Assistant Professor of Art Beverly Austin's Pic,-f-Mr-~ of Love Beverly Austin loved teaching students about painting and art, sharing her love and talent with others through her position as an art professor. On a March 20 11 trip to Catacamas, Honduras, led by Associate Professor of Exercise Science Bryan Phillips throughJourney Missions, Austin got the opportunity to use her work as a ministry. Austin began a project in 2010 for which she asked young people in the Catacamas area to draw pictures based upon a Christian theme. She collected many of these drawings and began a mural depicting scenes from the Creation story. "Many churches are poor and do not have visual aids and, in many cases, Bible school matetials," Austin said. "Murals provide visuals for teaching." Austin's desire was supported by the organizers of the trip, including Phillips, as well as by those who traveled with the mission team to help with the painting process. "I have been taking students, faculty and friends to Honduras every year since 1995," Phillips said. "The trip has a wide variety of participants and talents. We always build a home for a family, and we have a group that works at 208 Faculty an orphanage for handicapped children. We dig latrines, build classrooms and take food to families. When Beverly signed up to go, her talent naturally led her to creating and painting murals." Phillips said that Austin's talent had gained her much popularity in Honduras. "The murals have been a 'big hit' with the Hondurans, and several congregations have requested that she paint one for them as well," Phillips said. According to Austin, the trips had helped not only the Honduran Christians see more fully the power of God but also had taught her how to be a stronger leader in the classroom at Harding. "As a painting teacher, this experience has been invaluable in encouraging students to share with the world their gift from God to 'preach' through art about him," Austin said. "Helping my students see that they can carry out their own artwork in murals and help others to do the same is part of myjob as a teacher. 'Each one teach one' is a good motto, and in making Bible murals, 'each one teach many' can happen." Russ Gray Professor Beverly Austin carefully paints a demonstration for her Advanced Painting class on Sept. 20. The class met every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. and encouraged self-expression through the use of various media. Kristi Soto Honduran children color pictures using supplies Austin donated to churches in Catacamas in spring 20 II. Austin collected many of these drawings and used as them the basis for a mural she painted. Courtesy of Beverly Austin
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