School & Church Visits
I truly enjoy school and church visits. As a former art teacher, I enjoy meeting young budding artists and kindling their creative fire. I offer a variety of different artist talks for different settings. Please contact me for rates and availability. Visits are available both in person and via zoom.
Artist Presentations:
How to be a Creative Kid
This talk is geared toward elementary school groups. I share how I became an illustrator, what tools I use, and the process of illustrating a book. Student learn tips to boost creativity and share ideas for a live drawing. I also talk a bit about how growing up on a farm influenced me as an artist and read My Family's Soybean Farm.
Worth in Christ
This talk is geared toward Christian schools or church groups. I talk about my experience as a bumbling farm kid, finding art, and eventually finding my identity and worth in Christ (not art!). I draw throughout the presentation, and also read Buster's Ears Trip Him Up.
The Value of Story
Why are stories important to us? What kind of power do stories have? In this talk I share several stories from my own life and encourage students to write from their own experiences.
Raising Creative Kids
Looking for something for adults? In this presentation I share tips for kindling your child's creativity.
Live Art Demos & Keepsakes
Add art entertainment to your wedding, corporate event, or party! I offer live painting and drawing demos that are custom tailored to your event. For example, my hometown of Pella is a lovely little Dutch burg. For a recent event there, I painted a couple of mice dancing under the tulips in their Dutch costumes. Contact me and we can discuss the details. And yes, you get to keep the painting!
What folks are saying:
"The assembly that Joe Hox provided our students during a chapel was wonderful. He used his talent to illustrate things that he found precious about his upbringing in Iowa and how those things created in him the man he is today. During his 30 minute presentation he engaged our elementary aged listeners. His PowerPoint showed many illustrations from the various books that he has illustrated and the audience was well entertained. It was wonderful to see the children interact with an illustrator who encouraged them to use their talents that God has provided to them and allow those gifts and talents to be cultivated, refined then flourish and be used for God's glory. I highly recommend any administrator to contract with Mr. Hox to share a presentation at their school. Mr.Hox has an easy going flexible nature and a relaxed way of conducting his presentation. The boys and girls were excited to learn about what goes into illustrating a children's book and were impacted watching Mr. Hox create his art work right in front of their eyes! How thrilled children were to purchase and read a book that Mr. Hox had illustrated!"
-Joyce Hansen- Ankeny Christian Academy Principal
"We were so glad that Joe Hox was able to spend a day sharing his love of illustrating with the students at ACA. Mr. Hox exudes a passion for what he does, humility, and a genuine love for children and their interests. The students were captivated as he used his artistic talent and his personal story to share the very important lesson of finding your value in Christ! He was very interactive with the students following the assembly. Many of my coworkers reached out to let me know how much they appreciated what Joe Hox shared with the kids. It was truly a wonderful day and we would welcome Joe Hox back anytime!"
-Deborah Rose, Ankeny Christian Academy
"Our K-8th grade AIS (Artist in Schools) team sought an artist to provide our students with a real art world experience. We had several recommendations for author and illustrator Joe and Katie Hox. Both were very helpful and willing to participate in planning the AIS project. We invited them to spend a few days at our school. Our students' first contact with Joe and Kate was a 40-minute assembly. A highlight of this gathering was while Kate read one of the devotions from their book, "Who is Jesus," Joe developed an illustration before students' eyes—even the kindergarten students stayed engaged as the image effortlessly produced on the whiteboard. Joe shared the journey that ultimately led him to his dream of becoming an illustrator. Students could realize that God did not provide this opportunity to illustrate right away in his career.
In art classes, Joe shared a detailed process for becoming an illustrator. He talked of the highs and lows of the work of an illustrator. During his presentations, Joe would draw and illustrate on the whiteboard. His interactions with students were kind and engaging. Students loved to see his drawings develop. They would guess what the subject might be. "How do you do that?" His response would often be, "Many years of practice." In our special session, Joe encouraged older students with artistic interests. He was very interested in helping them if they were interested in art as a future career.
In writing classes, Kate explored how she wrote her devotional book, Who is Jesus? She explained ways she has found helpful while paraphrasing and retelling the Bible stories in the book. The students then had the opportunity to write their retelling of parables found in the gospels. Kate gave advice and encouragement to middle school students while writing. She nurtured their desire to learn to write well.
God gifts each of us with unique abilities. His gifts to Joe and Katie are evident! We enjoyed working with artists that modeled how Christian faith and work are applied to their lives and could apply to ours. Our students could experience the real-world work of author and illustrator Joe and Kate Hox. Our school team highly recommends a similar experience for any student and school. They left affirming for students that gifts and talents that God instills can develop with time and practice."
-Jen Wielenga, Orange City Christian School