Thank you RR and for all who commented here. It was such an honor and a blessing to have Christianity Today feature my work with artistry of their own in filming. It is so encouraging to hear the feedback and the message of God in my heart confirmed in all of yours! Thank you again!
Peter B
Pete T: yes. This made me want to put away the keyboard and take up a pen.
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