Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

What are the fine arts? No, it’s not the winning Jeopardy response—it’s today’s Home School Heartbeat topic, with host Mike Smith and his guest Mark Hamby!

Mike Smith:
This week, our guest is Mark Hamby, founder and president of Lamplighter Ministries. Mark, thanks for joining us!

Mark Hamby:
Great to be here, Mike.

Mike:
Mark, this week we want to consider how homeschoolers can cultivate excellence in the arts. Let’s start with a question that might seem self-evident, but is really foundational. What are the fine arts? And why do we call them that?

Mark Hamby:
Well, fine art, Mike, refers to the arts that are concerned with the aesthetic appreciation of an object such as a painting or sculpture. And exclusively, it is for the eye of the beholder. But, I think there is a fundamental flaw in our contemporary understanding of fine art. You see, all art should be, in a sense, fine art; never just for the eye of the beholder, but to arouse in the beholder an appreciation for the beauty of God.

My first encounter with fine art occurred when I was at the Louvre in Paris. I was standing a foot away from a Rembrandt painting. I was unable to stop the tears from flowing. I was overwhelmed with a sense of the beauty of God. See, beauty and excellence in our life and work are two of the greatest forms of worship and evangelism. Beauty and excellence should broaden out into every area of our lives, not just in the fine arts, but in the fine arts of eating and drinking or whatever you do -do all to the glory of God.

Mike:
Mark, I’m looking forward to an interesting and stimulating discussion about the arts this week! Thanks for joining us! And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.