Many artists have promoted religion through an assortment of unique methods throughout the ages. In Ocean City , MD , one artist constructs sand sculptures depicting scripture, while another draws in chalk. A local artist, Earl Ridgell, paints for inspiration. While literally thousands of artists, from Michelangelo to Michael Angelos, have depicted religious images on canvas. Earl Ridgell is unique. This artist has a new twist for his paintings -- Performance Painting -- painted right in front of a congregation, followed by dramatic storytelling or performance. Earl even mixes in illusion and juggling where it fits the program.

“For years I wondered how God was going to unite my passion for the arts with my passion for Him, I now understand and appreciate His creativity,” declares Earl Ridgell, the founder of Cherub Ministries. One audience member said, “He bounced me around like a ping pong ball, I was overwhelmed by the painting but when he spoke, he took me from tears to laughter in a matter of a few minutes. Earl is hysterical and talented.”

Earl’s occupational and vocational background is very diverse. A prolific speaker and communicator, Earl reaches beyond the boundaries of visual arts and speaking into the world of education. Earl is currently the English-speaking pastor at the Columbia Chinese Baptist Church as well as an adjunct professor at Washington Bible College in Lanham , MD , where he teaches Art History and Public Speaking. As an adjunct professor, Earl also teaches graphics, beginning drawing and humanities at CCI @ Johns Hopkins and ITT. Coupled with this, Earl has directed summer camp, one to two weeks per summer for the past fourteen years, and has an extreme passion for reaching and teaching through unique methods.

Earl is a very prolific illustrator. He has illustrated five nationally distributed Christian children’s books for Boys Town Press and New Hope Publications, along with numerous pieces for magazines and Christian educational curriculum materials for both Lifeway and Standard Publishing.

In addition, Earl has produced and created a two million dollar, ten-thousand square foot immersive traveling exhibit experience entitled: Rockwell’s America , which is currently traveling the Science Center circuit. Other credits include: a national experiential tour for Discovery Communications featuring Junkyard Wars: On the Road; a holiday exhibit design featuring the popular children’s book If you Give a Mouse a Cookie; an holiday design for Sony Pictures featuring Stuart Little; and holiday exhibition featuring Norman Rockwell at SeaWorld, Orlando. Earl has volunteered for and mentored numerous community and high school theatre productions, acting as artistic director.

Earl’s career highlights do not end there. He is also credited with over ten Hollywood produced television commercials in which he acted as assistant art director. Some of the clients were: Dan and Dave - Reebok - Johns and Gorman Film; Bank of America - Dektor/Higgins Films; Drummer - Lexus - Johns and Gorman Films; Ball - Lexus - Johns and Gorman Films; Paine Webber - Dektor/Higgins Films.

Contact Earl Ridgell at Cherub Ministries for your next Christian Event.