Many prisoners who have found new life through Christ express their deepest convictions through a paint brush. Yet their work largely goes unseen by the outside world – until the cellblock sketches fell into the hands of the prison ministry team at Shadow Mountain Community Church in California.
Over the years, this large church nestled in the hills outside San Diego received countless unsolicited submissions from prisoners who have come to know Jesus through Shadow Mountain’s robust in-prison ministry and year-round Angel Tree outreach.
Instead of burying these drawings in a box, Tom Heyer, Shadow Mountain’s prison ministry director, saw a creative opportunity to remember the forgotten behind bars. This past November, he organized the church’s first annual Festival of Art.
Along with the prisoners’ artwork, the Festival of Art displayed submissions from parolees, ex-prisoners, Angel Tree children, prisoners’ families, and prison ministry volunteers – showcasing throughout the church a variety of images inspired by the artists’ faith.
“We had many favorable responses from those who viewed it,” Tom says. He already has plans to host another art festival this year. He adds, “We look forward to how God is going to expand this area of ministry.”