North Texas Christian artist paints with a purpose

IRVING—Whether she is painting on the walls in an orphanage in Africa with her bare hands or illustrating Christ’s victory over death on a canvas in dim lighting during a Good Friday worship service, artist Robin Oas uses each canvas as an opportunity to draw attention to Jesus.

While serving as the artist in residence at First Baptist Church in Irving the past seven years, Oas has created large-scale paintings designed to bring the gospel to life.

Through visual storytelling, her creativity has captured the attention of audiences at various women’s ministry events, church services and conferences.

“I was raised in a family of artists, and my parents were so encouraging and allowed me to jump in and create art with them at a young age,” Oas recalled. “Growing up, I remember my dad using art to illustrate the Bible lessons he was teaching in Sunday school, and I saw the impact of using art to connect people with the gospel at a really young age.

“Through the years, it was a combination of talent running in my family and a lot of hard work to learn about the process of creating and fine-tuning the skills.”

Her initial experience creating artwork before an audience was less than altogether voluntary.

“As people began taking notice of my art, a pastor in California asked me to paint while he preached, and I told him that I would pray about it. Well, even before I said yes, my name was printed in the bulletin. So, I had to just jump in—even though I was completely unsure of how it would turn out,” she said.

“It’s so funny to look back now and see how God used that experience to reach people and draw them to him.”

Soon after Oas relocated to Texas, it didn’t take long before she was asked to create large-scale stage designs for Vacation Bible Schools, choir musicals and nativity scenes for churches around the state.

Desiring to give back and use her gifts as a way to share the gospel around the globe, Oas frequently partners with His Voice Global to help raise awareness and funding for various mission projects through the proceeds of her artwork and coloring books.

His Voice Global is a mission organization that works in parts of the world with high concentrations of vulnerable women and children. It focuses on encouraging and equipping communities in South Sudan, Kenya and Uganda with practical, physical and spiritual transformation through the hope of the gospel.

“Most people wouldn’t think of art as a ministry or a way to share the gospel, but it really is,” Oas said. “After one of the events, I heard there was a visitor who really took an interest in a live painting being done during the sermon, because it helped him understand the message, and he gave his life to Christ that week as a result.

“Hearing stories of how God can use moments like that is something that only he can do, and I love how he uses art to connect people with the gospel.”