Form as an artist. Create with God. Practice the common good.
Enrollment Window:
November 12-22, 2026
FORMAT:
Online + creative practice
Tuition:
$575 or 4 payments of $160
INCLUDES:
Full-color course workbook
The course runs from January 11 to March 19, 2027.
What is Foundations?
Foundations is a nine-week online Art Ministry Course where faith, creativity, and practical experience come together. Through hands-on projects, reflection, and interactive community, you’ll develop your artistic voice, discover new ways to serve others through creativity, and explore possibilities for volunteer and paid art ministry.
How Foundations Works
1. Watch
Watch that week’s video lessons on creativity, faith, and ministering through the arts.
2. Create
Respond through hands-on creative assignments and reflection. You’ll respond on your own schedule during the week.
3. Zoom (optional)
Each Monday, meet with Jessie, Amy, and your cohort to ask questions, share work, and learn from each other.
4. Graduate
By graduation, you’ll have built an Art Ministry Portfolio of your creative growth and the possibilities ahead.
What Will I Learn?
Foundations explores the inner life of the artist in Christ and the practical possibilities of art ministry. You’ll develop your artistic voice, experiment with different creative approaches, and discover what helps or hinders creative freedom. Through hands-on projects and reflection, you’ll learn principles and practices you can bring into your own life, relationships, and community.
Nine weeks · Approximately five hours per week · Online learning and creative community
Who Is Foundations For?
Artists and makers
People exploring creativity
Ministry and community leaders
Those learning to create with God
No portfolio or prior ministry experience required.
Meet the People Behind Foundations
Jessie Nilo
Founder and Instructor
Jessie created Foundations after years of making art, doing art ministry, and discovering what happens when creativity becomes part of everyday life.
Amy Hui
Cofounder and Foundations Graduate
Amy began as a Foundations student. Her own creative journey eventually led her to help build God Loves Art through community interaction, design, and art direction.
Ready to Begin?
Click below for everything you need to know about the course schedule, participation, materials, and enrollment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Foundations helps you discover practical ways to serve others through creativity, whether in volunteer ministry, paid opportunities, or both. Together we’ll discern what types of art ministry God is stirring in you, which is a powerful part of the course. You’ll develop your creative practice, build an Art Ministry Portfolio, and explore possibilities for what comes next.
You’ll graduate with your own Art Ministry Portfolio, built week by week through your artwork and reflections. Students who complete at least 94% of the course receive a Certificate of Completion and will be announced during our live graduation. Graduates who also pass our peer review process receive a personalized Letter of Endorsement from God Loves Art, to use when approaching churches, community organizations, and potential ministry partners. This letter recognizes your creative accomplishments, trustworthy character, and capacity to serve people through art ministry, and is renewable every two years.
Not at all! Foundations welcomes beginners and experienced artists alike. You don’t need a portfolio, formal training, or ministry experience. Come with curiosity and a willingness to experiment, and you’ll have plenty of room to grow from wherever you begin.
Use what you already have! Foundations encourages experimentation with a variety of materials, but there’s no need to buy expensive supplies. Most students can get started with basic art materials, and around $30 is usually plenty if you’re starting from scratch. A full-color course workbook is included with your tuition.
Each week’s video lesson is prerecorded, so you can watch and create on your own schedule. Plan on approximately five hours per week for watching, making art, and reflecting. We also gather for an optional 35-minute live Zoom each Monday to connect, ask questions, and share our creative journeys.
No problem! Our Monday Zoom gatherings are optional, and the main group discussion is recorded so you can catch up later. Small-group breakout conversations aren’t recorded, giving everyone space to share freely. You can complete the entire course even if you can’t attend live.