Rusty Lynn is an
artist living in Arlington, Virginia.
After a long career in ministry, social work, and pastoral counseling,
he is devoting his time to a life in the arts. Rusty received a Batchelor of Arts Degree with a Major in
Fine Arts and a Minor in Humanities from Macalester College in St. Paul,
Minnesota. Although setting his
art career aside while doing ministry, he made use of his arts education by
producing and directing religious drama in the church, creating off-loom
weavings, and employing art therapy techniques with clients in his pastoral
counseling practice. Currently he
is working in acrylic paints and collage, and making assemblages, a practice
dating to his childhood.
Rusty
has been interested in the links between the arts, creativity, and spirituality
for most of his life. Being an
artist in ministry meant that he was often looking for a more creative way to
do things, such as developing a simulation game about intergalactic travel as a
way of helping teenagers explore what it could mean to be a caring and creative
community. As a gay man, he
continually explores what it means to be on the outside of society. This led him to expand his ministry
into mental health by getting a Masters in Social Work, allowing him to work
with persons living with HIV and AIDS.
He created and led grief workshops for AIDS “Buddies” using the arts as
tools for expression. While
working as a pastoral counselor Rusty combined ministry, psychotherapy, art and
spirituality.
He recently joined several other artists in using shared studio space at Convergence Church, a creative community of faith in Alexandria, VA.
