The Desire to Create is Inside Each Human Soul – Part 7
In this final post, we wrap up this documentary on Tom Holdman. We hope that you have felt a desire to create and inspire others with your own abilities and have a belief that your weaknesses can work for your good. Here is part 7 of 7.
How I Came to Learn Art Glass
Tom Holdman and his wife Gayle and their son.
I did have a small course of art in high school. How did I get involved in doing art glass, you may ask? I was on my mission and heading home in just a week and I got a call from my mission president. He asked me if I could extend an extra two months. I did have a girlfriend at home I was going to marry and I was anxious to go on with my existence. I knew I had to pray about it.
I got on my knees and prayed to God and asked if I should stay an extra two months. The spirit entered my heart and spoke to me. He said, “If you stay, I will bless you.” I wanted to know how he would bless me. He spoke to my heart again and said, “When I get home, I should do stained glass as my career.”
Holding up a window to see how the light reflects through it.
That was so odd and strange. With hindsight now I know why he said to do that and why it entered into my heart. But at that time, I said, “Okay” and stayed an extra two months. I didn’t end up marrying the girl anyway.
When I got home, I told my parents I wanted to do stained glass and asked if I could use their garage. I started knocking on doors asking people if they wanted a stained glass window. That’s how I got started.
I did feel like I needed more training and I tried to get into BYU and was turned down. That was so devastating to me. I had this attitude that was like: I‘ll show you, I’ll do it on my own. That pushed me and I learned on my own by jumping into it.
An Artists Responsibility
I believe that as artists, we do have a great responsibility to help to inspire others. How can I do good art without tying into my own spirit? My spirit ties into God’s. It is all about emotion. I had a big struggle when I was growing up with speaking to people because I had a severe speech impediment. I stuttered all the time. I had to look for other ways to express myself so I could speak to people. I would do artwork all the time. I would sketch to express myself. There’s a scripture in Ether 12:27 which says, “I give unto men weakness that they may be humble… for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”
Tom Holdman at the installation of window panels for the Rome Italy Temple.
Pushing Through Weakness
I have hated having this speech impediment. It has been so hard for me. But that has helped me look for other ways I can speak to people. And it has been through art. Not only just normal art, but spiritual art. Now I speak to people all over the world and they can hear me speak without me being in the room with them. They hear me share my testimony of the gospel through my art. Is it a spiritual experience for me? You better believe it’s a spiritual experience. It is my mission in life to touch them spiritually. That is why I am here on this earth. I believe that with my soul.
That is why I had established this art institute here down at Thanksgiving Point. So we could show people firsthand that they can experience art, they can do art. We can hold their hand a little bit and let them explore their creative side. It is so rewarding for us to see how their eyes light up and they say, “Yes I can do this. I can do something that is creative.” I think that it ties them into a part of God. We got it inside us. Let’s unbury it. We so often push it aside. We are all creators; It is in our DNA.