New documentary explores faith and art through Sea Island artists

A documentary exploring the relationship between faith and artistic expression through the lives of three Sea Island artists will premiere Aug. 1 at Penn Center on St. Helena Island.

“The Art of Believing,” a 30-minute documentary produced through a collaboration between NOW Communications and Harden Creative, will be screened from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Frissell Community House on the Penn Center campus. According to the event announcement, the screening will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the filmmakers and featured artists, as well as a reception.

The film highlights the work and personal stories of Rev. Johnnie Simmons, Susan Stone and John M. Bradley, three artists whose creative work is connected to their individual spiritual experiences.

Producer Luke Frazier and associate producer Sasha Horne Hirshout will host the event.
Simmons, a self-taught Gullah folk artist and ordained minister, was raised in the Frogmore community on St. Helena Island. A 1969 high school graduate, he served as a paratrooper with the Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade during the Vietnam War. According to the press release, Simmons began creating art after participating in a treatment program for post-traumatic stress disorder, where an experience finding a rock shaped like a lion’s head inspired a new artistic direction. He later took up pyrography, the art of decorating wood through controlled burning, producing works that depict Gullah life and biblical themes. His artwork often includes captions written in the Gullah language and has been exhibited at Penn Center, Four Corners Gallery and other Lowcountry venues.

Stone, a Port Royal-based artist, author and healer, holds an associate degree in commercial art and spent much of her career working in advertising, landscape design and kitchen design while continuing to paint and teach. The press release states that after being struck by lightning in 2010, an experience that required eye surgery, she came to view her artwork through a deeper spiritual perspective. The release also states that Stone is a certified crystal healer, Reiki master and initiated shamanic practitioner and founded The Arts Port Royal, a school that offers classes in fine, mystic and healing arts.

Bradley, who has family roots on St. Helena Island, is known for creating large-scale spray-painted artwork, including a tunnel installation at the Technical College of the Lowcountry featuring historical figures. According to the press release, he has developed what he calls “Ministry Art,” combining spray-painted imagery with biblical passages intended to encourage viewers to look beyond the surface of his work.

Admission to the screening is free. Organizers are requesting a suggested $5 donation to benefit the York W. Bailey Museum at Penn Center.

According to the press release, the documentary is scheduled to air on South Carolina ETV in fall 2026.

Those planning to attend may reserve free tickets through www.eventbrite.com. Additional information is available from associate producer Sasha Horne Hirshout at sasha@beaufortjournalism.org or 323-422-5700.