Cross-hatched

Cross-hatching is something one does when sketching with a pen or pencil to achieve shadow and lighting effects. So in the sense that this is a place devoted to artistry, I chose the name. It calls to mind artistic endeavors. Cross-hatching is a way of contrasting light and dark; it gives life and realism to sketches that would otherwise be two-dimensional shapes on a page. It brings depth and meaning to a picture.

I want this to be a place where our art "cross-hatches" the world around us. Art is meant to reflect truth about the world we live in, to bring into contrast the forces and elements we face on a day-to-day basis. We use our art to contrast light from dark, we use it to give shape and depth and meaning to our lives.

Another reason I chose the name "Cross-hatched" was as a play on words. We are all of us purchased by a cross. We are all of us born again - "hatched," if you will - by Christ's death. We ourselves are Cross-hatched. And our art ought to reflect that fact. It is our faith that gives our lives depth and meaning, and our art ought to reflect the depth and meaning that our faith gives us.

With that said, how do I envision this site working? However we want it to work. Feel free to post anything you wish here: if it's a sample of your work, great; if it's some thoughts related to art of some kind, good; if it's a chart related to the frequency and level of intensity of your toothbrushing, well, fine, if you feel like sharing that.

As you may have noted, I also created a message board, which may be more appropriate for intense critiquing of each other's work, or if you want to share your thoughts more informally. The message board format seems more conducive to free thought than a blog does, and perhaps I'm odd for thinking so. For me, a blog is a place to post more polished pieces of writing, while a message board allows posts without a lot of editing or censoring. So there's a glimpse into my reasoning, at any rate.

So, what are your thoughts?