Time is flying; I can't believe it’s already July. One year ago today, I sat down at my makeshift home office for my first official day on the job, and took the first steps towards expanding Art House America to Dallas.
When I think back to all the hopes and ideas I had when we were starting up, Proverbs 16:9 comes to mind: "In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." While there are still quite a few "steps" we need to take in raising funds and building the physical location, God has been more than faithful in establishing a strong community of folks here in Dallas committed to the vision of Art House.
If you had asked that day what I thought Art House Dallas would look like on July 5, 2011, I probably wouldn't have pictured having a Programs Director working next to me in our office or two interns working diligently across the hall. Our small team has worked hard to create opportunities for you to connect with others and be encouraged. The updates laid out in our July newsletter are just a few of the upcoming events where we hope you'll join us. For those of you who have been coming to Art House Dallas events for a while and are looking to go deeper in relationships and conversation, I want to encourage you to sign up for Art House Local. Not only will you have the opportunity to discuss Francis Schaeffer's essay Art and the Bible, but you'll develop relationships with folks you can connect and create with right in your neighborhood.
If you have yet to attend an Art House Dallas event, the easiest way to jump in is to attend the next Art House Exchange, our casual pub gathering on July 28th. Right before the Exchange, we'll be hosting our next Dinner with Friends with special guest and Artist Development expert, Michael Blanton of Be Music & Entertainment. Michael got his start almost 35 years ago doing A&R with Word Records developing a young, unknown musician named Amy Grant. Full of enthusiasm and wisdom, Michael will be coming in from Nashville to share some of the strategies he has used to take talent from a creative hobby to a full time vocation. In order to keep the environment conducive to conversation and questions, space is limited to only 25 guests, so sign up today to reserve your spot at the table!
I am particularly excited about our first Feedback event for Songwriters coming up later this week. Starting out with only 14 spaces available, this event quickly filled up with musicians hoping to meet other songwriters and receive peer review on their latest song creation. For those of you who are looking for peer feedback in an area other than songwriting, stay tuned; we'll let you know about more Feedback gatherings in the Fall.
For now, we hope that your week is off to a great start and that you had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend. In my opinion, it's hard to beat being out on the lake all day, eating BBQ and watching fireworks. I admit that I often take for granted how incredible it is to live in the United States, but this weekend reminded me how much I have to be grateful for. Among the numerous things I am blessed with, I am especially thankful for your continued encouragement, prayers and support. Here's to another amazing year with Art House Dallas as we plan our course and wait for the Lord to establish our steps.
Jenny White
Executive Director, Art House Dallas