God’s Spring
Posted by halcyonarts@howies.org on May 28, 2011 under Catherine Howie, CreateArt Day, Door Of Hope, Local Galleries, Robbing The Bank, The Art Bank, Tomas Howie | 
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ART – Transcending present reality
We’ve been telling you for over a year that art inspired by God is powerful and transforms lives. The month of May saw this happen in a powerful way as God used one of Tom’s paintings to draw a young lady to Himself. We believe what we have been telling you, but this dramatic example surprised and wonderfully encouraged us!
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The true story of a photograph, a concert, and a painting.
Art brings intangible reality into the physical realm. God created art to give truth, which often evades words, explanations, and expressions. A common example of this is the sound track to a movie. Much is communicated through the music. Try watching a portion of a video with the sound off, then watch it again with sound. The difference is crazy (and almost beyond words!) When words fail, art brings meaning.
Our media-creativity-art-driven culture is a ripe field.
This particular story begins about a year ago when a friend invited us to a student photography exhibit. A photo of a red door framed by an entry arch kept beckoning us to come back. Its artist was one of several inner-city kids from Indy who was accepted into the photography workshop developed by a local church. Tom was so taken by the image, he asked the young lady if he could paint it. She agreed and sent him the digital file.
Months later he was invited to paint during a creative worship event. Artists created while
musicians performed on stage– everyone collaborating with God and worshiping Him. The theme of the night was hope. Tom painted from the student’s photo of the door and titled his painting “Door of Hope”.
Since August of last year, we have been involved in a rather unique Indianapolis Artist community. Located on Massachusetts Ave., in the heart of Indy’s Arts District, The Art Bank is a gallery composed of many interesting – and talented – creative people.
The building is an old bank. Dan, the proprietor – and an excellent metals artist – bought the property with the intent of allowing unknown artists, by renting wall space, an opportunity to display and sell their art in Indy’s primary Artist Community.
Three weeks ago a young woman from Oregon dropped by The Art Bank. She was visiting the city for a conference and wanted to go home with some art. She came into the Art Bank to buy a painting of another artist. His work wasn’t priced, however, so Dan invited her to browse the gallery to see if there was anything else she liked.
A piece in Tom’s room caught her eye. The title, in particular, touched her in a meaningful way.
She writes:
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“Dear Tomas,
“I think finding ‘Door of Hope’, and getting connected to you and your inspiring encouragement was meant to be. After some difficult times in my life, I decided to stop drinking and started going to Alcoholics Anonymous. I got my 30-day coin this week when I was in Indianapolis, and I wanted to take something special home to commemorate it. ‘Door of Hope’ is perfect!
“Before joining AA, I was not at all religious,and only marginally spiritual. I didn’t believe inanything at all until losing my mother to cancerat age 19. I started then to believe there is’something’ after death (because I could feel her presence) but was not yet ready to believe in God.
“I went to Indiana knowing I was wrapping up my first step work in AA (acknowledging that my life had become unmanageable and that I was powerless over alcohol) and knowing that I would soon be beginning my second step (coming to believe a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity). I was nervous about this step… not at all sure how or where I could find my higher power. I was determined to go looking, and had asked some friends about trying out churches, but was still very uncertain about how to find my higher power.
“In Indiana, my Higher Power found me.
“After the events of that week… meeting some amazing people in AA and making lifelong friends, feeling my mother’s presence so strongly in a meeting called the Goddess Circle, having a gallery guide of galleries in Indianapolis appear before me when I needed it leading me to the Art Bank and ‘Door of Hope’, finding the courage to write to you and share my story….and your words back to me….this chain of events leaves me convinced beyond a doubt of the presence of God, and that he is guiding me.
“Your email, your card, and your message to me brought me to tears a number of times, tears of joy and HOPE. I shared all three with my AA group now that I am back home, and they were similarly touched. How could you have known that the very thing I was seeking was the face of God? Thank you for helping me
find him. I thank you so much for showing me the way through the Door of Hope. I cannot tell you how great a significance you, your paintings, and your words have had on me. They are transformative.
“Yesterday I attended Easter Sunday service for possibly the first time. It was beautiful, uplifting, and I cried through the entire thing overcome with emotion. My plan is now to attend a variety of churches, and find my home in one of them.
“Thank you again Tomas. You have made a difference in my life, and for that I am very, very grateful.
“Thanks, Nadia.”
Nadia (not her real name) went looking for God and found Him through Tom’s painting. The Transcendent God, the Immortal and Invisible One, made Himself know to Nadia through art. Please understand that we are not making a case that all Truth can be known through art– it’s obvious she needs theological help and grounding in the Word. Her point of entry into the Kingdom, however, was “Door of Hope”.
God inhabits our praises; He gives gifts and talents to His people; He works through each of us all the time. Over a year, He divinely arranged a photo show, a worship concert, an art show, and all the inter-connected relationships forming a lifeline around these events to draw Nadia to Himself.
Art has inherent power. Culture is the knife’s point of society. When God is invited into the process the potential within art is further magnified by His creativity and power. God has something to say through each of us – with words, with relationships, with books and articles, and with art.
Thank-you so much for partnering with us. Tom would not have painted “Door of Hope” without your support of Halcyon Arts. Nadia would have purchased someone else’s painting and might still be looking for Jesus. On behalf of her, thank-you!
Nadia closed her letter with, “I also hope I might stay in touch with you to update you on the progress I am making both in my recovery, and in my spiritual journey.” Please pray for her and us as we travel the journey toward Christ with her. In the Creator’s hand–
This is why we do what we do; why we continue to ask you to support us; and why we don’t do life the easy way!
We’ve been at the Art Bank for several months, hoping and praying for Tom’s work to sell, and this is the way God answers. Can you shout His praises with us?!? I need to hear a couple of Hallelujahs all the way in Indy!
Incidentally, at last month’s First Friday Gallery Walk, Tom sold two more paintings and Cathy sold a bunch of photos. After the gallery closed, we were also invited to go out with three of the artists who continue to be
curious about our faith.
A note from an artist’s manager (who is also a believer): “Cathy, the ‘Robbing the Bank’ team is so happy that you and Tomas are exhibiting at the Art Bank now. Who would have thought that your exhibit and ‘create art’ efforts in June 2010 would have brought you into the Art Bank Gallery so quickly with wall space….by Aug 2010!”
God is using our art, and Halcyon Arts, to reach out to people and show them there is a better way; a way to God. Thank you for your support, which allows us to continue and develop our work both through our music and in the Indianapolis artist community.
createArt
In June we are re-starting this dynamic ministry. Please pray for God to guide us to artists (believers and seekers) who are serious about their journey toward Jesus.
DRAW NEAR ministry continues
There are still about 550 CDs behind our couch. Do you know someone who needs one? Here are some comments from listeners and a doctor who is partnering with us by giving DRAW NEAR to his patients.
- “I have been using your CDs as gifts to minister to certain selected patients that I meet. I am waiting to see what God does with them. I am also taking you with me to Mali. (That is) I am taking a bunch of your cd’s along to give as gifts (let’s just call them ammunition) for our missionary friends over there who are engaged in the work of Deut. 6:6-7.” (These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts…Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up… Remember our challenge from our last prayer letter?)
“Last night my car needed some sound and I wasn’t in the mood for any radio ads. I realized that I had your CD within reach and put it in. It touched my soul this morning. Or should I say it helped my soul reach out to Jesus this morning. I turn it up loud and sing (even though I can’t hit all the notes you can). Thank you for following this project through and recording all these songs. They have been a blessing to me.”
Cathy has a blog and Facebook page that share other stories about what’s going on with the CD and her music:
They both have a link to a new song. Check them out!
Birthdays
Chris and Deanne took us to see one of our heroes-- Red Green-- for Tom’s birthday. (Can you see Cathy’s duct tape bracelet??
Stay tuned for photos of Cathy’s (major milestone) birthday this June!
Finances
Thanks for continuing to give – and please consider an extra gift over the next several months. Our income during the summer always takes a hit as people are on vacation.
Also, if you have the means and God leads you to do something beyond our wildest imagination and bank account, we have to pay off our HVAC loan by July 1, or we will owe buckets and loads of interest. The balance right now is right about at $4.5K.
Our water heater has also been leaking for over a year. We still have hot water… for now anyway!
Schedule
There are quite a few events coming up in the next month. If you live in the area we’d love to have you attend (and prayer-walk), if you live elsewhere, your prayers will be just as effective from afar.
- June 3 – First Friday Gallery Walk
- June 11 – CreateArt
- June 17 – possible coffeehouse in Indy
- June 18 – Yard Share (poverty relief event) Indy
- July 1 – First Friday Gallery Walk
Divine Collaboration
A couple of weeks before Easter, God gave Cathy an ideaand guided her each step of the way in making a piece to go around the cross in our church. There isn’t room here to share the story – you’ll have to watch her blog or ask her about it!
Prayer and Praises
- Continue to pray for God’s priorities and scheduling to be
clear. We have more options than we can possibly do! - Praise God that it looks like we will be eligible for health
insurance at Panera when our COBRA coverage runs out in
June! (And pray it actually happens!) - Pray for God’s provision for our HVAC loan to be
completely paid off by July 1. - Praise God that paintings and CDs are selling!
- Praise God for the Art Bank relationships that continue to
grow and deepen. Pray for us to truly love our new friends. - And most importantly, pray for us to keep the One Thing
(our love for Jesus and following Him) the main thing!!
We love you!!
