Inside Story
Kingdom Class Artists
Inspiring “Art-Makers” to Live Up to God’s Standards of Excellence
By Rebecca K. Grosenbach
Not long ago, a 16-year-old girl attended a gathering of artists—musicians, painters, poets—all much older than she. Even so, her heart pounded with the affirmation, “These are my people.”
The need for that sense of belonging is part of what prompted a handful
of Navigators to create Via Affirmativa, a national network of art
makers who seek to make art to the glory of God. Via Affirmativa, which
means “the way of affirmation,” sponsors conferences—which they call
Gatherings “because it sounds cool”—and smaller “Art Slams.” In both
cases, they spend time discussing topics related to art and faith,
sharing their art with each other, and infusing in one another the
values of the Kingdom of God to inform their art-making in their
individual contexts.Longtime Navigator Gary Bradley was a driving force behind Via Affirmativa. “The word ‘affirm’ means to call out what is true about people but unseen by them,” he says. “That’s what we try to do for those in the art community.”
Gary, a water-color painter, hasn’t always thought of himself as an artist. He’s been with The Navigators since 1974 working in a variety of ministries. Today, Gary is the Metro leader for Raleigh, North Carolina, a member of the National Leadership Team, and head of Via Affirmativa.
Gary’s personal journey into the art world came relatively late in life. When he was nearing 60 in the summer of 2001, Gary picked up some paint and brushes as he left for a vacation. By the end of two weeks he was painting.
About this same time, Gary began to discover fascinating references to beauty and truth in his study of Scripture. In order to pursue those ideas more thoroughly, he invited a few Navigator friends to lunch.
“I asked Eddie Broussard, Donald McGilchrist, and Jim Peterson to talk about how the Gospel moves through the beauty and goodness of God,” he says.
These three friends, each longtime Navigators, share a passion for art as painters, poets, and wordsmiths. Their conversation fueled a fire in them all, and in 2004 they organized a gathering of 11 like-minded friends.
The next summer they invited 30 people to join them in Colorado Springs for a three-day retreat at Glen Eyrie. One hundred people showed up.
After that gathering, Gary and
his friends had a clearer vision for Via Affirmativa. “Our emphasis is
on helping people become ‘Kingdom class artists,’” Gary says, meaning
they challenge artists to live up to God’s standards of excellence. “We
want to call out the next generation of art-makers for the sake of the
Gospel.”As the team pondered how to connect with the next generation, it seemed obvious to use film. “More people show up around us who are filmmakers than anything else,” Gary says.
The subject of their film was almost as obvious: Romanian sculptor Liviu Mocan. Liviu is a friend of The Navigators, having created sculptures for the Glen Eyrie grounds years ago. But more important, Liviu learned how to communicate the truth of Christ through art in a Communist culture that did not allow overt expressions of faith.
“We think Liviu’s work is a powerful testimony of the value of images and the importance of being focused on Christ in your work,” Gary says.
Gary assembled a team of experienced filmmakers, led by Rochelle de Sa. Most of the team had a Navigator connection. The documentary, simply titled Liviu Mocan, was completed in 2007.
While Via Affirmativa has led Gary into many expressions of art, at heart he’s still a disciplemaker. He travels the country to meet with artists, and spends most Wednesdays at a local art studio, where he paints with other artists.
“I have made it my practice to call out what is true about my friends there,” he says. “The Gospel moves because we get involved in people’s lives, person to person.”
To learn more, visit www.viaaffirmativa.com. The film Liviu Mocan is one of this issue’s special Resources.
