Stay tuned to meet a man that has a 00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70 strong passion for art and an even stronger passion 00:00:02.73\00:00:05.50 for serving the Lord. 00:00:05.53\00:00:06.90 My name is Jason Bradley 00:00:06.94\00:00:08.27 and you're watching Urban Report. 00:00:08.30\00:00:10.44 Hello and welcome to Urban Report. 00:00:34.00\00:00:36.13 I had the opportunity 00:00:36.16\00:00:37.53 of going to the General Conference Session 00:00:37.57\00:00:39.57 where I ran into an old friend, 00:00:39.63\00:00:41.57 Raymond Wade has been a volunteer for Dare to Dream 00:00:41.60\00:00:44.61 since its inception and designed the logo for our D2D Program 00:00:44.67\00:00:49.04 called "The New Journey" 00:00:49.08\00:00:50.51 which highlights the testimonies 00:00:50.55\00:00:52.45 of offenders and ex-offenders, 00:00:52.48\00:00:54.25 he also designed the Virtual Set for our "Did you know Fillers?" 00:00:54.28\00:00:57.79 Let's take a look at his testimony. 00:00:57.82\00:00:59.69 What a blessing it is to be at the General Conference Session 00:00:59.72\00:01:08.03 of 2015 in San Antonio, Texas, where I ran into 00:01:08.06\00:01:12.00 a wonderful family friend of mine 00:01:12.03\00:01:14.30 that I've known for probably about 19 years, 00:01:14.34\00:01:17.87 Mr. Raymond Wade, welcome, welcome. 00:01:17.91\00:01:21.01 Thank you, how are you Jason? I'm doing well. 00:01:21.04\00:01:23.38 Good to be here. 00:01:23.41\00:01:24.75 So, tell me a little bit about your background 00:01:24.78\00:01:27.85 you're an amazing artist, a wonderful God-fearing man 00:01:27.88\00:01:32.62 tell me a little bit about your background, where were you born? 00:01:32.65\00:01:35.56 Well, I was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 00:01:35.59\00:01:39.13 that would be Allegheny East Conference 00:01:39.16\00:01:41.93 that's where I was born and raised. 00:01:41.96\00:01:44.57 I was the youngest of four children, 00:01:44.60\00:01:47.34 I was raised in West Philadelphia 00:01:47.40\00:01:50.11 and that's about it. 00:01:50.14\00:01:53.27 Okay, the youngest of four children 00:01:53.31\00:01:56.11 what was it like growing up with four children 00:01:56.14\00:01:57.91 and being the baby, were you spoiled? 00:01:57.95\00:02:00.12 Well, being the youngest 00:02:00.15\00:02:02.08 you always manage to get in trouble, 00:02:02.15\00:02:04.29 Okay. or at least blamed for getting 00:02:04.32\00:02:06.35 in trouble for doing things you might not have done, 00:02:06.39\00:02:08.82 like for instance, I remember one incidence 00:02:08.86\00:02:12.19 when my brother broke a leg on a chair, 00:02:12.26\00:02:15.53 and the older brother would always prop the chair back up 00:02:15.56\00:02:19.50 and then when we play in the house, 00:02:19.53\00:02:21.57 he would always make sure I was near that area 00:02:21.60\00:02:24.27 where the leg was broken, then once I tapped it 00:02:24.31\00:02:26.91 and it fell, then I was to blame. 00:02:26.94\00:02:28.58 It was your fault. 00:02:28.61\00:02:29.94 It was my fault so, those kinds of things, 00:02:29.98\00:02:32.08 when you're the youngest but other than that 00:02:32.11\00:02:34.38 it's been a pretty good life, we had a good time. 00:02:34.45\00:02:36.25 Now how were you educated? 00:02:36.28\00:02:38.12 I was educated... we weren't a rich family 00:02:38.15\00:02:42.82 growing up my father wasn't an Adventist at the time, 00:02:42.89\00:02:46.80 he was a... my mother started Adventism 00:02:46.83\00:02:50.13 when I was a one year old, 00:02:50.17\00:02:51.50 and she was determined to give us a Christian education 00:02:51.53\00:02:55.27 so he didn't believe in Christian education at that time 00:02:55.30\00:03:00.04 so he would fight against it but she struggled and made sure 00:03:00.08\00:03:04.78 all of us got a Christian Education 00:03:04.81\00:03:07.35 in the local church school there in Philadelphia 00:03:07.42\00:03:10.02 and then we went on to Pine Forge Academy 00:03:10.09\00:03:13.89 and we went on to Oakwood College as well, 00:03:13.96\00:03:17.69 and then I went on to an Art School from there, 00:03:17.73\00:03:21.13 University of Memphis where I got an Art Degree. 00:03:21.16\00:03:24.50 Wow! wow! so you had a long journey, 00:03:24.53\00:03:27.07 Yes, yes. lot of school, 00:03:27.14\00:03:29.20 so you have a college education, 00:03:29.24\00:03:33.24 when did you determine that you wanted to pursue Art? 00:03:33.27\00:03:37.61 Well, growing up in that era, 00:03:37.65\00:03:41.38 I grew up around the late '50s- '60s- and the '70s-era 00:03:41.45\00:03:49.06 I didn't get a lot of encouragement for Art 00:03:49.09\00:03:53.19 Okay. I know downtown Philadelphia had 00:03:53.23\00:03:56.23 a great Art Museum there, they had a great Art School, 00:03:56.26\00:03:59.63 but I used to always look and admire it 00:03:59.67\00:04:02.07 but I wasn't able to attend it... 00:04:02.10\00:04:04.44 attended the school 00:04:04.47\00:04:05.81 because a lot of people were telling me 00:04:05.84\00:04:07.18 that Art is not something that I'm going to make money at, 00:04:07.21\00:04:13.01 do something else, but I was determined 00:04:13.05\00:04:16.89 you know, I had that... 00:04:16.95\00:04:18.45 so I didn't get a lot of family support 00:04:18.49\00:04:20.82 my sister was a very good artist as well, 00:04:20.86\00:04:23.16 and I used to study her art, 00:04:23.19\00:04:24.69 there was a fellow at the church who knew how to draw, 00:04:24.73\00:04:27.76 so I would tinker, you know, 00:04:27.80\00:04:30.10 but one thing that I learned that... 00:04:30.13\00:04:32.90 even though I didn't do a lot of art when I was young, 00:04:32.93\00:04:36.50 I used to look at things and imagine 00:04:36.57\00:04:39.24 that if I ever had the opportunity, 00:04:39.27\00:04:41.84 how would I draw that? How would I paint that? 00:04:41.88\00:04:44.98 How would I make that in a sculpture? 00:04:45.01\00:04:49.12 and that type of thing 00:04:49.15\00:04:50.49 and everything in my early childhood 00:04:50.52\00:04:52.69 was unique because 00:04:52.72\00:04:54.06 most of my art was contained in my mind, 00:04:54.09\00:04:56.73 Okay. 00:04:56.76\00:04:58.13 so when I finally started doing Art on my own, 00:04:58.16\00:05:01.06 things just started happening and I was able to create 00:05:01.13\00:05:04.23 things very quickly because I've studied it 00:05:04.27\00:05:06.90 even though I didn't put it down 00:05:06.94\00:05:09.00 in actual image form. 00:05:09.04\00:05:10.61 Okay. Does that make sense to you? 00:05:10.67\00:05:12.77 Yes, so you've always had a very creative artistic mind. 00:05:12.81\00:05:18.41 Right, but I didn't have a lot of support 00:05:18.45\00:05:21.75 so basically I just looked at certain people 00:05:21.78\00:05:25.42 like... we had a lot of Bible story books 00:05:25.45\00:05:29.02 I used to study a lot of Harry Anderson's paintings 00:05:29.06\00:05:33.40 and I used to say, 00:05:33.43\00:05:35.70 "How would Harry Anderson paint this?" 00:05:35.73\00:05:37.60 I studied a lot of old Masters, go to the library, 00:05:37.63\00:05:41.30 that type of thing so, I was more or less 00:05:41.37\00:05:43.74 a self-taught artist up to a point 00:05:43.81\00:05:45.74 I went to Art School where I developed more skill. 00:05:45.77\00:05:49.98 Okay, now, did you have any mentors 00:05:50.01\00:05:52.58 as you were coming up, 00:05:52.61\00:05:54.05 like, people that worked hands-on with you 00:05:54.08\00:05:56.35 with this artwork? 00:05:56.38\00:05:57.82 Well, yeah, growing up my sister used to draw 00:05:57.85\00:06:00.56 I used to admire her work, 00:06:00.59\00:06:01.92 there was a fellow at the church 00:06:01.96\00:06:04.03 I used to admire his work as well, 00:06:04.06\00:06:06.19 and, you know, studied some of the artists 00:06:06.23\00:06:10.07 that I looked at in books and that type of thing. 00:06:10.10\00:06:13.44 Okay, okay. So those were pretty much 00:06:13.47\00:06:15.80 my mentors early on. 00:06:15.84\00:06:17.17 Okay, so there was a serious lack of support 00:06:17.21\00:06:20.71 for you coming up as an artist, 00:06:20.74\00:06:24.31 Yeah. it's interesting that 00:06:24.35\00:06:27.12 you look at a lot of artists 00:06:27.15\00:06:29.88 and they don't really make it until they're dead. 00:06:29.92\00:06:32.79 We don't want that for you, 00:06:32.82\00:06:34.46 we don't want that for you, 00:06:34.49\00:06:36.09 we want you to thrive and survive. 00:06:36.12\00:06:38.49 That's true. 00:06:38.53\00:06:40.00 So, I've seen your artwork and it is amazing, 00:06:40.03\00:06:44.50 we actually have a picture of a piece 00:06:44.53\00:06:46.47 that you did, it was the "Jumping the Broom" 00:06:46.50\00:06:50.07 tell us a little bit about, "Jumping the Broom. " 00:06:50.11\00:06:53.07 Well, "Jumping the Broom" is an African-American tradition 00:06:53.11\00:06:58.78 that used to take place during the 00:06:58.81\00:07:02.25 pre- and post-slavery times 00:07:02.28\00:07:05.52 where many of the wedding ceremonies, 00:07:05.55\00:07:09.32 it's kind of like a doorway into the home, 00:07:09.36\00:07:12.19 they would put a broom there to symbolize 00:07:12.26\00:07:15.33 their industry or their working conditions 00:07:15.36\00:07:18.40 and they would jump over this broom 00:07:18.43\00:07:20.50 into a ceremony which symbolized their marriage 00:07:20.54\00:07:25.97 in their union together, 00:07:26.01\00:07:27.68 and that's what the painting is symbolizing 00:07:27.71\00:07:30.51 you see in the background is food, 00:07:30.55\00:07:33.25 Oh yes. 00:07:33.28\00:07:34.98 this particular painting is done in a... 00:07:35.02\00:07:38.25 what I call an Afro-Centric way where everything has 00:07:38.29\00:07:42.49 pyramid shapes... Okay. 00:07:42.52\00:07:44.36 which was a shape that many of the 00:07:44.39\00:07:47.60 Nubian cultures used in Egypt 00:07:47.63\00:07:50.37 where it was diamond-shaped or pyramid-shaped. 00:07:50.40\00:07:54.77 if you look at the artwork, 00:07:54.80\00:07:56.87 you'll see that the dog there has... 00:07:56.91\00:07:59.47 you could draw like a triangle, so all through it is triangular, 00:07:59.51\00:08:04.88 or pyramid shaped, Okay. 00:08:04.91\00:08:06.48 so that's the composition and the design of this piece 00:08:06.51\00:08:09.85 and if you see, all the different things 00:08:09.88\00:08:12.39 that they used in African-American culture 00:08:12.42\00:08:14.86 like the food in the background, the living conditions, 00:08:14.89\00:08:18.36 I had showed pictures of happiness and dance 00:08:18.39\00:08:22.70 and I have one of religion, you know it's all comprised 00:08:22.73\00:08:26.03 within that painting, Okay. 00:08:26.07\00:08:28.17 That is a beautiful painting 00:08:28.20\00:08:30.34 by the way. Well, thank you. 00:08:30.37\00:08:32.44 Now where is it that you pull your inspiration from, 00:08:32.47\00:08:35.44 where do you get your inspiration, 00:08:35.48\00:08:36.81 when you're sitting down and you're getting ready to 00:08:36.85\00:08:40.38 paint one of your masterpieces where does it come from, 00:08:40.42\00:08:43.99 because you're creating something from nothing, 00:08:44.02\00:08:45.92 you have a blank canvas and then you're working away 00:08:45.95\00:08:51.13 and creating something spectacular. 00:08:51.16\00:08:53.90 Well, most artists receive a lot of inspiration 00:08:53.93\00:08:57.33 from their lifestyle, Okay. 00:08:57.37\00:08:59.07 I call myself... I'm a realist... 00:08:59.10\00:09:01.67 you know, I paint things that I see 00:09:01.70\00:09:04.21 and that are realistic, 00:09:04.24\00:09:05.74 I like to paint things as I see them. 00:09:05.77\00:09:07.94 Okay. 00:09:07.98\00:09:09.31 Realistically, as far as the images, 00:09:09.34\00:09:12.01 realistically as far as the social aspects 00:09:12.05\00:09:16.38 of what that person is doing socially, economically, 00:09:16.42\00:09:21.59 and spiritually, so, I consider myself 00:09:21.62\00:09:24.46 a realist, I get a lot of my inspiration 00:09:24.49\00:09:27.26 from religious art as well, 00:09:27.30\00:09:30.20 I tried to do things that are positive and cultural 00:09:30.23\00:09:34.10 and that's basically where I draw my inspiration from 00:09:34.14\00:09:37.61 and I also like to study some of the old Masters 00:09:37.64\00:09:41.08 as far as their techniques, I like their style, 00:09:41.11\00:09:45.01 I like some of their... 00:09:45.05\00:09:46.38 now one great Adventist artist... 00:09:46.41\00:09:49.75 I follow his style as well, 00:09:49.78\00:09:51.92 that he has an exhibit here in the General Conference as well. 00:09:51.95\00:09:56.29 I like his style of painting because he paints realistically, 00:09:56.32\00:10:00.63 spiritually scenes, Okay. 00:10:00.66\00:10:02.16 and I like to paint cultural scenes 00:10:02.20\00:10:04.03 and also occasionally I dip into a little abstract 00:10:04.07\00:10:08.80 I like abstract but I like to have an image 00:10:08.84\00:10:11.67 not just something you don't recognize 00:10:11.71\00:10:14.08 but an image, an abstract image, 00:10:14.11\00:10:16.18 so, those are the things that I like to paint. 00:10:16.21\00:10:20.78 At what age did you develop the passion for Art, 00:10:20.82\00:10:25.35 I mean, sometimes you get into things, 00:10:25.39\00:10:27.29 you begin to do them you don't always start off 00:10:27.32\00:10:30.76 that great but then as you build like, what age did that passion 00:10:30.79\00:10:36.30 burn inside you? 00:10:36.33\00:10:37.87 I really enjoyed Art as far back as I can remember 00:10:37.90\00:10:43.77 even at the age of five and six, 00:10:43.81\00:10:47.04 one of the North American Division Vice Presidents, 00:10:47.08\00:10:53.88 used to be my classmate 00:10:53.92\00:10:55.52 back in our school in Philadelphia 00:10:55.55\00:10:57.15 and he used to tell me 00:10:57.19\00:10:58.85 that I used to always get in trouble 00:10:58.89\00:11:00.39 because in the early years 00:11:00.42\00:11:02.12 when I was supposed to be paying attention to our teacher, 00:11:02.16\00:11:05.69 I was tinkering and drawing and scribbling on my pad, 00:11:05.73\00:11:09.13 so even early on as far as first grade 00:11:09.16\00:11:12.27 I had that passion to do something in Art. 00:11:12.30\00:11:15.37 Wow! 00:11:15.40\00:11:16.74 I knew that was something that I wanted to do. 00:11:16.77\00:11:18.87 I know plenty of first graders that draw better 00:11:18.91\00:11:21.04 and paint better than I could ever paint 00:11:21.08\00:11:23.61 I did not inherit that artistic gene. 00:11:23.65\00:11:26.58 And I think you have an inherent... 00:11:26.61\00:11:30.62 you have something in you, creative, 00:11:30.69\00:11:34.16 but that talent has to be developed. 00:11:34.22\00:11:37.13 Okay. You have a desire to paint, 00:11:37.16\00:11:39.76 or to draw or to create something, 00:11:39.79\00:11:42.30 but you have to develop that talent. 00:11:42.33\00:11:44.83 Now do you feel like it's something that could be learned 00:11:44.87\00:11:47.27 and acquired or do you have to... 00:11:47.30\00:11:49.24 do you feel like it's something that 00:11:49.30\00:11:51.74 you have to just be born with naturally? 00:11:51.77\00:11:54.31 I think it goes both ways, you can... 00:11:54.34\00:11:56.85 because when I started out, 00:11:56.88\00:11:58.21 I've been looking at my early paintings 00:11:58.25\00:12:00.25 versus as my paintings now, 00:12:00.28\00:12:01.62 I don't like the early ones anymore 00:12:01.65\00:12:05.32 I like my later paintings because they look more polished 00:12:05.35\00:12:09.26 but early on, 00:12:09.32\00:12:11.56 you know you have that desire 00:12:11.59\00:12:14.30 and in your mind, it's the greatest thing ever 00:12:14.36\00:12:16.80 but as time went on I got... 00:12:16.83\00:12:19.50 you know, you develop and you get better 00:12:19.53\00:12:21.30 and you keep working at your skill till you develop it 00:12:21.34\00:12:24.74 but Art is something that you really never 00:12:24.77\00:12:27.88 reach that point of perfection, 00:12:27.94\00:12:31.45 you're always striving to get better. 00:12:31.48\00:12:33.65 Yes. You always see another Artist 00:12:33.72\00:12:35.82 and you say, "I want to do that... better 00:12:35.85\00:12:37.92 I can do my hands a little better, 00:12:37.95\00:12:40.02 I can paint 'noses' a little better" 00:12:40.06\00:12:42.02 and that's... so it's always something you're striving for. 00:12:42.09\00:12:45.59 What struggles did you have as an up-and-coming Artist, 00:12:45.63\00:12:48.96 what challenges did you face? 00:12:49.00\00:12:51.20 Well, like early on I had no encouragement. 00:12:51.23\00:12:54.54 Okay. 00:12:54.60\00:12:56.00 My parents didn't see there was something, 00:12:56.04\00:12:59.71 they felt that it was something that rich people did 00:12:59.74\00:13:04.21 and a poor African-American kid 00:13:04.25\00:13:10.59 in Philadelphia living in certain conditions, 00:13:10.62\00:13:14.32 they felt like I needed to do something else 00:13:14.36\00:13:17.99 to maintain a living and so... that was some of the struggles 00:13:18.03\00:13:23.00 when I went to college, I was actually studying 00:13:23.03\00:13:27.84 Medical Technology. Oh really, okay. 00:13:27.90\00:13:32.77 Yes, but I enrolled in school a little late 00:13:32.81\00:13:37.55 and I wasn't able to take the courses that I wanted to take 00:13:37.58\00:13:42.62 so the only thing that was available left 00:13:42.65\00:13:45.62 were some Art Courses and I took these Art Courses 00:13:45.65\00:13:49.79 and I dropped out of Medical Technology 00:13:49.82\00:13:52.59 and continued in the Art, 00:13:52.66\00:13:54.00 because that's what I really wanted to do. 00:13:54.03\00:13:55.73 So those were pretty much some of my struggles growing up. 00:13:55.76\00:14:01.70 And then how did you take that passion... 00:14:01.74\00:14:04.81 that desire for Art, 00:14:04.84\00:14:06.17 how did you take that and turn that into ministry? 00:14:06.21\00:14:08.34 Well, after I graduated, I met my wife, 00:14:08.38\00:14:14.85 Jeanette Hikes, at that time 00:14:14.88\00:14:18.55 and she wasn't an Adventist but we gave her Bible Studies, 00:14:18.59\00:14:26.80 she became an Adventist, and we got baptized 00:14:26.86\00:14:29.16 actually we're celebrating 35 years next week on the 13th. 00:14:29.23\00:14:35.74 Congratulations! 00:14:35.77\00:14:37.11 I just saw the pastor that baptized us 00:14:37.14\00:14:39.47 not too long ago... a few minutes ago 00:14:39.51\00:14:42.41 out in the General Conference area 00:14:42.44\00:14:45.28 but anyway, I went on... after I got married 00:14:45.31\00:14:51.39 and I finished college, Art School, 00:14:51.45\00:14:55.66 in the back of my mind I kept hearing, 00:14:55.69\00:14:59.83 "You cannot make it in Art, you cannot make it in Art" 00:14:59.86\00:15:03.26 because these are the things that I was taught, 00:15:03.33\00:15:06.43 my wife encouraged me to try out for this 00:15:06.47\00:15:09.70 large advertising company and I said, "No way" 00:15:09.74\00:15:16.21 I said, "They're not going to hire me, 00:15:16.24\00:15:18.78 I'm fresh out of college" 00:15:18.81\00:15:20.15 it was an outdoor advertising company, 00:15:20.18\00:15:22.98 it was actually painting billboards 00:15:23.02\00:15:25.72 I said, "They're never hiring me" 00:15:25.75\00:15:28.39 and she said, "Well, you're telling me 00:15:28.42\00:15:30.59 about faith, what about your faith?" 00:15:30.63\00:15:33.60 So, I said, "Okay" so I went down there 00:15:33.63\00:15:36.53 and it just so happened that some of the painters 00:15:36.56\00:15:40.04 had this little mini-revolution at the company 00:15:40.07\00:15:44.51 and they got fired, so they needed three painters 00:15:44.54\00:15:48.98 very quickly, and I happened to interview 00:15:49.01\00:15:51.71 right at the time they needed the painters 00:15:51.75\00:15:54.52 and they said, "All right, come on in" 00:15:54.55\00:15:57.02 they hired me, and this was the largest 00:15:57.05\00:15:59.49 advertising company in the world, 00:15:59.52\00:16:01.76 they do outdoor advertising, they do all the advertising 00:16:01.79\00:16:05.73 for airports, they're on TV Stations 00:16:05.76\00:16:09.70 as well as most of the major radio stations 00:16:09.73\00:16:12.57 and I was working in outdoor advertising 00:16:12.60\00:16:15.37 so, at that time, 00:16:15.40\00:16:18.01 we used to hand paint the billboards 00:16:18.04\00:16:22.74 these billboards were 14 feet by 48 feet 00:16:22.78\00:16:27.28 so they were huge, 00:16:27.32\00:16:28.65 now inside wasn't too bad because 00:16:28.68\00:16:33.25 you can stand back from it 00:16:33.29\00:16:35.32 but when you have to work outside, 00:16:35.36\00:16:37.76 and you had to climb a hundred foot billboard 00:16:37.79\00:16:42.40 and you are on the scaffolding, 00:16:42.43\00:16:44.67 you're right up on the billboard so, 00:16:44.70\00:16:48.44 that became very difficult 00:16:48.47\00:16:50.91 so you had to know what was going to look good, 00:16:50.94\00:16:53.54 and what wasn't going to look good, 00:16:53.58\00:16:54.91 but I learned so much from that company, 00:16:54.94\00:16:58.51 I worked for that company for 18 years 00:16:58.55\00:17:02.08 but the problem that I was having at that... 00:17:02.12\00:17:04.82 I started feeling bad about that because 00:17:04.85\00:17:07.46 Outdoor Advertising Companies during the '80s and '90s, 00:17:07.49\00:17:12.66 did a lot of cigarettes and they did a lot of alcohol 00:17:12.69\00:17:17.57 and the Holy Spirit started working on me 00:17:17.60\00:17:19.90 "This is not what I want you to do" 00:17:19.93\00:17:22.24 And I'm glad that you said that 00:17:22.27\00:17:24.24 because that was going to bring me to another question, 00:17:24.27\00:17:26.34 what challenges did you face as a Christian artist 00:17:26.37\00:17:30.15 you know, not wanting to compromise 00:17:30.18\00:17:32.41 the faith to make a quick buck? 00:17:32.45\00:17:34.62 Yeah, and it was a difficult decision 00:17:34.65\00:17:38.25 because the money was good, 00:17:38.29\00:17:40.02 you know, I was able to buy 00:17:40.06\00:17:41.72 any car that I wanted, live where I wanted, 00:17:41.79\00:17:44.56 but it started bothering me 00:17:44.59\00:17:48.86 about doing certain types of 00:17:48.90\00:17:53.07 advertising... now, I did go to my supervisor 00:17:53.10\00:17:57.71 and told him that I wanted paint maybe... restaurant things 00:17:57.74\00:18:01.78 and not so much alcohol and cigarettes, 00:18:01.81\00:18:03.71 so I did get a break 00:18:03.75\00:18:05.38 but sometimes you would have to do it, 00:18:05.41\00:18:07.35 so I still felt bad about it 00:18:07.38\00:18:09.08 so the Holy Spirit started working on me 00:18:09.12\00:18:13.59 and around 2000, 00:18:13.62\00:18:15.32 that part of advertising, 00:18:15.36\00:18:18.39 as far as hand painting, was phased out 00:18:18.43\00:18:21.13 and they started letting painters go, 00:18:21.16\00:18:23.57 Okay. so that's when I started 00:18:23.60\00:18:26.50 my own company, 00:18:26.53\00:18:30.01 Okay, what's the name of your company? 00:18:30.04\00:18:32.81 RJ Wade Enterprises 00:18:32.84\00:18:35.04 And what's the website 00:18:35.08\00:18:37.18 for your company, how can you be reached? 00:18:37.21\00:18:38.88 You can reach me at www. rjwade. com 00:18:38.91\00:18:44.79 and my email is: raymond@rjwade. com 00:18:44.85\00:18:49.82 Okay, okay, 00:18:49.86\00:18:52.16 now you said earlier, "I want to take it... 00:18:52.19\00:18:55.40 move towards the family aspect of it" 00:18:55.43\00:18:58.03 unfortunately, now-a-days, in our Society, 00:18:58.10\00:19:02.00 there are so many broken homes, 00:19:02.04\00:19:03.54 there are so many failed marriages, 00:19:03.57\00:19:05.57 there are so many kids without fathers 00:19:05.61\00:19:07.58 and et cetera, et cetera, 00:19:07.61\00:19:09.54 how did you manage to maintain 00:19:09.58\00:19:13.88 such a fruitful and happy marriage 00:19:13.92\00:19:18.05 for 35 years, and raise a kid, 00:19:18.09\00:19:22.09 you have a son as well that I know quite well 00:19:22.12\00:19:25.23 who grew up to become an anesthesiologist, 00:19:25.26\00:19:28.30 how did you, what are some tips 00:19:28.33\00:19:31.67 what are some tools that you implemented? 00:19:31.70\00:19:33.90 Well the first thing you have to do is find a great wife. 00:19:33.94\00:19:36.10 That would definitely help. 00:19:36.17\00:19:38.47 You have to find a great wife, 00:19:38.51\00:19:40.74 and I found that in my wife, Jeanette, 00:19:40.78\00:19:44.01 she was very supportive and she gravitated towards 00:19:44.05\00:19:50.09 Adventism very quickly, 00:19:50.12\00:19:53.62 she has always been the type of person 00:19:53.66\00:19:55.76 that was an Adventist waiting to be introduced 00:19:55.79\00:19:58.03 to Adventism, she gravitated towards 00:19:58.09\00:20:01.63 the diet, the ministry, 00:20:01.66\00:20:03.93 so that's a great help, and also embracing my... 00:20:03.97\00:20:10.61 I learned a lot from my mother as well, 00:20:10.64\00:20:13.34 my mother was a Bible Worker but my father, growing up, 00:20:13.38\00:20:19.15 was... he was a hard worker 00:20:19.18\00:20:22.58 but he was an alcoholic early on 00:20:22.62\00:20:25.65 but my mother stuck with him 00:20:25.69\00:20:28.69 she prayed and she 00:20:28.72\00:20:31.03 constantly worked with him 00:20:31.06\00:20:32.59 and my father ended up joining the church 00:20:32.63\00:20:34.76 under C.D. Brooks one of his evangelistic meetings 00:20:34.80\00:20:39.30 in Philadelphia and he did join the church 00:20:39.33\00:20:43.34 and became a Literature Evangelist 00:20:43.37\00:20:46.71 until the day he died so, praise the Lord for that 00:20:46.78\00:20:49.38 so that has kind of stuck in my mind, 00:20:49.44\00:20:51.81 and some of the things that she taught me growing up 00:20:51.85\00:20:54.32 Christian education, 00:20:54.35\00:20:56.55 and when my own son, 00:20:56.58\00:20:58.69 I said I was going to 00:20:58.72\00:21:00.62 pay him a lot of attention 00:21:00.66\00:21:03.16 go to his games. I never missed any of his games, 00:21:03.19\00:21:08.26 I taught him sports, I wanted him to be a man's man 00:21:08.30\00:21:13.37 we all used to play ball together 00:21:13.40\00:21:16.84 Yeah we did. 00:21:16.87\00:21:18.21 and Gabriel became a very good basketball player 00:21:18.24\00:21:20.48 but one thing I noticed about my son 00:21:20.51\00:21:22.04 he was very smart, 00:21:22.08\00:21:24.11 because my wife used to teach him to read early on 00:21:24.15\00:21:26.58 Okay. and even at the age of two 00:21:26.61\00:21:29.18 he was able to read small books 00:21:29.22\00:21:31.55 and I saw that he was very gifted, 00:21:31.59\00:21:33.89 he was a very smart young man 00:21:33.92\00:21:35.36 and I used to want to be a doctor... growing up 00:21:35.39\00:21:38.69 so I said, "Well, maybe I can help him 00:21:38.73\00:21:41.86 become a doctor as well" 00:21:41.90\00:21:43.23 if he decided that he wanted to be something else, 00:21:43.26\00:21:46.00 that was fine also but he stuck with it 00:21:46.03\00:21:48.87 Gabriel made good grades. 00:21:48.90\00:21:51.11 And that's something that always 00:21:51.14\00:21:54.28 impressed me about Gabe 00:21:54.31\00:21:55.64 because coming up through the years, 00:21:55.68\00:21:57.78 I mean he was... everybody was like, 00:21:57.81\00:22:00.32 "Oh Gabe, come and play" 00:22:00.35\00:22:02.22 but Gabe could play basketball like no other. 00:22:02.25\00:22:04.82 He was All-State Basketball Player 00:22:04.85\00:22:08.16 and He still maintained like a 4.0 GPA 00:22:08.19\00:22:11.23 which never ceased to amaze me. 00:22:11.26\00:22:15.06 Well, I had a different scale for Gabriel, 00:22:15.10\00:22:17.73 I used to tell him that I didn't go below an "A" 00:22:17.80\00:22:23.07 I said, "A plus" is excellent "A minus" is equivalent to a "B" 00:22:23.10\00:22:30.15 and an "A" is equivalent to a "B" 00:22:30.18\00:22:34.45 and an "A minus" is equivalent to a "C" 00:22:34.48\00:22:36.38 so I had a pretty high scale for him 00:22:36.42\00:22:38.25 because I knew he could do it and he always maintained a 4.0 00:22:38.29\00:22:42.86 all the way through college and even into Medical School 00:22:42.89\00:22:47.40 you know, he did well, so... 00:22:47.46\00:22:49.70 And now he's an anesthesiologist. 00:22:49.73\00:22:51.67 Now he's a practicing anesthesiologist. 00:22:51.73\00:22:53.54 So, what's next for you? 00:22:53.60\00:22:55.04 Well, currently I'm working on a public art project 00:22:55.07\00:23:01.14 in the city of Fort Worth Okay. 00:23:01.18\00:23:03.48 and also, I'm working as a kind of a 00:23:03.51\00:23:09.78 graphic artist evangelist, I call myself a... 00:23:09.82\00:23:15.72 I have a ministry within the churches 00:23:15.76\00:23:18.39 in the Dallas Fort Worth area I do a lot of their literature, 00:23:18.43\00:23:22.96 people want to do religious CDs, 00:23:23.00\00:23:26.57 covers, I do book covers, I do a lot of brochures, 00:23:26.60\00:23:30.97 I do work for... 00:23:31.01\00:23:32.67 even work for North America Division 00:23:32.74\00:23:36.75 I do work for... I remember back... 00:23:36.78\00:23:41.85 not this General Conference but I think 00:23:41.88\00:23:43.99 two General Conferences ago 00:23:44.02\00:23:46.86 I did the Education Magazine Cover 00:23:46.89\00:23:48.66 so I work with that throughout the church 00:23:48.72\00:23:51.96 and I use that as a ministry 00:23:51.99\00:23:53.70 in order to get out the advertising and the marketing 00:23:53.73\00:23:58.00 so people could come into the meetings 00:23:58.03\00:24:01.24 and then to church. Okay, 00:24:01.27\00:24:03.04 now, in the short time that we have left 00:24:03.07\00:24:06.24 I want you to look into the camera over here 00:24:06.27\00:24:09.44 and I want you to tell that struggling artist out there 00:24:09.48\00:24:13.88 what advice do you have for them... 00:24:13.92\00:24:15.75 the up-and-coming artists? 00:24:15.78\00:24:17.12 I would say, 00:24:17.19\00:24:20.42 if you are an artist 00:24:20.46\00:24:21.79 and you have a passion for doing it 00:24:21.82\00:24:23.22 believe in the Lord and the Lord will lead you 00:24:23.26\00:24:26.59 into the way that you should go. 00:24:26.63\00:24:28.53 Art is not so much limited to painting or sculpture, 00:24:28.56\00:24:35.47 it's also... you could be a graphic artist 00:24:35.50\00:24:38.41 you could be an animator, 00:24:38.44\00:24:39.77 you could be... any creative field 00:24:39.81\00:24:41.64 is a field that takes some type of artistic ability, 00:24:41.68\00:24:46.08 even in a television studio, 00:24:46.11\00:24:48.65 you have to have some type of creativity 00:24:48.68\00:24:51.12 in order to work your cameras in... 00:24:51.15\00:24:53.52 you know to work different things into the stage 00:24:53.56\00:25:00.43 the stages are done by artists, 00:25:00.46\00:25:02.20 the graphics are done by artists, 00:25:02.23\00:25:04.50 so, I would suggest to anybody 00:25:04.53\00:25:06.77 that has the ability and creative mind, 00:25:06.80\00:25:09.00 is to seek the Lord first, and continue in prayer 00:25:09.04\00:25:14.14 and work hard at your craft, 00:25:14.18\00:25:15.88 and keep the Lord first in all that you do 00:25:15.91\00:25:18.51 and you will be successful. 00:25:18.58\00:25:20.25 Yes and again that's very important 00:25:20.28\00:25:23.82 you have to put the Lord first in all kinds of things, 00:25:23.85\00:25:27.52 see, you stood up for the Lord, you stepped away from 00:25:27.56\00:25:31.19 the guaranteed money, all of that, 00:25:31.23\00:25:33.43 and you stood up for the Lord, 00:25:33.50\00:25:35.63 and you stood up for your principles 00:25:35.66\00:25:37.87 and you still pursued your passion 00:25:37.90\00:25:40.10 but you did it in a format 00:25:40.14\00:25:41.80 that would honor and glorify God. 00:25:41.84\00:25:43.54 and whenever you do that God blesses that 00:25:43.61\00:25:47.14 He honors that and He keeps that. 00:25:47.18\00:25:49.58 Well, it has been such a pleasure 00:25:49.61\00:25:51.31 having you here... Well, thank you Jason. 00:25:51.35\00:25:52.98 and this is so much different from when I was a kid. 00:25:53.01\00:25:55.98 Yeah, I'm proud of you, I'm proud of you. 00:25:56.02\00:25:57.75 So, thank you so much Mr. Wade. 00:25:57.79\00:26:00.49 All right, thank you. All right. 00:26:00.52\00:26:03.19 Think about it, 00:26:03.22\00:26:04.69 Raymond sacrificed a high-paying career 00:26:04.73\00:26:07.43 to follow Christ, that reminds me of a text 00:26:07.46\00:26:10.07 in Mark chapter 8 verse 36 which reads, 00:26:10.10\00:26:12.60 "For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, 00:26:12.63\00:26:15.97 and forfeit his soul?" 00:26:16.00\00:26:17.34 God is and was the greatest artist of all time 00:26:17.37\00:26:20.54 and His canvas is the world and all that's in it 00:26:20.58\00:26:23.85 Psalm 19:1 says, 00:26:23.88\00:26:25.81 "The heavens declare the glory of God; 00:26:25.85\00:26:27.85 and the firmament shows His handiwork. " 00:26:27.88\00:26:30.25 I encourage you to take a look around you 00:26:30.29\00:26:32.65 and marvel at God's creation, 00:26:32.69\00:26:34.46 our Creator creates nothing but masterpieces 00:26:34.49\00:26:37.83 which we have the privilege 00:26:37.86\00:26:39.49 and opportunity of enjoying, 00:26:39.53\00:26:41.10 each and every one of us possesses talents 00:26:41.13\00:26:44.03 that we can utilize to bring honor and glory to God. 00:26:44.07\00:26:46.63 Are you using the talents that God gave you 00:26:46.67\00:26:50.07 for His honor and glory? 00:26:50.11\00:26:51.44 At Dare to Dream we really appreciate our Viewers. 00:26:51.47\00:26:54.44 I got to meet a lot of you at GC, 00:26:54.48\00:26:56.54 and I was so moved by the impact 00:26:56.58\00:26:58.58 that Dare to Dream is having in your lives. 00:26:58.61\00:27:00.55 Some of you asked me about the ways to watch Dare to Dream. 00:27:00.58\00:27:03.99 You can download the free 3ABN APP 00:27:04.02\00:27:06.72 onto your Smartphone or Tablet 00:27:06.76\00:27:08.52 or you can make a one-time purchase 00:27:08.59\00:27:11.13 of a Roku box and watch D2D on your television. 00:27:11.16\00:27:13.96 Of course, you can just go to our website 00:27:14.00\00:27:16.30 and watch us on your computer 00:27:16.33\00:27:17.83 and while you're there, "Like" us on Facebook, 00:27:17.87\00:27:20.34 and check us out on Instagram and Twitter, 00:27:20.37\00:27:22.80 our Social Media information is on our Website. 00:27:22.84\00:27:25.31 If the Holy Spirit impresses you to support Dare to Dream 00:27:25.34\00:27:28.94 with a tax-deductible love gift, 00:27:28.98\00:27:30.65 please send it to: 00:27:30.68\00:27:32.05 Dare To Dream, PO Box 220, West Frankfort, Il 62896 00:27:32.08\00:27:37.15 or give us a call at 618-627-4651 00:27:37.19\00:27:43.39 and share with us how 00:27:43.43\00:27:45.19 you have been touched by the programming 00:27:45.23\00:27:47.33 here on Dare to Dream, 00:27:47.36\00:27:48.70 our Website information is: D2DNetwork. tv 00:27:48.73\00:27:53.64 and there are different ways on there 00:27:53.70\00:27:55.57 in which you can get to our Instagram 00:27:55.60\00:27:57.61 and our Twitter and our Facebook. 00:27:57.64\00:27:59.57 Well, we've reached the end of another Program, 00:27:59.61\00:28:02.81 join us next time and remember 00:28:02.98\00:28:04.55 it just wouldn't be the same without you. 00:28:04.58\00:28:07.02