34 CCM 34 CCM W o r sh ip 34 CCM Wayne Brezinka’s art has most recently been seen on Barlow Girl’s latest album, Our Journey So Far, and Sara Groves’, Fireflies and Songs, for which he received a Dove nomination for CD packaging. His work has also appeared in publications like the New York Times, The LA Times and countless others. CCM sat down with this accomplished artist for his take on worshipping through different mediums, specifically, visual art. CCM: As a visual artist, what’s your take on the use of different artistic mediums in worship? Wayne: I feel that the medium itself is irrelevant. What matters is how I, or any given artist, direct and care for the flow of ideas and creativity. Whatever medium one decides to use is secondary. Allowing one-self to be open spiritually and connected to God is most necessary. In doing so, the visual creative process is and becomes worship in and of itself. CCM: How did you get into this type of work? Wayne: I’ve always been creative. There was a lot of chaos and uncertainty in my home while growing up, so I think I used art as an escape and a form of comfort. When I became a teenager, I discovered Christian music and fell in love with artists like Russ Taff, Mylon Lefevere, The Rez Band and WhiteHeart. I began to dream about what it might be like to design CD packaging for these artists. After graduating from college and working a few odd jobs, I decided to give it a go and move to Nashville. Three years after arriving in town, I landed my dream job at EMI Records as an Art Director and haven’t looked back since. CCM: When working on art for a music project, what do you try to pull out or represent visually? Wayne: Every music project is different. The approach varies with each of the many factors involved. I prefer to speak directly with the recording artist prior to beginning, although sometimes this isn’t possible. Record labels, management and marketing folks all play a role in the artist’s career and can sometimes be involved in my process as well. I always ask what the musician is wanting to communicate and what message they want to convey with the album. Is there a theme throughout the project or a particular lyric that drives it? Do they want a photo on the cover or an artistic take? CCM: What guidance or advice would you pass along to an up and coming artist? Wayne: Create. Always create. Figure out what it is exactly that you want and do something everyday to move towards your dream. Always return your phone calls and your e-mail correspondence because you never know who you might be working for one day! expressions morE tHan a song sEE morE of waynE’s work at brezinkaDesign.com