our ministry is to bless others through creativity
Art 2 Heart is an all-volunteer managed and operated Christian non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which blesses people in 3 ways:
We operate a mission-minded marketplace in Hamel, MN then invest all the net proceeds from product sales in ministries and outreaches that give tangible encouragement and share the love of Jesus Christ, thereby using business not only as a force for GOOD but also a force for GOD in the world.
We pray for and creatively bless those in our community and beyond through handwritten notes and care packages through our HEartReach prayer and encouragement ministry.
We join together our hearts and hands to bless others through creativity in our Creative Hearts Ministry in which we create items to directly bless others through HEartReach or other church and ministry organization partnerships.
Our Vision
Our vision is for the lives impacted by Art 2 Heart to be transformed through the love and hope of Jesus Christ.
Our Mission
Our mission is to bless others through creativity as we share the love and hope of Jesus Christ.
meet our team
Our ministry is 100% managed and operated by our joyful, dedicated volunteer team
Our Board of Directors
Our Staff
Our Volunteers
Lori Westling with her husband, Tom, who has supported her every step of the Art 2 Heart journey!
a note from our founder,
Lori Westling
I would like to thank you for your interest in and support of Art 2 Heart and want to share a very personal story to give more insight into why we do what we do.
This ministry was born in 2004, as I was hearing and understanding the Good News of Jesus Christ for the first time and becoming reborn spiritually myself. If you have ever heard of a faux painting you know that it looks like the real thing, but it’s not genuine. Well, I was a faux Christian but didn’t realize it!
I had gone through Confirmation class as a child and attended church. As an adult, I was involved in various Christian activities, but did not read the Bible, just various spiritual books. From the outside, I looked like a Christian, but if someone had asked me, “If you were to die tonight would you go to heaven?” I would have answered, “I hope so, because I am a pretty good person and I go to church, was baptized as a baby, and I try to be a good mom and wife, etc.”
I “believed” in God and Jesus in terms of believing they existed, but never understood why I needed a Savior, since I thought I was a pretty good person. I was measuring myself against the world’s standards of “good” though, and not God’s standards. To be honest, I just never really thought about it, and just did all the religious activities I thought I was supposed to do. I had always been a high achieving person and had done well in school and work and subconsciously figured (hoped) God must grade on a curve!
Billy Graham’s daughter, Anne Graham Lotz, described it well. She said it’s kind of like when you get vaccinated. You get just enough of the disease to never get the real thing. I had just enough “religion” to think that I had that box checked off and had no idea I didn’t have the “real thing.”
God used some personal struggles (along with three kids, including twins!) to crush my illusion of having it all together along with my pride and self-sufficient spirit. In 2004, God moved our family to California, and soon after we started attending a Bible-believing and teaching church. After hearing the pastor’s sermon titled, “But I’ve Always been a Christian” it really started me thinking…wasn’t I?
I also joined the women’s Bible study, and during this time the Lord opened my eyes and helped me understand, “because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-6) I finally understood that Jesus lived the perfect life, which I (and nobody else) could ever do, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and although I was the one who deserved to be condemned for eternity, He took my sin and died on the cross in my place. All I had to do was repent or turn away from my former sinful life and turn wholeheartedly to God, accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior and putting all my faith in what He did on the cross for me. It was all about GRACE, not my performance. Boy, did I need grace! What a relief!
So, there I was with a new-found faith and hope and a burning passion to share God’s love and Good News of God’s GRACE with others. God gave me a heart for creativity and encouraging others to be creative, and, during this time my heart was breaking over the stories I was hearing about women being abused in Africa, and I longed to help them. God combined all of this and blessed me with the inspiration and the vehicle to use my creativity to make a difference in His name: Art 2 Heart.
With the support of my husband and wonderful friends and family, I started out by making beaded flatware that is still one of our signature products and donating all the profits to support a village we adopted in Zambia through World Vision. In 2008, God moved our family back to Minnesota and in 2009 revealed His plan for us to establish a little Gift Shop & Gathering Place in Hamel, a western suburb of Minneapolis.
Over the years, God has connected many more talented, passionate brothers and sisters in Christ who make Art 2 Heart the special, joy-filled, 100% volunteer-managed and operated ministry we are today. Today, we have over 60 volunteers and more than 20 different ministry partners locally and globally who we support.
Now you know the “story behind the story” at Art 2 Heart. It’s not just about making and selling unique, handcrafted items. Our dedicated volunteers and ministry partners have the hearts of missionaries in all that they do. The heart and passion behind Art 2 Heart continues to be sharing God’s love and Good News through creativity.
God bless you and thank you again for your interest in and support of Art 2 Heart!
Joyfully and creatively serving Him,
Lori Westling
Check out our recent Twin Cities Live appearance!
We had the privilege of sharing our mission on KSTP’s Twin Cities Live show. Click the button below to see our feature!
Kind Words
“Art 2 Heart is more than just a gift shop. It’s more than just a place that supports missions. It’s a community of like minded people who care for both quality gifts and goods as well as missionaries and other kingdom workers. It’s my go-to shop of weddings, showers, and thank you gifts! I am so thankful for the continual and persistent support I’ve been shown both financially and through prayer. ”