Congratulations to Mark Montoya, our winner! Go to the Tapestry page to read the interview. Thank you to our other participants. You can see their work on the Creativity Page under recent posts.

 
The winner of the Living Offerings, Living Temples contest is Mark Montoya, Polyurethane Tessellation Artist!  Mark's work is unlike anything I've seen, it is truly captivating and unique.
 
SBE:  Congratulations Mark! When did you become interested in visual art? How and where did you receive your education/training in art and this unique art form?
 
MM:  Thank you for selecting me as your winner.  I appreciate the honor. Being an artist is the first thing that I ever said that I wanted to be, probably around 4 or 5 years old.  I first started working with the polyurethane resins when I was working on a business related project while in engineering graduate school.  Once I learned the basics of handling and processing the material, I created the specific art processes on my own.
 

Sol, 55 piece cast polyurethane tessellation, approx. 30" diameter, copyright 2012 Mark Montoya
 
SBE: Tell us a little about these pieces.
 
MM: These pieces represent aspects of Father's divine creation. When I started creating these tessellations I was doing it with square/rectangular grid patterns. While the results were good, as I did more work I decided to try out some hexagonal grid patterns. These patterns definitely inspired me more and I think that there are multiple reasons why. The hex grid is much more natural than a square grid. Squares really don't happen much naturally. They aren't very strong structurally and I think they limit human imagination and attachment to the natural environment that we were created to live in bodily. Hex patterns are found in molecules. They are triangular and strong. They make the creation of fractal patterns much easier which makes sense in that I believe that His universe is fractal in its nature, and that the more we understand this the more and better that we can understand Him and His creation. The patterns are consistent in everything and repeat on all scales from the subatomic to the universal. This is the pattern of the Star of David, the pattern of His universe and of His strength.
 
Sol is simply an abstract representation of our sun. Sol, is one of the accepted names of the heart of our solar system. The solar system scale of creation is massive compared to our planet, but tiny compared to the galaxy. Galaxy 960 is an abstract image of the next higher level of pattern and order in His creation.

 
SBE:  Where do your concepts come from? Are there any you'd like to explore which you haven't yet?
 
MM:  I would say that most of my concepts seem to come from somewhere else outside of me, which I would have to attribute to inspiration from the Holy Spirit in that most concepts just come easily and often instantaneously. Truly, one of the biggest challenges is getting as close as I can to the images that I see in my mind. Everything always looks better in my mind than in the final outcome. I have had to learn to accept what I imperfectly create compared to the near perfect images in my mind so as to not be too hard on myself.  I have too many ideas to count that I haven't explored.
 
 
SBE:  To you, what is the connection between art and faith?
 
MM:  I see art as a direct result of being created in Father's image. He is the ultimate creator, and our creator, and if we were created in His image then we are creators too. And we can be creators of many different things in our lives artwork being just one. In Father's way and timing, this work all predates my study of Torah, but is still relevant in that it was based on His creation, His universe.
 

Spiral Galaxy 960, 960 piece cast polyurethane tessellation suspended in copper frame, approx. 30" diameter, Copyright 2012 Mark Montoya
 
SBE:  How would you like to see art shared for God's glory?
 
MM:  I would like to see the various hidden/lost/forgotten/undeveloped talents in people come forth and shine. I think often the harsh realities of life beat the wonderful gifts out of individuals and much potential is lost. When a person can operate in their gifts, everything becomes easier, life flows better, faith becomes easier, I think, because life just makes more sense and feels better.
 
 
SBE:  What encouragement would you give other artists of faith?
 
MM: I would encourage artists of faith to really have faith in the visions and your God given ability to make the visions a reality. If you weren't capable of making an artistic vision a reality, would He have given you the vision? I would also encourage artists to push the boundaries in your art. Do things that you haven't seen other artists do before. Create techniques, create new media, create a unique artistic experience for others to share!
 
SBE: Thanks for your participation and your time, Mark. May God continue to richly bless you.
 
If you would like to reach Mark, his email is
 

coloradomonty(remove spaces) @ gmail .com

Tonight is the last night of the Festival of Lights/Dedication. Thanks for joining me for this series on the cleansing of our temple (heart and mind) and becoming a living offering through prayer.
 
 
 
John 5:1-8 and Numbers 7:1
 
The mikveh, or submersion in water, is practiced for spiritual cleansing. It is where baptism came from. The primary purpose of the act is to receive a status change. One man, like all of us at some point, desperately needed one but had to get his toes wet first:
 
The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. (John 5:7)
 
When my status is changed by my Father, I sometimes go back to sitting by the pool on my mat of doubt thinking, What if it didn't take? What if I'm not ready? I need better directions. I've tried this before and failed. It's been a while now...are You still there? It probably won't work.
 
My Father is supernaturally patient with me.
 
Instead, I want to jump to my feet, roll up my doubt, and walk...no, run away from that pool with a new status: completely healed of my doubt! I want to dash across the way with abandon, zealously sprint into the outer court, slow as I approach the inner sanctuary, and confidently proceed right into His Holy of Holies...
through creativity,
through prayer,
through worship,
through relationships,
with my whole life.
 
Here in the Inner Chamber, I can hear Him best. I am the offering and He is the High Priest. The sweet aroma of my best intentions rises to Him. He knows how to burn off the inpurities; He already atoned for them. Here we meet, face to face, and I am unashamed about my past as I step into the pool of my future. I am cleansed and consecrated for His use.
 
Now it came to pass, when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, that he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; so he anointed them and consecrated them. (Numbers 7:1 NKJV)
 
He assembles my past, present, and future into His perfection. He removes the rough edges, all the mistakes, the worthless, and fits my experiences together to form a masterpiece of Sovereignty.
 
 
Sol, a fifty-five piece cast polyurethane tessellation, approx. 30" diameter
by Mark Montoya
 
Happy Chanukah from SBE!
 
 
 

My Daddy's the Biggest
Obadiah 1:1-21
 
Did your father, close relative, or friend ever come to your defense? Was there someone there to pick you up, dust you off, and wrap you in a protective embrace?
 
When my eyes looked over this passage in the Word, an image of my Heavenly Father in front of me on a playground popped into my head. His Presence towered over the monkey bars, and with one imposing step forward, the mean kids shot off in all directions! Then He turned back to me, picked me up off the ground, dusted my knees off, and cradled me gently.
 
When we do all we can to walk this walk and take a tumble anyway, it is good to know that He will make it right.
 
Verse seventeen reads, “But on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, And there shall be holiness;...”
 
You've got this one, Dad...
 
in my heart, my "temple", my world, and in the world arena.
 
Can I hold Your hand all the way home?
 
 
 

Genesis 34 and 35
 
Have you been violated emotionally? Perhaps physically or intellectually? Did the violation happen to someone you love? How did you respond?
 
Dinah was violated. Her brothers were rightfully angry then took manners into their own hands. This placed Jacob's whole family in danger. God faithfully intervened, and Jacob responded with obedience which led to deliverance.
 
Easy to read but tough to do in the face of great offense.
 
Is bitterness or a lack of forgiveness polluting your temple? Can you trust Him to deliver you? There are residual offenses from years past which keep trying to scurry into my temple through the shadows. I have to smash them with a broom and sweep them out again with a Word from my King's Constitution. To prevent re-entry, my discernment must be vigilant, or they multiply faster than dust bunnies in Colorado.
 
And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” (Genesis 35:2-3 NKJV)
 
Ouch. Whether I want to admit it or not, there are also little magnetic idols which try to operate in my life. They have never answered me in my distress, only He has. Only He has been with me in the way which I have gone, and never forsaken me.
 
It's time to get rid of the grudges and the idols, purify my temple, and change my garments. It's time to put on the garment of praise and decorate my soul with thoughts of His faithfulness. He gave me the Handbook for that.
 

 
Artwork by Menorah Orah
 

Scripture Section: Genesis 32:24-31
 

 
Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there.

 
 
I've really wrestled in prayer about God's call for my life during the last two and a half years. He touched my life and put it all out of joint, which hurt and confused me, then put in back in a different order altogether, which led to better health in all areas. My mind is still spongeing up all this new teaching, and my walk gets stronger day by day, yet things make much more sense than before. My perspective, mindset, and motivation have completely changed. Like Israel, He met with me and changed my name. He continues to teach me who I am, about His larger plan, and about my call in it. At times, it feels like I'm still wrapping my arms around this ever-wriggling, contorting, yet unchanging Truth.
 
The sweat and tears are real when I can't understand His Name (which to me means His character), when there are struggles with Him and man, yet He blesses me outrageously. There will be a greater blessing if I
don't...
let...
go.