Betty Meadows
Christ's Love in Art
By Jessica Reid
"I hope to capture the beauty of God in each person and share the richness and diversity of all people."
Betty Meadows is an artist. She's also the General Presbyter of the Mid-Kentucky Presbytery. She has filled the role for more than 15 years. Before coming to Kentucky, Betty served as associate executive for evangelism in Greater Atlanta for seven years and as a pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Iowa Park, TX, for six years.
She says she's always felt fulfilled by her work within the church, but after taking in her niece she learned an unexpected lesson.
"My niece turned my basement into an art studio," Betty told us. "She reconnected herself to what she loved and being with her made me realize that I'd become a workaholic, never stopping, never taking time. She'd come to me for help, but over the two years she was with me she actually helped me. I learned that there was so much more to life than work."
Betty once loved to paint. She'd first picked up a brush in 1979 when living in Texas.
"I'd paint simple things, like blue bonnets or cattle."
But she set aside her art when she went to seminary in Austin, TX. In the decades that followed, Betty took on more responsibility and became tied to her service to the church. Then, in 2003, thanks to the influence of her niece, Betty decided to express her love of Christ in a new way through her art.
She says found herself moved emotionally by many of the photos mission co-workers from the around world were taking. She decided to start there and began asking for permission to paint the subjects.
"In many of the photographs, I could feel the character of these people who were facing difficult circumstances," Betty told us. "If you look, you can also see the strength and beauty of the spirit within each person. Each person I paint has the beauty of Christ in them. My hope is that I can express that beauty to others."
Betty paints mostly women and children. She says she looks for diversity in race and culture and experiences. Betty understands that some of her subjects have endured terrible injustice, horrific violence, and heartbreaking loss.
"We all have our brokenness. For me, to paint someone is to love someone. I often choose to paint certain people because of their story. I want to paint people so the world can see their beauty regardless of the circumstances of their lives."
Betty's renewed love of painting lifts up those who have suffered injustice around the globe. But little did she know it would also help those living closer to her home in Louisville, KY.
"Art is from God," Elmer Lucille Allen, a volunteer with Wayside Christian Mission in Louisville, said. "If you didn't have God-given talent then you wouldn't have art. God guides you in whatever you do."
Elmer Lucille is the curator and director for Wayside Christian Mission's Expressions Gallery. The organization offers a variety of services for homeless and low income families in Louisville. They include emergency shelters, educational classes, recovery programs, permanent housing for the physically and mentally challenged, and much more. The gallery is located in "Hotel Louisville"-one of two Wayside facilities in downtown Louisville.
"The gallery does several things for our community," Elmer Lucille told us. "We hold chapel and meetings in the same room, so people living here are exposed to art and to the joy and healing power of expressing oneself through art."
"The gallery here brings people into Wayside Christian Mission so they can learn more about the work we do to help others. Some of those people may volunteer or donate to our ministries. We also give new artists a platform to display their work, and if they sell a piece, the mission gets a portion."
The kind of art Elmer Lucille says she looks for is always Christian and wholesome, but the format can range from water colors to fiber to pictorial. She says Betty's pieces were perfect for the gallery.
"We've been friends for a while, but I couldn't believe it when Elmer Lucille asked me if I wanted to display my work," said Betty. "I was honored and excited. Plus, it gave me the opportunity to say to others – ‘Come see Wayside. Discover their mission; see where people are getting a second chance.' There is so much beauty happening right here."
Betty sold eight pieces of her artwork during her August 2012 show at Wayside. A portion of each painting went to help those who are served through the shelter's programs and services. She says it's just another example of how reconnecting to her art is truly the influence of God in her life.
"Our human journey is to learn to love people and ourselves which ultimately reflects our love for God. Painting has reminded me of the gift of each person. It's reminded me that all life is a gift from God."
