GIRDERS MUSICAL - LIVE ART & MORE - August 13th -15th:
William is a cast member (he plays a homeless man) and paints live in the upcoming original musical production, Girders. This musical will be performed at Lutheran Church of Hope located at 925 Jordan Creek Parkway in West Des Moines, Iowa. Girders debut performances are scheduled for Friday, August 13th, at 7pm,Saturday,August 14th at 5pm & 7:30pm, and Sunday,August 15th at 5pm.
This lyrical parable tells the story-behind-the-story from the iconic 1930s photo of men sitting on a steel beam. This is an incredible production with brilliant talent, an amazing story, and inspiring music & art.
Girders is a free event (although free will offerings will be accepted) so invite all of your family and friends to attend! We look forward to seeing you!
William will be painting live with an incredible worship team led by Ryan Buck at the Spirit Midwest Music Festival beginning at 12:45pm until 2:15pm on Saturday, August 7th. This outdoor festival will be located at Jordan Park at Fuller & Grand in West Des Moines, Iowa, with free admission to all.
The finished live art painting will be available for purchase. We will have a merchandise table at this event on August 7th. We will be selling fine art prints and other art items. We look forward to seeing you!
William recently created the following painting live at the Soak up the Son Band Blast (part of the Ankeny Summerfest) in Ankeny, Iowa. This finished live art painting entitled Light of this City based on John 1:1-5 is available for purchase with 40% of the purchase price going to Project Fresh Startwhich provides school supplies and other educational needs to impoverished youth in the Ankeny area.
Light of this City - 48″x48″ Acrylic mix on canvas $1,100
William’s recent fine art paintings will be exhibited at the Ankeny Art Center the entire month of July. The title of the exhibit is Restore featuring a collection of new abstract paintings based on Psalm 23 & selected figurative works.
A reception will be Thursday, July 8, beginning at 5pm until 8pm. We look forward to seeing you!
This painting was created with multiple layers to signify a great depth of need and overwhelming sense of Hope that exists in the world. The first layers represent a grid of connectivity that crosses from one nation and tribe to another. A colorful arrangement of flags that identify each nation currently being serve through Hope Intl. creates a backdrop for the following layers. Currency from each nation was imbedded into the paint and canvas adding tangible physical elements to the painting while connecting financial hope through micro finance. The words ONE, HOPE, LOVE, were inscribed to reflect from whom we receive our hope and love… to serve, in LOVE, with HOPE, ONE life at a time. The layered visual elements combined together create a colorfield of international connectivity and purpose that prepares the canvas for the final image: The Conquering Lion - a symbol of great courage, strength, compassion, hope, & LOVE.
artist: William Butler
music: Ladysmith Black Mambazo “Wenyukela (Raise Your Spirit Higher)”
William Butler inspires me! On May 7, 2010, over 450 dinner guests watched with raptattention as his brushes and hands told a story while creating a breathtaking piece of art. He transformed the canvas multiple times over the course of an hour - beginning first with a collage of flags representing each of the 14 countries in which HOPE International operates, followed by a layering of various symbols, images, and words. All of this came together to form the backdrop for the final image of a lion that literally sent gasps throughout the audience when it was revealed. We are so grateful to William for inviting us to participate in this worshipful experience and I simply could not be any enthusiastic about the way he uses his God-given abilities.
William created this painting live at the Hope International’s Evening of Never Ending Hope fund raising event in Lancaster, PA on Friday evening, May 7th. The finished painting is entitled Proclaim based on Isaiah 61 and Leviticus 25:10.
During this wonderful evening, Hope International had a live auction for William’s completed painting (the paint was still wet!). The above painting raised $4,000 for Hope International’s microfinancing endeavors (they now assist the poor in fourteen different nations). What a blessing!
For more information on the great works of Hope International, please click on the following:
