As children we begin our lives with many dreams, or possess a unique talent that comes so effortlessly that it’s easy as breathing. With these talents the people around us who have been exposed to it are either blessed or can become envious. However they may take it, it’s important that we make the right decisions with what God has entrusted in our care.
For Giselle Sellier, her love for painting was set ablaze once more when she volunteered to do some art for a cocktail party at her church. What was seen as insignificant at one point has become an inspiration to myself and many others. When husband and Gospel Minister Jadee shared her work on Facebook one night, many supporters of the duo were stunned and there was overwhelming feedback via picture comments. As such Gospel Globe (GG) decided to see what direction she would like to take with her re-united love.
Name: Giselle Sellier
Location: Arima, Trinidad and Tobago
GG: How did your work in art begin?
Giselle: From growing up and being around my dad who was an architect who also did drawings and art pieces. He was a talented artist doing private work. Just being around him when he did his paintings or drawings I would pull a sketchpad and try drawing something.
GG: What is art, and what do you hope your audience can take away from it?
Giselle: Actually art to me is something that I enjoy and it is something that comes out of me very easily. I enjoy mixing and blending colors. Creating styles and designing and just enjoying the finished creation. What they can take away from it.., well they can enjoy everything that comes out of me.
If you find my answers are not making sense, it's because this is something new to me (laughs). I never really considered taking on art. It's like I know I can draw and I love it but I never pursued it. So after doing these paintings for the cocktail party everyone is pushing me to do it or follow it up. I am thinking about it and considering it because persons have put in their orders.
Basically it's a talent that is a gift that comes out of me very easily. I don't know why I never really pursued it 'cause in growing up with my dad I was around it so much that I didn't want to do it. In my mind it was always the business world because I always saw myself in business.
After being in the business world I realized, 'Wait being in an office is very boring and monotonous and tiring’. I did nothing or the same thing over and over. What caused me to venture into being an aesthetician and be involved in beauty culture, was when I was working at the office, there was a girl that used to do her nails with really nice patterns and nail art, and I was drawn to that.
I would then go home every weekend and practice the pattern on my nails whatever was on her nails. She then said 'Giselle this is really good. Why don't you go and do the course and pursue it?'
For some strange reason I was enjoying doing it although it was on my nails, and there is where I pursued it and did the course. After doing the course I enjoyed dealing with skin, nails and just everything that pertains to making the body look good.
From there to now, it's a job that I have, though I'm doing the same thing everyday it's not feeling monotonous, it's not boring, it's not frustrating. It's the art coming out there but in a different way. It’s a new venture that is knocking at my door, which is doing paintings and expressing art in a bigger way. It's something that I am considering and thinking about, because really and truly it is something that comes out easily.
If I really put my mind to it, once my hand touches that paint brush it will just go and I will not stop. You would not believe how fast I would finish a piece!
GG: So the piece that was your profile picture on Facebook with the wine glass, how long did it take for you to do that? And with most of your paintings, on average how long does it take.
Giselle: If I set out to do it without stopping it takes about 2-3 hours. That one was kind of easy because there was much background to do. Even Skyla didn't know I could draw. She was like 'Mummy what is this? You are a really good artist!' And you know Jadee, he was like 'But yuh bad!'
GG: I think you shocked a lot of us in the Gospel community as I have had people asking me, especially from my team, how can we make orders, and they thought that I should do the interview with you. It is something that I would personally encourage you to do as it's your passion and look how you came right back to it!
Giselle: True! It was something that never left me. I guess this is the timing to pursue it and allow the Lord to cause more ideas and creativity to come out in different ways
GG: Well go forth! We’re supporting you!
Giselle: I didn’t know that it was so expensive either. It is so much money involved in it in terms of a finished product. It’s worth alot! Here I am doing this so easy never really paying any mind to it.
GG: Exactly! If it is that you make such a great output in such a short time I’m just imagining what you can do, it’s endless as to how much you can gain!
Giselle: Yes! ‘Cause I did six pieces and that was done in two weeks time. That was basic Bristol board and water colors. On a professional scale it’s really the canvas with correct acrylic paints for something lasting so that it won’t fade or peel away to give the authentic thing.
GG: On the other side of art, I know that you do other things, in that you help manage Jadee’s career.
Giselle: Yeah I try my best (giggles)
GG: Share with us some of the roles that you play in terms of helping him in his ministry
Giselle: Well firstly I help with that physical and moral support as a wife. Encouraging to fulfil purpose that the Lord created him for and what he has to do for the Lord. Then spiritually; interceding, praying covering him as a wife would. As management, basically helping with the business aspect where the bookings, making notes of dates availability, making all arrangements to payments and overseas bookings and ensuring that they meet all the requirements of a rider and contract. All that so that they will treat him worthy as a minister should be.
I oversee accommodations, supplying of meals, making sure there is proper sound check and practice and seeing that they are not sending him on the first flight as the concert has ended when he’s panting and tired. All this to ensure that he has a comfortable trip ministering during and after. I also look at the band making sure that things are in order and in place. Just keeping on point to make sure that everything goes smooth. Where the hot head is concerned, I will take the front and make sure he has nothing to do but writing and singing.
GG: With you juggling all of this as his manager, his booking agent, you have your own spa and you’re a mother..., how now do you center and focus and still have time for a relationship with God. How would you advise young women who are ever busy to find that time for God
Giselle: At times it is hard and I will be very honest with you. There were times where I literally had no time for God, and your spirit would get uneasy and uncomfortable and you’ll feel convicted because your only time will be right before you go to bed when you get to say that last covering prayer. Sometimes when you wake up your days are so busy that you say a quick little prayer, maybe on your way to work or whisper a prayer silently at some point in time during the day.
When you go on like that you will get uncomfortable so I really try to make all efforts. It might not be at a particular time on everyday, but whenever I do get that spare time I do make that devoted time to spend a little more than a covering or thank you prayer. You can’t do it all, and everything that I do it’s not on my own strength, everything is really what the Lord’s permitting and allowing. He gave it to me first before I can do it and I cannot take that for granted and just feel that I’m superwoman. We have to make it no matter how busy and tight the schedule may seem at times because it can feel like you’re waking up so early and go to bed so late and it is hard at times.
GG: In closing, do you have any advice for young women who may have put aside their dreams, what can they do to reclaim it like they have with yours?
Giselle: Sometimes you have a dream there and at times you may have other dreams that you put in front of it and that’s what happened in my case. There was something in me that I never paid attention to or took heed to; maybe how it came so naturally. Even though you have goals that you set aside and pursue, know there is that gifting or talent in you that you have as an effortless thing that you can do, don’t bypass it or lay it aside because it is there so simple that you can do.
Instead enhance it and just make it grow even more because it can blow your mind to what extent or how far it can reach. It can surpass all the other dreams that you might have. You have something in you that is there and that is easy to do, or you have something that may seem very hard! Pursue it no matter how young or how old you may be and just allow it grow and allow the Lord to use it however He would like to use it in your life.
Giselle hopes to have the art continued and would like to do this by honoring her father who nurtured her talent as a child. As she continues the legacy of her father she hopes that her art goes places and affects people. Though he was a talented man that did ‘mind blowing art’ it was never exposed and she feels that she now has a chance to do so. With this article we hope that you were inspired to be a dream chaser and accomplish your heart’s desire.
