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About Bill Ressl
A Life Dedicated to Encouraging Creative Expression
A Life Dedicated to Encouraging Creative Expression
With his Czech and Slovak heritage, free mind, wide imagination, and a creativity for designing labyrinth art, his artwork presents a fresh expression of mindful meditative processes. Before sitting down at the computer to finalize the design, he studies, ponders, and sketches a number of possibilities careful to represent the interpretation of the Spirit from deep within. His work, embodies the spirit and vitality of a rich academic legacy, is characterized by a whimsical cartoon like quality that has been a distinctive feature of his work since his early years.
From his earliest years Bill loved to doodle and draw. Bill Ressl is a self-taught outsider artist, however technically he did have a few “art” courses in high school and college as well as his father was a printer who taught him the basics of the graphic arts. During high school his father, a printer, taught him how to run offset printing presses and he designed his own line of Bill Ressl Cachets (1970/80s). His friends thought he would one day be an artist - but different paths emerged.
First it was college and law school, then a stint as an American wicker weaver (1990s, he is an Illinois Artisan). From 1989 to 1992 he trained under John, Joseph, and Louis Novotny of Artistic Reed & Willow Manufacturing Co, Inc., Chicago, Illinois. They were the sons of John Novotny (Bill’s Great Uncle) who was a Master Weaver that trained at the renowned Belušskej Košikárskej školy (Belusske basket-making school) in Beluša, Slovakia. In the 1990s, when he was an American wicker weaver designing baby bassinets and WickerArt, he became an Illinois Artisan in the Illinois Artisan Program of the Illinois State Museum, Springfield, Illinois, USA. At that time he had several wicker pieces displayed in galleries in the Merchandise Mart of Chicago and at Illinois Artisan Galleries in Illinois.
Later he returned to the academy for advanced degrees gaining an expertise in theology, neo-Jungian thought, and clinical social work. He has over 15 years of seminary and clinical training specifically in the systematic philosophical theology of Paul Tillich, neo-Jungian psychoanalytic paradigm of Robert L. Moore, family systems understandings of Murray Bowen, and social work. He also has a deep interest in systematic and liberation theology, ritual studies, environmental concerns, and the male psyche.
From his earliest years Bill loved to doodle and draw. Bill Ressl is a self-taught outsider artist, however technically he did have a few “art” courses in high school and college as well as his father was a printer who taught him the basics of the graphic arts. During high school his father, a printer, taught him how to run offset printing presses and he designed his own line of Bill Ressl Cachets (1970/80s). His friends thought he would one day be an artist - but different paths emerged.
First it was college and law school, then a stint as an American wicker weaver (1990s, he is an Illinois Artisan). From 1989 to 1992 he trained under John, Joseph, and Louis Novotny of Artistic Reed & Willow Manufacturing Co, Inc., Chicago, Illinois. They were the sons of John Novotny (Bill’s Great Uncle) who was a Master Weaver that trained at the renowned Belušskej Košikárskej školy (Belusske basket-making school) in Beluša, Slovakia. In the 1990s, when he was an American wicker weaver designing baby bassinets and WickerArt, he became an Illinois Artisan in the Illinois Artisan Program of the Illinois State Museum, Springfield, Illinois, USA. At that time he had several wicker pieces displayed in galleries in the Merchandise Mart of Chicago and at Illinois Artisan Galleries in Illinois.
Later he returned to the academy for advanced degrees gaining an expertise in theology, neo-Jungian thought, and clinical social work. He has over 15 years of seminary and clinical training specifically in the systematic philosophical theology of Paul Tillich, neo-Jungian psychoanalytic paradigm of Robert L. Moore, family systems understandings of Murray Bowen, and social work. He also has a deep interest in systematic and liberation theology, ritual studies, environmental concerns, and the male psyche.
The late Dr. Robert L. Moore (left) and Bill (right) in 2013. Robert was Bill's mentor, colleague, and friend for over 16 years.
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Bill holds:
+ Master of Divinity (MDiv) + Master of Social Work (MSW) + PhD in Theology, Ethics, and the Human Sciences from the Chicago Theological Seminary + Post-Graduate Certificates in Bowen Family Systems Theory from the Center for Consultation, Evanston, Illinois + Licensure in Illinois as Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW). |
Bill has co-served Trinity Community Church, United Church of Christ in Berwyn, IL USA with Penny for over 17 years. In March 2020, due to COVID-19 safety precautions, online worship and other pastoral care videos under the name of “Da Revs” were created by the couple. Da Revs is a playoff of those two famous brothers from Chicago who wore sunglasses and were on a mission from God as well as a famous TV horror show icon who calls Berwyn, IL his home. Da Revs have evolved into this new social media ministry known as the Center to Awaken Kindness created in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic.
As part of the co-ministry team with Penny, he also: co-taught graduate courses at North Park University and Aurora University; co-presented professional presentations at the Society for Pastoral Theology, NASW, and at Aurora University. He has served in private practice as an LCSW and in the academy. In the academy he was a Teaching Assistant at the Chicago Theological Seminary and an Adjunct at Dominican University. For six years he served as an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Aurora University where he taught graduate and doctoral students. There he created an advanced clinical and a faith-based MSW social work focus area as well as two dual MSW/MDiv degree partnerships. He served on nine Doctor of Social Work dissertation committees, chairing three.
In addition to a number of self-improvement guides and journals offered by the Center to Awaken Kindness, Bill is also the author of:
“A World in Need: Brokenness and Reconciliation Explored through Paul Tillich’s Doing of Social Work” in Tillich Jahrbuch/Yearbook (Berlin, Germany, Walter de Gruyter Press, 2020).
“Tillich’s Influence on Pastoral Social Work” in Why Tillich? Why Now? (Macon, GA, Mercer University Press, forthcoming 2021).
“On Giant Shoulders: Teaching through Paul Tillich’s Legacy of Being a Theologian Doing Social Work in Bulletin” in The North American Paul Tillich Society (Santa Clara, CA, The North American Paul Tillich Society, Volume XLII, Number 2, May 2016).
Today he is returning to his roots integrating his love of art with his expertise in theology and clinical thought. Additionally, he is learning to play his grandfather's heligonka and create virtual reality artwork. He is learning to utilize the internet as his gallery for his digital artistic creations.
As part of the co-ministry team with Penny, he also: co-taught graduate courses at North Park University and Aurora University; co-presented professional presentations at the Society for Pastoral Theology, NASW, and at Aurora University. He has served in private practice as an LCSW and in the academy. In the academy he was a Teaching Assistant at the Chicago Theological Seminary and an Adjunct at Dominican University. For six years he served as an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Aurora University where he taught graduate and doctoral students. There he created an advanced clinical and a faith-based MSW social work focus area as well as two dual MSW/MDiv degree partnerships. He served on nine Doctor of Social Work dissertation committees, chairing three.
In addition to a number of self-improvement guides and journals offered by the Center to Awaken Kindness, Bill is also the author of:
“A World in Need: Brokenness and Reconciliation Explored through Paul Tillich’s Doing of Social Work” in Tillich Jahrbuch/Yearbook (Berlin, Germany, Walter de Gruyter Press, 2020).
“Tillich’s Influence on Pastoral Social Work” in Why Tillich? Why Now? (Macon, GA, Mercer University Press, forthcoming 2021).
“On Giant Shoulders: Teaching through Paul Tillich’s Legacy of Being a Theologian Doing Social Work in Bulletin” in The North American Paul Tillich Society (Santa Clara, CA, The North American Paul Tillich Society, Volume XLII, Number 2, May 2016).
Today he is returning to his roots integrating his love of art with his expertise in theology and clinical thought. Additionally, he is learning to play his grandfather's heligonka and create virtual reality artwork. He is learning to utilize the internet as his gallery for his digital artistic creations.
BILL PLAYING HIS HELIGONKA IN HIS VIRTUAL REALITY WORLD OF ART
