Laura
and William Gentry strive to hone their artwork as a ministry.
Compelled by a deep desire to reflect the gospel and empower those they are called to serve,
the Gentrys have embraced art as an advocacy tool. Endeavors are chosen on their basis to connect with others
on an emotional level. The resulting artwork therefore spans a variety of reactions from playful to thoughtful.
Yet still, amidst the artistic diversity of the gentryjoint portfolio, is the underlying core principle to create a better world.
Compelled by a deep desire to reflect the gospel and empower those they are called to serve,
the Gentrys have embraced art as an advocacy tool. Endeavors are chosen on their basis to connect with others
on an emotional level. The resulting artwork therefore spans a variety of reactions from playful to thoughtful.
Yet still, amidst the artistic diversity of the gentryjoint portfolio, is the underlying core principle to create a better world.
A CHRONOLOGY OF THEGENTRYJOINT ENDEAVORS
 Resurrection Series Paintings 2001 (Laura's Endeavor) The “Resurrection”
series consists of large, multimedia paintings of butterflies. This
colorful exploration of the ancient symbol of rebirth is intended to
resonate with the human longing to find hope in the face of despair, to
find renewal in the face of loss and pain, and to perceive death as but
the gateway to eternal life. How deeply we need this
redemption. It is my hope that these pieces urge people to seek
and to create resurrection in our world.
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 Seen But Rarely Heard 2002 (Laura's Endeavor) Life-size likenesses of young women--along
with their words about self-esteem and the various struggles of growing
up--form this traveling exhibit. I feel passionate about giving
adolescent girls a platform, of confronting viewers with real teenagers
whose voices cannot be ignored. These pieces help girls to see
they are not alone in their often intense experience of adolescence and
it gives the rest of us a window into their world, that we may seek to
understand and empower them more. Seen but Rarely Heard has been
exhibited in over thirty locations around the country including many
nonprofit and advocacy organizations.
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 Deva's Second Chance 2003 (William's Endeavor) A photo essay
concentrating on a day in the life of Deva Randall, a lung transplant
recipient. The
aim was to show her post-operative reality. Important to the essay were
arresting images that alerted viewers of the overall life changes organ
recipients undergo physically and spiritually. I believe in second chances and Deva’s
second chance is very prominent. To know her is to know about her organ
transplant. The hope of the project was provoke more people to give
blood or consider becoming organ donors.
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 Portraits of Senior Citizens 2003 View Gallery (William's Endeavor) The elderly within our
society are largely unsung. They are saddled with the unfortunate
definitions of unproductive and unimportant. In my pastoral work
in nursing care centers, I discovered quite the opposite is true. These
intimate portraits give testimony to the unique beauty and wisdom of
the elderly--whose facial lines and discernible blemishes chronicle the
fascinating stories of their lives. This endeavor highlights their
importance in our society and urges viewers to reconsider the value of
the elderly among us.
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 Living Word 2003 (Joint Endeavor) “What one word defines
you?” If you had to express the complex essence of your identity
in just one word, what would it be? We asked this question to
over one hundred people, then William took a portrait of each person in
a T-shirt with his or her word written on it. Since each one of us was
spoken into existence by God, we are all living words. What we
are at birth is the gift from which we begin and from there unfurl our
various identities. We live and breathe a message to the world
through our every action. In calling this project Living Word, we
are nudging people to think carefully about their very purpose in the
world. What word do you live? As a miraculous Living
Word of God, how do you bless the world by your existence? This
collection is published as a volume by Penfield Books.
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 Dear Mother Earth: A Lunar Cycle of Devotions 2004 (Laura's Endeavor) During the course of
one lunar cycle, I tracked the moon’s journey by tying together, in a
new painting every day, the interpretive meaning of each phase of the
moon, daily devotions penned by Dr. Richard Simon Hanson, and my own
passion for the earth. To illustrate Dr. Hanson’s devotions, I placed
dancer figures in beautiful landscapes under
a three-dimensional moon. In this endeavor, I advocate for the earth itself. To help people get back in touch with the earth’s natural cycles, to feel a closer kinship with our amazing planet and to be committed to her preservation are the reasons behind the creation of these twenty nine paintings. |
 Along the Way 2004 View Gallery (William's Endeavor) So often I cruise
through daily life paying little attention to the bit players in my
life. "Along the Way" was an attempt to turn the table on my own
ignorance. As
you view these portraits, think about the people you interact with
daily -- the ones who serve your coffee, ring up your groceries, share
your sidewalk or sell your movie tickets. Stop to consider what harm
would be in pausing long enough to acknowledge them as fellow human
beings. These people are not unlike us -- they have families, children,
and problems. Do we notice them as they serve us? We are all along the
way to someplace or something, but let's enjoy the scenery and the
people we met on our respective travels.
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 Inspireflies 2004 (Laura's Endeavor) Piggybacking on my earlier series,
Resurrection, I painted small butterflies (2 1/8 “ x 3 1/4”) with words
of inspiration integrated into the works. As the title suggests,
these miniscule works endeavor to inspire--which means to influence,
guide, spur on, to infuse with life. Small enough to be taken anywhere
and affordable enough to be given as gifts, inspireflies are an
accessible means of spreading new life.
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