Artists Still Live Here — Hillsong Creative Magazine

HILLSONG CREATIVE VOL 1

CREATOR’S EDITION OCT 2020

I

remember being in a conversation with Joel Houston, late one night (it’s always late if you are chatting to Joel) and we were talking about the gentrification of Williamsburg. In fact we were talking about gentrification in general, all these cool neighbourhoods that start off cheap, dingy and dirty. No one really wants to live there so the struggling artists move in. You see they love their craft so much but don’t make enough money from it to live the high life (did you know Van Gogh sold only 2 paintings in his lifetime - wild hey) so they move into those kind of areas and slowly over time they add art, graffiti to the walls, plants to the sidewalk, life to the streets and after a while… the middle class start to like what is happening there and want to move into the neighbourhood.

Slowly the area becomes liv up, people move in and the a to live there any more... they that they made inhabitable. artists painted a declaration LIVE HERE” is a bold declar

In 2020 we make the same s cost it has taken to remain es that have come against u have been to overcome or break through - artists still under the care of our seni sire to awaken and cultivat still see a need for a thriv Christians committed to te ty, of creating photos that stir the spirit, music that lif that paint pictures and lig

veable, the house prices go artists find they can’t afford are priced out of the spaces In one neighbourhood the n on the wall “ARTISTS STILL ration and a defiant action.

statement. Regardless of the n this year, or the challengus, the obstacles that there r the walls we have had to live here. Hillsong Church, ior pastors, has a deep dete the creative hearts. We ving creative community of elling stories of great beaut move people, songs that fts eyes heavenward, words ghting that is otherworldly.

I was reading an article this week by Louis Netter called “The Importance of Art in the Time of Coronavirus” and it stated, “Of all the necessaries we now feel so keenly aware of, the arts and their contribution to our wellbeing is evident, and in some ways, central to coronavirus confinement for those of us locked in at home. For some, there are more pressing needs. But momentary joys, even in dire circumstances, often come through the arts and collective expression” . How many of you have been grateful for ‘that book’, ‘that song’, ‘that film’ or ‘that picture’ in this season? Art that has lifted your eyes off the mundane and temporal and made you imagine, or dream or believe or hope again. I know there have been many things for us personally in this season.

And so here is what I know… against all odds in this magazine there are the stories of many artists in our community who have turned challenge into a chance. People who haven’t let this year cost them their voice. Artists who have stirred up their gift, taken a risk, adapted to a new reality or just gotten on with it … and their residence in our communities and in our world not only herald that “artists still live here”… but more importantly that they have found a home for their gift and contribution and a community that believes in them and therefore they proclaim together - “ARTISTS STILL LOVE IT HERE”.

x Cass

CONTENTS featuring ARTISTS STILL LOVE IT HERE TOGETHER BUT ALONE DEAR CREATIVE SELF PANDEMICS & A BOOK DEAL A BOY NAMED BEAR SURRENDERED PLANS CHURCH BEHIND THE SCENES THIS IS MY REBELLION FRESH PERSPECTIVE KIND REGARDS PETAL POWER ROCHELLE CURRIE ZION BENNETT PODCASTS

welcome The process of compiling our first ever Artist’s Still Live Here Magazine has been an unexpected joy thirty-some weeks into a global pandemic. In echoing the words of so many contributors, labouring over curating beauty has brought fresh life to my soul.

could showcase and celebrate the artists and creatives within in our community and I think we’ve seen a beautiful glimpse of what this space could be.

As you read through the stories, I pray that you’ll been inspired by what a rich community of people you belong to and that your creativity is stirred.

It feels so appropriate that our first edition of Artist’s Still Live Here be a Creator’s Edition. The pages filled with the stories, and art of those that make up our creative communi- Artists truly do live here! And I for one – love ty across our Aussie campuses - our writers, it! poets, photographers, podcasters, florists, artists, designers and creative thinkers.

Much love, A huge THANK YOU to everyone who was so willing and up for being a part of this process as we navigate the new. Cass came to us with a big dream of a little project that

Kris Mateika

MAGAZINE CREATION TEAM || CASS LANGTON RICH LANGTON KRIS MATEIKA BEN YEOH LEXI DOUGLASS YOSEPH SETIAWAN JP STARRA EVIE GALLARDO CHELSEA HENWOOD BRAD KOHRING CAITIE WALL DEAN USSHER MATT MYERS RODNEY LAWRENCE IAN HENDRICK CONTRIBUTORS: VICTORIA CAMPUSES || BRONWYN HOUSTON DEAN USSHER DANIEL ALEXANDER ROCHELLE CURRIE RODNEY LAWRENCE SHANE HATTON NSW CAMPUSES || AARON BOSCH ABBIE HERRING ASHLEY MAYS BROOKLYN HANNA CANDICE REID CHANTALE ROXANAS MELANIE MUDDLE RIV BENNETT SAM BUCKERFIELD SARIENA LAM SEBASTIAN STRAND SOPHIE GEISSER VIRGINIA MEERS ZION BENNETT QUEENSLAND CAMPUSES || CONNY STEWART KAZ DALTON WESTERN AUSTRALIA / BALI CAMPUSES || AMANDA VIVERS CARMEN MYERS

Graphic by Bronwyn Houston

TOGETHER BUT ALONE

by Melanie Muddle

In a small town, south of Newcastle, our street were impacted by social isolation. family began lockdown in late March 2020. I was impacted by the same separation.

I’ll not forget the strange anxiety that blan- We were together every minute and yet, keted the community as we all scrambled there was a sense of aloneness. A sense of to prepare for weeks at home, praying that missing something and someone. In the this virus would not take hold in Australia. quiet, God encouraged me to pick up my camera and to start to look around me.

A daily rhythm emerged with mornings dedicated to home-schooling and after- To be still and know that He is God. To benoons spent outdoors. Worship sand- come a curious observer, ‘seeing’ intentionwiched our days. We were safe, hap- ally while allowing His leading in this propy and together but I began to see cess to comfort me in a time of uncertainty. how my girls and other children in our

This idea of rolling, unfolding stories influences the photographic work of Melanie Muddle.

She’s a visual thinker. A photographer whose ideas manifest mind-side as series of photo-realistic images. She is moved by people, the complex, and it’s the messy realities of life that draw her in. This attraction to authenticity frames much of her client and personal work.

Check out more of her work at www.theserialnarrative.com

DEAR CREATIVE SELF

It

whispers in my heart as I prepare Lasagne for my family’s dinner, it echoes through my mind in the small hours of the morning as I am waking. It promised to comfort my grief through the recent days when I sat next to my father in hospital passing.

We each are crafting letters to our creative self, in those quiet and unseen moments, thinking that no one will ever hear these expressions, but they are changing our story, word by word. Breath by breath, moment by moment. They are forming life and hope with every meditation of our heart.

Create – sometimes we seek out creativity, like a far distant cousin, that is hiding from us in a gigantic game of hide and seek. Yet God, our Creator, cannot help but create within us, a renaissance of hope, as we reframe the way we surrender to His ways over our own.

Renew - the art of renewal is a place of humility to leave behind that which no longer belongs in today and to surrender to new ways to express our heart towards a God, who is ever-present in our hour of need.

Steadfast - The depth of this promise is a reminder of the grounded place of strength that is activated through humility and worship. As we worship Him from the very depth of our being. Allowing His ways to change our story, to be one co-authored with Him. It is a rhythm. Create, Renew and Steadfast.

Surrender, reframe and ground our hearts, once again in Him.

Amanda Viviers, from our Perth Campus is the Narrative Lead at Compassion, Author of twelve books and Co-founder of Kinwomen, a radio program that starts conversations that matter with women. www.amandaviviers.com

PANDEMICS A BOOK DEAL

&

“Dreams aren’t meant to come true in the middle of a global pandemic”

W

riting has been my side hustle for Long story short, by April of 2020 we re-

fifteen years, with the hope of it one day ceived a book deal with the second biggest becoming my main hustle. One of my publisher in the world. In 2021 we will be longstanding dreams is to be published published in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, by one of the big five publishers and India, Europe and the UK and as I write, our early last year, that dream came closer. agent is mid-negotiation with The Americas.

In February 2019 I was introduced to some- It’s been the craziest journey... signone who wanted to write a book, they ing a publishing contract, submitting a pitched it to me and I wanted in. Two 109,000-word manuscript, having an auweeks later they contracted me to co-au- thor photoshoot and literally seeing one thor a non-fiction book with them. Then, of my long-lived dreams come true, but a few months into the book project I be- more so because of the wildness of 2020. gan to get the sense that this was an important book, not for me professionally, I do have one small confession: When I rebut for our world. My client had relation- ceived the Memo of Offer for the book deal ship with a few small, independent Aus- I said out loud, ‘Dreams aren’t meant to tralian publishers, but I knew this book come true in the middle of a global pandemhad a far bigger reach, so I began to pray. ic!’ But it seems that they are. And I have learnt that God’s blessing is not subject to Twelve months into the project, I met the condition of our broken world. When it’s up with my client and something had seemingly impossible—God makes a way. changed. They had a realisation that this was a global book. So, at this point, I said, ‘We can’t go small fry with this. We need a publishing heavyweight to take us on.’ And with my client’s consent, I reached out to my industry contacts and got a few leads.

Sam Buckerfield Stay up to date on the publication of Sam’s first book, due for release in 2021, via Instagram, Facebook and sambuckerfield.com

THE ART PROCESS “God speaks to creatives in a way that makes sense to them.”

A BOY NAMED BEAR is a beautifully illustrated story that gives a glimpse into the individual world of Bear, who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder about eighteen months ago.

I sat down with author, and mother of Bear, Kaz Dalton (Brisbane Campuses), to tell us a bit about the process: The text for the book was an extremely quick process. On the day we got the diagnosis, I remember saying to God, “I don’t want to feel disappointed about this, but in my heart, I do, because I don’t want it to be harder for my son than it needs to be. So please help me understand.” I literally had the pages and words come out all in one night.

In the process of writing the book we wanted him to know that if he’d had a bad day because he was different, we could

remind him and say, ‘Bear what does your book say? It says you are perfectly fine being you.’ I wanted him to know that he was fearfully and wonderfully made.

I wanted him to have something special that belonged to him.

Here is what I know: God is kind and He will speak to creatives in a way that makes sense to them, and for me, the words of this story were the reassurance of God saying “It’s gonna be alright. Dry your eyes. I haven’t missed a single thing and you can trust me.”

You can get your hands on a copy of Kaz’s new book at www.kazdalton.com

Article by Conny Stewart

SURRENDERED PLANS “Many people die with their music still in them.” This quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes is one that still haunts me. To leave this earth without putting out there what is in my heart or hand is a scary thought.

Compelled further by the loss of family members, I’ve realised life is too short and the need too great to ‘sit on’ your passions or gift.

I am passionate about giving tools to adults to communicate difficult topics to children, within a biblical framework. I have been writing children’s books for the last five years and each book has been written in response to a need for a conversation. COVID rocked everyone’s world and publishing my books was the last thing on my mind this year. I knew God was prompting me to put my hand to the plough and to pursue my passion, but it was to come from a place of surrender. I had to surrender my plans, my calendar, my deadlines and my desires.

This year God has positioned people in my life that have been vital to the dream of self-publishing. I have an illustrator, an editor, a printer and a marketing manager. I now have my books accepted into Koorong stores and my first book release is happening in November 2020. God is faithful and all knowing. He plants, grows and harvests in our lives. My encouragement is to surrender all the details to Him, be faithful, prayerful and grateful. 2020 hasn’t been what we planned but His will always prevails.

Candace Reid Teacher, Author and Proprietor of TOpublishing.org

“I am passionate about giving tools to adults to communicate difficult topics to children, within a biblical framework.”

CHURCH ONLINE behind the scenes

Church has looked so different for all of us in this season, particularly for our Film & TV Teams. In this photo series from Sebastian Strand we get a glimpse of some of the people behind the scenes.

Words by Chantale Roxanas Graphics by Rochelle Currie

FRESH a

photo

PERSPECTIVE series

by

Sariena

Lam

When I was painting these vases, I was reminded of a verse from the bible “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.� Isaiah 64:8 We are all broken like these forgotten vases that have been left in the dark, untouched to simply collect dust. We might feel useless but when we choose to trust and have faith in the creator, the potter to work in us, we can come back to life again. A life full of spirit and purpose. I love even in the simplest things He calls us to create, as we are an image of our Creator. Restoration means finding the beauty in things that others might have discarded or see no value in... giving things a new lease on life from a different perspective. Sometimes you just need to provide a little love and care to restore the beauty in old things. Or just a coat of fresh paint in this case.

KIND REGARDS Friends and fellow creatives Virginia Meers & Ashley Mays sit down for a conversation

Virginia, you are well loved within our youth ministry and some of our creative team would know you from your work alongside TSGTV. However, for those that are yet to know you…can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and I arrived at Hillsong College straight out of Highschool.

I met my husband serving in our youth ministry. Drew is the Fuel Youth Pastor and we have two adorable kids Romeo and Rose. I work on staff as a part of our Hillsong Youth Team and I also help Laura with The Secret Garden TV. I love coffee, early mornings at the flower markets, reading the newspaper, going to the beach and I am a big introvert so anytime by myself is rare (with 2 kids under the age of 3!) but my favourite.

Talk to us about your latest project – Kind Regards?

My mission with creating ‘Kind Regards’ was to bless our locals with beautiful flowers and hopefully help those around the world in need by creating custom flowers with a purpose.

I remember telling you about my idea for Kind Regards maybe 6 years ago? The journey has not looked like what I imagined but it has been through a series of small decisions to keep showing up and choosing to say yes to the doors in front of me.

I had no idea when I started serving in youth ministry that I would have the opportunity to work on staff or that my role at TSGTV would result in me creating sets and designing floral installations.

It has been community that has sharpened me, pulled me back and been the vehicle that has aimed me in the right direction. Without staying connected to community, my skills, creative eye and potential would not have been watered and my capacity have the time to grow.

Kind Regards began right on the brink of a global pandemic. How do you still choose to love your art right now in this season? What motivates you to keep going?

Beauty & kindness are vital. I don’t think it was any coincidence that this was the year that it all fell into I’ve always loved when art and justice collide so 10% place. I created Kind Regards for the love of celebratof every purchase from our custom orders is currently ing others. In the times where I am unmotivated, I donated to an organisation called ‘Preemptive Love’. keep reminding myself to be motivated by the mission.

A coalition working on the ground to support those Creating a mission statement is important. It conin war-torn Iraq and Syria by providing food, shelter, nects you to your LOVE for your art or the purpose access to jobs & promoting peace. behind it and it transcends seasons. I’m able to still love my art here in this climate because my hope is As your friend over the years I have witnessed how that it would brighten and bring others beauty not choosing to stay connected to community through only aesthetically but through the gift of kindness the seasons has been a key part of you flourishing in and generosity. this season. Can you share what this has looked like for you?

Interview by Ashley Mays

Check

out

some

other

fl

ARC (the Artisan Refinery Collective) w

the idea “artists still live here”. My story, which is in turn ing and letting God’s timing be.

I put art to the side because “my world” didn’t view it as cially stable options” and then COVID hit. The world/my have been the worst time possible to start a business, le time for it. It proved the point I want with my life, which back in and a passion for the creative sectors.

Check Aaron out @arc.eventsandweddings

We believe love and beauty are two of the most brated as often as possible. It’s been hard finding t intimate creations during COVID… but we have also a joy that has broadened our hearts and our hor new chapter, I am so excited for the love

I started becaus a space and it fe found Him, in my they feel the sen

been given in yo in your home ag Check Brooklyn

floral

artists

in

was born in COVID, a true representation of n ARC’s, basically is one of simply using my gift-

s a viable pathway, instead focusing on “finanworld turned upside down and what should et alone a creative one, turned into the best is “only God”. To which God breathed art

our

PE TA L POWER

powerful things on earth and they need to be celethe energy and motivation to come up with new and o discoverd a new-found freedom, a weightlessness, rizons. For that we are grateful. Moving through this and beauty that is still to be discovered and shared.

Eden + Bell - we are for love and beauty Check Sophie out @edenandbell

se I honestly just love creating beauty. I love the feeling that comes when you walk into eels like home. For me I felt like God was taking me back to the basics, where I first my home. If I could play a small part in making someone’s day through flowers, where nse of home, I win. Many have suffered loss this year, but I think creating with what’s

our hands is the only and best option. Pretty in Pink was started to place beauty gain, to inspire you to dream again. Because we will all get through this! out @prettyinpinkfloral

team

My name is Rochelle Currie and I’m from Melbourne. I’m a wife to Ben, a mum to two little treasures (Willow, 3 and Arden, 1) and the founder of Nila Botanics. A beauty brand that launched in the midst of the global pandemic and during lockdown in Melbourne - you have got to love perfect timing, right?

of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place.” I purposely didn’t add the rest of the chapter because my prayer is that anyone who reads it will look up the rest of the Psalm and be reminded, or perhaps told for the first time of how much God cares for them: “4 What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

Nila means moon in my mother tongue, Tam- 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the il. I’m the daughter of Sri Lankan refugees, heavenly beings and crowned him with glory who fled the war and arrived in this beautiful and honour.” country with nothing but one blue Samsonite suitcase and a heart full of dreams. I founded Our products are sold exclusively on our website Nila Botanics after having my daughter three (we’re believing for a miracle with our dream years ago. Early motherhood brought many stockists). challenges, including the loss of hair and after researching ways to help my hair grow strong, I remembered the rituals my grandmother would do with me as a little girl, using oils to help cultivate strong hair.

So, I prayed for some Holy Spirit wisdom and went about creating. I ordered lots of different oils and started mixing them in little glass jars in our bathroom. I tested about six or seven different formulations before our hero product was created, the Bloom Hair Vitality Oil. We now have four products and have had our brand featured in newspaper articles, blogs and have been able to put our products into the hands of some very influential individuals.

It certainly hasn’t been an easy road, but it is one marked with the hand of God and I am learning each day to be bold, to trust in God’s timing and leading and remember that I am never alone on this journey.

We have Psalms 8:3 on every single one of our boxes: “When I look at your heavens, the work

OCHELLE CURRIE ROCHELLE CURRIE ROCHE

ELLE CURRIE ROCHELLE CURRIE ROCHELL

ZION BENNETT (and a conversation with mum)

It was a fight for his survival. Ten weeks before he was due to be born, my son entered the world and I remember pleading with God to let Zion live.

I prayed. I spoke faith words. I read Scriptures over him in the humidicrib in Westmead Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. I would close my eyes and imagine what he would be like as a teenager. He was so small, tiny in fact, but the meaning of his name was big. Zion - ‘dwelling place of God’. As an artist I knew the power of these words. It held a boldness, a creative fluidity. It spoke of God connecting to humanity on earth, through my son.

As a young child he would draw for hours. All he needed was a pencil and a piece of paper. He would draw super heroes, portraits of his brothers, and the man at the Timezone counter with the big hairy belly that fell out of his T-shirt which quickly became a cartoon character. I watched his mind explode into a world of colours and shapes, light and shadows.

Over the past 14 years I have watched Zion as he has grown into the teenager I prayed for all those years ago. And somehow this gift of art has reached people all over the world and I believe done exactly what his name means - it has connected humanity to God. Now towering over me and catching the height of his dad, Zion is a basketballer, a Celtics lover, and a true artist.

His recent commissioned work has been custom painting designs on shoes. One-off commissions of Nike Airforce One shoes decked out in pink donuts, space planets, aliens and snakes. Then there was the local cafe menu personalised onto a pair of Vans. Zion’s work has been fresh and sought after, with many clients buying them to simply display in their homes. He is young, blissfully youthful and yet takes his gift seriously.

Photos by Riv Bennett

Here is what Zion has to say on his art.

R : How old were you when you discovered your love for drawing?

Z : I started to draw pretty much the moment I could hold a pencil.

R : What inspires your drawing?

Z : I love looking at street art mostly, especially murals.

When we were in LA, Mum and Dad took me to tour a few places to see street art. It got me excited to create something for myself. I also like fashion trends, and get inspired by sport.

R : Do you love your mum?

Z : Yes. (Good ;) ) R : What has been the biggest surprise to you as you have released your work?

Z : I was pretty blown away that people actually wanted to buy my art. I mean I’m only 14.

I didn’t realise I could do art for my first job so I was pretty stoked.

R : Do you believe anyone can be creative?

Z : Yes, because being creative comes in different forms. Like, there’s music and sculptures and artworks, but then there’s people like my mate Josh who is really smart and uses his creativity to problem-solve in science and maths and technology. I think anyone can use their sense of creativity in any line of work.

R : What has been the biggest challenge this year and what decisions did you make to overcome it?

Z : I got a little overwhelmed with the amount of commissions this year. It was hard to find time especially with school and my sport schedule to get them all done, but I learnt that I just had to do one art piece at a time to get through it.

R : What’s some thoughts you would like to leave with anyone reading this?

Z : Work hard at your talent. Practice definitely makes you better. And you only live once, so you may as well go after what you are passionate about. . . . Oh and don’t forget to love your mum!

A PLACE WHERE CREATIVITY + FAITH COLLIDE A few short years ago, when we started our Worship and Creative Conference, we dreamt of it being like a conversation starter. We would kick off the chatting at the conference, but the dialogue would continue throughout the year.

Living our faith creatively… and creating with faith in mind.

The problem with this idea? The fact that delegates live all over the world. Even our own Hillsong Creative team is spread across all of Australia and many nations all over the globe.

Amongst the scramble of trying to record, edit and upload an episode every day, it dawned on me that our original dream of an ongoing conversation had been realised.

We searched for an answer and eventually the solution came in the form of a simple podcast. Each week we would continue the conversation by talking with creatives, song writers, musicians, artists, dancers, poets, photographers, and more.

We weren’t just talking, we were now listening too. It had become a two-way conversation.

We were hearing stories of lives transformed by the stories of those in our episodes. And in turn, we told those stories which began the cycle again.

Since then, we've spoken with artists of all kinds. With delved deep into the stories of people who see their creativity as a gift from God. Somewhere along the way I realised what this “conversation” is actually all about… it’s the intersection of our faith and creativity.

Since then, we’ve moved back to a weekly podcast. And the good news? The conversation hasn’t ended, it continues. And as it goes on and on, week by week, I’d love to invite you to be part of the conversation with us, because I now know we’ll both be better for it.

Then, during the pandemic we went from a weekly podcast to a daily MicroPod. And what an adventure that was!

Dean Ussher, our Creative Oversight in Victoria and Tasmania, chats with Daniel Alexander from our Melbourne City Campus about innovating in isolation.

Dean Ussher: How did a young man from St and as human beings I Louis, Missouri find his way to Melbourne, Aus- believe this is how we tralia? connect. The podcast has given us a new way Daniel Alexander: Ever since I was young, I’d to create and connect dreamt of living in Australia. People thought I with others whilst sharwas crazy, but I knew in my heart it was part of ing their stories and ulGod’s plan for my life. So, in 2014 I made the timately impacting their big move to Sydney where I studied worship communities. Whether & song writing at Hillsong College. A few years you’re a pastor or polinto my studies I met Mia at connect group, we itician the stories you got married and made the transition to Mel- tell make a difference. bourne. Again, it didn’t make sense to others, but we knew our season had ended in Sydney Dean: 2020, amidst a pandemic and relentless and we were ready for a new chapter! Shortly lockdowns, your business is growing and exafter we found our new church family at the panding. What’s your dream and vision for SoMelbourne City Campus. cial Origin in the years to come?

Dean: You’re very creative as a worship leader and songwriter, but this past year you created in a new way - starting a business and podcast.

Can you share the heart behind the business?

Daniel: I think the key word is innovation.

We’ve helped others learn how to innovate through podcasting and story-based marketing, so in turn our business has grown because of it. Our mission is simple: to see millions of Daniel: Yeah, so my brother David and I start- people across the globe inspired and transed a podcast called Social Origin which is formed by the Good News. So, anything we do all about Culture, Creativity & Business. As a comes back to who Jesus is. songwriter I love the power of ‘telling a story’

OTHER PODCAST TO CHECK OUT PCWCP is a podcast focused on asking great questions of talented people to help us all become more effective leaders. I’m fortunate to know some very clever people.

Now through the wonders of technology I’m sharing their cleverness with the rest of the world by broadcasting our telephone conversations on helpful leadership topics.