“Two thousand years ago, Almighty God was born into the world incarnate; the son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus translates as “God with us.”  And as prophesied in a number of places in the Book of Revelations, God would come down onto the earth realm again, though this time in a manner that  would confound the elect.  I have, in fact, come down as a black woman minister whose life long quest is to bring humanity and the supernatural realm into a harmonious and  fruitful familial relationship for eternity.
        I have since added unto you a new discourse to ponder, though not for long.  What will be the effects of living on earth with God Incarnate?  Yes, I have already been here in the flesh since the year, 1949 when humankind was given a final assault by the powers and principalities of evil.  For these many years thus the overflow of adversity and calamity has peaked as I subjected myself to its perils and its finality as repentance for  having allowed it remain in place.  Thus, I endured the worst of its efforts.
       Rather than coming back a Jesus for a final catastrophic cataclysms as the Word was prophesied; judgment day as it were.  There shall be no final display of vengeance or reciprocities for sins unrepentant.  We, holy spirit and I, Christ Jesus Almighty God have come to bring peace into a world once torn and bedraggled by that which was profane and divesting...even unto mine little children.
       The art works that shall be depicted on this web site henceforth is inordinate at the very basic level.  It is my song, sung into the universe where once I spoke the words that nothing shall be depicted and/or representative on anyone or anything in heaven, nor the Terraferma of the earth, or its waters, or in the air.
       Humankind has my blessing to produce art as I have learned from the impetus of this lived repentance that “some need to see to believe”.   Likewise, thus, here am I, Almighty God in the flesh whose knowledge of who I am was devolved to me a mere three years ago.  I have spent that time acclimating to a new name, a new place and a new manner of viewing my children and life itself.  I am humbled by the sort of triumphs of a people; humanity who outlive Satan the Devil.  Art your hearts into a new eternity.
        In the spirit of love at its purest...
              I am your father who was in heaven.
                    Now, I live with you.

An acrostic for your confirmation:
    I’m back.  I’m black.   I am here/
I B I B I ah
I, I, I, Abah, 
I Abba.
I, God.”

Minister Francis Drew

December 18, 2002

Artist prays with her paintbrush

March 16, 2006

Shreveport painter Frances Drew will exhibit her artwork this month at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Shreveport. (Val Horvath/The Times)

By Jennifer Flowers
jenniferflowers@gannett.com

Sometimes Frances Drew is compelled to give her art away.

On those occasions the visual artist says she is giving much more than just paint on a canvas. Drew, a prophetic minister at Shower of Blessings Ministries on Greenwood Road, believes she also is relaying messages from God.

Drew, a painter, sculptor, writer and musician, has used art as a way to spread the word of her Lord. With the help of scholarships and fellowships, Drew studied art at Southern University in Shreveport and finished her degree on the Baton Rouge campus. She then received her master's degree in secondary education at Lincoln University in Missouri.

Drew also has used painting as a way to deal with pain in her life. A car accident when she was a teenager has left Drew in pain for most of her adult life. She suffered a heart attack in June that left stints in her heart, and she also has fibromyalgia syndrome that gives her chronic muscle and joint pain.

An exhibit at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, which opens with a reception Saturday, will include paintings that focus on the life of Jesus Christ.

QUESTION: Describe your style and your subject matter.

ANSWER: I try to paint sculpturally, and it's an energetic, expressionistic style, but my main objective is to make it look as real as possible to avoid any distortions and make it as accurate to scripture as it can be so people can understand the word of God. I want people to love Jesus, to be inspired by the love of God.

Q: What does art do for you?

A: It's awesomely therapeutic for my whole soul. It's an outlet but it's also very therapeutic because I've been in pain every day of my life since Oct. 28, 1978. When I do painting or sculpture, I'm not aware of the pain. When I'm in the process of producing it, it gives me a tremendous sense of gratification and accomplishment. I used to deal with anger on my potter's wheel. You can take that same energy that comes up in you and make something awesomely beautiful, and you can share that with somebody.

Q: Why is visual art a powerful communicative tool?

A: It attends to the sensory needs of people and the soul matter within people. People don't say the things they feel, but when you can see a thought in someone else's art, it sometimes gives you clarity.

Q: When were you called into ministry?

A: When I was 12 years old, one Sunday, God spoke to me and asked me if I would work for him and I said yes. I said please prepare me well. That was my only response.

Q: What is a prophet minister?

A: I give revelations from the Holy Ghost to the pastor or whoever he wants me to speak to.

Q: Was that responsibility difficult to understand at first?

A: The only thing that worried me was that I was black and a girl ... I was skeptical only on the secular level of expressing it to too many people because I didn't know many people like me in ministry. I had an aunt who was a minister in Houston. She was a minister, but she wasn't really well received. God knew I was scared and he took the time to prepare me.

Q: When did you realize your artwork was a part of your prophetic ministry?

A: A lot of the work I have done has been a prophetic ministry but I wasn't aware of it at the time it was being done. Now my prime objective in life is to paint the Bible all the ways the Lord wants it spoken.

Q: Do you paint secular subjects?

A: I have done secular work in past times. I really love landscapes and portraits of people. When I came back to Shreveport, I had been gone for many years, and when I came back in 1991 I didn't have a car and I had to ride the city bus a lot. I started looking at people who rode the city bus, how beautiful and humble they were, and I started painting everyday heroes who were operating on the life God gave them.

©The Times

March 16, 2006