Pixel Dance

Talent has many colors, and sometimes no color at all. For Chuck Asay, black ink and a mind full of connection and possibility are all that’s needed to create political art. Chuck is a long-time political cartoonist, and happens to live in my neck of the woods. So I asked him to share his artistic journey with us. Here’s what he has to say:

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I’ve been drawing cartoons since grade school. It was the thing I could do which set me apart from others my age. My family all drew pictures, so I figured everyone drew pictures. When I got to school, I found I was average at adding and spelling, but my drawings got noticed. Another thing my family gave me was a thick skin. I grew up believing everyone was entitled to my opinion. We used to argue a lot about the issues of the day but when the argument was over, we still loved one another. I thought everyone could separate peoples’ ideas from their personalities. I known now that some people can’t. Some people seem to hate my guts. They can’t see me as a person who just has a different worldview. They should like me, they don’t have to agree with my ideas.

My eighth grade teacher saw one of my cartoons one day that I did about China and Russia. She must have been impressed and called a stringer from The Pueblo Chieftain to do a story about me. I became famous (in my mind) so I decided to give my life to editorial cartooning.

After many years of being the class clown/artist, spending some time in the Army as an illustrator, getting a college degree in art, teaching in the public schools and knocking on many doors, trying to break into the cartooning field, I became discouraged. My big break came after I met Christ. After a few years of following Him, I was reading the scriptures and came across a word that I didn’t know the meaning of. The word was “seditious”. Christians were not supposed to be seditious. As I was reaching for the dictionary to look up the word, it occurred to me that whatever it was, that would be me. Sedition is to be against authorities that God puts over us.

So, I had to make a decision. Was I going to follow Christ or was I going to continue to be seditious? I decided to give up my dream of becoming a cartoonist and follow Christ. A year or so later, the brother who led me to the Lord convinced me I could be a cartoonist…I just shouldn’t be seditious. It was then the cartooning door opened up to me.

I found through all of this, families matter. My family equipped me to do this job. I found that teachers matter. My eighth grade teacher and my spiritual brother opened up opportunities for me. I found that sacrifice matters. I believe we should all examine ourselves and be willing to offer up the things we deem precious to the Lord and allow Him to take it away or give it back to us…kinda like Abraham offered up Isaac.

What do I do best? I think I’m gifted as an encourager. My job description, I believe if found in 1 Thessalonians 5:14…”warn the idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” In warning people to not depend on the government of men (or anything else) to save us, I am encouraging others to cling to the Truth who gives us life and freedom. I’m not speaking against government authorities. I’m warning people not to believe government can save us. God made them servants to punish evil. They are not God. I believe many in America are no different than the people of Israel in the Old Testament who wanted a king to rule over them. We need to encourage the timid to speak out. We need to encourage them to help the weak rather than to depend on the Government to help them. The Government is limited to a sword (law). It can’t love people. We have to do that.

And we have to be patient. God will bring His kingdom about in His own time. We just have to trust and obey.

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I love Chuck’s point about separating a person from his/her worldview. And I don’t want to be seditious either. Great word, in more ways than one. Thank you, Chuck.

You can follow his work online at www.creators.com/editorialcartoons/chuck-asay.html?comicname=ca. Chuck is also available for speaking engagements. He’s delightful, and as you can see from his work, always full of insight.

The forecast for our area had freezing fog last night. What that means to the photographers salivating over the forecast is that in the morning, at the earliest breath of dawn, every tree and plant will be coated with an other-worldly layer of icy frosting. So I was up very early, hoping to beat the sun to some great photos. And I am pleased with the crop. Many a twig and rosehip gave me just what I was looking for. But this photo I didn’t expect. A perfectly frosted spider web.

I’ve always thought spider webs are one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. And it impresses me how God knows how to make things which are both beautiful and useful. To a spider, that web is useful — to me, it’s incredibly beautiful. Then, add a frosty morning, and look at how much more intricate and lovely the design is. Bravo, little spider. And bravo, God. I’m glad I got up early.