Today I had the honor of being interviewed by a couple of middle school classes at The Vineyard Christian Academy in Boise. The classes are interviewing various people to learn about their vocations that they work in and ministries that they serve in.
I was asked to be interviewed so they could learn about what it's like to be a Professional Artist and Traveling Art Minister.
The best way for me to talk about my vocation as an Artist and Art Minister is to make my presentation interactive. So I prepared canvas for each class to collaboratively paint while we engaged in conversation. It was a great "picture" of what I get to do in my job and my ministry.
This is the painting that the first class (7th graders) created together. The words I pre-wrote on the canvas said "Your Voice Matters In The Conversation". Each kid chose a hand to paint however they wanted to (representing their own unique voice and point of view being added to the overall picture).
This is the painting that the second class (6th graders) created together. It was so much fun getting to watch each one paint such unique handprints and talking about how their unique gifts, talents, interests can make a difference in this world.
For me...today was not only a great way to have these middle schoolers learn about me and who I am, but it was a great way for me to learn about them and who they are. So with each question that was asked of me, I would also ask them similar questions.
Our conversations consisted of discussion based around the following main questions...(and some others, like "how long does it take for you to finish a painting?", "what's your favorite country you've gone to?", and..."have you ever painted something you didn't like?")...we also talked music and superheroes, pizza and ice cream...but ya know, that's what ya do when you're having conversations right? You learn about each other.
Learning objectives:
1. different job descriptions and what skills are required
2. what does "doing your job look like,"
3. and what are some things you have to do that are not necessarily part of your job description,
4. how every (big and little) thing we do honors God.
Your job description:
Self Employed Professional Artist, Live Painter, Performance Artist, and Art Minister
Owner of art business, “revelatorART” (painting sales, commission work, art exhibits, mural work, interactive experiential teacher)
Co-Owner of performance art company, “Marten Evergreen” (choreographed dance, live painting, music, story performances)
Traveling Art Minister-Missionary (building world wide cross-cultural creative communities)
Art Minister with VineArts Boise (volunteer leader, speaker, live painter, mentor)
Mission - purpose - impact:
I believe art and creativity is an expression of one’s worldview and a creative act of worship. It’s the voice from within that needs to speak. I believe that everyone is an artist, regardless of age, gender, race, or background. NO mater what medium one chooses, we all have a story to tell that is valid and worth being heard. The key to life is allowing ourselves the freedom to express the passion and creativity that is within us all. by expressing, we come to know each other and ourselves better, building relationship and community. Art can create an opportunity to break down walls and barriers and reach into the heart of who we are.
As an Artist and a Traveling Art Minister-Missionary, it truly is all based on faith and partnering with God and listening in on the conversations He is having with me and with people all over this world, coming alongside others through creativity, and cultivating relationships with people in different cultures. It’s not about me, it’s not about the art, it’s about God’s heart for people.
Challenges:
As a self-employed business owner, I don’t receive a regular consistent paycheck. My income is based on contracts and sales. So my job calls for a lot of initiative, persistence, dedication, faith and partnering with God, and cultivating relationships with clients. And when things have been slim financially, it has at times meant that I have needed to take on additional jobs to help supplement my income. But this is part of the adventure of saying Yes to WHO you were made to be. It costs something and you have to be willing to work for it. It requires faith and determination. God is creative and He is also my Provider and my Partner in this life. He has always been creative in how He provides and works With me.
Do you do anything outside of your job description:
Bible Study Group
Discipleship Small Group
Philosophy Group
Housesitting/Petsitting
Fishing
Drinking Coffee, listening to music, and hanging out with friends
Spiritual gifts:
Faith
Creative Communication
Encouragement
Mercy
Shepherding
Support you need - volunteers or other staff, etc.:
For revelatorART…
Me
Clients/Venues
For Marten Evergreen…
Co-Owner Lukas Evergreen
Dancers
Clients/Venues
For Traveling Art Ministry-Missions…
Commissioning Group (13 pastors/mentors/friends)
People praying, encouraging, adding into the conversation
Financial Donors
Hosts
Work environment - who you work with, what hours looks like, do you have to travel, etc.:
My studio is at my house. It’s a separate room in the garage specifically built as a studio.
I don’t have an 8am-5pm schedule. I don’t work well like that.
I do block out chunks of time and days/nights to work on projects in my studio.
For commissioned paintings I have contracts with deadlines.
I travel 1-3 times a year nationally and internationally.
I travel numerous times every month locally for work.
How God led you to your job/position - why you chose your career:
Ever since I was a kid I’ve been doing art, my dad taught me the basics of drawing and I have one year of Art School. I’m a self taught painter (learning from books and other artists and practicing constantly). My parents encouraged me in art classes, acting, music, and travel, missions.
I’m non conventional in the way I do art and in the way I live my life. I work within experiential and expressionist art (I break the rules a lot). BUT I learned early on what the rules of art were and learned how to work within conventional ways and have a foundation of disciplines first that allows me to move forward in creativity. The same applies for my life. I learned how to work other jobs, I learned disciplines and responsibilities and conventional wisdom that have become a foundation that allows me to “break the rules” in order to move forward in growth in my life.
I’ve had numerous types of jobs over my life (retail sales, food service, department store stocking, canvas manufacturer, pastoral and lay ministry, counseling, tutoring, janitor, correctional facility security, car detailing). And yet, Art has always been my first love and the thing that I kept going back to. The other thing that continued to resound throughout my life is the deep feeling that I was made for something more…in the form of ministry, encouraging people, helping people, making a difference in the world.
Along with the various jobs I've listed in the above paragraph, I have the following experience....
1 year Art school (scholarship)
4 year Bachelor Degree in Youth Ministry (from a Bible College)
Worked in churches
4 year Bachelor Degree in Psychology
Worked at Therapist Agency doing individual, family, and group counseling
Graduated from a Leadership/Ministry/Missions College in Scotland (like YWAM)
17 years experience traveling and missions work
12.5 years experience in art ministry
18 years experience as a full time working professional artist
Hinds sight is 20/20…
I have found that ALL of my educational, occupational, and life experiences have shaped me within who I am today and are an active part of what my job and ministry is today.
Is what you wanted to be when you grew up different from what you actually do now?:
Not really. But it looks NOTHING like I thought it would. It looks WAY better!
I really enjoyed getting the chance to join the conversation with these kids...right here in Boise, Idaho.
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