TMC Artist Circle

Do you remember Mom and Dad showcasing your latest artistic masterpiece – or short of that, your newest finger painting – on the refrigerator for all to see? David Rhodes does. His mom still has drawings he made in the first grade.

David has been a life-long artist and came to discover a love for photography in high school. His photography teacher taught the basics, including darkroom skills and camera mechanics. David came to appreciate the craft of non-digital photography.

Unfortunately, not all students get a chance to be inspired artistically in schools. But David and Holy Family School hope to change that. Together they have created an art exhibit and fundraiser that will take place on Saturday, October 20.

The exhibit developed from an idea David shared with a friend to a connection with the Holy Family School principal to conducting workshops throughout the last year for students from kindergarten to eighth grade. David says the goal was to expose, “multiple avenues of creative expression,” and the goal was exceeded: the workshops explored a variety of different mediums, including (but definitely not limited to) comic books, jewelry making, and painting with vegetables.

Funds raised at the one-day-only event will benefit arts programs, including aiding in purchasing classroom art materials. The exhibit will be held from noon to 3 pm on Saturday, October 20 at the DePaul campus Starbucks, located at 1245 W Fullerton in Lincoln Park. The students whose work will be featured will be present to discuss their art.

David is grateful that God blessed everyone involved with the resources and energy to complete this intense project. He knows the students’ creative exploration has grown through the workshops and he hopes they have learned things they couldn’t have without an art program.

Maybe for some of these students this move from refrigerator to gallery space will start a creative spark. Come and see that spark ignite!

For more information about David and to see the flier for the Holy Family School Art Show, click HERE.

Ever wondered if it was possible to be in the fashion industry and be a Christian? Models for Christ thinks it is.

Models for Christ (MFC) is a New York-based nonprofit organization, first started in 1984 by then-unmarried Jeff and Laura Calenberg.  After returning to New York from a modeling trip to Milan, Jeff realized the need to build a community of Christians working in the fashion industry.  He also wanted a way to reach unbelievers around them.  The first MFC meeting was held in Laura’s apartment and included fellowship with a Bible study.

Since then, Models for Christ has grown to include three domestic locations.  There is a small staff that oversees operations as a whole for MFC, including International Directors Shane and Christina Nearman.  Leah Walton serves as the Media Director, as well as the Director for MFC in New York City.  Each city has its own leadership team that varies from five to ten people.  These teams lead the MFC members from Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City in “weekly Bible studies, outreach events, and community service opportunities,” Leah says.  Although Models for Christ does not affiliate itself with any specific Christian organization or denomination, its website explicitly says it is “a Christian ministry that bases truth on the Holy Bible” and provides “spiritual support and accountability.”

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May 19 marks the third event for Buy Art Not People, a Chicago-based organization that raises awareness about human trafficking.

Buy Art Not People first formed at Destination Church in Wrigleyville to engage artists in ministry. The group wanted to hold an event to raise money for the church, but a pastor suggested raising money for a charity instead. The group landed on Not For Sale, a national organization that works to end human trafficking in a variety of ways. BANP’s first event, held in December 2010, was located at the Painted Door, a church and gallery space in Ukrainian Village. The main event was a silent auction featuring 20 artists, including Elizabeth Andrews, who is now the director of BANP. At the time, she was new to the city and was invited to a pastor’s birthday party: “I ended up meeting the co-founders of Buy Art Not People at that party. They found out I was an artist [and] asked me to contribute some work.”

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