I am convinced that the Gospel is for all of life and ought to fuel the soul as well as the imagination. To that end, I regularly try to set aside some time and space each Friday to encourage the pursuit of creativity. I try to do this in a couple of different ways. I regularly link to Joe Kennedy, Will Turner, Timmy Brister, Steve McCoy, Joe Thorn, who post photographs on Fridays, along with the Friday Flickr Group in which they participate. I also often highlight a poet (who may or may not be Christian, but who above all, uses words well) and I highlight a musical artist who makes at least one track available for free and legal download.

It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve been able to feature both poetry and music (last week I had neither!) so today I want to take it up a notch by expanding the focus of Friday’s post. We’ll see if it sticks or not, but I’d like to also feature art in the mix. It may be that simply due to the space and time constraints I feature a work of art and a few words along with some links. I’m really not sure what it will look like to be honest, but hey, let’s find out.

Today’s featured poet is Walt Whitman (1819-1892). Whitman’s works remain controversial to this day. He was a transitional figure between Transcendentalism and Realism, often incorporating both views into his works. Whitman abandoned many of the structural expectations of his day for a “freeverse” approach, shocking many and drawing many critics. His most famous collection Leaves of Grass remains in print and continues to sell well. For today’s featured poem I have intentionally selected perhaps a lesser known Whitman poem: “A Noisless Patient Spider:”

A noiseless patient spider,

I mark’d where on a little promontory it stood isolated,

Mark’d how to explore the vacant vast surrounding,

It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,

Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.

And you O my soul where you stand,

Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space,

Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them,

Till the bridge you will need be form’d, till the ductile anchor hold,

Till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, O my soul.

• Read Wikipedia’s entry on Walt Whitman
• Read Walt Whitman for yourself

Today’s featured artist, in light of his recent record-breaking sale, is Mark Rothko (1903-1970). Though born in Latvia, Rothko became primarily known as an American painter and printmaker. Though he apparently rejected the label, he is most often regarded as an abstract expressionist along with Jackson Pollock.

Though Rothko’s paintings are in fact abstract, he seems to have rejected the classification because he viewed his work to carry with it great weight, exploring themes spiritual and creative struggle (I know, you just see blocks of color). Rothko’s painting “White Center” (pictured) recently sold for $73 million.

• Read Wikipedia’s entry on Mark Rothko
• Read about and browse Mark Rothko for yourself
• Read Chuck Colson’s thoughts about the recent $73 million sale.

Today’s featured musical artist is an artist that I’ve actually featured before. Jeremy Casella recently released a new album called Recovery and it is one of the best albums I have heard in a long time (I hope to post some thoughts on the album next week). Yes, as Kyle pointed out in the comments the other day, I’ve been talking about this album quite a bit lately, but it’s just that good.

Leaping from the folky/singer-songwriter mold, Jeremy has created a pop masterpiece for listeners as influenced by Wilco as the Beatles and the Beach Boys. With obvious nods to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and Radiohead, Casella infuses strings and horns into his music adding a warmth and depth that reveals more nuances with each repeated listen.

• Stream Jeremy’s entire new album for free
• Download “Freight Train” (demo version)
• Download “More Than the Watchman” (demo version)
• Download “Release Me” (demo version)
• Download “Dust to Glory” (strings and vocal mix)
• Download “You Whisper Something”
• Download “Savior of the World” (previously unreleased version)
• Download “Cast Away Stones” (previously unreleased version)
• Download “Carry Me Home” (previously unreleased version)
• Visit Jeremy Casella’s official website