AIM = artists in mission

I have worked on the Logos Hope ship for a couple of months and when I met the founder, George Verwer, I was totally inspired. My dream to have a sailing boat one day is very old. It's so old i forget about this dream even. Before I went on the ship I told my boss at the Dutch Navy that I would go work on a ship, and anyways, my contract ended too and it was not going to be prolonged since they were cutting costs. Job agency workers are let go first. I explained him about the ship, he knows I'm Christian. But then he said something that shocked me: well, you are an artist. instead of working on this ship, you should have your own artist ship and go around the world sharing the gospel with other artists. I couldn't believe was I was hearing out of the mouth of my non-believing boss. But God can speak thru anyone. If He did, i'm not sure, but it felt like this boss just formulated a lingering dream I have had and gave it shape. Then when I started to work on the ship, there were many more 'confirmations' of this desire. And to top it off George Verwer spoke exactly about this: big dreams are the opportunities God is looking for: he is BIG so he wants to do BIG, thru us. Normally as a person you think: oh, it's too big, i need to be a millionaire. Or oh, it's too much fun to actually be possible. But it's really a matter of praying for it and going along trusting, and see how God makes things happen. First God prepares you. He doesn't want you to get into something you can't handle. He doesn't want you to get burnt out for example. Things must go in a good balance. Then He prompts you to take steps, so He can direct those. See, it's God's big plan, so all the honor goes to Him too. So you can't say that you did it. George Verwer is the founder of the Logos Ships but he won't get tired to mentioned that it's actually all God's doing. I wouldn't want it any other way. But my dream for the art platform in Curacao is getting more and more shape! Yes, I don't want to do it by myself, I want to do it with a group of christian artist who are or want to get on fire for the Lord in their artistic profession. I would love to have the platform for artists-in-residencies to get training in how to preach/heal/listen/prophesy/inspire/bring people closer to Jesus thru their art. Those are basically all things from the Holy Spirit. There are many christian conferences and such. But are there also many christian AIR's? The Bible is such an endless source to make art about, it's crazy. Example: I'm working on an art installation about the book of Ezekiel and there is so much to work with. But also i like it because it's for me the most exciting way to dig in and study the Word, by afterwards pour what I've learned and experienced into an art form. It's what a pastor does with his or her teachings. i've gotta sleep next blog soon

theft

I dream everyday of starting a new life in Curacao.

I plan to return in the end of 2012 and before I arrive in Curacao i plan to make a journey around the globe.
As I am traveling, the possessions i want to take to Curacao with me (not much, but still) are being shipped to Curacao, so that when I arrive my stuff is there and I can send them to a new apartment :)
I am looking for a job in the meantime, a part time job to be able to pay for monthly costs (like food, rent, phone, internet). Also i will start a foundation.
But for the foundation and the art platform I write about in this blog, I don't want to do this alone.

I want to do this with people in my foundation and or with other people who have the same heart for art and God.

Also I notice that I don't want to do something so intensive that it steels the time I need to be with God. I know that I can be with God while doing work. But I also know when it is not the case. I want to prevent this from happening over and over again :)

Because of this I keep searching for God's will and I hope that He will be the one that will do the planning as it says in
Psalm 32:8 (NLT) "The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

Restore

The Quarantine Hospital as I mentioned before, was a place where people came after a looong trip on the ocean, weather the future looked bright after that, or the future was much worse.
The current status people had in the previous centuries was sickness, and this building was to recover. The last official purpose of the building was that it was a hospital for leprosy patients. After that the building was sometimes used for parties, or for those who thought it was beautiful and romantic, for a wedding. But it is beautiful, and romantic.
I would love to return this building to it's glory and continue the aspect of recovery. But recovery, not with medical care, but with art, film ,food and rest.

I would love for it to stay a public domain.
I picture this building having on the ground floor: a exhibition space, a terrace behind and a little library where the books reach the ceiling.
The art exhibition space is part of the Artist-in-Residence of the building.
3 times a year both an Caribbean and foreign artist are invited to come and make their work.
Not only artists are invited, also architects, garden architects, illustrators and designers.
The terrace in the back is where breakfast, lunches and dinners take place. People are also welcome to come and have lunch or dinner, but the terrace is inherent to the other activities that take place. The breakfast, lunches and dinners are organic and biological foods.
It is possible to host parties there and bands can come and play entertaining music.
The library is an art library: it has art history books, contemporary art books, art books from all the different parts in the world, from Islamic art till the art of the Brazilian tribe in the Amazons. Also all type of design books, magazines, and dvd's are there to view or borrow.

The new quarantine hospital should be as some kind of retreat center, where new energy for creating is there without any pressure. It could be a place for rest, to unwind your mind.
In the next blog I will tell about my dreams for the basement of the building..