In 2017, Heather Laubenstein and fellow artist Julie Lee facilitated The Story: In Art, a large scale art project at Foothills Alliance Church. On a weekly basis, Visual Artists created large scale pieces to accompany. a speaking series on significant stories of the Bible. What started as an 11 week committment quickly expanded into 31 weeks, due to the significant impact the artwork was having on the congregation, guests, and the artists themselves. Under the direction of Heather and Julie, 14 artists ranging in age and experience (beginners to professionals) created pieces that were displayed onstage throughout The Story speaking series, with previous weeks displayed throughout the auditorium.

As Curator and Director, Heather guided and created content, inspired and encouraged the team of artists, and facilitated intensive 3 day collaboration sessions, where team members completed 5-6 pieces at a time. In the end, a total of 31 pieces of individual and group paintings were generated - some of which are still hung on the walls of the Worship Centre to this day.

Visual Arts has played an essential role in the history of the church, representing a medium that tells its own story of God, and inspires creators made in the image of the ultimate Creator. Not only does Heather feel passionately about the art itself, but the amazing impact on the artists involved. They all learned new skills, stretched themselves beyond what they thought possible, and developed close friendships in a community of visual artists. The work hanging on the walls at Foothills continues to inspire and generate conversations, and Heather continues to field questions and comments on the artwork and the impact of the project.

Photo Credit: Brad Hunter