Bill Coleman

Monday Inspiration–Bill Coleman

Since I write Amish fiction, it seems natural that I would cross paths with Bill Coleman. He’s a wonderful artist and a very nice man. We’ve communicated a little on facebook, and I love looking at his website. A few months ago I ordered the picture to the right, but I did something wrong when I was processing my order. So I picked up the phone!

Who answered? Bill’s son, Noah. He was as nice as could be. He also fixed my order right up. Nice people.

More recently, I downloaded Bill’s free desktop calendar to my computer and shared it with my Facebook friends. Someone asked, “How is he able to take pictures of the Amish?” Was I ever surprised when BILL answered back!

Thank you Vannetta. I wanted to answer some questions raised about the photographs. The community that I’ve documented over the last forty years is composed of 200+ Amish families. Like many cultures, the Amish are varied in how they go about their lives. Some have granted permission while others have requested that I not photograph. Some families are very casual and appreciate seeing their photos, some do not. Each bishop/church has their own unique viewpoints and further, each family has their own as well. To be sure, they are not a monolithic culture of rules and I think that this is a contributing factor to their longevity over these last 200 years. I’d be glad to answer any other questions anyone might have. Thank you for letting me share my life’s work.

I’m grateful that we have Bill’s insights into the Amish world, and I’m also thankful that he uses his talents in a way that glorifies the Lord. He has been a real inspiration to me.

Blessings to you throughout this week.

~V