Drawn to the Word - Drawn to the Word

Bringing the Word to Life Before Your Eyes

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About Paul

Paul Oman was born in the United States in the beautiful state of Wisconsin, where he currently resides with his wife and children. He had a strong interest in art early on in his life, inspired by the landscapes and nature surrounding him on the farm where he spent his childhood years.

At age 10, he began receiving personal instruction in acrylic, oil, and watercolor painting. During this same year, Paul was the Wisconsin elementary youth selected to present an original watercolor to the governor at the State Capitol for Youth Art Month, a significant milestone in his life. His passion for painting and drawing continued to grow. He studied drawing in college (along with science education, and later, divinity at seminary).

Receiving national and international recognition for his work in watercolor, painting world-wide as a live-audience mural and performance artist, as well as demonstrating, teaching, speaking, and consulting, Paul shares his joy of painting and its power to communicate with people of all ages.

What People Are Saying

Pastor Kevin Doely of Faith Lutheran Church in Coon Rapids, Minnesota shares how their church is using Paul Oman’s Drawn to the Word videos for worship and outreach.

I’m not artistic at all, but I get to have a little share in something that is going to be a really big thing!

Paul H.

Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Amery, WI

It’s fun working together with everyone on the mural!

Natalie P.

Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Amery, WI

What a joy-filled project! People of all ages, working side by side, with all levels of skill and mastery culminating in a vivid, artistic display of God’s rich promises for our lives.

Heather Eggert

Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Amery, WI

The All-Community Mural was an exercise in community, grace, and living into the gifts given to us by our Creator God! It was an experience full of the Holy Spirit—watching as people of all ages came together to touch brush to canvas, to laugh and talk and share, to unify their joy in the coming Savior in the creation of a work of art—a reminder that no matter who we are, Emmanuel calls us all to the same space: the foot of the cross.

Holly Stoner

Director of Faith Formation, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Amery, WI

As beautiful as our completed mural was, I believe the even more significant aspect of this project was the process used to create it. The simplicity of the mural’s “paint-by-number” made it possible for both – Sunday School kids and 80-year-olds to add their brush strokes to the canvas.

As a community of faith, we worked side by side to create an extraordinary painting telling the story of God’s love for us. Paul’s design of the mural and encouraging oversight generated great excitement for all involved in the project.

Pastor Keith Ruehlow

Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Amery, WI

The highlight of the project was the way people got involved, not just from our church, but friends from the community got interested in being part of the project.

Jim Osborn

Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Amery, WI

Featuring Paul in our worship was one of the most engaging, meaningful experiences our congregation has had in years. Paul’s gifts of painting and presence are amazing, and the good news shines through him.

Dan Poffenberger

Senior Pastor, Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church, Prior Lake MN

Very humbling and emotional. Extremely moving. Stunning, amazing and beautiful!

Wow!

Words cannot express how touched I am in my heart.

Anonymous

Participant

If we have Paul again, I will invite 20 of my closest friends!

Participant

from MN

This was the perfect worship event by which to remember our loved ones.

Participants

from throughout the United States

Your ministry inspired faith in the new generation. This highest of priorities is fulfilled in what you do – Thanks be to God!

Philip Blom

Pastor (retired)

My four-year-old was mesmerized for the entire time! She kept telling me every part of the story as Paul painted it.

A Mom

from WI

So emotional, it brought me to tears.

Participant

from WI

The whole story came to life before my eyes!

Participant

from WI

I was simply carried into prayer by the colors.

Dirk Lange

Professor of Worship, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN

Our Lord Jesus painted pictures in our minds when he told parables. Paul puts these depictions on canvas to bring Christ’s images to bear on our lives.

Christopher Croghan

Professor of Religion, Sioux Falls, SD

Thank you for including the choirs in the powerful worship. Everyone is still talking about it throughout the community!

Lee Nelson

DMA Zahn Chair of Choral Conducting, Wartburg College, Waverly, IA

I was amazed, and when completed I looked with amazement on the painting! Both young and old sat mesmerized. This is a great event for the whole church!

Pastor Dave Williams

Hope Evangelical Free Church, Osceola, WI

We were truly blessed to have Paul come to our parish to paint the Road to Emmaus story during the Easter Season – an awesome experience!

Andrea Bleck

St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Catawba, WI

Captivating! Watching Paul open up the story of the Scriptures through his painting held our congregation spellbound.

Pastor Neil Craigan

First Presbyterian Church, White Bear Lake, MN

Paul’s heart shines through in a dynamic way as he allows the Spirit to create through him a Gospel message that jumps off the canvas and penetrates straight to the heart.

Steve Dornbusch

Pastor (retired), Calvary Lutheran Church, Golden Valley, MN

It was a profound coming together of the audible and visible Word.

Pastor Dwight Hanson

Hope Lutheran Church, Ladysmith, WI

My kids came home and told us all about it, how awesome it was!

Parent

Concordia Int’l School, Shanghai, China

Jesus has called and is powerfully using Paul’s incredible gifts to revive a hunger for His living, active Word.

Pastor Wendy Berthelsen

President of Call Inc., Dallas, TX

That was the most amazing thing I have ever seen!

Ten-year-old worship attendee

Clayton, WI

In the News

Parishioners at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church watch as pastor and artist Paul Oman paints a mural as part of Wednesday’s “Drawn to the Word” event in East Grand Forks. Nick Nelson / Grand Forks Herald

Visiting pastor-artist creates religious mural during worship service

At the front of the sanctuary in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in East Grand Forks, Pastor Paul Oman stood at a pure white, 7-by-5-foot canvas, stretched and mounted on an easel, and began painting a mural he would complete before the worship service ended.

Oman, a visiting ELCA pastor and professional artist from Wisconsin, did not utter a word during the church’s Wednesday, Oct. 9, evening service.

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Contact Paul to schedule a Drawn to the Word or All-Community Mural Event.

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