BAMDIV.COM

Goodbye, J.D. Salinger

bamdiv — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:01:17 +0000

J.D. Salinger died yesterday of natural causes according to his son, who is the only connection we have had to the great reclusive American author for the last twenty years.

It was about ten years ago that I found myself wondering through the stacks at the Lexington Public Library looking for something to read. I ended up with ‘The Catcher in the Rye.’ Mesmerized by Salinger’s explosive writing, I went the following week to the High School Library (I was teaching there) and pulled down ‘Franny and Zooey.’ These two short stories literally changed my life.

Franny is a young college girl having an existential crisis and her brother, Zooey, is her Zen master leading her through the haze of philosophy and phonies. Zooey tells her that her goal of rectiting the Jesus Prayer should not be undertaken for the benefit of proving society wrong; but it is undertaken for the development of Christ-consciousness. That phrase hit me, literally, in the gut.

Ten years, two beards, thousands of pages of text, hours of meditation, books of writings, walls of paintings, the raising of four children, and many other events later, I am still in search of the path to developing a Christ-consciousness of my own.

Goodbye, Mr. Salinger. Thanks.

New Artwork

bamdiv — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:03:34 +0000

This is a two painting work: the one on the left here is ‘The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil’: the one below, ‘The Tree of Life.’

bamdiv — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:15:21 +0000

Check out the ‘Visual Arts’ page (over there, to the right) to see some of the paintings from the bamdiv studios. This is a look at a ‘work in progress’ currently existing under the title ‘tree of life’ with a nod to the blatant ripping off of Chagall and Klimt. Remeber that I take commissions (which means you can pay me money and I will give you crap you can hang up and call ‘art’ to impress your friends!) I left titles off the works because sometimes the title detracts from the impression. Enjoy.

Happy New Year

bamdiv — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:32:16 +0000

The entire support staff and all the artists in residence would like to wish you the happiest new year. Whatever it is you’ve been dreaming of, do it this year- write the novel, paint the portrait, learn the instrument, get therapy. Much love,

your friends at bamdiv.com

Welcome to the New bamdiv.com!

bamdiv — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:35:08 +0000

Happy Holidays to one and all!

As the new year dawns, please take a moment to peruse the new and upgraded site here at www.bamdiv.com. The pages are over there on the right: and I would especially direct your attention to the MONEY $$$ page for some exciting new services offered by the good people here at Bamdiv.com.

You can also suscribe to this website (again, over there at the right) which gives you special perks that are sure to make your season bright. Thanks for taking the time to look, and please forward the link to the website on if you have friends or family who are also struggling artists.

Beyond the River

bamdiv — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:58:25 +0000

Beyond The River

A novel

by Christopher S. Brown

A simple trip to visit a dying friend sends precocious nine-year-old Wendell Felix Bernstein on a harrowing journey of self-discovery through the Jungian world of the collective unconscious. With Western Literature’s most famous underworld guide, and Western Civilization’s most dominant archetype by his side, Wendell discovers within himself the courage to face his greatest fear, the power to love, and, ultimately, a solution to a riddle that has vexed mankind since the beginning: what does lie just beyond the river?

At just over 51,000 words, and written in an engaging, first person narrative style, this novel is accessible and readable for the general adult population; but students and lovers of literature, psychology, and theology will enjoy finding familiar faces and themes throughout.

Christopher S. Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Divinity in Practical Theology. He is the husband of one and the father of four. Chris lives, teaches, paints and writes in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

For a bigger ‘byte’….visit the ‘fiction’ section of bamdiv.com.

50K and Counting…

bamdiv — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:24:26 +0000

The inspirational tag line for bamdiv.com is ‘you can only write the next word.’ Holding to this philosophy, I have reached a previously unreachable goal in my writing: the milestone of 50,000 words on a single ‘work.’ (50k is the median length of a novel)

The novel is under revision and edit, and I intend to brave the publishing/rejection gauntlet instead of self-publishing this one. So, be encouraged to keep working toward whatever it is you are dreaming about; it just may happen.

Christopher S. Brown, bamdiv.com

Paintings

bamdiv — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:53:27 +0000

Self-portrait: 10-09

bamdiv — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:11:21 +0000

The Window

bamdiv — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:47:02 +0000

When I was a child, my favorite place on earth was the home of my Great Uncle and Great Aunt. When we were allowed to spend the night, which was quite often, I slept in the ‘yellow room,’ which was also known as ‘Jerry’s old room.’ The room, as I remember it, was painted yellow, with yellow curtains and a yellow bedspread. When I laid on the bed, I could look out the window and see the headlights of the occassional car as it zipped down Mallard Creek Road.

The room is gone: the house is gone as well. It no longer exists in the ‘real world.’ What does still exist, somewhere in the recesses of my subconscious, is the feeling of peace and love that I experienced as I slept in that room. As I look deeply into this Rothko painting, I feel a touch of it. And that is what art can do.