IN THIS WORLD
“I attend church every Sunday, and I draw during the sermon. All of these pages were done in a pew.... Simultaneous drawing and listening transforms familiar language into something new- a feedback loop of symbols, theology and wonder.” John Hendrix
When you hear a phrase like, “Christian artist” or “Christian art” what sorts of images does that conjure up?
Perhaps stain-glass cathedral windows, Thomas Kinkade paintings, Sunday School illustrations, crucifixes?
Artist and Illustrator John Hendrix’s work doesn’t seem to fit any of those categories, and instead, we find little blue ghost cartoons, one-eyed monsters, bespeckled theologian spies and a faith full of depth and imagination pondered out by tiny squirrels with big questions.
The sketchbook images you see flow directly from the listening ears to the skillful hands of the artist; taking in sermons and sketching to integrate hearing with seeing, Hendrix gives us a glimpse into the another way we can interpret and inhabit scripture beyond just spoken words. The written text comes alive through the innovative use of design, helping us to ponder anew the beauty, richness, and strangeness of God’s words shared in community.
The Holy Ghost comics engage life’s biggest and smallest questions with humor and grace. Visualizing the Holy Spirit as a little blue ghost and us who are trying to navigate faith as a skeptical squirrel or (God forbid) a self-righteous badger, Hendrix illuminates the joys and frustrations of listening to the Spirit.
In a selection of images from Hendrix’s graphic novel, The Faithful Spy, we see the life, work, and eventually martyrdom of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This work illustrates the difficulties and the beauty of being a Christian in this world, especially in times that are dark and seem without hope.
In this world, pursuing art as a Christian often proves full of challenges, yet in doing so, artists of faith can set our imaginations on fire, deepening our discipleship, and providing a space for wonder that might draw others in to come and see. John Hendrix's work perfectly illustrates this invitation, little blue ghosts and all.
John Hendrix is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator. His books include The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler, called a Best Book of 2018 by NPR, Drawing Is Magic: Discovering Yourself in a Sketchbook, Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus, and many others. His award-winning illustrations have also appeared on book jackets, newspapers, and magazines all over the world. His newest book, The Holy Ghost: A Spirited Comic, came out in 2022 from Abrams ComicArts. He is the Kenneth E. Hudson Professor of Art and Chair of the MFA in Illustration and Visual Culture program at the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis.
Twitter: @hendrixart
Instagram: @johnhendrix
Website: www.johnhendrix.com
The Works:
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