Patty Wickman is an American contemporary painter known for her spiritually resonant representational work that explores the transcendent in everyday life. Born in Pasadena, CA, she earned her BFA from Arizona State University and MFA from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and was a Professor of Painting and Drawing at UCLA for nearly four decades. Her art has been exhibited widely throughout the U.S. and internationally, and her work has been featured in major publications and museum exhibitions. Wickman’s practice weaves narrative, symbolism, and spiritual inquiry into deeply thoughtful visual stories.

“Horrible, Falling Apart, and Absolutely Magnificent”

Patty Wickman will be sharing from her life story on making art when things are falling apart.

Nathan Roberts is a filmmaker, writer, and professor with a PhD in Film and Visual Studies from Harvard University. His work engages cinema’s capacity to catalyze human flourishing though surprising and subversive means. His short film, Wag, will premiere in early 2026. Roberts has written cultural criticism for various online outlets, from TIME.com to The Los Angeles Review of Books, as well as the memoir Surface Tensions: Searching for Sacred Connection in a Media-Saturated World (Hendrickson, 2016). As an educator and speaker, he brings thoughtful reflection on art, faith, and media to diverse audiences.

“How can art (and my new film) renew the world?”

Nathan Roberts will be speaking on his new short film “Wag” and how art can reshape the ethics of a society.

Joshua David Watson is a Los Angeles–born photographer, educator, and organizer whose work investigates the physical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of human experience. He is co-founder of Art for the Isolated, an organization that curates and offers gifts of art and poetry to those living and working in spaces marked by illness, displacement and loss. Watson’s photographic practice and teaching emphasize creative dialogue and meaningful encounter, bridging artistic expression and community care. He holds an MFA from the University of Hartford and continues to live and work in Los Angeles.  

“Art after the End: Reconsidering Art’s Telos in the Wake of Apocalypse.”

Joshua Watson will be speaking on his nonprofit Art for the Isolated and how they were able to.

Michelle Lum is a Southern California–based artist, musician, and minister whose interdisciplinary work is informed by her everyday faith and artistic practice. She holds a BFA in Studio Art and a BA in Music from Biola University, an MTS from Gateway Seminary, and an MFA from Claremont Graduate University. Lum leads the art and music ministries at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and creates art that elevates ordinary materials to illuminate wonder and spiritual presence. Her art reflects a deep attention to moments of transcendence and invites viewers to see the sacred in the familiar.

“Making art for the long haul.”

Michelle Lum will be walking us through the conference and sharing from her own experience making art in difficult times.