When traveling through Clark County on Interstate 70 in 2001, Reverend Dr. Johannes Christian could not have prepared for how his life was about to change. The vehicle Christian was traveling in was struck by a 7-pound rock thrown from an overpass. The rock crashed through the car’s windshield, crushing Christian’s skull and permanently blinding him in both eyes.
Christian may have lost his sight that day, but he did not lose his vision. Today, Christian is an aspiring artist painting his thoughts, feelings, and emotions onto canvas.
“For 50 years I preached — I still preach — and that was my way of sharing and expressing my thoughts to the world,” Christian said. “And I’ve just been able to shift my medium from vocal to painting my thoughts on canvas.”
Christian, now 73, has returned to the Springfield area for multiple events over the years. He said he is enjoying retirement, his grandchildren and reinventing himself as an artist.
After a meeting with professional acquaintances in 2022, Christian was asked by professional artist Lanai Ashé if he had ever painted.
“I was describing what something should look like and how they should set it up,” he said. “And she turned to me, and she said, ‘Do you paint?’ ”
When Christian said no, he had never painted but had an appreciation for art, Ashé said that he would be a wonderful artist. Initially, he laughed it off.
Christian said about six months later, Ashé brought it up again.
“So, I called her, and we agreed, she’d come to my office after I got off of work, and we would see what happened. That’s how we started,” said Christian.
Christian said when he and Ashé met for their first session, he had not touched a paintbrush or art pencil in more than 30 years.
“But we started doing something and I was — and she was — amazed at what we were doing, and she was telling me what to do and I was following her,” he said. “My first piece was called ‘Awakening’.”
Following the completion of several paintings, an art auction was held the weekend of May 3 at the Monypenny building in Columbus. A percentage of the proceeds benefitted the MOBILE charity Christian has led, and 17 paintings were offered.
“Awakening” was finished in about three sittings and was sold to a couple in New York.
“Doc is full of ideas. When he comes to our sessions he already has a subject in mind. He already sees what he wants to paint,” Ashé said. “He sees it in his mind, he can describe it. He can tell you what colors go where. He sees it completely in his mind before he puts it on canvas.”
Christian is the founding pastor of Adoration and Peace Baptist Church in Columbus, where he serves as pastor emeritus. He founded the Face of Forgiveness, LLC which provides anti-bullying and non-violence education. After the 2001 tragedy, Christian corresponded with the then-teen who threw the rock. The boy apologized and Christian forgave him.
Retired in 2023 from his position as executive director of the Mid-Ohio Board for Independent Living Environment (MOBILE), Christian makes appearances on radio talk shows, podcasts and live television programs. He is the author of three books: “Face of Forgiveness, A Memoir;” “The Power that is Within You, Anti-Bully Affirmations;” and “He’s in the House.”
Another of Christian’s paintings, titled “Praise & Worship,” also recently sold. Christian learned about painting people in this piece and said it expresses his faith.
“It was just a way to express what my life has been about … and giving God the glory for just even the ability to be able to hold a paintbrush and to guide the paintbrush to make some sense out of it,” he said.
Christian said the first step in the painting process simply begins with an idea. Christian said Ashé will then ask him what he wants the painting to look like. They begin the process in front of the canvas and paint his vision in layers from back to front.
“I’ll say, ‘I want a big stained-glass window,’ and she will say, ‘Where is that going to be?’ ” he said. “Now I’m standing in front of the easel and I’m like, OK, let’s put the window over here on the back wall of the church. I want it to be a big window … we’re kind of feeling that out. Nothing in my hands, we’re just placing our hands all over the canvas to make this come to life.”
Ashé also helps Christian mix colors because he wants to use specific shades such as teal green when painting the ocean or slate blue when painting the sky.
“He’s very specific about his colors,” said Ashé.
“I would say to Doc, ‘You’re my hands and I’m your eyes. So, I’m seeing for you and I’m directing you which way to go with your brush, which way you’re going with your paint,’ ” Ashé said.
Christian said Ashé also taught him different tricks for painting faces on people, such as using sponges.
“She’s so creative in helping me to figure out how to finish out a piece — you know, how to get the details in that you want to get in,” he said.
Christian said he does not get to see his work, but he gets gratification from asking others what they see on the canvas.
“That helps me to know I’ve put on that canvas what I wanted it to look like,” he said. “That’s my way of knowing that I’ve done what I set out to do.”
Christian said he loves water, and that can be seen in many of his landscape pieces.
“I just find that to be so calming and so relaxing and so tranquil, but on the other side, you know, it’s also very moving and can be very cantankerous,” he said.
Christian’s painting “Ripple Effect” was particularly emotional for him to put on canvas.
“That’s my story,” he said. “There’s a big rock splashing in the water and then the ripples go out from the rock. Even though the rock hit me, it layered out to so many other facets of life: my family, my siblings, my grandkids, my local church. I got thousands of cards from people everywhere and so that to me tells my story, that rippling effect.”
Christian said he wants others with disabilities to know that there is no limit to what they can do.
“There’s no limit,” he said. “We serve a limitless God, and he’s promised that he wouldn’t hold any good thing from us. I just believe that, that we can do whatever we set our minds to do.”
Despite his inability to see, Christian still works and travels. He has worked on 13 mission projects around the world including in Africa, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. He stays active both physically and mentally.
“I just don’t believe that my disability has to define me,” he said. “I’m still very physical, I still work out. I still walk, I still exercise. I do my stretching and and I try to keep my body fit. I think that that’s my part to do. And it’s my part to keep my mind moving. If you do those things, I believe that there’s nothing you can’t do.”
Ashé said the art auction featuring Christian’s paintings went well.
“The auction itself was beautiful. Everything went according to plan,” she said. “There were a lot of people present who were survivors of some sort of tragic event.”
Ashé said guests included a woman who had been struck by lightning, a woman who was a lost in a snowstorm for several days and lost her legs, and a stroke survivor.
“They miraculously survived,” she said. “They have that common thread (with Christian).
When asked if he will stop painting if his art does not sell, Christian says, “No, I think I’ll just keep painting, because it’s not really about just selling your painting. It’s about me being able to put what I’m really feeling on that canvas.”
Ashé said she and Christian are working on his second collection of paintings.
“Just the fact that he’s blind and he can produce such beautiful art pieces … I’ve seen people cry,” she said. “They’re emotionally moved when they see his work. I believe that he’s going to be a very important painter.”
Christian’s books are available on Amazon.com, and his paintings can be viewed and purchased at https://www.johannesjchristian.com/ Prints are also available.