Ever come across a website that you just had to share with your friends? Well, Hymnscript.com is one of those sites. Read on as we talk to the Christian artist behind it all. She's extremely talented, yet very humble about her work. So let's jump right in and meet Diana Coate Wolverton...

Todd: First of all Diana I want to thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions. Your work on the digital canvas is truly incredible. You seem to have a natural ability.

Diana: Thank you.

Todd: So how and where did this all start? Why hymns?

Diana: My desire to express praise visually, incorporating the written word, started in the late 1970s. I was studying calligraphy at a local university and tapped into a hymnal for subject material. At the time I imagined publishing a coffee-table book of calligraphed praise. That's how the name "Hymnscript" came about.

I've been fond of lettering and type since I can ever remember; I probably was the only kid ever to have typography books on her Christmas list. It wasn't until the personal computer ushered in a digital art age that everything finally synched to produce the art I wanted to do.

I feel strongly about the worth of traditional Christian hymns. Hymns tell stories we all know. Their words and melodies connect us with generations of believers who have sung the same songs. I fear the classic lyrics and tunes continue to be diluted and lost as components of worship. The Creator, Father God we worship is infinitely complex, and my mind wants to embrace that wonderment and to worship, too. A rich, densely textured hymn does that best.

Todd: Tell us a bit about your career as a graphic designer. Is Hymnscript a passion you do in your spare time?

Diana: In my nine-to-five as a graphic designer, I design for print and Web: document design, brochures, newsletters, books, logos, spot graphics, and Web sites. Yes, creating Hymnscript art -- for now, at least -- is done in the in-between hours.

Todd: You'd never know it Diana, the website and artwork looks awesome. I'm sure the graphic designers reading this would like to know what programs you use to create these elegant designs. Do you use primarily digital techniques or do you mix in some traditional hand done art as well?

Diana: I create with a layering of traditional and digital techniques using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, and Corel Draw, Photo-Paint, and Painter. Photography, although not in a traditional sense, is usually the starting point for my work, and my digital camera is a trusty companion. I also use a flatbed scanner and graphics tablet. Hand-lettering is featured in a few pieces; I hope to incorporate more in future work. (My vintage Brause pen nibs are begging to get back into commission.)

Todd: Every artist has something that inspires them and gets the creativity flowing. What inspires you to create?

Diana: I'm a big fan of bold splashes of color, unusual textures, art glass, roses, and overcast days. But my biggest inspiration is music, especially that performed on the King of Instruments, the organ. Plug me into some Virgil Fox, Diane Bish, Michael McMurray, or Frederick Swann, and work will get done!

I'm quite smitten with the works of J.S. Bach, and, of course, traditional hymn melodies and lyrics. Sometimes a fragment of a hymn verse -- just a few words -- will reach out and grab me. The form and color of that fragment just naturally speak and get the creativity soaring.

There's also endless inspiration when you find new ways to look at ordinary things, like the texture and movement of draperies in a beachfront window, the sheen of a conference room table, the changing patterns of lights on a baseball scoreboard.

Todd: You've got me inspired right now! But seriously, when people think of hymns they usually think of some super religious author writing lyrics that the rest of us couldn't even begin write. The hymns you use in your artwork seem like they are so relevant to today. How can that be?

Diana: The classic hymns of the Christian Church are relevant to today! Hymns were written by ordinary people: mothers, insurance salesmen, cabinet makers. People who cried out to God, who longed for God, who reverenced, thanked and praised God. Has either the human condition or the character of God changed since an eighth-century poet wrote "Be Thou My Vision"? Or since Joachim Neander penned "Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty" in 1680? No!

Hymns are an amazing form of poetry. There is such a precision-like economy of words, but such a wealth of meaning. Dig into the third or fourth verse of a hymn. Examine the words. Trace the story from verse one through to the A-men. What treasures you'll find.

Todd: You make a strong case, I'd have to agree. Your layering effects are very natural and inviting. It's as if you're looking through transparent glass, soft sheer flower petals or translucent paper made of colored light. Did you learn these techniques in design school, is it a natural ability or was it the result of experimenting? What tips can you offer designers when working with transparency and imitating natural light?

Diana: Except for calligraphy studies years ago, I'm self-taught. My technique (and tip) is "play to learn." Play, soak in what you learn, then play some more.

Don't you think the whole notion of layers and collage is a wonderful metaphor? A pastor at a memorial service once noted how life is like a tapestry where we see only the back side -- haphazard color, loose threads; only in Heaven will we see the finished side. I'm continually reminded of that when making art. Sometimes I wonder which side it is the work represents.

Todd: I never thought of it that way. Great insight. In addition to the many pieces you offer for sale, you also have some free high resolution images for download, such as bookmarks (pictured right) and cards. You encourage people to download free samples and share them with friends and family. Hymnscript is not only a business but a ministry as well! I'm sure knowing that your art is being used to spread the Gospel and encourage believers makes it all worthwhile?

Diana: As an artist and writer, I fully appreciate both sides of the copyright issue. That's why I feel it's important to release some work for public use. I plan on adding more free artwork -- including some bulletin covers -- later this year.

First and foremost, my art is a personal expression of worship to my Savior. He has given me the love of making art, and my response is to give it back to Him. If Hymnscript can also be used to catch the eye of Christians and non-Christians alike, to draw them in to take a closer look at the art and the words that inspire the art, and to know the Truth that lives behind those words, then what an extra joy!

Todd: Indeed. Thank you Diana...

Diana: Thank you, Todd, for your dedication to bringing the work of Christian artists into the spotlight.

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