my story

Hello! My name is Stephen Proctor. And I’m the guy behind this weird site.

Here’s just a little glimpse into my ongoing story.

Projection Artist | Visual Liturgist | Experiential Curator

(& a 7w8 on the Enneagram!)

I grew up in a small, rural town in Arkansas called Wynne. (“Wynne, Wynne, the City with a Smile. Fourteen-Hundred on your radio dial!) I had an incredible childhood, filled with hiking, four-wheeler riding, duck hunting, fishing, & building tree-forts with my friends. I went to the “big Baptist church” in town. My dad & I would walk to church most Sunday mornings. While walking, I would recite a weekly Bible verse to him, mostly so I could get a star by my name in Sunday School that day. If you earned enough stars, you’d get to pick a surprise toy out of the teacher’s bucket at the end of the month! (I was always hoping for Silly Putty.) I also participated in Bible (“sword”) drills & could find Obadiah as fast as the best of them. But mostly, I enjoyed zoning out during the sermons, counting the ceiling lights, & drawing insane, death-defying rollercoasters on the church bulletin, which also served as a 10% discount coupon at the local restaurant (Sunday nights only!)

I was a total nerd in school. By 11th grade, I had confidently embraced it. Probably because my dream of becoming the marching band drum major/field commander came true! Bible drills were soon replaced with band camp & marching contests (of which we always won.) I couldn’t care less about what was popular or culturally hip; I was too busy being off alone somewhere conducting “The Olympic Spirit” by John Williams to an imaginary orchestra, just like I witnessed him conduct the Boston Pops at the Olympics Opening Ceremony in Atlanta only a few years prior. #bandtenhut

It was also during this time that new “choruses” began creeping into our Sunday services, battling the old hymns for the sacred song slots in our Southern Baptist “liturgy”. Songs like “Shout to the Lord” gave me chills for the very first time - at least during worship. And after being introduced to Passion & songs like “The Heart of Worship” at summer camp, I was undone.

I loved worship music & the concept of leading worship, though I never went down that path myself (at least not musically speaking.) During college, I found a home in the back of the worship room running the PowerPoint slides. But remember those death-defying rollercoasters I used to draw? That same creative muse was awoken & released. I couldn’t just focus on running the lyrics; I had to make the imagery around it imaginative & cool! So I started experimenting with images behind the text. Soon, I was introduced to church media software that allowed you to put motion background loops & film clips behind the text in nonlinear, dynamic ways. Again, I was undone. I had found a new hobby… and a new love language for worship.

Over the next few years, I kept leaning into this new skillset & passion. Worship service after worship service. Camp after camp. Retreat after retreat. Even in my business marketing classes, I always volunteered to make the PowerPoints for our group presentations (those cheesy text animations really impressed our teacher, by the way! haha) Next thing you know, my creative life was all-consumed by PowerPoint.

Along the way, I started to develop a new language for what is seemingly a mundane & unglamorous task. I started wondering if the images we were looking at during worship & prayer had more of an impact on people than anyone thought. So I started seeing myself less as the “guy who runs the slides” & more as a “visual worship leader.” I started treating the role like a worship leader might, bringing a new level of intentionality, creativity, & even theology to the visuals I was projecting onto the screens. I started to hack my way around concepts like “visual theology”, “visio divina” & “sacred space”. And I began to understand that the visuals we repeatedly look at can be as spiritually formational as the songs or the sermon.

And most importantly, I discovered that I was not alone on this path. It’s amazing who you’ll meet & what you’ll learn by putting the laptop down & getting outside the walls of the Church (physically & culturally) for a hot minute. As the years followed, my understanding deepened, my practices were refined, my spirituality evolved, & my creativity was unleashed.

Nowadays, when people ask me what I do, I tell them that it's kind of like PowerPoint on steroids. That's the simplest & funniest answer I've come up with so far. 

You see, I like to project on things. Sometimes I project lyrics on screens while people sing, & sometimes I project onto musicians while they sing. And once in a while, I like to project into thick, smoky air while no one sings.

I’ve been working in the realm of projection & experience design for about 17 years. For 15 of those years, I lived in Nashville, TN, touring with various bands, artists, worship leaders, & conferences. Interning at record labels, working for a presentation software developer, being on staff at an artsy church, participating in a co-working community called WELD, collaborating with a neoclassical collective called The Radial Conservatory, & planting Luminous Anglican Parish with a few friends -–– these are some of my fondest memories of Nashville. (Not to mention Baja Burrito, CREMA, & Rosepepper Cantina: the Holy Culinary Trinity of true Nashville. No peddle taverns allowed!)

Working in the Christian music/publishing industry definitely has had it’s ups & downs, but I’ve been lucky – or “blessed” ;) – to work with some incredibly honest & loving people who span the theological spectrum. Most of the time, I’m working behind-the-scenes with Beth Moore at women’s conferences (she’s truly amazing, by the way.) Once in a while I’m on the road with bands like The Brilliance, GUNGOR, & The Liturgists (those heretics!) I’ve also been known to frequent a few liturgical/contemplative retreats (more heretics, yay!) And at times, I teach workshops on projection & visual liturgy at big church conferences. And then there was that one time I did projection for a Keith Urban music video. (Ok twice, but who’s counting.)

I also like to curate immersive projection for weird, instrumental concert experiences in botanical gardens, Japanese tea ceremonies, & inside man-made caves in Iceland where Celtic monks used to worship. This overlaps a little with my love for film music & (neo)classical composers, a few of whom I collaborate with on an ongoing basis. But I also like to get my </oonts oonts> VJ on @ dance parties, clubs & warehouses, where I spend most of my energy keeping drunk folks from throwing up on my projectors! *excuse me, ma’am. yes. can you please steer clear of this roped off area & dance a few feet away? #kthxbye*

No matter the context, the venue, or the theology (Xian nationalists & prosperity gospel salesmen & trolling theo-bros excluded), my love language is to wrap people in beauty that awakens the imagination, re-calibrates the soul, & makes you feel a little like Bastian riding on the back of Falcor!

While projection is my first love & will always have a special place in my heart, drones are my new technical obsession. I’ve never been much of an original content creator or animator, but these little flying robots have opened up a new world of creative possibilities & have helped my content-creating dreams come true. I am really drawn to the beauty of Creation, God’s living Cathedral that we all live in & share. And drones allow us to see this world with new perspective. So many landscapes look like abstract artwork from above; you wouldn’t believe it, to be honest. Much like the Overview Effect that astronauts have when seeing the Earth from space for the first time, drones have given me a whole new appreciation for the fragile, delicate, & artistic planet we live on. And I live to share this beauty with others.

Another obsession of mine is traveling the world & experiencing different cultures. A lot of my time overseas is spent in New Zealand, the single most greatest country on Earth – & I will fight you over this! I also love Ireland, Iceland, Hawai’i, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, + more. I have learned so much from being an outsider & in a minority. Travel has vastly expanded my worldview & spirituality. And if there’s a beautiful landscape & chill drone laws, then that’s always a plus. Because it’s really nice to come home with some visuals that I can use at my next event or music video project.

My personal life ebbs & flows out of this work-travel-droning cycle. There’s no “Husband. Father. Christ-follower. Coffee-lover.” in my bio, even though I am slightly obsessed with a good cup of coffee. And one day I would like to be married & have kids (w/ passports), if I can ever slow down. LOL. When it comes to my faith, these days I feel like I need to say “Yes, I am a Christian… but not that kind of Christian.” You see, I love & follow a Middle-Eastern brown-skinned Jewish refugee named Jesus, but to be gut honest, most versions of American Christianity make me want to, well… vomit. Navigating evangelical spaces has become more & more of a challenge for me. I’m really thankful to have found the Anglican Way, which is deeply rooted in the contemplative practices of Celtic Christianity. In 2015, my resonance with Anglicanism was officially blessed by receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, which both affirmed the faith & baptism of my childhood & renewed my commitment to following Christ in my adult life. This ancient tradition of faith has breathed life back into my soul & has given me a peaceful oasis away from the noise of the world (& christian culture). Via Media - “The Middle Way” - offers a sort of “third way” that doesn’t give into the dualistic & tribalistic culture wars that plague religion & politics in Tr*mp’s America.

I try to have an ecumenical view of God’s Kingdom; I really enjoy surrounding myself (both personally & professionally) with voices & leaders on both ends of the theological spectrum. Being around leaders of strong faith (like Beth Moore) & friends with strong doubt (like my Gungor brothers) keeps me in a place of happy juxtaposition, constant curiosity, & appreciation for the Way of Christ. I love that timeless phrase from Fr. Richard Rohr: “Include & Transcend”

Early in 2018, my love for beautiful, interesting landscapes + cold weather led me to drive across America & replant myself in Portland, Oregon – an evergreen land flowing with organic grass-fed non-GMO milk & raw honey fresh from the flow hives. Seriously, this place is GORGEOUS. And TASTY. When folks ask me, “So, why Portland?” literally my best answer is that it’s colder, darker, WAY less humid, & isn’t plagued with mosquitos like in South where I grew up & have lived all my life. Sure, half the year is rainy & dark, but I honestly kind of thrive in that environment. And this past Summer has been so pleasant & cool, I ain’t never going back. Sorry, fam!

Also, from a professional standpoint, I’m honestly just no longer that interested in climbing the ladder of influence in the Christian industries of Nashville. Nashville will always be home, but right now, this area of the world just suits me better. And though I still work with many amazing folks in that industry, most of our work is travel-based, & the airport is just an hour away.

When I am in Portland, I enjoy a good cup of coffee & long strolls on the beach. LOL! But seriously, the coffee here is insane. And frequent trips out to our wild coast invigorates me so much that escaping to New Zealand or Iceland feels less like a frequent temptation. I’ve also found a really nice, quiet Anglican parish filled with some really lovely folks. We sing a few hymns & chant parts of the Liturgy like we’re in a monastery. There’s hardly any technology in the entire space & zero projection; besides a few meaningful liturgical symbols + black & white print-outs, all we have to look at is just a massive arched window & some beautiful trees that change color along with the church calendar. =) It’s a totally unplugged visual liturgy. And it’s a welcomed occasion that re-calibrates my soul, stills my monkey-mind, & reminds me of the humble power of Christ that is found in the Bread & Wine. Bottom-line, sometimes smells & bells > bells & whistles!

I also bought a small little forest in the Columbia River Gorge & live in a small modern cabin. Because…WHY NOT?! Predictable suburban structure just isn’t for me. Obviously. Plus, I'll have enough land & trees to built a little Ewok Village or something fun like that. =)

Anyway, that’s about it. For now at least. I’ll write more later as my life & work continues to evolve & unfold. Which I hope it does. And if it doesn’t & my life ends tomorrow tragically, I’ll be fine with it. Because I’ve lived an amazing, crazy life so far, & I’m really grateful for it. I mean, I don’t want to die anytime soon, but I know how privileged I am to have lived the life I’ve lived so far. And I’m just grateful for it.

Man, this got dark real fast. I guess that’s what happens when a 38-year-old spends all his free time traveling to the ends of the Earth just to stand on the shores of a remote beach to ponder his existence – in between drone shots, of course! LOL ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

To be continued…

UPDATE: It’s 2024, and I’m 43 now. I just re-read this story-bio after forgetting that it existed for quite some time. Good lord, I must’ve written all that during a witching hour 5 years ago because… wow. It’s a lot. But I decided to leave it up (other than making a few updates) because it reminds who I used to be and how I saw my own story back then. Since then, I’ve slowed down quite a bit… and I talk a little less now, too. But I’m still me. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the story and hope it all helps you to get to know me and my personality a little better. ha