A former art teacher and now Reader-in-training is using his artistic talent to share a message of God's love with people all over the UK.

Chris Gilbert, who freelances under the name "Art and Soul Man", gives art and faith based assemblies in schools around the country.

His current project, the 'God Loves Me' photo booth, was first revealed at popular family Christian festival Spring Harvest earlier this year and Mr Gilbert is now using it in his work with school children.

The booth gives the opportunity to stand or sit in a giant picture that represents God's hands, and participants are invited to actively engage with the Gospel message, it is designed to act as a physical reminder that we are all loved, cared for and treasured by our Creator.

Speaking to Christian Today, Mr Gilbert says that he hopes the booth will create and encourage a greater understanding and experience of God's love, which is a "powerful message" that runs as the central theme throughout all his talks.

Labelling himself as someone who works best with visual stimulation, Mr Gilbert says he wanted "to create something that [other] visual learners could connect and engage with".

Art has been used as a way of communicating the Gospel for thousands of years and Mr Gilbert regularly uses cartoons to help illustrate his sermons, but he hopes to "show a new way of exploring faith" through the booth.

"Participants have to physically put themselves in the picture, which represents the idea that we can only experience God's love for ourselves, no one can force us to experience it," he says.

"Art definitely has a role to play in communicating the Gospel," he notes.

Mr Gilbert will be offering the booth up to parishes, schools and churches for use in their ministries in the New Year.