This is a stickey subject - I have been an unofficial (and sometimes unwilling, sometimes unwittingly) mentor in various aspects of the Journey - but I am most often feeling I'm the one needing mentoring, discipleship, and accountability...what kind of support system(s) or group(s) do the rest of you have through your churhes, families, strangers on the street, etc.?just something to get the ball rolling....
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I have a somewhat interesting story with regard to mentoring, because my first industry job (aside from freelance stuff) was as an Apprentice. I grew so much as an artist during those six months, it was unreal. I was apprenticing as a CG animator, but I learned so much about how to integrate that discipline with my drawings, and integrate my drawing aethetics back into my CG work.
I now work as a contractor with the same company, but I get to be in-house with all the staff guys. Everybody there is really helpful in terms of helping each other get better. I get helpful advice all the time from several guys, but I also get to give feedback on thir work sometimes, which is another good way to learn.
I've heard rumblings that my church is looking into ways to help encourage (and use) the artists we have, but I don't know yet if that will include any sort of mentoring or not. Maybe I should be more proactive about helping those efforts... thinking out loud there, sorry. :)
Anyway, looking forward to helping however I can, fellas.
I know exactly what you mean about feeling like being the one who needs mentoring. I have been under the wing of a guy named Johnny D who has stepped out on faith and has been in ministry full time for about seven years. We do a hip-hop style Saturday church with kids from inner-city areas in Charlotte, NC. It gives me an audience for making the Frogboy comic that I do, but it is much more than that.
We have times when we get together and talk about ideas for reaching out to more people to share the Gospel message and how to disciple young believers.
Also, my wife and I belong to a great Sunday school class called Contagious Christianity. In that class we all share with each other what Jesus is doing in each of our lives. We feed off of each other and share each others burdens. We look forward to it each week. Sometimes Sunday school is overlooked as a great place to find mentoring and accountability, and support. I would tell everyone to get involved there and not just go to the worship service.
I know that through being involved in this ministry and struggling everyday to try to be obedient to God's will in my life, I will soon be the one who will mentor someone else. I want to make sure that when that happens then I will be there for whoever that is.
Over the last six months or so I've found myself involved in a mentoring situation with
a man about ten years younger than myself. He describes himself as a cartoonist
and is a professing Christian. He really desires my input into improving his artwork.
He has been very open to my constructive criticism and his work is really starting to
improve. I see the improvement and more importantly he sees it. He has issues
like being bi-polar (dealing with the depression is very hard for him) and I try to
encourage him in that regard (mostly go to his physican to get more or better medication).
It really has been a satisfying experience so far and rather frightening as this guy really
puts a lot of stock in what I say!
I think it is important to build a "permission rapport" with your mentoree. With this man I have
given him thoughts, ideas, advice, challenges on how to improve the mechanics (storytelling)
of his comic strips. I don't feel I can criticize his basic series concept or his stories (they are
really his babies--nobody has an ugly baby) but I can help him with better graphic story telling.
You need to be careful about how much in love your mentoree is with their concepts. If he were to
pitch raw concepts that he wasn't in love with I'd have more freedom to give very candid advice.
I think it is important to be as encouraging as possible but also be honest when they can take
honest criticism of their work. In our context it is important that constructive criticism be of
their work not them. As the trust relationship develops perhaps advice on more personal matters
can be useful and helpful.
Everyone's a supporter at my Church....we learn to support and to accept support (which is hard for me sometimes)....I'm really just encouraged to see other artists in the family at my church...two even work at Pixar!
Replies
I now work as a contractor with the same company, but I get to be in-house with all the staff guys. Everybody there is really helpful in terms of helping each other get better. I get helpful advice all the time from several guys, but I also get to give feedback on thir work sometimes, which is another good way to learn.
I've heard rumblings that my church is looking into ways to help encourage (and use) the artists we have, but I don't know yet if that will include any sort of mentoring or not. Maybe I should be more proactive about helping those efforts... thinking out loud there, sorry. :)
Anyway, looking forward to helping however I can, fellas.
~R
We have times when we get together and talk about ideas for reaching out to more people to share the Gospel message and how to disciple young believers.
Also, my wife and I belong to a great Sunday school class called Contagious Christianity. In that class we all share with each other what Jesus is doing in each of our lives. We feed off of each other and share each others burdens. We look forward to it each week. Sometimes Sunday school is overlooked as a great place to find mentoring and accountability, and support. I would tell everyone to get involved there and not just go to the worship service.
I know that through being involved in this ministry and struggling everyday to try to be obedient to God's will in my life, I will soon be the one who will mentor someone else. I want to make sure that when that happens then I will be there for whoever that is.
John
a man about ten years younger than myself. He describes himself as a cartoonist
and is a professing Christian. He really desires my input into improving his artwork.
He has been very open to my constructive criticism and his work is really starting to
improve. I see the improvement and more importantly he sees it. He has issues
like being bi-polar (dealing with the depression is very hard for him) and I try to
encourage him in that regard (mostly go to his physican to get more or better medication).
It really has been a satisfying experience so far and rather frightening as this guy really
puts a lot of stock in what I say!
I think it is important to build a "permission rapport" with your mentoree. With this man I have
given him thoughts, ideas, advice, challenges on how to improve the mechanics (storytelling)
of his comic strips. I don't feel I can criticize his basic series concept or his stories (they are
really his babies--nobody has an ugly baby) but I can help him with better graphic story telling.
You need to be careful about how much in love your mentoree is with their concepts. If he were to
pitch raw concepts that he wasn't in love with I'd have more freedom to give very candid advice.
I think it is important to be as encouraging as possible but also be honest when they can take
honest criticism of their work. In our context it is important that constructive criticism be of
their work not them. As the trust relationship develops perhaps advice on more personal matters
can be useful and helpful.
Hopeful this is helpful.
DinoDon
now at home, its pretty much friendships, that its sort of frientors (just made that up!) where we both are sort of, talk through situations with.
i realy do believe that if you are a mentor, you almost always are satisfied, and sort of thankful that you are helping someone else.
its one of those the more you give the more you get.
i know it sounds weird but when you are in that relationship, its always the case.
the more you mentor someone else, the more you are (they are) mentoring you.
great group idea!
looking forward to chating in here.
i am writing a book right now, and in a round about way, my friend and i are sort of mentoring each other.