Painting to Worship: Student artist glorifies God through onstage painting at Campus Community

A studio art major and graduating senior, Elise Corona, recently used her talent in painting to glorify God on the Campus Community stage. 

“Singers use their voices to worship God,” Corona said. “Artists use their hands to create art as an act of worship. People often ask me the meaning behind the work I do, and I see this as an opportunity to share the gospel. Art always communicates some type of story, and I choose to tell the story of Jesus Christ.”

Corona first began drawing when she was in sixth grade. She found that art was a way for her to observe the world around her and find the beauty in everyday things. By portraying what she saw onto paper or canvas, she was able to communicate her unique perspective to others. 

“I just feel like with art you really have to slow down in life and just appreciate the things around you. It forces you to observe the things that normally you’d ignore,” Corona said.

After taking a painting class last year, Corona discovered her love for painting; and since then, oil paints have replaced paper and graphite as her favorite medium. Recognizing her talent, one of her professors approached her and a group of other students with the opportunity to paint onstage for Campus Community.

Despite her shyness about painting in front a large audience, Corona was excited to participate. 

“I’m pretty shy about painting or drawing in front of people,” Corona said. “But I thought this would be a really cool opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and use my gift to
glorify God.” 

This semester’s Campus Community sermon series, “Now, Love,” focuses on the epistles of the apostle John, emphasizing how God’s love should move his followers to show love as well. As part of the series’ design, Campus Community graphic designers have created artwork for each sermon that corresponds to the message being preached. 

Student painters like Corona go onstage during Campus Community and paint, using the design as a reference. At the end of the sermon series, each painting will be placed side by side so that viewers will be able to see the visualization of the message of John. 

“I was really nervous ahead of time, but the moment I stepped onstage, the nerves just left; I can’t even describe it,” Corona said. “A peace came over me. I was nervous, and then I started setting up the paints, and I just remembered why I was up there, which was to glorify God, and then I kind of just forgot the audience was there for a while because I was just so zoned in.” 

After she graduates this spring, Corona plans to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in studio art and one day open her own studio to sell her artwork.

Perez is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion