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An Interview of Kimberly Erickson

(Re-printed courtesy Catholic365.com.)

Twenty-four years ago, I married Kimberly Erickson in Dallas, Texas. Coming from a family where her father and grandfather are both successful artists, I knew she was artistic. Still, the breadth of her artistic range never ceases to amaze me.  She really has done it all in the past two decades: illustrations, water gilding, and, most recently, fused glass creations of vivid color and light. It’s her glasswork, though, that has really struck me the most.

I’m excited to share the following interview of my wife about her life, her art, and our family.

How did you make the transition from book illustrations to glass art?

Well, I’ve always loved to collect glass, so, when the opportunity came, I jumped in with both feet. As a newer Catholic, I had been looking for a holy water font to put on my wall, but I couldn’t find anything I liked. One day, I decided to try designing one myself. I drove to a shop that lets customers play around with glass and design your own creations. I was excited to finally work with glass, but my first two attempts were failures.

Soon, though, I was able to learn from my mistakes and try new approaches and techniques until I created a holy water font that I was truly excited about showing. When people saw it, they loved it, and the orders started coming in! 

What drives or influences you to create your art?

I have to do it. Something inside me seems to be missing unless it comes out in some form. I truly feel like God gave me this talent, and everything I am able to do is because of this grace.

We joined the Catholic Church in 2005 from a Protestant background. How has this enriched your artwork? 

It’s funny, but I haven’t thought of this before. Coming from a Free Methodist background, it’s really like I have been a given a new freedom. Free Methodists don’t believe in having statues or much artwork in their churches out of a fear that it could tempt people to worship the created over the Creator. Catholicism, on the other hand, thinks of art like a teacher who reminds and inspires us of God. As an artist, this makes more sense to me.

Since becoming Catholic, you could say that my art has bloomed. It began with me illustrating my husband’s two books for children (Toupee Mice and Tristan’s Travels), then I was asked to water gild a fifteen-foot reredos (frame) for Saint Peter’s Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. This project took a couple of years to complete, and it took every ounce of skill I had to accomplish it by myself. This felt like something I really did for God. There is something satisfying for a Christian artist when they are able to give what God gave them back to Him. It’s like a song praising God.

Your father, John Collier, is a great artist and sculptor, and he’s done many religious pieces around the country—and beyond. What lessons have you really learned from him?

I’ve learned an amazing amount from my father. It’s like having an amazing art teacher always available to answer your questions and tell you what you need to work on. It’s helped me make my art so much better. Most artists don’t like their art critiqued, but when you’re learning from someone as kind as my dad, the medicine goes down very easily. Art is something you learn by constantly doing.

What kind of symbolism do you use, and why do you use it?

Symbolism really takes a lot of study. As a new Catholic, I feel I am just beginning to learn this, so I use simple symbols usually: crosses, doves, or blue hues for the color of Mary. An artist is always learning, and I am definitely still a student.

What brings you the greatest joy as an artist?

When something turns out just like I imagined it. This is especially true with glass, since you never know until the last kilning.

How is it different to create in glass than upon a canvas?

For me, it’s being pushed into impressionism. I love impressionist work, but I am a bit of a perfectionist when asked to draw. Glass pieces are usually larger than a dot or a line on paper, and working with glass forces you to bring out colors or feelings more than that single line on an image. It’s more like a mosaic that plays with colors and conveys feelings.

 Do you feel the leading of God’s hand with regards to your art?

I do truly feel that God has helped me bring out my art. When I started trying to put together a studio for glass art, I was overwhelmed by how quickly it came together. Within a couple weeks, I had a kiln, glass supplies, tools, and a workspace all ready to go. I felt like God was really taking care of me. 

Besides holy water fonts, what other types of glass creations do you create?

I’ve also been creating bowls and plates, but it’s really up to what I feel like doing at the time. I’ve been playing around with some Christmas designs, but…we’ll just have to see what happens.

Where can people go to see more of your work?

I invite everyone to visit my online portfolio, and my paintings and glasswork are also on display at the Red Raven Gallery in Salem, Oregon.

An Interview of Myself

(This interview is reprinted courtesy Catholic 365.com.)

I first met Karl Erickson in Seattle during a New Testament class at Seattle Pacific University. We were married several years later and I can still say that I am married to my best friend. Karl Erickson is a writer, husband, father, and an employee for the State of Oregon. Since 2005, Karl has written nearly fifty articles—e.g. America, National Catholic Weekly and This Rock--two children’s books (Toupee Mice, and Tristan’s Travels), as well as a new mystery novel, The Blood Cries Out. His Catholic faith seems to come out with whatever he writes, but maybe not in the expected normal way. For example his new novel, The Blood Cries Out, comes across as real life. His character, David, has problems, temptations, and deals with normal day to day life. What makes it different than most mysteries is how David seems to allow his steps to be guided by God. This is my interview of my husband, Karl Erickson.

1. What inspires you to write?

People and situations catch my interest, and I like to imagine what the backstory is. When I was a kid, I was fascinated with distant lights—especially twinkling lights on the dark ocean. To me, each pinpoint of light represented an untold story. Looking further back, my mother always took time to read good books to me; Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and George MacDonald were some of our favorites. The written word was always highly prized in my home growing up, and this became a fertile soil for stories to take root. 

Strangely enough, sometimes when I find myself spending a lot of time in Catholic churches, I feel like somehow the experience blasts away writer’s block and opens my mind more. It’s not that I’m writing about anything relating to the service itself per se, but there’s a quality of creative freedom that seems to come to me through the act of worship

2. Why do you write?

Usually, I have a passion to write a particular piece or scene. Other times, I feel I should address something by writing about it. If given the choice between speaking and writing, I often would select writing; it just feels more natural to me. The satisfaction of finishing a strong piece is also highly rewarding. When I’m deeply immersed in a passage I’m writing, I lose track of time to such a degree that it can be startling to return to the here and now. There’s not really anything else quite like it. The creative process still remains somewhat mysterious to me, but I am thankful to God for any talent He’s seen fit to give me.

3. Where do your ideas come from?

When I was younger, I had a habit of keeping a little notebook on me to take down character sketches or story ideas. I remember sitting on a city bus, and taking notes on the strange conversations I’d overhear. These days, I’ll sometimes make a voice memo on my iPhone or e-mail a note to myself. The ideas themselves usually come from life observed, but they can also be sparked indirectly by either the writings of others or historical events. In the case of my novel, for example, a poet’s account of finding some old, bloody clothing from Oregon’s Snake River Massacre played an important part. I also enjoy writing the kind of fiction I really love reading myself. There are authors who write styles of fiction they don’t personally enjoy reading, and I think this shows a lack of respect for their audience.

4. How do you go about your writing?

With my fulltime day job and a family, it’s definitely hard to find time to write. Sometimes I may be unable to write for a week or two, but writing is like exercising in that it’s really important to keep at it. If I find myself in a situation like this, I’ll try to make time to write during late evenings or maybe Sunday afternoons. It doesn’t have to be long; any time spent writing often helps me get back into the “creative groove.” I can’t forget music. Having music on helps me concentrate.

5. Do you have any ideas for future books?

I do, but I’m still focusing on promoting The Blood Cries Out right now. If it’s sales continue to improve, I may very well pursue a sequel. I’d like to eventually move the series to the San Juan Islands, but that’s just one option being explored right now.

6. What do you like to do besides writing?

I love hiking and nature photography. Lately, I’ve been enjoying finding patterns in nature to photograph—from water droplets in a mountain waterfall to intertwined tree roots in the forest. One of my favorite recent photographs is the first one showcased on my new Water and Ice page.

7. How do you respond when asked whether, or not, you are a Catholic fiction author?

Well, I am a Catholic writer, but I try to avoid emphasizing this fact too much. Like I heard a Catholic singer recently explain in an interview, I don’t want the Catholic dimension of my authorship to be a significant selling point; I’d like the story to or fall stand on its own merits. Let’s face it, modern Catholic fiction has lost something of its past luster. Too often the story doesn’t come first; the story is just a means to make or illustrate a point, and this betrays a lack of respect for the reader.  I'd like to help change this.  I think it's also critical that Catholic fiction takes into account real life situations.  That is, anyone can be saved in a story where God's power is like a magic wand that heals and saves effortlessly, or where daily life is sanitized.  I want to write fiction that demonstrates how real characters handle trials that are true to life. 

When it comes to fiction for older readers, my pet peeve is sanitizing dialogue or situations for the taste and preferences of the writer or a select group of potential readers. If you have a story, tell it truthfully and with authenticity. As Flannery O'Connor so eloquently put it, “Fiction is about everything human and we are made out of dust, and if you scorn getting yourself dusty, then you shouldn't try to write fiction. It's not a grand enough job for you.”

Not too long ago, I was discussing my novel with some fellow Catholic writers who were very passionately debating their view that profanity had no place in fiction--especially the writing of a Catholic. While I don't agree with this premise at all, it did encourage me to lighten the profanity in The Blood Cries Out just slightly--as a courtesy, you might say. Some might argue that my lightening of the profanity was an unnecessary sacrifice to political correctness or prudishness, but I suggest that realism and truth can be achieved with a lighter touch at times. Finding that balance can be a real challenge, but it's what lies at the heart of writing that matters the most: truth.

8. What can you share about your spiritual journey?

I was raised in Evangelical Protestant churches. In fact, my wife and I were both raised in churches of the Wesleyan tradition: Nazarene and Free Methodist. My grandfather, a retired minister from the Christian Missionary Alliance, helped me understand at an early age that we need to be reverent before God, and avoid transforming our services into mere entertainment. Even though our family was Protestant, my mother placed me in a Catholic school. This turned out to be an important influence in the future.

We never intended to become Catholics, but for the first fifteen years, or so, of our marriage, we were pretty miserable in regards to finding a church home. We visited church after church—from Free Methodist and Lutheran to Episcopal. In looking back, each church we attended seemed to bring us closer and closer to the Catholic Church. The liturgy and the sacraments began to be more fully understood and valued as we journeyed on.

When we began to study Saint Peter, in particular, we were struck with the fact that this first pope of the Church was entrusted by Jesus Himself with the keys to bind and loose. That is, real authority was given to this man (and his successors) by Jesus. 

Christian unitywas also terribly important to us. In particular, we were struck by passages like 1 Corinthians 3:1-23 or John 17:11, which reads...

"I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one."

The writings of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and G.K. Chesterton were also profoundly important in our decision to join the Catholic Church. In Lewis’ essay entitled “The Fern-seed and the Elephant”, for example, it seemed his words were directed straight at us as we debated whether, or not, to leave the Episcopal Church.

It’s impossible for me to read verses like this and not be struck with the vital importance of Christian unity, since we all are members of the mystical body of Christ. I ended an article of mine on unity with the following words. 

"It was Pope John Paul II’s tireless ecumenical work that first caught our attention years ago. Slowly, it dawned on my Protestant family that the pope was indeed right.... Whether Protestant or Catholic, we all follow the same Good Shepherd, and it’s time this separated family came back to the house of their fathers."

For our conversion story, please visit Catholic.com.

Let's Get Something Straight! (An Open Letter to the Media)

A photo I snapped of Seattle Pacific University in fall of 1987.

Dear Media,

Watching your coverage of the latest Washington State school shooting, I feel compelled to offer some timely advice.  

Let's stop calling lone crazies "lone wolf." It's disparaging to the majestic and powerful wolves living in our forests. A former CIA official suggested "lone rat," and I couldn't agree more. (Some rat owners may disagree.)  There's nothing about these sick individuals that should be looked upon as good.

On a similar topic, let's stop using words like "brazen" to refer to cowardly crimes against the innocent. Describe it for what it is--without the sensationalism. While you're at it, stop profiling and probing the killers' lives. Let's forget their names, faces, and their existence altogether.  Instead, let's remember the names and lives of the innocent taken from us.

Because, mainstream media, I think you know that you're are a serious part of the problem here.  Your reporting encourages copycat attacks, and it rewards the shooters with the fame and purpose they desired.  This needs to stop; we must hold the media accountable.

May I suggest, without using the shooters' name or photo, that you consider exploring precisely how he came to get his hands on the gun, and what was the family situation.  That information might truly help us get at the root of this societal illness, because the shooter is NOT a victim.  Let's repeat that one more time, shall we?  The school shooter is NOT a victim.

As for my fellow Christians, I suggest that these kind of tragedies are a direct result of the Culture of Death. We have devalued life at each and every turn and removed prayer from our schools; this is the logical result of moral relativism and the religion of self.

Win an eBook on Sunday!

It's almost been three months since my book was released.  To celebrate this milestone, I'm giving away one eBook on Sunday afternoon.  Between now and then, there will be several different ways for you to enter for your chance to win a free book.  For instance...do you receive my informal newsletter?  Well, hold onto your socks, but a new newsletter is coming this weekend!  If you don't already receive it, drop me an e-mail to be added to our distribution list, and I will automatically add you to the potential book winner list, too.  

Not into newsletters?  That's okay.  Tweet the message below--being sure to add @PacNWCathWriter on the end, so I can track it.

Win a great eBook on Sunday! RT to enter! #TheBloodCriesOut #kindlebooks #mystery #Seattle #amwriting #amreading #Seattle

More into Facebook?  Great!  "Like" my author page, and just message me that you've done it, and to please enter you into the eBook contest.  

Good luck!!

Sounds and Words, A New Monthly Newsletter of Writing and the Arts

Kimberly's art in the gallery.

My wife Kimberly and I have enjoyed having an informal newsletter for years, but we've decided the time has come transition to something a little more polished and consistent in features.  

So, beginning this weekend, the first issue of Sounds and Words will arrive in e-mail boxes across the United States--and beyond.

It's not going to be fancy, but we hope it will provide some enjoyable and enriching reading for our growing audience.  I'm still making final decisions on the feature categories, but most likely there will be at least one article on writing, one faith article, a Catholic testimony/profile, possible current event commentary, and assorted other surprises (to me, too).  

I also welcome fellow members of the Catholic Writers' Guild to join me if they wish to submit short pieces for consideration.  While, of course, I hope that this brings a bit more attention to my books, I am also looking forward to trying something new here.  I think this will be fun.  

In case you're wondering where the name of the newsletter came from, I invite you to read The Letter of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to Artists.  This 1999 letter is as inspiring today as ever before.  The phrase that caught my eye is found in its first paragraph.   

Be sure not to miss the upcoming interviews.  Watch for details coming later on social media and the newsletter!

Beautiful Sounds from Alanna-Marie Boudreau

If you're anything like me, it's always great to discover a good Catholic  singer.  So many Catholic performers seem to be content staying in the musical style of the 1970s, which sounds like fingernails on chalkboard to me.

Today, I'd like to introduce you to a young singer from upstate New York named Alanna-Marie Boudreau.  Her music is infused with mystery and beauty.  It's uplifting and embracing of truth while still holding fast to a sense of mystery. On the surface there's a certain fresh simplicity to her music, but it's a simplicity that often conceals a real depth of meaning.  For example, her second album's title refers to T.S. Eliot's poem entitled "The Dry Salvages."  And, of course, it's clear what English author inspired her track "Weight of Glory."  You may also enjoy visiting the singer's blog concerning her laudable goal of building bridges.  

Here's another interesting insight from the performer's Facebook page.

Post by Alanna Boudreau.

It's nice to listen to a young woman who has something truly meaningful and positive to bring to her art. It's people like Alanna who make our world a little better place. I strongly recommend both of her albums: Hands in the Land and Hints and Guesses.

Fair disclosure...  I really don't care for "I'll Be Your Woman" on the second album.  Personally, I think the simple beauty of the first album may be preferable to the second, but they are both excellent.  "Be Glad" even is reminiscent of Paul Simon's classic Graceland album.  

New and related post HERE.