On the way back from An Artist’s Dozen, Cody and I were talking about what “art” means and what it’s supposed to do. He reminded me that art can basically be anything, but we expect it to impact us in certain ways.

He enjoys works that clearly had meaning to the artist. I usually look for some expression of truth, some comment on reality. He and I can both appreciate good technique, though he’s better trained in how to recognize it.

But one of the things I love to see most is hints of God’s character. I saw some in the exhibit last weekend.

We’re God’s kids. We were each designed to reveal certain aspects of Him. Between the artists and their works, we can see pieces of God.

God is a master craftsman. Take a look at the back of your hand for a second. Hold it up and wiggle your fingers. Flip it over and do the same thing, but look at your wrist. See the tendons moving, the muscles flexing and relaxing? That’s fine engineering. That’s technique. That’s art.

When I glanced at Aarica Martin’s tribute to her grandfather, I saw some paintings and some other stuff: a Bible, a hammer and nails, a keychain, etc. I didn’t realize — until someone told me — that everything but the ring of the keychain was ceramic. I was blown away.

She put a lot of time and love into those little objects. God did the same when He made us.

God cares deeply about how we treat each other. So many of our songs, our stories, and the images we make cry out against injustice. We celebrate love, even between fictional characters. We are disturbed — one may hope — by pictures like Rhea Cutillo’s.

We care how we’re treated, and how others are treated. God does, too. His character defines love, and we’re His kids. When we mess it up, something within us remembers how it should be.

God is beautiful. Philosophical question: where do the idea of beauty come from? Is it a product of society? An evolutionary imperative?

What if it were part of God’s essential nature? What if we were affected by beauty because we were made by a beautiful God? If it were, we’d find people throughout history searching for beauty. Trying to express it. Trying to create it.

Hey, we do have that. Something to consider.

Do you see God in art? What have you seen? What have you made? Tell us about it in the comments.