Last week I had the chance to visit Thisway Gallery in St. Jacobs, Ontario at the tail end of a great couple days away with some of our staff. We had spent two days together talking, laughing, dreaming, getting to know each other (and our Myers-Briggs uniqueness!) and trying to get a sense of where God is leading us and OBC over the next several years. On our way home, we decided to stop in at this gallery and we were all so glad that we did! The gallery was opened by Derrick Mueller and his son Caleb and is definitely a memorable experience!

Here’s what their website says about Thisway Gallery –

St. Jacobs’ new art showcase, Thisway Gallery, has a fresh take on an abstract world. And it’s exactly what the room needs.

Derrick and Caleb Mueller are pleased to announce the Grand Opening of this new studio and gallery, located in downtown St. Jacobs on 10 Front Street, in the Mill Shed and Studio buildings. This father-and-son endeavour stems from a thirst to promote and pursue the arts: Caleb is a professional graphic designer, recording artist and painter from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, while Derrick makes no secret of his love for the pure expression available through abstract art. The gallery is itself an art experience, showcasing original music, multimedia and paintings that flood the senses and satisfy the eye.

We had the opportunity to spend 30 minutes or so with Derrick and hear about his passion for art, the church, leadership and even ministry strategy. As we walked through his gallery and heard about different feelings or emotions he was trying to express through his work, I caught myself thinking about some of the same emotions that come up during different ministry experiences. He talked about certain frustrations or stumbling blocks within organizations and structures and how he wanted his art to reveal those in a new, fresh way to people in a way that would catch them off guard.

As he spoke, some of the things he said sounded very much like some of the things that we as a staff had been talking about and wrestling with during our long discussions the previous two days. Derrick’s willingness to explore new ideas, to try things that people say don’t work, to experiment with new materials or techniques is very impressive and the final result – although probably not for everyone’s taste – is definitely enhanced once you hear the artist’s vision behind the piece.

You can find out more about Thisway Gallery through their website and can even have an online look at some of the artwork they display.