The Art of Bridging Gaps – with Meghan Dineen
Meghan always greets me with a smile and a warm hug. I’ve personally known Meghan for a short time, but long enough to know her heart embraces those around her and that her love for God is her driving force to be adventurous. Not only is she adventurous in the places she has gone, but also in the way her curiosity leads her closer to know God as the Almighty Creator. I have been encouraged by her Word-centered wisdom and God-given ability to create beautiful things from nothing.
California-born and raised, Meghan has been calling Mexico home for eleven years of her life. After studying graphic design at University, she pursued her passion for the visual arts while also being a full-time missionary with Youth with a Mission in Mexico. Currently, she is leading the Art Evangelism Schools at the YWAM base in the beautiful city of Mazatlán.
When one looks at the path Meghan has taken to where she is today, it is a story of trust in God’s leading to bring things together for her good. In the seeking and trusting, God made a way for her to follow His dreams for her, which then became the dreams she had for herself.
May her life inspire your creativity and curiosity to explore asking the “what if’s.”
What did you want to be as a child? As a child I had always dreamt of being an artist. I didn’t necessarily have an idea of what an artist was or an idea of the type of things I would do, but if you were to ask me as a kid, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I would say, “I want to be an artist.” Along the way, I wanted to be other things. And it wasn’t until I studied art, graduated at a University, and got a degree when I realized I actually am an artist—and that’s what I said I wanted to do as a kid.
What made you decide to move your life to Mexico? After I graduated from University, God said, “GO.” I didn’t know where to, what for, or for how long. I had studied graphic design and I was working with youth and a lot of Mexicans. Naturally, I picked up the language and studied it too, so I was really keen to do something using all of the gifts God has given me in some way. I started looking into different opportunities and volunteer programs. I had a friend who had done a DTS and was telling me about YWAM. She convinced me to do it! I looked for bases in Mexico because I had so many Mexican-born friends and loved the idea of going there. One thing led to another and I was contacted by somebody at a YWAM location near Guadalajara who had a graphic design opportunity listed on their website. I was told if I wanted to stick around to do graphic design for them, I needed to do a DTS first. That is what started me questioning ‘what’s YWAM? What’s a DTS?’ I prayed about it, talked with my mom, then decided, “Okay, I am going to go to Mexico and do this YWAM thing and see where it takes me from there.” That is what originally brought me here and I’ve stayed ever since. Of course, there were places I went to in-between, but I always ended up back in Mexico.
What is your personal creative process? Technical? Spiritual? Staring at blank walls. If I have a project or a brief that is given to me, or a creative endeavor that I need to fulfill or create something for, my first step is to spend time thinking about it. I sit on it for a while. I try to envision things in my mind and then will get to the writing process. I often brainstorm, get it on paper whether it’s drawing something out or mind-mapping some things. There will be trial and error while I figure out what is the proper medium or what material would work best. I’ll do a little research on how to use that medium, or look at what other people have done and get inspired by others. I think a part of the process as well is not necessarily copying what someone is doing, but letting it inform you and be inspired by your process too.
With that, I think discovering as I go is also a part of my process. I believe we are creative beings and we are spiritual beings too. God very much wants to be a part of this process. I am consciously inviting Him more into the process. I often ask God, “Guide my ideas. Show me how to think about this.” I really enjoy asking the question, “What if?”-- What if we were to combine these two things? What if we were to try this? Happy accidents happen sometimes...and sometimes you just have to start over.
ART + FAITH – How do you see God through art? I think about the truth of us being creative beings. Through art, or when someone is producing art, then I am able to see a result of them reflecting who God made them to be, and reflecting God’s very image that He placed in them. Because they have taken from their life, environment, their experience and resources, and produced something in a creative way. This reflects God and who God is – He is a giver, He produces, He takes, creates, and forms things. In that way, art shows who God is. Also, visuals tap into something into our brains. I don’t really know the science of it, but I know visuals speak to us in a different way than words.
There are many names for God in the bible. If you had to give God a name, what would it be? FOREVER. For me the word ‘forever’ connotes a steadiness that you can rely upon. He is forever going to be who He is. He is forever going to be faithful, dependable, and trustworthy.
What is it like to do missions and art in another country that you did not grow up in? Living in Mexico has been an honor and privilege. Growing up I had Mexican friends and I ended up working with a lot of Mexican-born people who told me what their state was like. I felt like I always had a connection to Mexico, but actually being able to live here, learn the language so well, learn the culture, and how to interact with people, it really has been a privilege. I really do see Mexico as a nation I consider home. It has been a gift from God to embrace a place where I am a foreigner, and that has been so beautiful. It is a unique thing to be called here so God has given me this love for it and has provided a really rich perspective. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Art has been something that has opened doors to travel and go to new places, all over the world, and be able to encounter different cultures and tribes. I feel like I have only been able to catch a glimpse of how art can really connect us and am hopeful to travel more, train up others, and come alongside artists in other countries. It is neat to see the different cultural expressions through art that exists across the globe – even within Mexico, there is so much variety from the north to central to south. Being able to live here for such a long time now, I am able to see those differences and diversity within the same country.
What challenges have you faced in doing so? There are always adjustments when you go to a new place, even within your own country. When you go into new territory, there will always be challenges; there are different ways of interacting with people, different cultural norms. For example, if you go somewhere in the U.S. and you don’t greet someone or the room in general, it is completely normal--maybe even abnormal if you do. Whereas in Mexico, you acknowledge people around you. If you don't because you are not aware, it may be seen as rude or closed off. Things like that I have adapted myself to and have gotten used to.
Also, language was a bit of a challenge as well. Even though I did know Spanish quite well, for a while if I was in a group conversation, there were still times when I got lost.
Do you have any sweet moments from doing art in missions? One time I was in China and we were going to a government-run welfare center. In this one center, there was an orphanage, an elderly care facility, and other adults with disabilities who weren’t able to take care of themselves fully. One day we were doing this craft where you cut out the shape of a person and decorate it with paper flowers and things like that. There was this guy, maybe 20-something years old, with cerebral palsy and we were cutting out a man. I couldn’t communicate with him in his language, but we did this craft together. He had the scissors and I took the paper and held it in front of him, and I would say “Ready...GO!” Then he would snap down the scissors to make the cut. I would then adjust the paper for him and we’d do it again. During this whole time, we were both cracking up. It was such a delight. Even though we were just cutting a figure out of a piece of paper, it was a shared moment.
“Art opens the door. It bridges gaps. Art is a non-threatening way to come into someone’s space, or perhaps invite them into yours, because then you are able to share it together.”
If you had one word to give young artists, what would it be? Create. Be who you are. So often we can get focused on what we are not, or what we haven’t achieved yet, or what we are not able to do now. Oftentimes this is based out of comparison and looking to others. I would say be inspired by those around you who are doing things that you think are really cool, or things you really enjoy. But don’t let it be something that will hinder you because you think ‘I am not as good, so I can’t’ or ‘I shouldn’t try’. Put yourself out there... Try something new, create things, do art, and don’t stop.
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to pursue art and missions together? Start where you can and look for opportunities. There might be things you see right away that are directly related; or it might be pursuing to grow as an artist and investing in the development of your craft through watching tutorials, taking classes, reading about the subject, or just doing something creative every day. On the other end, serving is also important. Whether that would be feeding programs for the homeless in your town or looking for the different opportunities that are out there to do missions locally and abroad. I think if you pursue these things, you are going to find opportunities that will come together and find ways to incorporate one into the other.
For example, looking out for any artistic opportunities you can start or pursue to serve your church; be involved in the youth group; look to see if there are mission trips being put together, or maybe put together one yourself. In doing these things, find ways to implement art into what you are already doing. Start getting your feet wet.
If I look at my life, the things that happened weren’t ever anything that was really intentional for me. I see the way God brought together the things I loved and carried in my heart. For example, my love for Mexico, the Spanish language, art, the youth, and wanting to use those things to serve Him – He has beautifully orchestrated that and brought it together to my life as it is today. I believe God does work in those ways. If you carry things in your heart, pray and ask God for the opportunities, and do what you can to pursue them. But also trust that He is going to bring things together and He is going to bring about the opportunities, some perhaps you may have never even dreamed of. So, be ready for them.
*All artwork shown here are by Meghan