The Art Project, UMC
The Art Project, UMC
Creating Art That Heals and Empowers Lives!
Rev. Steve Braudt, Artist/Evangelist/Pastor
The Art Project, UMC was launched with an art show and reception. I (Steve Braudt) traveled to Houston, TX in August to participate in The Art Project in Houston and to see what ideas and ministry tips I can bring back.
My hope and dream is that, The Art Project, UMC will be a place for spiritual health and self-empowerment as a part of my ministry, which will lead to facilitating the healing and transition of homeless men and women and at risk youth of the world, area through the discovery of the creative self and spiritual art experiences.
The authors of Awaking the Creative Spirit, Christine Valters and Betsey Beckman, write, ”Engaging the arts in community is a wonderful support for an ongoing commitment to artistry and integration…“When we engage in the arts, we dip into our souls to discover deep pools of wonder, breath-taking gifts of beauty, and quiet revelation.”
This has been my dream and vision since 1995 when I received my call from God to be “De Colores” or “of color.” Since that day, I have been striving to live as colorful of life as I can. I desire to live a life of love, belief, prayer, and faith in all aspects of my life. I am looking to dip into my soul and share with those around me the gifts of wonder and beauty that God has shared with me.
The church needs an infusion of creativity. The Creator did not give us these gifts of spirituality, love, compassion, vision and wonder in order to live in sterile spiritual lives. We are called to be “De Colores” and to bring about the colorization of the world. Dwight Judy wrote in Quest for the Mystical Christ: Awaking the Heart of Faith, “Wherever there is an act of creation, there is God. God is a universal and eternal process of creating and sustaining the universe and every created entity.”
I BELIEVE that art has the power to heal and empower people to see possibilities, embrace opportunities and awaken to hope!
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary provided a stipend for the start-up work, but this outreach ministry is funded by donations and gifts of art supplies if you would like to make a donation of money or would like a needed supplies please contact:
Pastor Steve Braudt
The Art Project, UMC (TAPUMC) is a place for spiritual health and self-empowerment as a part of the ministry of Pastor Steve Braudt, which will lead to facilitating the healing and transition of homeless men and women and at risk youth around the world through the discovery of the creative self and spiritual art experiences.
I BELIEVE that art has the power to heal and empower people to see possibilities, embrace opportunities and awaken to hope
Julia Cameron author of The Artist’s Way wrote that “People heal because creativity is
healthy – and practicing it, they find their greater selves. And we are all greater than we can conceive.” The Art Project, QCA will be a newly created spiritual art and empowerment
program of The Center, Inc. facilitating the recovery and discovery of the creative self for hungry, homeless and transitioning individuals in the Quad Cities area. The Art Project, UMC will be seeking to empower the homeless and at risk to become hope-filled artisans who will craft their own livelihood and create lives filled with new possibilities.
This type of ministry was first conceived by Juanita Rasmus at St. John’s Downtown United Methodist Church in Houston, TX. Rev. Rasmus, wanted to help people express their creativity and empowering them through artistic endeavors. The project was launched on August 12, 2010 with over 85 artisans consisting of clients from the Bread of Life emergency shelter, Temenos Place Apartment Residents (a transitional to permanent housing program), art patrons from the community and members of St. John’s Downtown. The Art Project, Houston seeks to empower their city’s homeless to become hope-filled artisans who will craft their own livelihood and create lives filled with new possibilities.
We will be doing this by offering the Four "E's":
Encounters: Opportunities for the men and women of the homeless community and at-risk youth to encounter art through simple art activities, concerts, field trips, films and exhibition of art created by peers at The Center.
Experiences: Spiritual Art Class, Classes and Studios
Exhibitions/Shows/Classes & Workshops: We seek and create opportunities to exhibit and sell the art created by TAPQCA students artists and participants throughout the Quad Cities.
Empowerment: Opportunities for TAPQCA students artists to be empowered to become art-trepreneurs through entrepreneurship training, contract work and mentoring in the area of contracts, money management, life-skills and other helpful tools that will enable them to transition into self-sufficiency.
We have several aims:
1) to assist the homeless and at-risk in finding meaning and purpose in their lives while exploring their creative self
2) help participants make more conscious choices and decisions as they regain power over their lives,
3) define and implement life changes,
4) get a clearer picture of their creative potential and how to use it,
5) deal with creative blocks and negative patterns, and
6) enrich their relationships with themselves and others through the power of an art based community.
The Art Project, UMC's ultimate goal is to provide at-risk artists an opportunity to make their own trade by creating, displaying and selling their art as a collective body through art exhibits in collaboration with those who are actively engaged in ameliorating suffering and bringing an end to this condition including local agencies, groups, organizations and individuals who share the concern of the homeless dilemma.
