The Color of Dust

We continue our discussion of the sixteenth century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder and his painting “The Procession to Calvary.” Throughout, we refer to the 2011 movie “The Mill and the Cross.” As you tend to your heart this Holy Week, we invite you to meditate on this painting, along with our (fumbling) discussion. Also, we finish reciting the poem “The Sacrifice” by George Herbert. Be...

Today we discuss the sixteenth century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder and his painting “The Procession to Calvary.” No doubt, in this extraordinary masterpiece (redundancy necessary!), which contains more than 500 people, you are likely to find yourself. A listener’s recommendation about the 2011 movie “The Mill and the Cross” prompted this topic. We discuss how time is like a wagon whee...

After reading a bit from George Herbert’s “The Sacrifice,” we continue our discussion of Salvador Dali’s painting “Christ of Saint John of the Cross” (1951), by comparing it to a sketch by John of the Cross and the Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Gruenwald. The interaction of this trio of artworks births a fruitful understanding of the cross. While we start off a bit ‘suspicious’ of Dali’s paintin...

We begin a two-part series on Salvador Dali and his painting “Christ of St. John of the Cross.” We recognize that Dali was both thorny and mercurial, bringing these aspects of his life into the discussion about his 1951 painting. We also read the first fifteen stanzas of George Herbert’s poem “The Sacrifice.” Take a look at the chapter headings below to see the ground we cover. Chapters 00:00 Intr...

Our reading of the “The Coming” by R.S. Thomas quickly turns into a barfight, which is par for the course for Thomas. Only after eighteen shots of whiskey—oh wait, wrong Thomas—do we settle into the nadir of the poem, discovering our lives in relationship to God, despite the fracture in which we find ourselves. Take a look at the chapter headings below to see the ground we cover. Chapters 00:00 Th...

Several years ago while I was working on this poem, I was talking to my friend and pastor David about the passage in Isaiah 11 where the lion shall eat straw like the ox. “I don’t know what to make of that kind of heaven,” I said. “Lions aren’t lions if they eat straw.” Now, I know what a metaphor is. Isaiah was speaking of other things. Kingdoms who clashed with other kingdoms suddenly laying dow...

There are plenty of eschatological systems out there, but most of them, ironically, seem to put the apocalypse out of focus—and out of reach. In this episode, we introduce something we’re calling “pothole eschatology,” which makes the apocalypse as visible and nutrient-dense as the soil beneath your feet. Take a look at the chapter headings below to see the ground we cover. Chapters 00:00 Introduc...

It is easy to get caught-up with analyzing the book of Revelation, or to get sidetracked by the issue of “time.” Jack told us that his goal in painting “His Eyes Are Like a Fiery Flame” (2024) from Revelation 19 was first to create an experience for himself, and then to create an experience for his viewers, as they encounter it. We hope you are helped in both your understanding and experience of t...

We continue our discussion of Jack’s painting “His Eyes Are Like a Fiery Flame” (2024). We add to the conversation Seth’s recent essay “ My Own Personal Apocalypse ,” which you can read at his Substack In Solitude, For Company . Should we get on board with culture’s current obsession with ‘all things apocalypse?’ Or should we restrict the apocalypse to a one-time event at the end of history? There...

In this episode, Jack engages Sam and Seth in a candid conversation that was prompted by a listener's question about their lives outside of podcasting. They explore their respective careers, personal interests, and the significance of their creative pursuits. Sam shares insights from his work as a machinist and his passion for poetry, while Seth discusses his journey through various careers, inclu...

Our very special guest was Emilee VerDuin, aka, MudHut Illustration. Emilee is a Visionary Christian Artist living in Bulgaria. She shares about some of the changes in her life as she moves from the city to the countryside of Bulgaria. This leads us to explore the concept of wilderness and wounding. We look at some of her wonderful art, considering its particular aspects. Emilee raises the questio...

In this episode, we introduce Jack Baumgartner’s oil painting “His Eyes Are Like a Fiery Flame” (2024). This gets us into the book of Revelation, painting in eternity, a poem by R. S. Thomas, symbolism in art, time and eternity, and God’s love for the land. Jack shares some background to his painting, as well as part of his process when creating. Seth and Sam layer the conversation with their own...

This is an “introduction” to our introduction on Jack Baumgartner’s painting, which is titled “His Eyes Are Like a Fiery Flame” (2024). Thus, we begin to talk about the book of Revelation. Some themes that surface are active sight vs. passive sight, the healing properties of art, and creativity as spiritual warfare. Take a look at the chapter headings below to see the ground we cover. Many thanks...

We take a deep dive into shame through the lens of the poem “Do Not Be Ashamed” by Wendell Berry. Our cover art image—which fits perfectly with this poem—is a 2000 watercolor by Elizabeth Wang called, “I remember being outwardly carefree, but I was inwardly pierced by a shame so intense I could hardly go on, sometimes nearly groaning out loud.” Her title is a good summary of where we go in this pe...

To begin the new year, Dr. Matthew Miller joins us to talk about his new book Leaves of Healing: A Year in the Garden . His book brings together the church calendar with the “garden” calendar. As usual, the fellas have plenty of insights to add. Thank you, Matt, for this delightful conversation! Look at the chapter headings below to see the ground we cover. Matt Miller is a native Nebraskan now li...

I made this little video of my dear friend Tom Brown, who farms and makes hard cider just a few miles from my farm, talking about the origins of Khaki and then veers into describing a very wonderful Erdu saying. It is very in the spirit of the Color of Dust and I love it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit color...

When Jack Baumgartner shared his drawing “Go on, Wounded Healer,” he confessed: “There may be so much I would want to say about this drawing that I must therefore say nothing. Breathing and silence.” This drawing is from a collection of drawings titled “The Diary of a Tree Standing on Its Head.” He also wrote beneath the original pencil sketch, “The wound and the five wounds.” Although Jack is pro...

We discuss quite a bit in this lively episode, it’s finally the long-awaited “Hoofs & Horns” conversation we’ve been promising. But before we get there, we talk about (challenge?) the popular idea of enchantment and the Medieval cosmology. Even if we’re struggling to see beauty these days, “Beauty still perceives us,” Jack reminds. We open up Seth’s Poetry Garage, and he allows us to see a Sonnet...

[For your convenience, I’ve provided both an audio and a written format of this article at colorofdust.substack.com .] The artwork of Jack Baumgartner speaks to my heart, and when he shares a piece, I immediately want to start speaking about it, sharing what I see. And then it dawned on me, “Why don’t I?” So, this is my first attempt at sharing “What I see” in Jack’s art. I chose his woodcarving “...

We were delighted to have Dr. Jason Baxter on the podcast to talk about his latest book, Why Literature Still Matters . Jason is a college professor and author of seven books, including The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis and Introduction to Christian Mysticism. He is a medievalis who specialize in Dante and C.S. Lewis, but in his popular writing—which you can find on his brand new Substack Beauty Mat...

This is our 18th and final episode in the book of Ruth. We cover Ruth 4:13-22. Take a look at the chapter titles below to see the ground we cover. 00:00 The Artistic Journey: Time and Process 09:30 Procrastination: The Artist's Dilemma 18:23 Celebrating Life: The Significance of Birth 26:17 Redemption and Community: The Role of Women 31:19 The Significance of Genealogy 37:47 Chiastic Structures an...

In our penultimate episode through the book of Ruth, we explore what it means to be a witness, along the way considering what Jack calls the “broken witness,” as well as how social media can help us. Do you know how to show up in an “active” way in your life? Take a look at the chapters headings below to see the ground we cover. As noted in the introduction, this episode is dedicated to Amelia “Mi...

In today’s episode, we discuss Ruth 4:7-10. Take a look at the chapter headings below to see the ground we cover. Thank you for listening and consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context Setting 07:13 The Integrity of Stories: Comedy vs. Tragedy 16:15 The Grand Narrative: Comedy of Redemption 23:30 Symbolism of the Sandal: Authority and Mediati...

We are closer to miracles than we realize, seeing them in how God created the world and how we respond to it. What is freedom? Can we affirm God’s goodness in adversity? How do we handle fear? These are a few of the questions we explore in this episode on Ruth 4:5-6. Boaz and Ruth show us a profound way to live. Take a look at the Chapter titles below to see the ground we cover. Chapters 00:00 Wea...

This is our 14th episode in the book of Ruth (which only has four short chapters)! In this episode, we especially want you to think about hope, the awkwardness of redemption, the importance of land, and the significance of the treasure. Take a look at the chapter titles below to see the ground we cover. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context Setting 03:45 Exploring Hope and Anti-Hope 06:59 The Ro...