Art Through God

I had the pleasure of speaking to the Batavia Women's Club this week. My message is simple but it is my passion. Here is a sample of what the beautiful women of Batavia heard.

As an artist I have a vision…

I have a message and inspiration, to encourage others to make art that glorifies the Lord. To create art that is sophisticated and collectible by the community in general and not just sold to Christian book stores. 

For the past 18 years I have owned boutique shops in Geneva, Glen Ellyn and the surrounding area. I have been involved in different aspects of retail and design. My focus has always been on Vintage décor and has evolved throughout the years but always continued to be a creative outlet.

Throughout the years I have enjoyed being published in several magazines and on HGTV .  I am still involved in that aspect with my home today. Romantic Country has just published their spring issue that has a feature of my home, I also have up coming features in Romantic Homes and my artwork in two Stampington magazines. 

I believe my path has been designed by God. I trust him to direct it in whatever I pursue. 

My last shop Vintage Living focused more on art and workshops. It was featured in the magazine 

Where Women Create which opened up new doors for my artwork. I found a way of bringing my art to life through God. 

The word Vintage is defined as “a season’s produce of grapes, wine of high quality from the year of a person’s work, a superior harvest, classic mature. I want my work to reflect that image, 

God’s image.

I have always had a love of Vintage. I use mostly vintage in my artwork. I am mostly a mixed media artist although I do paint some. I am all over the board as far as my art. I enjoy learning new techniques and trying different outlets for my creativity. 

I love to re-purpose, in my décor, in my style, in my artwork… 

My life is Re-purposed. 

God has a purpose in all of our lives and he has now re-purposed mine to tell his story through my art. 

I closed my shop and I am now doing workshops and shows.

 In my workshops I want a place where women are taught the back-story to making their art… that they don’t have to make "religious art" or have a cross in their artwork to reflect God in their art. 

The story behind the art is what is reflected in the art… 

the story behind my art is the fruit of the Holy Spirit…love, joy, peace, kindness…Spirit filled work. 

 As my good friend KC Willis said,

"If the work encourages and edifies with its message and beauty, this is Spirit filled work, then we can step into art and beyond it into a place where our back story plays a part in keeping hope and love alive in a world that needs it so desperately". 

Not only is my art a reflection of God’s goodness and love for me but it changes me as I make the art. As one student of mine once said, "it changes the way I think!"

The creative process is fashioned after the author of all creation, God is a creative God and we were made in his image. 

We are a creative people. 

My creative self dwells deep within me and when I create, new inspiration springs up and spills out. 

 I discover new things within me that has been hidden. 

So much of our talents we believe, come from our genetics and  from our nurturing while growing up, we give our parents credit and rightly so but I believe our Heavenly father had more of a hand in it. In Ephesians one it says, He designed us before the foundations of the earth. God gave us a creative nature as is like our creator. I believe we all are creative in some form weather we recognize our gift or not. As a creative being we all have a need to create no matter what it is. That gift you possess is to fulfill one purpose…

It is to glorify God. 

It is giving back what He has given us, that glorifies Him.

What I create is my passion and I give that up as a sacrifice to the Lord, a love gift. He then uses that gift to glorify himself. I trust him to do His work through me to see His love spread to others.

The purpose or back story is that many might know the Love of God through the work of my hands, that I may be a reflection of Him and not me.

Col 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men.

Some of my art today that I am showing you has a February theme… Love is.

This work tells of what love is and the back story is the author of love, God. 

He not only loves, He is love.

God loves us and pursues us, just as a love on Valentines day would do. 

Simon Tugwell once said, “So long as we imagine it is we who have to look for God, we must often lose heart, But it is the other way about. He is looking for us”. 

He pursues us everyday with a beautiful sunset, a morning glory growing through the crack in a sidewalk, a favorite song on the radio. He is pursuing you like a love-struck beau… pay attention and enjoy His advances as He pursues you today.

"Draw me, we will run after thee; the king has brought forth me into his chambers; we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine, the upright love thee.

He brought me to His banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Sol.1:4, 2:4

Blessings,

Rebecca