“I want to be the voice of those who are unheard.”

This month is Priority One at SFB.  The weekend of October 25-27 we will be focusing on our number one priority which is to bring people into a life-changing relationship with God and each other.  Over the next three weeks our Focus articles will be related to Priority One 2013.  Today we have an interview with Karisa Keasey, “The Least of These Project.”  Karisa has her art exhibit displayed in the CLC.

An interview with Karisa Keasey:  “I want to be the voice of those who are unheard.”

Where were you born?

“Portland Oregon and I also lived in La Grande and Salem.”

Tell us about your family?

“My mom and dad have been married for a long time.  I have one older sister who loves math and science.  Quite different than me, but we are still very close.”

Where were you trained as an artist?

“I went to college at George Fox University and majored in studio art, but before college I was self-taught.  I began to sell my art in high school.“

When did you first discover your love for art?

“I have been painting and drawing since I can remember.  God gave me a love and a gift for drawing.  I would use the bulletin in church to draw some of my first pictures. “

What is the type of art you do?

“Stylistically I do impressionistic paintings that lean toward realism.  What does that mean for a non-art person like myself?  Impressionism shows the process of art so that people see the brush strokes.  The realism side comes from the use of lighting and the depiction of real-life images.”

Did you always want to go to the orphanages?

“I had a love for children that drew me toward orphanages.  My first desire to use my art for more than just art-sake was a passion to cross lingual and cultural barriers.  The images I drew could share a message that words could not.  I want to be the voice of those who are unheard. “

Why India?

“I have always had an interest in India.  I did a lot of research on orphanages both nationally and internationally.  I began to notice that many orphanages focused on one of two areas, either being the hands and feet of Jesus or sharing the gospel.  What drew me to the orphanage that I work with in India is they make a concerted effort to focus on both helping the body and the soul.

Do you see your art as a profession or as a ministry or both?

“My purpose is not going to help the Indian people because they do not specifically need art help.  My mission is to stand hand in hand with a far off neighbor.   I go to India to learn about their culture and the ministry of the orphanage.  I then come back and through my art tell their story.   My mission here is to inspire people to stand hand in hand with a close or far off neighbor. “

Your paintings give special attention to the eyes.  Why? 

“There is something special about eyes.  They are the window to the soul.  When you look at a person’s eyes you can know them without speaking to them.  This is important when you cannot speak the same language.  Something struck me about the Yanadi people.  They have a strong resilience and a beauty that comes out of their suffering.  I first saw this in their eyes.”

Describe some of the unique elements of your art that the viewer might first not see?
“I put a lot of texture in my art that uses elements from India.  I also use cloth from India.  I integrate the impression of rain to represent the tsunamis that the Yanadi people have faced.  Every year they experience tsunamis and are forced to rebuild their homes.    Thousands of Yanadi people die every year and are not counted because they are not considered human.”

  

Interview by Pastor Mark Hanke