Artist Joel Schoon-Tanis, Nov. 7 - 14

Meet our Visiting artist Nov 7- 14, 2021

From November 7-14 the sanctuary of Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church served as a gallery site for a collection of paintings by artist Joel Schoon-Tanis. Joel is a visual artist from West Michigan, best known for his illustration of books and his creation of murals. He presents art with a child-like sensibility that is colorful, whimsy and honest. Joel’s most recent project is a collection of forty paintings illustrating scenes from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These paintings were displayed at four different sites in the West Windsor/ Princeton area. Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church will be exhibiting Joel’s paintings based on the gospel of Mark. For information on the full 40: The Gospels Princeton Exhibition, and a series of free webinar gallery talks, visit this website. 

Paintings from the gospel of Mark could be viewed in our sanctuary before and after the 9:30 worship services on November 7 and 14. The church was also open for guests on Wednesday, November 10 from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. We had an opportunity to meet Joel in person from 11:30-12:30 on Wednesday November 10, and from 11:30-12:30 on Sunday November 14. At these times we were also able to purchase original art, prints, and books of art by Joel.

Even the nursery school students had a private viewing of the paintings with Joel in the sanctuary!

On Friday, November 12, from 7-8 p.m., Joel offered a gallery talk in our Sanctuary, “Made in God’s Image: Creating With and For Others.”  Some people attended in person and others remotely on a Zoom webinar. Afterward people chatted with Joel and each other as they viewed the paintings in the Sanctuary. 

 Finally, Joel joined us in worship leadership on Sunday, November 14 for our 9:30 service, painting during / in response to Pastor van der Werff’s sermon. He also led the adult education hour.

 We enjoyed the exhilarating invitation to see the good news of the gospel!