The Whipping Boy Loading Video . . . Spice artist, Amanda Margaretha, explores global and cultural interpretations of persecution in response to Psalm 69. Psalms 69 The Whipping Boy By Amanda Margaretha ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Laurel Justice 2017 84 cm x 60 cm ​ Sugar, Rice, Food coloring, Cumin, Pepper, Turmeric, Chilli, Sumac, Paprika and Salt Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ Description of the Work: The whipping boy is digital collage. It consists of several of images of hands (various sizes) making certain hand gestures. These gestures are used through body language, to communicate a specific message that is connected to the theme of the artwork. The original images are ephemeral installations; created through the use of Sugar, Rice, Food coloring, Cumin, Pepper, Turmeric, Chilli, Sumac, Paprika and Salt. Once the installations were photographed and documented, the imagery were used to create a digital collage which can be printed. The actual print is 84 cm x 60 cm. The use of Sugar, Rice, Food coloring, Cumin, Pepper, Turmeric, Chilli, Sumac, Paprika and Salt was not a random decision. Each medium carries with it inherent qualities like color and smell as well as history and signifiers that augment the theme of the artwork. As an artist, I have a long standing relationship with elements such as sugar, spice and rice, as mediums for installations. Over the years I has studied and categorized these qualities, histories and meaning of aforementioned elements and have learned how and when to utilize them in order to convey her message or explore, investigate and interrogate a certain theme. The hand gestures shown in the artwork refer to the body language we often use to convey intent and meaning. Explanation of the Theme: The hand gestures used in "The Whipping Boy" explore the themes persecution and suffering as expressed in Psalm 69. The sugar, spice and rice act as metaphors for how different cultures that span the globe, interpret, understand and believe the themes of persecution expressed through Psalm 69. No one is a 100% sure who wrote Psalm 69. The popular assumption is that David (a former great king of Israel) wrote it because David was the author of a great number of the Psalms. Many of his Psalms describe the problems and troubles David faced. King Saul hated David and wanted to kill him even though David did nothing to deserve such treatment. Others speculate that Psalm 69 was written by the prophet Jeremiah who lived some 400 years after King David. Jeremiah was not a very popular prophet. The message from God to the people of the day was not a popular one because he prophesied that Israel and Judah would be taken into captivity, and the land would be decimated. Both David and Jeremiah faced severe persecution from their enemies. In this Psalm the author talks about the persecution and suffering he has to endure. It also reminds us of Christ's suffering as documented in the New Testament. Various passages in this Psalm are applied to Christ in the New Testament. So what does this have to do with the Title of the artwork "The Whipping Boy"? To understand the phrase 'Whipping Boy' one has to understand the meaning behind the term. A prince usually had a special teacher. When the prince made a mistake, the teacher did not hit (or whip) the prince, but instead hit a boy that had lessons with the prince. The boy had done nothing wrong, but the teacher whipped him. He was a whipping boy, someone for the teacher to whip, hit or beat instead of the prince. Today, a whipping boy is anyone that is hurt when someone else has done wrong. The most important "whipping boy" of all was Jesus. They hurt him and killed him when he had done nothing wrong. Everybody that has ever lived has done wrong, and deserves God's punishment. But God punished Jesus instead of us. He was the ultimate Whipping Boy. He endured suffering and persecution even though he did nothing wrong. When the disciples of Jesus wrote the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, they remembered the things mentioned Psalm 69 and how that happened to Jesus also. Jesus referenced Psalm 69 verse 4 to explain to his followers they would be persecuted also. Here is part of what Jesus said in John 15:25 : "But this happened that the word would come true, the word in the scripture: 'They hated me without a reason.'" Some of the suffering mentioned in Psalm 69 happened to Jesus and his disciples. Here are some verses from the New Testament which are connected to Psalm 69: 1. John 1:11 with Psalm 69:8 : He (Jesus) came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him. 2. John 2:17 with Psalm 69:9 : His friends remembered what was in the scripture. "I am angry for your house and it burns me up inside." (This happened after Jesus had been to the temple in Jerusalem. He sent out the people there who were selling things. He was angry because they should not have done it there.) 3. Acts 1:20 with Psalm 69:25 : In the Book of Psalms it says, "Let the place where he lived be empty and do not let anyone live there." The friends of Jesus said this after Judas killed himself. Judas was the disciple who betrayed Jesus. 4. Matthew 27:29 with Psalm 69:2, 20 : They laughed at him (Jesus) and said, "You are the Great King of the Jews!" (The Roman soldiers did this before they crucified [killed] Jesus. The soldiers did not mean what they said. They said it in scorn. You may find more than one verse in the psalms that makes you think of Matthew 27:29.) 5. Romans 15:3 with Psalm 69:9 : Even Jesus did not look for pleasure for himself. As the scripture says, "The insults of the people that insulted you fell on me." 7. Matthew 27:34 with Psalm 69:21 : They gave Jesus vinegar to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink it. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Amanda Margaretha was born in South Africa to a Dutch mother and Afrikaans father. From an early age, her life has been shaped by cultural exchange and cultural diversity. She was known in school as “the student in class with the strongest imagination.” Art making and travel became her two great passions. The idea of exploration sparked her desire to travel and discover cultures, food and new ideas. In 1989 she traveled to Europe – it was to be the first of many adventures around the globe. One milestone was her visit to Cairo in 1996. There she plunged into a spectacular cacophony of spices, patterns and colors that is the Middle East. This marked the beginning of a long term love affair with the Arab world. She explored Morocco, Turkey, Bahrain, Jordan, The United Arab Emirates, Syria and Lebanon. From 2002 – 2010 she was based with her family in Yemen, where the Queen of Sheba once ruled her mighty and wealthy kingdom. Her time in Yemen taught her a tremendous amount about ancient Arab traditions, customs and culture as well as signifiers that represent ancient Arabian culture such as the various spices used for various purposes, frankincense and myrrh. This was also where she first conceived the idea of making art works with spices. In Yemen she started collecting and categorizing various spices which act as a metaphor to the threads of our ‘Being’. Over the years she continued to study these elements that shape our identities. She employed her knowledge of the history of the various spices to create works for her final year exhibition as an art student. The artworks were spice installations that reference the mark spices has made on the world we live in – through culture, faith, migration and the global economy. In 2015, Amanda Margaretha graduated in the field of Visual Art with distinction from the University of South Africa. Amanda Margaretha also developed her art making processes to include video installations like spice animations and photography. The use of this technology parallels her conviction that humanity’s evolutionary drive to find greener pastures through modernization and industrialization are predetermined factors that advance the progress of political and technological development, which in turn drives cross pollination of cultures. Her desire is that her exploration of the the relationship between the outer world (of economic aspirations of which spices and technology are a metaphor), and the inner world (of faith convictions as manifested through cultures), will lead the viewer down a path of exploration, investigation and discovery. Website Amanda Margaretha About the Artist Amanda Margaretha Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Composer Jonathon Roberts is inspired by Ezekiel 1 and Chef Aarti Sequiera's "Ezekiel's Wheel Chickpea Salad" to create Wheels, a song that now exists in two versions, one for rock band and one for chickpeas. Ezekiel 1:15-21 The Wheels By The Spark & Echo Band ​ Credits: Musicians: Jonathon Roberts (vocals, piano), Emily Clare Zempel (bassoon), Matt Bauer (harmony vocals), Jay Foote (bass), Mason Neely (drums) Mixed by Alex Foote Mastered by Matt Shane (Masterdisk, NYC) Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2010 ​ ​ ​ Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ The above rendition of "Wheels" is from the debut album of the Spark & Echo Band. The song, however, has an interesting history. In the first year of Spark+Echo Arts, when it was called Bible Confrontatie, the project emphasized confronting or responding to another artist's response to Scripture. In that vein, this song was originally created as a response to Chef Aarti Sequiera's Ezekiel's Wheel Chickpea Salad , another work in the Spark+Echo project. To create the song, I recorded the great sounds that came up as I made her salad in my kitchen: firing up the gas burner, roasting a red bell pepper over the burner (it whistled and popped), stirring up tahini, pouring chickpeas, chopping shallots, boiling beets, scraping the skin off the bell pepper with a knife, dropping and toasting walnuts in a pan (we were out of pine nuts). Then I sampled Aarti saying two words from her video: "Tahini" and "Chickpea." I used the tah, iin, and chi sounds. In the spirit of a Food Network style challenge, I limited myself to only the recorded sounds from the salad prep and Aarti's three syllables (tah, iin, chi) when making the composition. I cut the sounds up, pitched them at different octaves, and added delay and reverb. The text is adapted directly from the story of Ezekiel's Vision of God in Ezekiel 1. There are so many fascinating parts of this story, but since Aarti focuses on the mysterious wheels that Ezekiel saw, I thought I would also make this the focus of the song. I imagine the narrator emphatically telling the story of what he just saw to the first person he sees. When we see something incredible, barely believable, sometimes we focus on just one component of what we saw, the only part we can wrap our head around. Imagine a couple telling their grandkids about an extreme storm they just witnessed. The storm had tornados, torrential rains, and affected thousands of lives, yet the part of the story they tell over and over is that there was a mailbox in perfect condition yet up in a tree. The rest of the tale was unfathomable so they keep coming back to that mailbox. That reminds me of Ezekiel a little bit when he spends so much time focusing on the wheels‚-how many, how they intersect, that they move but don't turn. Perhaps of all the wild things he saw, the wheels were something that he could wrap his head around and communicate so he really focused on them. So those are the parts of Aarti's Recipe and Ezekiel's story I am confronting with this "Chickpea Edition" of the Wheels. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ The Spark & Echo Band is a family outfit of songwriting-storytellers led by husband and wife duo Jonathon Roberts and Emily Clare Zempel. Their music brings forgotten poetry and wild stories from the Bible to life: visions of sparkling wheels in the sky, hunger and thirst, and legends of love as strong as death weave with memorable melodies and captivating rhythms. Drawing from a classical background, influenced by the pianism of Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds, and emulating Paul Simon’s narratival techniques, Spark & Echo sings epic tales of love and adventure. The duo has collaborated on three full lengths albums (Spark&Echo, Inheritance, Cities Project), one video album (In the Clocktower), in addition to many theatrical collaborations, this very nonprofit, and two children. They live in beautiful Beacon, New York, with all of the above. Website The Spark & Echo Band About the Artist White Robe What a Day Deep Calls to Deep Yo Sé Do You Love Me? Where Can I Go? How to Be Free Flesh Lifeblood Artist in Residence 2015: Spark & Echo Band Take to Heart Frogs Ruined Inheritance The Spark & Echo Band Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Canadian poet Hannah Main–van der Kamp created "Strange and Stranger Within the Gate" in response to Ruth 2:6-8 and the theme of “strangers.” Ruth 2:6-8 Strange and Stranger Within the Gate By Hannah Main-van der Kamp ​ Credits: Theme: Strangers Location: British Columbia, Canada Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2014 ​ ​ Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ Ostensibly, this prose poem is a monologue by the Biblical Ruth. A number of different verses could be used as markers e.g Ruth 1: 19, 2:10, 4:13. As I worked on it I was struck by the way in which Ephesians 3:6 (I was preparing a homily for Epiphany) resonates with Ruth's story. I also refer to Exodus 20:8 for the generosity of the Sabbath day command. In addition I hope to evoke the Magnificat Luke 1:46. Ruth's final words refer, unknowingly, to John 3:15. A stranger and taking on new customs and beliefs, Ruth cannot know anything about the sacrifice of the Prince of heaven. The irony is both bitter and sweet. Ruth thus restates the un-readiness of God's people at the time of the Judges to relinquish the notion of sacrifice though they used animals for the rituals. Yet, she is ready to give her heart and in so doing prefigures the Gospel on two counts: the self-giving of Jesus and the self-giving that is required of all of us. I also hope that at the very opening of this poem the plight of refugees everywhere will instantly spring to readers' minds. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Poet, editor, homilist and reviewer, Hannah Main – van der Kamp teaches reading and writing as spiritual practice. Her published work has appeared since the late sixties in a variety of places including religious, literary and environmental publications. She wrote the poetry reviews for BCBOOKWORLD for eight years. Her latest titles include ACCORDING TO LOON BAY, SLOW SUNDAY ON THE MALASPINA STRAIT and BRIGHT AT BLACK POINT. Her work was included in FORCE FIELD, a recent anthology of BC writers. She contributes to on-line publication including artwayeu. Hannah’s interests include permaculture, meditation, birds, contemporary art and poetry. She is active in the Anglican parish of St David and St Paul in Powell River, B.C., Canada. Website Hannah Main–van der Kamp About the Artist Hannah Main–van der Kamp Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art The ease it was to pass through that gate in spite of my heavy accent and our ragged clothes! We carried no belongings. View Full Written Work Strange and Stranger within the Gate by Hannah Main–van der Kamp Ruth 2:6-8 The ease it was to pass through that gate in spite of my heavy accent and our ragged clothes! We carried no belongings. The villagers tried not to stare. They whispered about us but they knew who we were. Barley harvest was just coming in. There was a good boss man. I got part-time work. The other workers shared their food. It opened my drought-worn heart, the kindness of these people. It was as if I had come from a dung heap but they looked on my lowliness and filled me with good things. What made them so I wondered as I watched carefully; the Israelites have strange customs, all that washing, all those foods they may not eat! We thought we would have to start from scratch but our kinfolk came through for us. Then I met B. The way he said, “Moabitess and “damsel” helped put my grief behind me. If you’ve been to Sunday School, you know the rest of the story. Their God took some getting used to though. When I went out to work as per usual on a Sabbath day, the Bethlehemites stopped me. No they said, no one has to work on the seventh day, not even servants and foreigners, a God-given rule. A day off! But here’s what really convinced me to cleave unto this God. He does not demand the sacrifice of children. I shiver to recall those smoky hill shrines of Moab, the wailing mothers in front of the Baal altars. But here? None of that. When B. and I are blessed with a son, we will not fear the demands of priests and their wrathful god. I am blessed and the generations will call me blessed. May all my children and children’s children receive this mystery of grace, may they show it to heirs and to strangers. They will not die but live, our first-born and his son after him and so on for generations. Heavens! There will be no sacrifice, not even of an only begotten, not even if he were a prince. I ponder on this mercy, my soul magnifies this God! Close Loading Video . . . The ease it was to pass through that gate in spite of my heavy accent and our ragged clothes! We carried no belongings. Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . In his work, Babbler, composer Jonathon Roberts combines the sounds of his toy Yamaha keyboard with lyrics warning against gossip from passages in the book of Proverbs: Proverbs 1:10; 4:24; 10:18; 11:13; 12:13; 14:7; 14:23; 16:28; 18:6-8, 20-21; 20:19; 24:1-2 Proverbs 18:6-8 Proverbs 16:28 Proverbs 12:13 Proverbs 14:7 Proverbs 11:13 Proverbs 10:18 Proverbs 14:23 Proverbs 4:24 Proverbs 1:10 Proverbs 18:20-21 Proverbs 20:19 Proverbs 24:1-2 Babbler By Jonathon Roberts ​ Credits: Written, Composed, Performed, and Recorded by Jonathon MT Roberts. 2016 Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts 2016 ​ ​ ​ Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ It was 1989, I was 8, and my father brought home from Toys R Us a Yamaha Portasound PSS-680 as a keyboard for the family. I loved it. It had 100 different sounds, 100 rhythms, drum pads, and coolest of all, a little synthesizer that allowed you to build and modify your own sounds. After a few years of heavy interest in the keyboard I was wooed by the traditional piano and its 88 fully-weighted keys. It wasn’t until I moved to NYC and joined the great absurdist comedy band The Renaldo The Ensemble that I fully appreciated the Portasound’s potential. For 5 years I carried my axe on the subway and played its crystal clear tones for late night crowds at the Living Room on the Lower East Side. I love just about everything about the Portasound, it’s mini-synthesizer, perfect portamento, the light feel of the keys, 5 octave range, aero-dynamic design, fully printed list of songs and styles on the case itself, MIDI outputs, and of course the demo–whoever composed this endless journey of a song should have been given a Grammy. Now with kids of my own, I don't play out as much. I enjoy the finer moments of home life. One of those is a chance to really explore the Portasound's extraordinary features. Another thing that I've explored more fully is the book of Proverbs. I love just about everything about this book as well. Its pithy comments, rants on wisdom, outlandish metaphors, timeless advice. Thus was born an ongoing project of mine, Portasound Proverbs , a collection of songs that explore two great things in my life, the book of Proverbs and the Yamaha Portasound. The project features sound and percussion entirely played from the Yamaha Portasound PSS-680 and lyrics entirely from the book of Proverbs. This tune, "Babbler," explores verses in Proverbs regarding gossip. By arpeggiating the bubbly sounded of the Portasound I am depicting the deceptive allure of gossip. The singing is focused and intense, and eventually devolves into desperation just like the gossips and babblers describes in Proverbs. The piece hinges on this verse: Proverbs 20:19 (NRSV) A gossip reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a babbler. The rest of the lyrics are comprised of or adapted from others quote on gossip from Proverbs including: Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. Proverbs 4:24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Proverbs 10:18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool. Proverbs 11:13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. Proverbs 12:13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, and so the innocent escape trouble. Proverbs 14:7 Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips. Proverbs 14:23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 16:28 A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 18:6-8 The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating. The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. Proverbs 18:20-21 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 24:1-2 Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ J onathon Roberts is a composer and sound designer for games, film, theatre, and ensembles. His style grew out of classical and jazz training, and evolved through quality life adventures: touring the country in an RV with a one person theater piece on the Apostle Paul, living in Brooklyn with an improv music ensemble, performing in a downtown NYC absurdist comedy band, and a long stint writing music for the renowned slot machine company, High 5 Games. He has released four albums including the latest, Cities a song cycle personifying biblical cities. He created the popular podcast/web series ComposerDad Vs. Bible , in which ComposerDad accepts intense compositional challenges from a mysterious Bible while out with his kids. He frequently collaborates on music and theater projects with his wife, actor Emily Clare Zempel. They live in Beacon, NY, with their two boys and a tangled box of electrical cords. www.jonathonroberts.com Website Jonathon Roberts About the Artist Loving Arms I Make Tents The Sower Response There Is Room These are My Sons Consider Me a Partner Weakness The Day Is Almost Here Surrogate Remember Me Prayer How Beautiful I Am a Fool The Constant Ecclesiastes Cows Blessing Fools for Christ More Than Rubies Only a Few Years Will Pass Dear Friend Jonathon Roberts Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

allison-daniell_obadiah.jpg Loading Video . . . In response to Obadiah 1:21, photographer Allison Daniell Moix offers this work as in thoughtful and vulnerable reflection. Obadiah 1:21 A New Language By Allison Daniell Moix ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Laurel Justice 2018 ​ ​ Photography Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ This verse at the end of Obadiah is a triumphant close to an otherwise difficult book. The bulk of the book is about God punishing the nations who wronged Israel, His chosen people. There's a lot about judgment. There's a lot about how these pagan nations will be punished in one way or another and then BAM! In the end, the exiles regain their land and the kingdom belongs to the Lord! Woo! We should be pumped. But, this verse happens to find me at a time when there doesn't feel like there's a lot to celebrate — on a personal and a national level. The past two years have been one crisis after another — between deaths of loved ones and marital issues and bodily injury — and that has left me feeling decidedly tired and un-triumphant. The past two years have also felt very polarizing for our country (the USA), as political wars between right and left have heated up and climbed to levels I thought were behind us. In the midst of all these tensions, I understand that there are things worth celebrating, but it doesn't feel that simple anymore because "Life demanded a new language," to quote Nicole Krauss from The History of Love . But, perhaps in the midst of finding a new language for God and my relationship with Him and what I think He wants from us, celebration will ensue. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Allison Daniell Moix is part Southern and part wild West. As soon as she graduated college in Tennessee (where she grew up) with a BFA in Graphic Design, she packed her car up (and left anything behind that wouldn't fit!) and headed for Colorado because she had fallen in love with the mountains working there several summers as a camp counselor. She immediately became involved in the photography and arts industries, working under other photographers and with an arts nonprofit until 2008. That's when she started her own business, Stellar Propeller Studio. Since then, she has been hired to photograph all over the world but is still a fine artist at heart. To date, Allison has had five solo exhibitions of her work and is currently working on a personal project to illustrate the book of Galatians. She also has a large collection of sunglasses and boomboxes. Website Allison Daniell Moix About the Artist Allison Daniell Moix Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Composer Jonathon Roberts' work I Am a Fool is a setting of Paul's vivid writings in 2 Corinthians in which the apostle "boasts" of his sufferings and waxes on foolishness. 2 Corinthians 11:16-29 I Am a Fool By Jonathon Roberts ​ Credits: Musicians: Jonathon Roberts: voice, piano, FX; Emily Clare Zempel: voice, clarinet, bassoon Artist Location: New York City Curated by: Jonathon 2010 ​ ​ ​ Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ This song and sound design sets our adaptation of some of the Apostle Paul's dynamic writings to the Corinthians. Paul is all over the place using sarcasm, graphic imagery, humor and frustration to get his point across. I love it. Here is an excerpt from the original text: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that! Credits: The “Train Whistle” sound was made by combining and manipulating Truck and Train samples from Freesound.org by users euroblues and daveincamas. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ J onathon Roberts is a composer and sound designer for games, film, theatre, and ensembles. His style grew out of classical and jazz training, and evolved through quality life adventures: touring the country in an RV with a one person theater piece on the Apostle Paul, living in Brooklyn with an improv music ensemble, performing in a downtown NYC absurdist comedy band, and a long stint writing music for the renowned slot machine company, High 5 Games. He has released four albums including the latest, Cities a song cycle personifying biblical cities. He created the popular podcast/web series ComposerDad Vs. Bible , in which ComposerDad accepts intense compositional challenges from a mysterious Bible while out with his kids. He frequently collaborates on music and theater projects with his wife, actor Emily Clare Zempel. They live in Beacon, NY, with their two boys and a tangled box of electrical cords. www.jonathonroberts.com Website Jonathon Roberts About the Artist Loving Arms I Make Tents The Sower Response There Is Room These are My Sons Consider Me a Partner Weakness The Day Is Almost Here Surrogate Babbler Remember Me Prayer How Beautiful The Constant Ecclesiastes Cows Blessing Fools for Christ More Than Rubies Only a Few Years Will Pass Dear Friend Jonathon Roberts Other Works By I Am a Fool It’s no wonder for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light It’s not surprising then, that all of his friends are dressed up in righteousness O I’m too weak for this It’s no wonder you put up with fools when you are so very wise They slap your face and then boast of your slavery, so too I will join their cries For I am a fool. Please take me as a fool ’cause I am I am a fool, take me as a fool ’cause I am and I’ve no where else to go To my shame I am too weak for this It’s no wonder you follow the first man who pushes his way through the crowd He enslaves your skin, exploiting your name, he boasts to the world out loud So I, too, will boast: I’ve been beaten and stoned, I am bleeding, naked and left for dead, I’m in prison now, I’m shipwrecked and sore, I’m weak but I am proud For I am a fool. Take me as a fool ’cause I am. I am a fool, there’s power in weakness, my strength was never my own. It’s no wonder for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light It’s not surprising then, it’s not surprising then… For I am a fool. Please take me as a fool ’cause I am. I am a fool, slavery is safer than living your life on a bus. To my shame I am too weak for this. Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Responding to Isaiah 5, Lancelot Schaubert's short story causes readers to wrestle with the concept of justice as we identify and distance ourselves from the characters therein. Isaiah 5 Watchtower By Lancelot Schaubert ​ Credits: Background Photo by Jewad Alnabi on Unsplash Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2022 ​ ​ Short Story Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ I wanted this piece to capture the ambiguity of future judgment and even the impermanence of it as all justice through Jesus is restorative and not retributive: a wasteland isn't an abyss, isn't nothing. A wasteland is simply laid fallow. In fact, the Heath is one of the biggest images in England for pre-cultivation, the sort of thing the Spirit might hover over like the primordial chaotic waters of creation. In this respect, even in the judgment of the verse, there's hope: from tilling to tilling to tilling. Sowing to sowing to sowing. Eventually you'll hit harvest, even if it takes a sabbath of sabbaths to fallow and find. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Lancelot has sold work to The New Haven Review (The Institute Library), The Anglican Theological Review, TOR (MacMillan), McSweeney's, The Poet's Market, Writer's Digest, and many, many similar markets. (His favorite, a rather risqué piece, illuminated bankroll management by prison inmates in the World Series Edition of Poker Pro). Publisher's Weekly called his debut novel BELL HAMMERS "a hoot." He has lectured on these at academic conferences, graduate classes, and nerd conventions in Nashville, Portland, Baltimore, Tarrytown, NYC, Joplin, and elsewhere. The Missouri Tourism Bureau, WRKR, Flying Treasure, 9art, The Brooklyn Film Festival, NYC Indie Film Fest, Spiva Center for the Arts, The Institute of the North in Alaska, and the Chicago Museum of Photography have all worked with him as a film producer and director in various capacities. Website Lancelot Schaubert About the Artist Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 3 Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 2 Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 1 Posh Girls As Waters Cover Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert Dragonsmaw Daily | 1 Dragonsmaw Daily | 2 Dragonsmaw Daily | 3 Stripped to the Bonemeal Metaphysical Insurance Claim 0075A: The Delphic Oracle Philadelphia Bloodlines Lancelot Schaubert Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Zeke wanted good grapes. Not the cheap kind we use to make jams or table wine, good grapes. Great wine: the sort you bring out first at a wedding. View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Zeke wanted good grapes. Not the cheap kind we use to make jams or table wine, good grapes. Great wine: the sort you bring out first at a wedding. Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Composer Doug Detrick explores the account of Jonah (from Jonah 1-2 ) as it relates to the great American novel, Moby Dick, with his captivating work for jazz ensemble and narrator. Jonah 1:1-2 Ishmael and the Whale By Douglas Detrick ​ Credits: Performers: Ren Jackson, Narrator; Anywhere Ensemble Venue: Neighborhood Church of Greenwich Village, NYC Artist Location: Portland, Oregon Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2014 ​ ​ ​ Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ I was reading Moby Dick for the first time in 2013. As a joke, I started “live tweeting” my reading of the book, pretending as if it was one of the mass audience events that people usually treat in this way. My Moby Dick tweets started out snarky. “Ok, fine, I’ll call you Ishmael,” I said. But, as I got further into the book, and I started to realize that I was actually processing this book, understanding the details of the writing and getting to know the characters much better than I’m usually able to, especially for such a long work. In Chapter Nine, where Ishmael sits in a chapel on Nantucket and hears Melville’s retelling of the Jonah and the Whale story, I found the bringing together of these two stories really caused a profound collision of values. Jonah’s great humility makes Ahab’s hubris look all the more like naked aggression. Its an amazing foreshadowing of what’s to come in the novel. When I wrote my text, I wanted to bring out the background of both stories, and talk about why they seem to oppose each other so completely using a blend of journalistic techniques and theatrical character development. The narrator walks a fine line between commenting on the story as an investigator, and as a character from the story. The music works almost like another character, sometimes supporting the narrator, sometimes contradicting him, always amplifying the speaker’s wonder at the depth of intersecting meanings in this collision of stories. I want to offer sincere thanks to Spark and Echo for this opportunity, for their help in producing the premier performance, and for welcoming a non-Christian artist like me to participate in their project; to Ren Jackson for his great work with the text; to the musicians of AnyWhen Ensemble for their continued assistance in executing my diabolic plots; to Keith Biesack of ITGLOWSNYC for donating that amazing wine at the performance; and to Kirk Van der Swaagh of the Neighborhood Church of Greenwich Village for offering the use of their wonderful space in Greenwich Village. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Douglas Detrick is a Portland, Oregon-based composer, trumpet player, and arts consultant whose work in these diverse areas is distinguished by its quiet thoughtfulness and its embrace of good ideas from unconventional sources. He was awarded the 2011 Chamber Music America New Jazz Works and Presenting Jazz grants for his work with his chamber-jazz quintet Douglas Detrick’s AnyWhen Ensemble, and the commissioned work “The Bright and Rushing World” was premiered at New York’s Jazz Gallery in 2012 and performed throughout the United States. He is currently the Executive Director of the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, and performs in Oregon as well as touring nationally with AnyWhen Ensemble. As an arts consultant to individual artists and arts organizations, he helps to clarify goals and define strategies for achieving them through fundraising, program design, marketing, WordPress websites, and career coaching. douglasdetrick.com anywhenensemble.com Website Douglas Detrick About the Artist Douglas Detrick Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

The Rejoicing of Obedience The Ruin of Idolatry Loading Video . . . Visual artist Nicora Gangi explores behavior and outcome in this diptych responding to two juxtaposing passages in 2 Chronicles (vv 7:10; 22:4). 2 Chronicles 22:4 2 Chronicles 7:10 The Body without the Spirit | 2 By Nicora Gangi ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2021 11 x 14 inches Paper and digital collage Mixed Media Collage Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ About “The Rejoicing of Obedience” (from 2 Chronicles 7:10) Then on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their tents rejoicing and happy of heart because of the goodness that the Lord had shown to David and to Solomon and to His people Israel. The whole congregation expressed the greatest joy and satisfaction imaginable. They kept the feast of the dedication of the altar, then the day of atonement, and finally, the feast of tabernacles. We must never begrudge the length of hours, days or even weeks we spend in the worship of God and communion with Him. For the joy and happiness of heart will so far outweigh any length of it. About “The Ruin of Idolatry” (from 2 Chronicles 22:4) Ahaziah was 42 years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. [...] He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord like the house of Ahab… (2 Chronicles 22:2a, 3-4a, NASB 1977) A repetitive statement in II Chronicles is: “He did evil in the sight of the Lord.” These kings debased and destroyed themselves because they kept close to the kinds of idolatry, lewdness and sensuality, which the God of Israel strictly forbade. Forsaking the divine guidance that was theirs through the good and famous priests and Levites who taught the knowledge of God in David’s life time, they listened to the counsels of their relations, becoming a ruin to the nation of Israel. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Nicora Gangi was educated at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA (BFA 1974 and MFA 1976). She was a Professor of Art at Syracuse University for 29 years. Gangi has been awarded many Grand Prize and First Place awards and grants. She has been and continues to be published in numerous artist’s books on pastel paintings. She has lectured regionally and nationally as a visiting artist at universities and artist’s guilds. She is represented by: Edgewood Gallery (Syracuse, NY), and Gangi Studio (Winter Garden, FL ). Website Nicora Gangi About the Artist The Mountain of the House of The Lord I See Him but Not Now So Shall Your Descendants Be This One The Body without the Spirit | 1 The Body without the Spirit | 3 The Sealed Ones Peace with God The Everlasting Protective Love of God Our Father When the Lord Gives Us The Land I See Him but Not Now The Mountain of the House of The Lord Paneled and Ruins Series The Harvest Spirit of God-The Spirit Hovering Memories Lies Fool Dance Your Truth from the Great Congregation Psalm 18 Sound of Their Wings Psalm 16 Kiss the Son EAST, WEST, NORTH & SOUTH AT HIS TABLE Nicora Gangi Other Works By View the other two posts in this collection at: The Body without the Spirit | 1 The Body without the Spirit | 3 Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Poet Chauncey Beaty explores the complexity of the Apostle Peter in this beautiful poem responding to 2 Peter 1:3-10. You can also listen to Chauncey read "The Recipe (or Peter's Pantoum)" as spoken word. 2 Peter 1:3-10 The Recipe (or Peter's Pantoum) By Chauncey Beaty ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Marlanda Dekine 2018 ​ ​ Poetry + Spoken Word Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ In preparation for this poem I read a great majority of the New Testament, listened to sermons on the scripture, and dug into the life of Peter. I resonate deeply with Peter. I can only imagine what it was like for him to experience first-hand the depth of Christ's love, mercy, trust, and hope despite the flaws, failures, and shortcomings of his humanity. What kept coming up for me as I was writing is: What would I do if God gave me the keys to heaven, trusted me with the honor of sharing His coming with the world, asked me to be the caretaker of His children, and also told me that I would soon be persecuted and killed? This is what Peter offered to us under those circumstances — a way to never be outside of the presence of God. Similar to the Lord's Prayer, where we are given the instructions "This, then, is how you should pray," 2 Peter 1:3-10 is an instruction that should be committed to memory. Peter is the man Jesus allowed to walk on water with Him. Peter is also the man who legs sink down into the ocean due to fear and doubt. I would argue that more than any other human on Earth, Peter understands what it takes for a human to "stay above water" in a state of confidence in God no matter the circumstance. A pantoum offers me as the writer an opportunity to continuously repeat Peter's instructions and the space for me to explain the gravity of Peter getting this message to us 2000 years later. I wanted to write a poem that would add to the legacy of Peter's efforts. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Chauncey Beaty : THE HEART WORKER™ Chauncey Beaty is an award-winning poet, TEDx speaker, certified life coach, and master facilitator. She is most known for her ability to do transformational “heart work,” — creating safe space, training, and speaking on topics that are generally difficult to discuss (such as HIV/AIDS, dating violence, mental health and wellness, healing, and difference and diversity). As a speaker and facilitator, she is captivating and easily connects with her audience by using a winning blend of humor, keen insight, and her unbeatable personality. Chauncey is a two-time international poetry slam finalist, ranking the 3rd best female slam poet in the world in 2010 by Poetry Slam, Inc. She is a proud ambassador for the Greater Than AIDS (GTA) campaign, a movement sponsored by the Kaiser Foundation aimed to elevate the public’s knowledge and understanding of HIV/AIDS. She has been featured in GTA commercials on NBC, CBS, Fox, Google TV, and its affiliate broadcast stations. As a GTA Ambassador, Chauncey has been a keynote speaker and performer at colleges around the country in partnership with the Black AIDS Institute's HIV testing initiatives. Chauncey’s image is used in print-ads and on billboards across the country with the slogans “My life is worth protecting” and “Speak up for yourself.” Chauncey was the first poet invited as a guest teacher to R&B singer Usher Raymond’s Camp New Look. She was one of three teaching artist invited to China to teach poetry in the Summer of 2011. Chauncey was a guest on the Michael Eric Dyson Show, interviewed by actress Mo'Nique on Clear Channel Communications, and featured as the centerfold ad in Heart and Soul Magazine for February 2011 edition and in Essence Magazine’s July 2012 edition with Barak Obama on the cover. Also, she was one of the featured artists on season one of the TV One’s hit show, Verses and Flow. Host Hill Harper compared her to poet, scholar, and activist, Nikki Giovanni. She is the founder and facilitator of the annual READY WOMAN RETREAT. Chauncey earned a Bachelor of Arts from Winthrop University in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Humanities (African American and African Studies) from The Ohio State University. The Life Purpose Institute, in San Diego, California, certified her as a Life, Life Purpose, and Career Coach. She is a TEDx speaker and a graduate of numerous leadership, organizational development, and diversity training programs. Chauncey is member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and a native of Greenville, South Carolina. Links: TEDx TALK, “Daughtering” • Greater Than AIDS • Verses & Flow Website Chauncey Beaty About the Artist Chauncey Beaty Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art You would know why a dying man’s last words are a recipe for walking if you have ever tasted the sour of a fall View Full Written Work The Recipe (or Peter’s Pantoum) By Chauncey Beaty You would know why a dying man’s last words are a recipe for walking if you have ever tasted the sour of a fall It is a divine invitation to partake in the nature of God A dying man’s last words are a recipe for walking Here is the recipe: It is a divine invitation to partake in the nature of God This is how you will never stumble Here is the recipe: To faith add goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love This is how you will never stumble God is merciful To faith add goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love If you have ever tasted the sour of a fall God is merciful You would know why Close Loading Video . . . You would know why a dying man’s last words are a recipe for walking if you have ever tasted the sour of a fall Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Poet and songwriter Rebekah Sankey delves into matters of satisfaction and spiritual fulfillment in the form of a seven course poem in response to the theme of "meals" and Psalm 145. Psalms 145 A Prayer (in courses) By Rebekah Sankey ​ Credits: Artist Location: New Jersey Curated by: Vesper Stamper 2014 ​ ​ Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ As a poet and singer-songwriter, I have been drawn to the Psalms for obvious reasons. There are so many beautiful translations, but I've always imagined something I don't want to miss is lost in the transfer between languages. I've started turning bits of Psalms into poems focused on the images and connotations of the original Hebrew words and their roots. The experience is spiritually transformative. My personal favorite is the violence surrounding "praise," whose roots include the image of throwing stones or shooting arrows in a particular direction. How reassuring to know the violence I have felt while leading corporate worship is inherent in the action of praise itself. So, when presented the theme of meals, the Psalms, which are satisfying to me, were the table I sat down at. I chose Psalm 145 for its expression of God's deep joy to "satisfy the desire of every living thing" and Creation's response to the provision of "meat in due season." Rather than divide the call and response of the poem into the respective verses of the chapter, I consider the sections of the poem as seven (for perfection's sake) courses of a meal. The italicized stanzas are a heart's response to the paraphrased, image-based versions of verses 10 through 21 on the right alignment. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Rebekah Sankey graduated from The College of New Jersey with a BS in Education and English. She received her MFA in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College, where she served as director for the Sarah Lawrence College Poetry Festival. Currently, Rebekah teaches English, humanities, and Bible courses at Eastern Christian High School in northern New Jersey. Weekly, she leads worship at a variety of churches, houses of prayer, and gatherings. Website Rebekah Sankey About the Artist Rebekah Sankey Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art drone of day unbridled hunger space between food and water we: your celebrated View Full Written Work A Prayer (in courses) by Rebekah Sankey after Psalm 145 1 drone of day unbridled hunger space between food and water we: your celebrated labor, art of your undertaking, your needlework our lips so quick to close over what we put in take-and-keep consumption we cast this confession of praise on you, archery of the kneeling. 2 open to air praise we cannot keep ourselves You're a precious heaviness we bring to light with our mouths, our tongues set your strengths in rows beams of speech a feast we feed each other so men discover them, so we see swelling majesty. 3 Long-time-hidden, unseen- beginning circle: you go around again, again, again; every generation is your home. all crave a place at your table You are, so we lean, braced against the our famine-bodies bowed by souls hunger bore holes through. 4 weight of worry work world we weary of strive but From fountains of faces, hope flows toward you. You give what we consume, feed us a meal we can be made of forever. Loose your mouth hand lead us in on time's axle, monument to your own strength. your own son, own spirit, at the table of your own counsel So satisfied, every appetite alive delights! 5 You are, so every journey is straight, all you make you chose for kindness' sake. You are, so you leave short space between us, we call in confidence meal that makes us more than, means we eat again again Make this satisfaction certain, hear clear as music you can understand this wide cry that can 't find word; save us, make us spacious. 6 You are, so you tend us, a garden, we branch out anywhere you breathe, green delight we shoot toward you. oh to grow, food for friends, lush lives given 7 My mouth's portion is: promise of bright praise, a light setting your light in order. radiance of sun on leaf and limb what leads the living in Even the body bends to bless your Name, that feast we celebrate for time so long the end is hidden, and as long as until then. Close Loading Video . . . drone of day unbridled hunger space between food and water we: your celebrated Download Full Written Work

smiracle-4th-3.jpg Loading Video . . . Responding to Ecclesiastes 1:8-18; 2:17-26; 3:11; 6:7-12; 8:6-17, 2016 Artist in Residence Stephanie Miracle chronicles the unfolding of her project's final performance for a beautifully unexpected audience. Ecclesiastes 1:8-18 Ecclesiastes 2:17-26 Ecclesiastes 3:11 Ecclesiastes 6:7-12 Ecclesiastes 8:6-17 Artist in Residence 2016: Stephanie Miracle By Stephanie Miracle ​ Credits: Title: “3, 2, 1, the future.” Photos by Dominque Chabot Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2016 2016 ​ ​ Dance Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person may be weighed down by misery. Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come? As no one has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has power over the time of their death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it. (Ecclesiastes 8:6-8) It was November 26. A typical monochromatic winter afternoon in Germany, drizzling rain and unpleasantly cold. Huddled together waiting for the bus I stood with my group of ten performers hailing from France, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Germany, and Italy. The city bus arrived. We piled and were transported further away from the city into the winding country side of horse pastures and mustard fields. On our journey we exchanged nervous, excited questions about the place we were going and the people we were to meet. Our destination was a newly constructed refugee welcome center just 20 minutes up the hill from us. It was designed to temporarily house up to 700 refugees before placing them in permanent residential units across various cities all over Germany. Our invitation was to to present was a kind of "welcome" and "here is something to enjoy while you wait" performance. I had been asked to create a piece of choreography for this event back in October when I was contemplating my final post for this Spark and Echo residency. Originally I had set a goal of making two dance films based on the selected passages from Ecclesiastes. One was to be a solo and the other a Fakers Club performance in a public space. My 2nd and 3rd posts are variations on these ideas but for my final posting I no longer felt compelled to push in this initial direction. When the opportunity to create something for the refugee camp arose I decided to shift my focus in this direction for the final posting. Working with the last passage from my selection of Ecclesiastes 8:6-17, I took inspiration from ideas of time, future, power, meaninglessness, misery, seeing, wisdom, understanding, what is fair and unfair, and joy. We arrived at the complex of building several hours before the schedule performance. First step was to get through security. The refugee building was under very strong protection and entrance required a criminal background check plus lots of paperwork. Patience was difficult to muster with so much anticipation surrounding the event. Once cleared we wound our way through a network of buildings to the enormous mess hall characterized by a shiny, stainless steel industrial kitchen and hundreds of pine tables, chairs and matching plywood walls. We cleared an area of the space to create a makeshift stage. Families with young children, men young and old trickled in and shuffled around to find a seat they liked. The performers also found a seat in the "audience" area. All together about 200 people waited in silence, staring at an empty space. Photo from "3, 2, 1, the future." And then orchestral music begins to swell. One by one the performers stand up on their chairs among the audience. The performers call out each other's names and begin pass a glowing blue ball above the audience. The music shifts to Afro-Funk and a wild game of toss explodes. The children go nuts. Seamlessly the ball disappears but the game continues and intensifies with an invisible ball. The performers jump and tumble all through the space, catching and passing the imaginary ball. The music stops everyone freezes. The performers slowly and quietly return to their chairs. The audience is trying to contain the giddiness the sport just stirred up. Two girls begin to whisper to each other across the room. They crawl out of their chairs and meet. The other performers come to find them and carry the two girls overhead. As their conversation continues they are floated above audience heads. A new person is picked up and transported through the space as the discussion continues. The group congregates and bodies assemble together to form a house like structure. One girl explores the house as a thunderstorm soundtrack plays in the background. The house of bodies collapses around her. Out of the rubble it rises again and lifts her up on its shoulders. She find pulls out a small bottle in her pocket, looks at it carefully and begins to blow the bubbles through the air. The children gasp with glee. The performers reach out to gently catch the bubbles and they transform into glass marbles. The clunk of marbles hitting the floor relates the silent burst of a thin soapy sphere. One man begins to collect all the marbles one by one. Momentarily halting the play. Who gets to have the marbles? For a tiny moment time is suspended. The man with the marbles looks around and begins to place one in the hands of audience members. The performers return to their seats and dance miniatures dances with the marble. So small they are only intended for people sitting closest to them. The music quiets and everything returns to stillness. Long after the performance the young and old continue to roll the small marble gifted to them through their fingers. Photo from "3, 2, 1, the future." I have almost no documentation of this final project in the series. The reason being security measures meant that video was completely prohibited and only few people were authorized to take photos. Although we have more photos available we are not allowed to use them because the faces of the audience are recognizable. Because most of our performance was intended to be in, among, and through the audience nearly all of our photos have faces of refugees in them. The photos I am posting here are permissible for use. Like all time-based performances, this piece disappeared almost instantly after it emerged. What lingered were only the smiles and beaming eyes. A feeling of joy hovered. It is hard for me to discuss dances in verbal language because I am more interested in visceral and emotional gut reactions. This is why I was drawn to the passages of Ecclesiastes originally. Because I feel the writers ideas through his language. I feel his frustration and confusion and joy and release. The writing is circular and moving around. Not landing on a final answer. It attempts comprehension but finds that it can't. It can't understand. I feels disappointing, absurd and hopeless. Yet in the end it feel that the writer focuses on joy. While studying this final passage in my Spark and Echo series I was reminded of another verse in scripture. "At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do." ( Luke 10:21 ) Photo from "3, 2, 1, the future." After our small performance vanished it was the laughter of the children that remained. And at the end of my year long residency it is the joyful promise that what is hidden and confused and darkened will be revealed to little children that remains with me. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Stephanie Miracle is an American born independent choreographer and performer currently based in Essen, Germany with her husband visual artist Jimmy Miracle. She earned her MFA in Dance at the University of Maryland and a BA in Dance from Belhaven University. She is also a teacher of Klein Technique™ and holds prestigious honor of being a 2014/15 German Fulbright Fellow in the Performing Arts. In 2015 she joined as a full-time dancer with the Folkwang Tanzstudio/FTS. In addition to performing with the company she often works in collaboration with Henrietta Horn (DE), Carla Jordao (PT), Ana Farfan (MX), Paola Ponti, (IT) and Anna Shchkleina (RU). She is the director of Fakers Club, a site-specific performance experiment based on film and serial television. Stephanie's choreography has been described as “iconic and nuanced…with an irreverence that makes you smile unconsciously”(Rick Westerkamp, 2014). Often in vivid technicolor, Miracle’s works are crafted with a cinematic sensibility and follow subtle narrative threads. In addition to creating choreographies for traditional proscenium theaters her unique aesthetic finds special significance in common spaces for example, parking lots, bus stops, woman's prisons, hallways, staircases, and rooftops. in Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Russia, New York City, and Washington DC by various institutions including MetLife Foundation, Exchange Festival, Dance Place, Supernoval Festival, Open Look Festival, Performatica, Belhaven University, ES WIRD SOGAR SCHÖN, Barnes Crossing, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. Other awards include the Smith Scholarship Grant to attend ImPulsTanz in 2012, dance artist-in-residence at OMI International Residency 2012, DC Innovation grant in 2013, Bates Dance Festival Merit Scholarship 2013, Goldhaber Travel Scholarship 2014, and NextNOW new work grant 2014. Her collaborative piece “Drafting Plan” was awarded Best Duo at Barnes Crossing Festival 2015 in Cologne and at the 2016 SzoloDuo Festival in Budapest. She is honored to be a 2016 Artist in Residence at Spark and Echo Arts. Website Stephanie Miracle About the Artist Artist in Residence 2016: Stephanie Miracle Part 1 Artist in Residence 2016: Stephanie Miracle Part 2 Artist in Residence 2016: Stephanie Miracle Part 3 Treasure Heart Stephanie Miracle Other Works By Follow the developmental journey of Stephanie's project by reading her first , second , and third post as a 2016 Artist in Residence. Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work