From Drug Dealer For the Crips To World-Class Artist Despite No Formal Training: The Remarkable…
By: Bradley Neece
Tags: Steve Skipper, Gangster, Artist, Redemption, Civil Rights

How a Miraculous Encounter with God Changed a Man’s Life and the World Forever

Photo Credit: steveskipperstudio.com

To say Steve Skipper is a great artist is like saying the Popeye’s chicken sandwich is a great sandwich. Great doesn’t begin to describe the man who is one of the most important and prolific artists in America. But his story supersedes his talent.

I would have likely died never knowing of Steve Skipper’s existence had I not happened to check the listings at a cinema I don’t regularly frequent. I watched half of the preview of Colors of Character, x’ed out, and said, albeit inwardly, ‘I’m in.” I didn’t want to read reviews. I had seen enough. I was going.

It was Saturday afternoon when I watched the preview. I decided then that I’d walk a couple of miles to the cinema to watch the film on Sunday afternoon. Like every theater during this time of Covid, this theater was a ghost town. I masked up, purchased my ticket, walked in, saw two concessionaires, no patrons, and went to the uninhabited theatre number nine. I was enthralled the entire time. So much so that I ordered his book later that day: Dream On: A Journey to Deliverance.

Steve Skipper, who is African American, was born on January 13, 1958, in Homewood, Alabama. He grew up in Rosedale, a now-historic neighborhood located just a few miles from Birmingham. It was sandwiched between all-white neighborhoods. To the east was Mountain Brook, one of the most affluent towns in the country. And to the north along the ridge of Red Mountain, were the mansions of many of the area’s steel barons. Steve grew up in the epicenter of the Civil Rights Era.

His father, Johnnie, had dreams of opening his own auto repair shop but had to defer his dream when he was drafted into the Army. After being discharged, his dream of owning his shop ended when, according to Skipper, all the tools and money his father had saved to open the shop were lost, stolen or taken away. According to his father, this was done by racist men “who resented any black man who had ideas of starting his own business.” His father spent the rest of his working years as a sanitation worker for the city of Homewood.

Skipper’s mother, Elnora, was a domestic servant for white families. But she did much more than clean and cook. She often told Skipper she felt like she was raising two families ~ one at work, one at home. Skipper said she “had already gotten a sizable batch of white children out the door and away to college before she and my dad even got around to starting their own family.”

When Skipper was in fourth grade, his teacher, Vernelle Saunders, noticed him drawing sketches on the notebook paper which was supposed to be used to practice math and cursive writing. She believed he showed promise, taking it upon herself to encourage him by setting up a little painting room just for him, complete with oil paints and canvases that she paid for out of her meager teacher’s salary.

When Skipper’s mom found out what his teacher had done for him, instead of encouraging him, she told him how things were, just as she had previously told her oldest son, Don, who was also adept at drawing.

“Ain’t no way white folk will let a colored boy make a living drawing pictures,” she said. “What other colored people you see painting pictures?”

Despite hearing these discouraging words from his mother, he continued painting. And Mrs. Saunders continued encouraging him.

School integration had been decreed prior to the school year’s beginning, making Skipper a minority at school. Multiple fights began breaking out between black and white students every day. Steve was in many of them. Steve had become angry. Not knowing what to do with this newfound hostility directed at him coupled with a dysfunctional home life, his suppressed anger turned into rage.

But he kept painting. At his next couple of schools, the teachers encouraged him as well. During this time he was introduced to the paintings of Norman Rockwell and two African American painters, Charles White and Jacob Lawrence. Although Skipper refers to the three men as his heroes, he became especially inspired when he saw a beautiful painting in the hallway of one of his schools which was painted by a former student. Someone like him.

Photo Credit: steveskipperstudio.com

However, his home life was still a wreck. His parents' knock-down drag-outs, his father’s drinking, and his mother’s pessimism became more frequent. Skipper’s mom viewed her husband as a failure. She began having affairs and was not discreet about them.

During this time, Skipper was introduced to weed, now hanging out with those who didn’t have his best interest at heart. He was thirteen.

Skipper had also become one heck of a football player. In the documentary, he said that during his sophomore season the team went undefeated and won the state championship. He also said he and nearly every teammate had played every game high.

It wasn’t too long after he got into drugs that the Crips came calling. The Crips, a street gang founded in Los Angeles in 1969, by this time, had spread to most of the inner cities in the country. As an aside, according to Wikipedia, the Crips were given their name when some of their members began walking with canes to signify their pimp status. Some referred to them as “cripples” or “crips” for short.

Skipper’s home life was such a wreck that the thought of joining a group of friends, even the likes of the Crips, sounded much more like family than the one he had. Such is the case for most who enter into the life of a gangbanger. Skipper was a prime candidate. After being extended an invitation, he decided to join them. But before he could, he would have to go through their initiation process, i.e., get beat up by several current members. And he did. But he got his licks in too, even taking down the gang’s toughest member.

During his sophomore year, he began selling drugs. He sold drugs to fellow students, teammates and even teachers. He had also graduated to using angel dust and cocaine.

Amazingly, he didn’t get arrested or kicked out of school.

“Through it all, I even managed to keep my grades decent and became one of the best football players in school history,” Skipper said.

Then one day, God intervened. Skipper had gone to church most of his life, even during this time, but had become disillusioned and angry with the god who allowed his family to be in constant turmoil, and his hope of doing something significant with his life turn into hopelessness. Skipper wasn’t just angry at life, he was angry with the god who created him.

One afternoon Skipper was sitting at a city park picnic table with several of his brothers (he called them), fellow Crips. They were smoking weed and carrying on like young boys do when “Big Mike” approached them. He was not a gang member, but Skipper knew who he was.

After some small talk, Big Mike asked if he could speak to Skipper. The two men stepped away from the group to speak privately. Big Mike said these words:

“Steve, the Lord has laid it on my heart to extend you an invitation. He has told me to talk to you about Jesus, about salvation, about accepting Jesus as your savior. God loves you, Steve. I think he has a purpose for you in this life and I suspect you are not yet fulfilling your purpose. He has told me to tell you that.”

Skipper says something began happening inside of him that very moment as his heart began shifting from hopelessness to hopefulness and purposelessness to purposefulness. But the change wasn’t instantaneous; it never is.

Skipper didn’t make any promises to Big Mike nor any commitment to the Lord that day, but the Holy Spirit had begun working. Skipper continued hanging out with his brothers in the Crips.

Big Mike was relentless in his pursuit of Skipper. Some days later, he invited Skipper to a revival put on by the Faith, Hope, and Charity Ministry, which was to be held in a local church building. Evangelist Jesse L. Mincey, Jr., who was responsible for bringing Big Mike to faith, was to be the preacher.

Big Mike told Skipper that God had a purpose for him and that it would begin at the revival. Mike dared Skipper to come, and see what happens. Skipper told him he’d come, but if he did, Big Mike must promise never to speak to him about Jesus again. Big Mike promised.

On the evening of the revival, Skipper lied to his brothers about where he was going. He just told them he had to see a guy. They told him to make sure to join them later so they could get high on speed together.

Unbeknownst to Skipper, he was about to experience a different kind of high that evening. The moment Brother Mincey began talking, Skipper said the Holy Spirit, although he couldn’t identify it at the time, began stirring his affections for Jesus. He knew he couldn’t return to his life as a gangbanger. On December 23, 1976, Skipper accepted Christ as his lord and savior.

But he had one thing left to do: he must tell his brothers in the Crips that he is leaving the gang life for good. It wouldn’t be as simple as telling them he’s out. He knew the rule that once you’re in, you’re in, and if anyone attempted to leave they would most certainly be killed.

Skipper was now overcome with a boldness he had never had before. He knew the possible ramification for leaving the Crips but had no fear. He told them the reason he was leaving is that he was saved ~ he had given his life to Jesus Christ. When he told them, they became eerily quiet, as if they were scared of him. They made no attempt to talk him out of it. As Skipper walked away, one of them turned around to tell him that another one of their brothers had died the night of the revival as a result of some bad speed. It could have been Skipper had God not intervened.

Months later, Skipper ran into Brother Mincey in Birmingham, who prophesied over him:

“Brother Steve, you will have your own company that will market your sports and Christian paintings and prints. It will be very successful. And God told me something else. Your company will be known as Anointed Homes Art.”

Photo Credit: steveskipperstudio.com

It didn’t come quickly for Skipper. Nothing does. He still had a lot of anger that had yet to be purged by the Holy Spirit. He admittedly shipwrecked a couple of marriages and made life hard for his children. He had left a wake of destruction in his path. His life was joyless and purposeless. He was floundering.

But one day he had a talk with Brother Mincey’s sister, Sandra, who spoke truth to him:

“Steve, if you will let Him, God will deliver you from this anger, this rage that is burning so hot inside you.”

Those life-giving words seemed to restore and recalibrate Skipper’s relationship with God. He owned and recognized his sin and the pain he had caused his family. After his failed marriages he thought more than once that death seemed preferable to life. But he now realized God had not given up on him although his life been rife with difficulty. He learned that giving your life to Jesus doesn’t preclude one from trials.

During the years after high school, Skipper had worked menial jobs to make ends meet, dabbling very little, if at all, with his God-given gift. The enemy had convinced him, like he does all of us from time to time, that he didn’t have what it took. Artistry is for other people ~ much more talented people. He believed the lie for so long that it became his truth.

Sometime after his conversation with Sandra Mincey, Skipper began working at a pipe company in Birmingham. It was a highly dangerous job. One day at work he lost concentration, according to Skipper, was daydreaming when his right hand, his painting hand, was crushed between two pipes. He knew instantaneously that any faint hopes he may have still had about starting his own business as an artist was likely crushed between the two pipes along with his hand. The voice of the enemy told him so.

When he arrived at the hospital, the nurse told him:

“Mr. Skipper, we’ll do all we can, but I doubt we’ll be able to save your hand.”

Skipper left the hospital angry ~ angry at himself for being so careless, believing full well he’d never paint again. He felt God had left him. He felt this was just the way things were going to be for him. The incident had become to define who he was.

One day Skipper was at home thinking that maybe he could learn to paint with his left hand. So, he tried. He could not. The God-given gift was only in his right hand. He became frustrated, defeated.

But one day he decided to pray. He spoke to God. God replied. He told Skipper to paint with his right hand, regardless of what it looked or felt like, regardless of the bandages covering it. Just paint. And so he did. He struggled at first but soon felt the Spirit of God guiding his every stroke. Sometime later, God miraculously healed his hand. Completely. Not even a scar.

He decided to go back to work at the pipe company. One day a boss told him he had heard about Skipper’s gift ~ that he could paint a little. He encouraged Skipper to exhibit some of his work in the lobby of the administration building. His boss asked the executives. They too thought it was a wonderful idea.

Skipper had an exhibit. Everyone loved his paintings. An executive was so impressed that he called a reporter at The Birmingham News, telling him he had a great human-interest story for him. The day after the story ran, all of the older men he worked with walked up to Skipper, shook his hand and told him how proud they were of him.

It wasn’t too long afterward that the voice of God spoke to Skipper again, saying, “It’s time.” Meaning it is time to hand in his two-week notice and begin his career as a painter.

He did just that. But things were still hard. Life was still hard. A few years later, after his career had taken off, he said about that time, “I lost my wife, my children, and my house.” He still felt like a failure, remembering his mom’s words from years ago:

“You don’t know anything about running a business. You’ll never be able to make a living with your art. Get a real job.”

Skipper had an idea. He had always loved sports and wondered if anyone would be interested in detailed pencil drawings of athletes. He thought of a connection he had ~ Sammy Dunn, the legendary baseball coach at Vestavia Hills High School whose teams had won nine state championships during his tenure. Skipper asked him.

Dunn agreed to let him sketch his players for $35 per piece. Skipper first took photographs of each player, then went home and got to work. Skipper was well on his way.

Eventually, word began to spread about his drawings. It wasn’t too long until the football coach at Vestavia Hills asked him to draw pictures of his players ~ then came the band, cheerleaders, and other high schools. And it didn’t stop there. Not even close.

Soon he began painting portraits for players on the Birmingham Stallions of the now-defunct United States Football League (USFL). And he was now charging much more than $35 per piece. He was meeting famous athletes, spending time in their homes, meeting their families ~ living in a world he never believed was possible. Today, if you can name them, he’s likely painted them ~ superstar players, coaches, professional golfers, NASCAR drivers, etc.

Photo Credit: steveskipperstudios.com

But he’s moved beyond sports into another realm ~ another sphere. He still does sports paintings, but he has stepped into the civil rights world ~ a world the kid from just outside Birmingham knew well. He was commissioned by the city of Selma, Alabama to do the official commemorative painting of Bloody Sunday from the voting march that took place at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965.

Photo Credit: steveskipperstudio.com

A few years ago he was invited to Bimini, a district in the Bahamas just fifty miles from Miami. It’s most famous for Dr. Martin Luther King using it as his favorite respite. It’s the place Dr. King wrote his acceptance speech for winning the Nobel Prize. Skipper painted a portrait of Dr. King in the clouds looking down on the groves of Bimini. Popping up out of the groves is a statue of Dr. King ~ a statue that still stands today. Skipper needed 1000 hours to complete the painting.

Photo Credit: steveskipperstudio.com

He’s not done yet. Skipper recognizes God as the one who has done all of these things for him; he makes certain to give Him the glory and credit in all that he accomplishes.

There are thousands of Steve Skippers in the world. You may be one of them. You have a gift. You have a dream. But you have no idea how it could ever come to fruition. You may have wanted to quit on several occasions. You may want to quit now, convinced that those kind of dreams are for other people to realize. Not you. Like Skipper, perhaps you have considered suicide. But you’re still here.

If you made it to the end of this article, you now know someone who felt the same way you do now. You aren’t alone. Skipper wasn’t alone. Everyone, myself included, experiences frustration, self-doubt, fear and feelings of unworthiness. You have a gift. Don’t quit. Keep going. Seek the Lord. See what He will do.

Almost failed to mention, the name of Skipper’s business is Anointed Homes Art, just as Brother Mincey had prophesied.

Praise be to God.

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Sources:

Documentary: Colors of Character: An Artist’s Journey of Redemption

Dream On: A Journey to Deliverance by Steve R. Skipper and Don Keith

Article by Eyewitness News/CBS Bahamas: Spirit of Martin King Jr. Lives on in Bimini as Painting Unveiled, February 13, 2018