Tag: musician

on by

Sometimes you have to grow into a role…

Sometimes you have to wait a long time to get the work that you want. We may not understand the waiting time, but it has a purpose. In 2009, I decided to do some extra training to further my career so that I could widen my work portfolio; so I started a course in Life Coaching with a view of coaching and mentoring artists and creatives. I loved the training, passed the course and then started advertising for new clients. For years, there was a small stream of clients and then it would fizzle out, a cycle that repeated itself many times. I even joined forces with a business partner but the project never got off the ground. I was continually frustrated that this didn’t take off, and that the work was patchy and inconsistent. 

However, what I didn’t realise was that I was being prepared for this work. Over the last 17 years, I have been through many professional and personal situations that have given me a deeper experience of the artistic journey and life. Not only have I gained experience, but God was working on my character to make me into the artist that he wants me to be. Every project, performance, sale, failure, and success was giving me insight that would build my character and integrity not just in the creative world but in my spiritual life too.

Fast forward 17 years on, I received an unexpected email asking if I would like to mentor Christian artists. To be fair, the answer to the request was a no brainer, but as I reflect on my journey, I can see that I was being developed and prepared in response to a prayer that I prayed many years ago. And that’s the truth we don’t always want to hear: the answers to our prayers can often take decades because we need to become the person who can withstand the weight of the responsibility we are asking for. 

I also believe that there is a unique timing for this work too. We are coming into an era where Christian artists are needed more than ever, to express God’s love to a world in chaos. It is a privilege to be able to help artists hone the craft and develop projects that will bring joy and peace to many people. 

Development doesn’t happen quickly and God often develops our character in the dark. It’s the challenging times that can lead to the greatest growth as we wrestle with ourselves and our human nature. Like the process of a clam making a pearl, the waiting time though fractious, creates an irritant that produces something priceless and unique in us. By seeing the waiting time as a necessary training ground, we can become ready to receive the answers to our prayers. 

on by

There’s nothing wrong with being a multidisciplinary artist! Here are some of my thoughts on being a multidisciplinary artist and how we can truly be the artists that God has called us to be. It’s important to not be led by the opinions of others but to listen to what Jesus is saying to us. Also there’s an update on my latest projects including a jazz gig, my adventures with watercolour painting and my trip to Oxford to hear Amie McNee speak.

Read the blog: Becoming an artist, becoming you… https://helensandersonwhite.com/2019/05/15/becoming-an-artist-becoming-you/

on by

A few years ago, I arranged Ruth Carlyle’s poem A Homely Blessing for her to sing. The song was released as a charity single in aid of the Faith in Action Homeless Project in south London. We’ve teamed up again, and I’ve arranged another one of Ruth’s poems Walking to the Beat of My Heart. Again, this features David Barton on the piano and Ruth on vocals. The song tells of Ruth’s early morning walks before dawn where she longs for daylight to break through.  

Walking is one of Ruth’s passions; when she was working for Macmillan Cancer Support, she was part of a Walking for Health partnership with The Ramblers. She believes in the benefits of walking, not just for health, but for wellbeing and a sense that the darkness and shadows pass as people walk with companions. In light of this, the Walking to the Beat of My Heart single is being released in aid of The Ramblers. Ruth’s niece, Lily has created the artwork for this project.  

It was a joy to work with Ruth again as her poems provide so much light and shade to interrupt musically. Enjoy! 

Listen to Walking to the Beat of My Heart here. 

Find out more about The Ramblers charity here.  

on by

There comes a point in every artist’s life where you come to a crossroads; a fork in the road, a separation from your current life, a change in scenery. Sometimes this change can be unexpected, unwelcome and sudden, and other times it can creep up slowly without us realising that change is taking place. 

Separation from people who we thought were for us can be painful. The saliant point here is that we thought these people were for us but in reality they weren’t. It may be they never had the same vision as us; we were mislead and distracted by something that they offered that on the surface looked good but ultimately wasn’t. Equally it may be the that season of running together has come to an end; some relationships have a temporary purpose but they are not lifelong commitments. It’s not that the relationship is bad, it’s just that it no longer serves its purpose and that both parties need to head off on new ventures and paths in order to find fulfillment and their God given destiny. 

The artistic journey can be lonely. Most artists experience being misunderstood or overlooked. They are considered to be dreamers, unrealistic, irrelevant or avant garde. Artists are prophetic voices in an impaired and self-absorbed world. They voice disturbing truths, they speak out against the injustice and challenge cultural norms. They are consumed by a message that they must convey and express in a unique and profound way. Change makers and pioneers rarely have a large group of close acquaintances; their friendship groups tend to be small as few understand and support the message that they carry. 

If we don’t let go of people who aren’t meant to be walking through life with us, we can miss out on seasons, experiences and relationships that are part of God’s plan. The wrong people may delay our calling, hinder progress or distract us from doing God’s will. This can lead to a detour that we do not need to make. Obedience to God’s plan can look like everything is disintegrating, whereas from God’s point of view, he is rearranging our lives to reflect his plan for us. With God, a loss eventually becomes a gain. Nothing can withstand God’s divine alignment for our lives if we submit to the changes that he takes us through. Certain things must end, so that better things can begin. As people leave, we make room and clear a path for the new; a preparation time for what’s to come. 

Not all relationships end well and that can be distressing; however, for God’s message of love to be spread further afield, separation is a good thing. In Acts 15:36-39, Paul and Barnabas disagree over whether John Mark should come with them on a mission trip, the disagreement is so sharp that they split up and head off in different directions. The result of this disagreement and separation is that the gospel is spread further afield. The disagreement led to a positive spiritual outcome. Jesus takes the difficult and unexplainable things in our lives and turns them around for our good. 

If you are going through a season of people leaving and line up changes, it might be that God is changing your relationships to enable you to grow, develop and go further than you can imagine. What seems like a period of emptiness could lead to a time of fullness, fulfilment, and contentment; a period of time where the vision is refined and honed. He is clearing out what is no longer useful or needed, so that healthy, productive relationships can begin. If you want the creative message you carry to go further, submit to the clearing out process and allow God to reshape your life, in doing so your artistic work will have a greater impact. Wait for the season to change and for God to bring the right people to you. People who care for you, support your vision and have your best interests at heart. With the right team in place, you have a promising future. Not everyone can come with you on the journey…

If you have found this blog helpful, join the mailing list here.

Want to make a donation to my work? Please click here.

on by 1 Comment

We live in a world that loves to rush around. A world that encourages busyness and never having enough time to do everything on our list. We are constantly goal seeking and looking to the next thing; racing rather than resting. The need to always be present, online or looking busy can be draining. I meet many artists from all backgrounds who mention their exhaustion, disrupted focus, and unmet deadlines that eventually lead to disillusionment and burn out. The fear of missing out or not having enough work leads to having stakes in too many projects and can leave a feeling that we haven’t given our best.  

In Genesis, a clear pattern of work and rest is displayed in the creation story. It’s not just a pattern but a rhythm that continues infinitely. God works for six days of the week, then on the seventh day he rests. This continuous divinely inspired rhythm invites us to foster a lifestyle that is sustainable, that protects our health and well-being and gives us space to enjoy our lives. It also gives us room to enjoy our relationship with God and to spend time with him. God’s attitude to rest is so important that it’s highlighted in the first chapter of the first book of the Bible; it is part of his design for humanity right from the word go. 

Genesis 2 verses 2-3 says 

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.1 

We learn from this story that God ordained the completion of work and the time to rest as holy. Holy meaning sacred, set apart, consecrated, to be treated with reverence and respect. I know for many artists at the end of a project we begin to rush into the next, never fully giving ourselves time to rest, reflect and recharge ourselves for the new. We start the next project half empty without respecting our basic need to just be rather than to do. If our artistic work is for the Lord whether Christian or secular, following God’s pattern will help us to make creations that are holy and reverent, and we will be physically, mentally and spiritually ready to do the work.  

Creativity is a rhythm, a lifestyle, a choice. Yes there are times when it flows freely and we want to make the most of the ideas; however if our creativity takes over our lives and doesn’t allow us to be, then this is counter-productive. Creativity should not control our lives, it should enhance it. Creativity should draw us nearer to God rather than moving us further away. 

1 New International Version (NIV) 

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® 

If you have found this blog helpful, join the mailing list here.

Want to make a donation to my work? Please click here.

on by

Who is Eliana Hope? Recently I have been thinking about returning to writing instrumental music. Years ago I used to write all sorts in different genres but most of it was never released. I listen to a fair amount of lo-fi so I thought I’d offer my own contribution to the genre and today I released a new single called Sunday Chill in February of this year. I released this track under the pseudonym Eliana Hope as this music is different to my singer-songwriter work. 

You can listen to the track on Youtube or find it on the following platforms: 

Spotify
iTunes 
Apple Music
Amazon
Bandcamp

on by

Twenty years ago, I lived in London and worked teaching music with churches and further education colleges. Most of my work was with underprivileged young people living in areas of deprivation and poverty. Wealthy, salubrious neighbourhoods bordered these city areas, yet for most of the teens and young adults I worked with, this lifestyle was out of reach. They had become accustomed to accepting that their career path would be crime. Shootings and violent attacks in the area happened with alarming regularity, gangs and drugs became an easy option for a living. 

As I reflected on this culture, I wondered how I would express the Gospel to young people who had never heard of Jesus. How would I explain the cross and resurrection to them? As I discussed this with my church youth group, the breakthrough moment came when one of the young people said that the highest honour in gang culture was to take a bullet for a friend. That was the way in for me to explain to an unchurched community what Jesus did for us through his death on the cross and the resurrection: he took the bullet for us, so that we can live with him forever.  

Sometimes we need to understand the culture we are living in so that we can explain the Gospel using a vernacular that our community can relate to; a contemporary example that connects people with the divine. As we go about our week, perhaps we should ask ourselves, in what ways do my community need to hear about Jesus? 

At thirty years old there were words in his head 

He didn’t know where they would lead to 

The burning words, well they all signalled red 

But somehow he had to see it through 

He took the bullet for me, He took the bullet for me 

At thirty years old he took a trip out of town 

He knew he had to speak the truth 

The scholars and vagrants, they branded him a clown 

They didn’t want to see the living proof 

He took the bullet for me, He took the bullet for me

At thirty-three years they put a gun to his head 

They knew they had to end his reign 

What they didn’t know when they left him for dead 

Is that he’d come to reign again 

He took the bullet for me, He took the bullet for me

Copyright 2007 words & music by Helen Sanderson White 

If you have found this blog helpful, join the mailing list here.

Want to make a donation to my work? Please click here.