HeART Friends; There's so much more to art than just painting a picture.

 A brief history of "HeART Friends": 

My good friend Charice Cooper and I have collaborated on art for several years....doing murals and faux finishes together, as well as fun mixed media pieces. We've had several discussions on "the purpose of our art" and "what can we do to make it more meaningful and to benefit others?" We decided that the mixed media art pieces we create together would be used to "give back" in some way.  We came up with the name "HeART friends, for a couple of reasons. 1) God connected us as friends and we've been able to support each other in our art journeys. 2) we both have a heart to use our art to reach out to others. The following is one story of how we were led to do this:

A few years ago,  my daughter decided she wanted me to “update” her room from “teenie-bopper” to sophisticated. I was hesitant, as I’d already redone the room at least 3 times. After a couple years of negotiating, I caved! I agreed, her room was very small, and currently caged a full size loft bed which took up practically the entire room. It wasn’t too practical when the grandparents came to visit.

We decided to look for a twin trundle, which brings me to the story. 

My husband, Tyler, found a beautiful white wooden trundle on Craig’s list (which I had planned to refinish to look Parisian-chic). He called the owners and they initially had said someone else was going to buy the bed. It turned out the other buyers fell through and we were next in line.

Tyler drove passed Cooks Children’s hospital in Ft. Worth on the way to pick up the bed. As he continued to drive, he felt an urgency to pray for someone that was in that hospital. He didn’t know exactly who, at the time. He found out within minutes.

When he arrived at the residence, the owner, Jimmy, mentioned that his wife Deanna had just left to go to Cook’s Children’s hospital to visit their niece, Lauren. He  proceeded to tell the story of how she ended up in the hospital.  As he described the incident, Tyler realized that he and I had been following this same story on facebook which had gone viral. This is the story of the Nevils; Steve and Katy, and their daughter, Lauren and son, Will, whom they call “Cowboy”.

The family had been traveling from Tennessee to Texas to visit their family for Thanksgiving. Tragically, just outside the Texas/Arkansas border, another car hit them, and they careened into a tree, which sadly took Katy’s life, and threatened the life of their daughter, Lauren. Their story is one of tragedy, but also of faith. Their family has touched so many lives, including mine. It’s been almost 2 years since the accident. (They just recently had the trial of the driver who hit them. You can read about it here): http://www.hopeprescott.com/nevil-family-hopes-to-begin-healing-after-coe-pleads-guilty/

 

I won’t go into all the details of the family here, but you can follow their story on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/PrayingForTheNevils

Star Telegram article from February, 2013: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/02/17/4626990/support-showered-on-family-after.html

Tyler told me about his visit when he got home. I felt the need to do something, knowing no matter what it was it would be tiny in comparison to what they had been through.  I contacted  Deanna, and told her about my idea to paint something for the Nevils. She told me that Steve, Lauren, and Cowboy had just come up with an idea in one of their counseling sessions to draw a family crest, and shared their drawing with me. 

Because my friend, Charice and I collaborate on some art pieces for benefits, I contacted her, and we went to work.  We decided to create a version of their family crest.  

It is based on the verse Ecclesiastes 4:12.  “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” The wings and cross represent our home in Heaven; the hand and heart represent helping others, which is strong in their hearts; and the verse is significant of their family as they work together through the tragedy. 

 Charice and I working on the Nevil piece. 

We presented the piece to Steve and the kids, and we got to meet his family; including several extended family members. I can’t even begin to describe the impact they had on me. They were all so kind, open, and caring.  We spoke with Steve at length, and could see God’s grace and strength poured out over him and how God was using this family and blessing them in so many ways in the midst of tragedy.  We also got to spend a little time with sweet Lauren, a true miracle. I feel that I received so much more from them, than they received from us.

It is the hope of Charice and I that we can use our art to benefit others in some, small way, although the blessings that return are astounding to me.