Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

Mexican artist Zury Jennings has always been passionate about connecting her artwork to her Christian faith. She studied visual arts at undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as theology and counseling at Covenant Seminary, where she also served as Art Curator at the Francis Schaeffer Institute. She is currently a missionary living in West Africa with her beloved husband Collin, and enjoys exploring African elements in her artwork.

One of those artworks is the fabric collage above. She created it for her church in West Africa by putting together colorful, discarded scraps of African print fabric. It is a picture of Psalm 1, which says, "Blessed is the one. . . whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers" (NIV).

This image features an open Bible at the foot of a giant Baobab tree, which grows in many parts of Africa. A life-sustaining stream runs across the bottom left corner next to the tree. The Baobab is revered for its extraordinary longevity and medicinal properties, and is therefore referred to as the "Tree of Life." Because of this positive (and biblical!) imagery, Zury decided to use it on the banner, which directly connects it to the study and application of God's Word. Because Baobab trees grow in the area around her church, and also because many local people wear clothes made of print fabrics, it is a beautiful and positive example of biblical contextualization, or the incorporation of something from the local "context" to better explain God's Word.

May more of God's churches around the world use their artists to create beautiful works like these out of the materials He has provided, in order to draw more people to Himself!

Indigenous artists win global recognition for Our Mob, God's Story

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

Please check out this recent article from ETERNITY NEWS concerning the Australian Aboriginal Christian art book, Our Mob, God’s Story.

One of the artworks in the award-winning book:

Tjulpun Tjulpunpa (desert wildflowers) by Imiyari Adamson

Book awarded for “most creative” Bible publication

REBECCA ABBOTT  |  APRIL 11TH, 2019 02:03 PM

Our Mob, God’s Story – the iconic art book by Bible Society Australia that won Christian Book of the Year in 2017 – was singled out at this year’s United Bible Societies (UBS) Publisher’s Convention.


The book picked up the Vallotton Award for new audience products at the convention, held last month in Nairobi, Kenya. The award, given out in honour of pioneering illustrator Annie Vallotton, recognises the most creative examples of Bible publishing among the UBS network – which includes Bible Societies in over 200 territories across the world.

[Continue reading the article here]

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

Once again it's that time of year to get new wall calendars! Although I won't be able to get one shipped to my current residence, here is at least one that you might be interested in:

Missio Art Calendar 2019 Ethiopia, available for 17,90 € or approximately $20 plus shipping to the U.S. (if available).

Here's the calendar description from the website (English translation by Chrome/Google Translate): 

Using the cycle of images created by Alem Getachew Worku for the missio art calendar, she takes inspiration from the color and design language of the Ethiopian-Christian painting tradition. 

Catchy and strong in color, the pictures give insights into the ancient Christian message of their homeland and convey what the artist herself is passionate about: to pass on the spirit of unity, of exchange and of sharing with her art. 

Alem Getachew, born in 1982 and confined to a wheelchair for 20 years by paraplegia, lives in Addis Ababa and has been working as an artist for 18 years. Very active and committed is above all the passing on of her abilities an important concern. In recent years, she has taught hundreds of people with and without disabilities art in her small gallery in Addis Ababa. 

Cover page and 17 four-color art prints, texts in four languages. 41 x 44.5 cm, with name tag leaf. Spiral binding, in a slipcase.

Unfortunately the calendar does not contain boxes for each day of the month, but rather shows one large art image with a horizontal line of dates in small print at the bottom. I was unable to determine if they ship to the U.S. or not.

Nigerian Madonna and Child

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

© Michael Harrar

Michael Harrar, artist and member of Wycliffe Bible Translators, recently produced this delightfully colorful Nigerian Madonna and Child from his home in the U.S. Until earlier this year (2018) he and his wife Beverly had been living in Nigeria where he was able to personally research much of the imagery in this painting. You can see more of his (typically more realistic) paintings at his website Artist Works Around the Globe. Two other favorites of his is this one he did earlier in 2018 for the SIL Nigeria Retreat banner, and this one of female African musicians.

Here is the artist's description for Nigerian Madonna and Child:

Nigeria is a people full of color. Every Sunday men and women dress in their finest to celebrate their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Traditional Jewish custom is also full of color and celebration. Using vibrant African fabrics, colored pencil and acrylics, the Madonna and Child is influenced by living among the Nigerian people. A combination of traditional and modern Nigerian designs and Jewish symbols bring the past and the present together. 

Christ is for all time; the focal point where the past, present and future meet. Join together in celebrating the Lord Jesus Christ this Christmas.

Australian Aboriginal Nativity Card

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

I recently came across this beautiful Christmas card by Australian Aboriginal artist Raechel Saunders at her Etsy shop. Raechel is a painter, illustrator, and ceramic artist. Her abstract Aboriginal art style is heavily inspired by her artist/pastor/father's artwork and teaching. You can see even more of her work at her personal website.

Engelbert Mveng: Ugandan Martyrs Altar @ ArtWay

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

Check out the most recent post at ArtWay featuring Cameroonian artist/theologian Engelbert Mveng, and two of his large-scale murals.  For more on Mveng and his art, check out my 2012 post here.

Engelbert Mveng: Ugandan Martyrs Altar, Libermann College, Douala, Cameroon.

Engelbert Mveng: Resurrection, Hekima College, Nairobi, Kenya, 1962.

Indigenous Painting: Holy Spirit in This Land

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

Holy Spirit in This Land by Lisa Buxton, Aboriginal Education Adviser, from the Catholic Education Office Sydney.  The painting was created to depict the theme of the inaugural Indigenous Mass at St Mary's Cathedral for Sydney's Catholic schools in 2013.  

The aim of the Mass is to show respect towards Australia's first people and to celebrate the indigenous culture and build bridges between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.