Phil Vetter makes a pencil, iPad and canvas tell a story
By Ruth Schenk | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Southeast Motion Graphics Specialist Philip Vetter grew up sketching “stuff.”
His specialty is drawing with his finger on an iPad. Not too detailed. Not too time consuming. No more than 20 minutes invested at a time.
People who regularly attend weekend worship services at Southeast likely have seen his work. He illustrated “The Dragon Story” that Teaching Minister Kyle Idleman told
with his sermon last winter.
When he can’t grab an iPad, Phil picks up a moleskin notebook and a pencil.
At the Vetters’ house, blank paper is a prized possession.
Phil’s wife, Tonia, sets aside junk mail, envelopes, anything with a little white space for art. She keeps a bin of crayons, markers and water colors on the fridge, away
from little hands that have decorated walls, rugs and bunk beds. To their three boys, who all are under the age of 4, everything is a potential canvas.
Art often is a family project. For example, Phil started a story with the boys that grows bigger every evening. He draws a page, and the boys make up the next page.
It is the epitome of Vetter family fun.
Tonia said her husband always is sketching something. When she or the children are watching a television program, Phil might be sketching them. It happens
everywhere.
Phil doesn’t talk much about his work for the church. You don’t see his signature on many works. That’s because communicating the message is a team sport
backed by a group of specialists in the Communications Ministry at Southeast.
Phil loves being part of that team. He came to Southeast as an intern in 2005, not quite sure how God could use his degree in graphic design. He had visited
Southeast to see the Easter Pageant one year and knew the church looked for innovative ways to share the Gospel.
The Vetters planted deep roots in a year.
“We fell in love with the staff and the message of the church,” Phil said. “It’s been our home ever since. I love using art to tell God’s story.”
Phil was raised in a Christian home and grew up going to church. He graduated from Purdue University with a degree in computer graphics.
Art is so deep in his veins that he visualizes Bible stories as he reads and posts some sketches on his website.
“Sketching the story keeps me on track when I’m reading the Bible," Phil said.
To see more of Phil Vetter’s work, visit http://Indianasketch.wordpress.com or http://philipvetter.com.