ART & SOUL G enik w a R . Williams
Exhibiting God’s Goodness In a world where top dollar is paid for artwork depicting crucifixes submerged in urine or biblical characters engaged in illicit sexual activity, it’s no wonder that exhibits inspiring reverence and awe of God aren’t considered hot commodities. Galleries that showcase biblical themes in God-honoring ways constitute a tiny minority in the art world. Galleries that do this with world-class art are even fewer. Stigmatized and marginalized by other members of the art community as well as their next-door neighbors, most don’t last more than a few years. So what would compel Susan and Derek Hooks to open a gallery featuring only art inspired by Christian faith? God called them to do it. Susan and Derek have always shared a passion for the arts. A native of Long Island, N.Y., Susan worked as a part-time artist while holding down a corporate IT job. Derek, who hails from Harlem, studied business management in college and enjoyed a successful career as an actor with one of the leading Christian theater companies in the country.When they got bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, starting an art gallery seemed like a logical way to combine their talents. In late 2002, all the preparations had been made to open their new gallery in the burgeoning art district of Lancaster, Pa. Artist agreements had been signed. Studio rental fees had been paid.Promotions were in full swing. And the community was thrilled to have the new addition to the neighborhood.Then, just two months before the gallery was set to open, God stepped in and upset the Hooks’ well-laid plan, nudging them to open a gallery that expressed their faith instead. “We kept fighting it, but we really
couldn’t shake that God was calling us to open a Christian art gallery,” says Susan Hooks. “Finally, we just gave in.” But not everyone agreed that a Christian gallery was a good idea. As soon as word got out, they lost the artists they had booked for the opening. Neighbors criticized them harshly, saying a Christian art gallery just wouldn’t work there. Topping off their list of woes, the couple had no clue where to find highquality Christian artists to replace the mainstream folks they’d lost. An internet search turned up two Christian artists who agreed to do the showcase: one a Chinese artist who depicts Bible stories within a contemporary Chinese context; the other an abstract artist from New Zealand whose work focuses on how God pulls people through tragedy.The Lime Stone Gallery enjoyed a successful debut, and two years later the Hooks moved their enterprise to the Manayunk section of Philadelphia, Pa., and renamed it the White Stone Gallery.
“The beauty draws them in and God does the rest.” The gallery offers nothing along the lines of the stereotypical images of “angels holding puppies.” Consequently, according to the owners, it has helped to change the way many people view biblically inspired fine art. The art they promote depicts the glory of God, God’s love and will for humanity, and a variety of biblical themes that illuminate the nature of God. They have featured everything from abstract paintings to photographic realism; they’ve exhibited drawings and embroideries, wall-sized paintings and tabletop sculptures. White Stone has raised its profile by exhibiting the works of several internationally acclaimed artists, such as Makoto Fujimura, a New York artist who paints in a traditional Japanese style called “Nihonga,” and Spanish artist Maria PRISM 2009
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Tarruella, who focuses on highly textured, mixed-media paintings. While White Stone has been gradually gaining respect in the broader art world, a ministry aspect to the business has also been emerging. Designed to appeal to both the eye and the soul, the gallery pairs each piece of artwork with a placard that provides its scriptural context. Over the years, this creative mingling of art and the Word has had a tremendous impact on the gallery’s patrons — as well as its owners, who hadn’t expected to become showroom-floor ministers. “Art witnesses to people…the beauty draws them in and God does the rest,” says Derek. He and Susan have seen people weep openly or become deeply meditative after learning the spiritual meaning behind a painting. They’ve even had people “shout” (à la Pentecostal worship style) right in the middle of an exhibit. The couple has prayed for customers, taught the Scriptures in depth, counseled depressed or suicidal patrons, and even led some walk-ins to Christ. Knowing that it is God who called them to this work is what sustains the couple, especially during hard times, and there have been hard times. But in spite of the economic downturn, business is slowly building, and the Hooks feel God blessing their labor, rewarding their obedience to his call. In Revelation 2, Christ addresses the church at Pergamum, praising them for remaining true to his name in the midst of evil. He encourages them to stay firm in their faith and promises that to all who overcome, “I will give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” Susan and Derek Hooks hold on to this fascinating promise, confident that their White Stone will remain fixed in its mission, a unique presence in the larger art world. ■ Genikwa R.Williams is a journalist and an M.Div. student at Palmer Seminary.