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VISION...
God's
Gifts for God's Glory
"Each
one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God's grace in its various forms." 1
Peter 4:11
"I
have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge
in all kinds of crafts - to make artistic designs for work in gold,
silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to
engage in all kinds of craftsmanship" Exodus 31:3-5
Each
of us has been presented with gifts of the Spirit to be obediently
applied to make Him manifest and to see Him glorified. These giftings
are various and diverse - a wonderful testimony of completeness through
joint application, a tangible demonstration of the harmony and fullness
of the Body of Christ in concert of effort. Many of the faithful have
been blessed with a truly precious constituent, artistic ability,
to unfold and forward His purposes and expectations.
I
recognize that I am nothing without Christ and that my skills, my
very fount of inspiration, come only from Him. I am simply a steward
of what has been graciously entrusted to me. How am I to specifically
respond and serve? - By investing my God-given talents to forward
His Kingdom, not my own. Many radiant facets are involved in such
a divine commission, including keystone elements of spiritual maturity
and involvement - evangelism, worship and the edification of His Church.
Primarily,
I aspire for my work to be a physical, vibrant catalyst for spiritual
discussions in the home, workplace and institutions where it finds
residence. It is a most worthy aspiration interlaced with the Spirit's
endorsement, power and ordination. Each piece holds a story, a metaphorical
bridge to the Gospel, that yearns to be released and passionately
communicated. Through the incorporation of ancient, cherished symbols
of the faith, many pieces overtly invite the "what is that?"
question that serves as an open door to things eternal. At its core,
its very essence, my work is an evangelistic tool, a means to broach
the subject and reveal the saving message to a lost, desperate and
hurting world; a means to take the viewers on the journey traversing
the bridge.
Interrelated
and inseparable, there exists the highest, purest act of human obedience
and thanksgiving - the worship of the only One worthy of acclaim.
God is most glorified as a diversity of peoples come to recognize,
honor and praise Him - an eternal chorus of the most complex and beautiful
of harmonies. My heart is that my work serves as a point of reflection
for the authentic, unbridled worship of our God everlasting. I seek
to appeal to all believers and covet multiform placements for a variety
of persons to be able to connect with Him in a more powerful, profound
way. The creative process itself is one of worship also, as each piece
comes into actuality as a transaction of obedience and joy as I adore
and bond with the Master Artist who paints through me.
Then
there's the edification of His Church. If the results of my creative
meditations can serve in any way to encourage or expand the desire
in the hearts of believers to be more Christ-like, then they have
served a noble purpose indeed. The work might nurture and teach through
introspection and contemplation guided by the Spirit, or it might
propel the viewer to deepen in their understanding of Him through
the inquiry of other sources or further deliberations. In either case,
I earnestly and humbly pray that God uses my brush as a poetic tool
of sanctification.
Ultimately,
this trinity of intent combines into one unified, higher-order objective
- to give God the Glory. My entreaty is that, as an artist and minister
of the Gospel, every thing I endeavor to initiate and accomplish,
every gift I exercise and employ, serves that divine purpose.
Click
here to learn
more about God's Gifts for God's Glory.
Click
here to learn more about the artist's Statement of Faith
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