Mission Statement

Our goal is to communicate God’s Word visually through two-dimensional and four-dimensional arts. Viewing the art created within the ministry will serve as a precursor to, and direct reminder of, the messages presented, inspiring deeper corporate growth.

What is a visual arts ministry?

Plasso Design will incorporate visual art creation into corporate worship and the visual presence of the church through a wide variety of media and techniques.  Art creation occurs during worship services, located within the worship space, visible to but not the primary focus of the worshippers. Worship services will have artists scheduled to create during the corporate worship services. Participating churches will provide designated spaces to display the artwork created through this ministry.

Who will be involved in a visual arts ministry?

Creative worship in the form of a visual arts ministry involves every member of the church, as either creator or consumer. Individuals directly involved with the organization and operation decisions of this ministry include the leadership representatives of Plasso Design and cooperating church leaders. Artists will qualify to volunteer and participate within the ministry based on a set of requirements set by Plasso Design and agreed to by the participating church leadership.

It is critical that the participating church leadership publically acknowledge the value of this style of worship and ministry. Failing to do so will weaken the support structure of the art and artist given by the congregation and will result in the inevitable collapse of the visual arts ministry within the church.

How will a visual arts ministry operate?
Execution:

Artist will collaborate with worship leaders and pastors to coordinate the message presented during the service. The artist will then brainstorm a subject and arrangement for the piece they will produce that week, leaning on prayer and devotion time for their creative inspiration.  While it is critical for the artist to have a certain level of freedom to express themselves, limitations to the content of the artwork will include nudity, graphic violence, and any image that would contradict a Biblical belief system. The participating church leadership will have the option to review the artist’s sketches prior to the execution of the piece. Some leaders may prefer not to preview the art; in which case, the artist will use their discretion in determining what content is appropriate.  Images that are necessary to communicate the message may be confusing or even disturbing to some viewers. This may result from a lack of understanding or an emotional reaction to the subject presented. Those emotions are part of how the Holy Spirit speaks through the art and should not be ignored or discouraged.

 

Visible art creation:

During worship, the artist will set up in a location where they can work, while also experiencing the worship being led through music and speaking.  The congregation will be able to see the piece as it develops, but the focal point of the service will remain on the sermon and musicians lead worship. The artist should be positioned to the side or behind the congregation or be set up in a separate area and connect to the worship service via a video feed.

The ministry leaders in the planning process will determine the time and number of pieces created. Different series and individual sermon topics lend themselves better to different creation techniques. Where one series may inspire a separate piece for each message, another will communicate better through a single piece, developed in stages during each message. Others still are more effectively communicated by a work of art created outside of the service, being displayed instead of created during the worship time.

Private creation and public reveal:

If it is not desirable or not plausible for the artist to be visible as they create their piece, the congregation will know that creation is happening during the worship service and the final product revealed at a specified time. Possible times for the product to be revealed include the close of the service in which it was created, prior to the invitation and benediction, or displaying the artwork to be visible before the start of the next service or series.

Display:

An area agreed upon by the artist and the participating church will be set aside for presenting the work created and will rotate new pieces, as they are ready for display.

Outreach:

The art ministry will offer classes and organized studio time for children through mentoring programs and to adults as requested.

The art ministry will collaborate with local homeless shelters and halfway houses to provide opportunities for these communities to express themselves through visual art and organize events to show their work, raising awareness of their presence and connecting them back to the local community.

Community involvement activities (i.e. outdoor parties, concerts, community revitalization projects – murals, etc.) will promote the visual arts ministry.

 

 

 

 

Ministry Budget

The budget for art creation during worship is approximately $200 per painting.

The budget for a visual arts ministry as a permanent program will require no less than 2% of a church’s total budget

Selling work:

Artists may only sell work they have produced at prices they set.

The artist will be responsible for purchasing the supplies and materials needed to create their work unless the church designates a visual arts ministry budget.

Should the church decide to allocate a visual arts ministry budget for purchasing supplies, sale of work will go back into the art ministry budget.

Why support a visual arts ministry?

We will express our worship to God through the creation of artwork by using the talents He has given. Display of work will promote this ministry as well as allow the work created to continue influencing people by making it visible.

The creative process has proven emotionally, spiritually and physically beneficial for its participants. In providing opportunities for creative expression, the visual art ministry will benefit individuals’ personal and public lives as well as bringing them into a closer relationship with God.

Visual arts ministries will reach the visual learners within the church community.  Teachers develop their lesson plans in order to effectively reach all learning styles; auditory (listening), visual (seeing), and kinesthetic (experiential) learners, with the ultimate goal of reaching all learning styles through each lesson. Jesus also taught to all these learning styles through speaking (auditory), setting an example (visual), and giving His followers opportunities to practice what He was teaching (experience). The modern Christian church has mastered teaching to auditory learners through sermons, worship music, and Bible study groups. However, we are often lacking in methods to stimulate the minds of visual learners. The visual arts ministry will provide a way to reach visual learners

Given the nature of the learning style, kinesthetic learning is not effectively addressable. By providing opportunities to serve within the church and through the church in the community, these individuals gain the experiences necessary to reinforce the lessons presented through auditory and visual methods. By adding the visual presentation, the church will now be reaching all three learning styles thereby increasing the effectiveness of its teaching and the retained knowledge of its members.