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Local Artist Incorporates Portraits within Music Videos
By ASHLEY BONEStaff Reporter
abone@c-dh.net
Singer/songwriter Todd Vaters has always had a passion for music.
 | Photo by Ashley Bone
Todd Vaters sings “This is Love” while playing the keyboard at his home. In the background is a charcoal representation of Jesus Christ, which Vaters drew in a music video he created.
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After recording a song titled “This is Love,” a year ago, Vaters, who is also a self-taught portrait artist, thought he would spread his song through the Internet. With a $50 video camera, he filmed himself drawing a portrait of Jesus Christ. Using charcoal on paper, he sketches his representation of Christ nailed to the cross.
The music video peaked at No.1 on sermonspice.com, a Web site used by pastors to obtain videos for sermons. It’s been viewed over 50,000 times and has reached an international audience.
“It was a wild experiment,” Vaters said. “My life hasn’t been the same since, and I get feedback in unusual ways.”
He said one viewer said it was shown at a youth camp in the Philippines.
Many comments on YouTube, where the video can be seen, relay similar responses from viewers. Every week, Vaters receives requests from worship leaders and pastors from churches around the world for lyrics and chords of “This is Love” to perform in their churches. Vaters, who was laid off last fall, has spent his time since then creating additional videos. One is a holocaust tribute titled “Shavor Lev”, which translates from Hebrew into “broken heart.”
In the “Shavor Lev” video, Vaters sings the Hebrew national anthem while he draws an image of a holocaust victim standing behind a barbed wire fence.
“This video was recently added to Yad Vashem’s state-of-the-art Visual Center in Jerusalem,” Vaters said, adding Yad Vashem is the world renowned Holocaust museum and the Jewish people’s living memorial to the Holocaust.
Vaters will release an album in August titled “Holy Quest,” which will include “This is Love.” His music can also be been purchased through itunes and via his Web site. In addition to his music and songwriting abilities, Vaters teaches portrait classes at Williamson County’s Longview and Franklin recreation center facilities.
For more information on Todd Vaters, visit ToddVaters.com.
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