462 items found for ""
- A New Language
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
- John 15:20
oswell-h-john-14.20.jpg Loading Video . . . This visual reflection by poet-turned-painter Hayle "CP" (Celestial Poet) Oswell considers the role of humanity in both instigating and enduring persecution. John 15:20 John 15:20 By Hayle "CP" Oswell Credits: Curated by: Davelyn Hill 2021 10 x 20 inches Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link John 15:20 is a verse that I carry with me daily—literally. It is tattooed on my arm and reminds me to walk in faith no matter what people say. The project reflects the way Christ dies on the cross while those who followed Him and loved Him stood by and watched. Not only that, but it speaks to how those who said they believed in Him turned their backs on Him, stated He was doing the devil's work, He was not the Son of God, was pushed out of His city, and persecuted in spite of all of the miracles, wonders, teaching and feeding He had done. He was the Son of God without sin and yet, He was treated less than a man or even an animal. He was talked about in the most negative ways even though He came to save everyone—even those who persecuted, beat, and "murdered" Him. The painting depicts a priest who went against Jesus, and under it exclaims the different mean/hurtful things those of the world (and sometimes in the church) say to people. Here specifically it calls out some words, phrases, and different social media platforms that are used to tear down people. It includes symbols of organizations who proclaimed they loved Christ but did not fulfill the work of Jesus. As Christ explained, if "they" persecuted me, "they" will persecute you also. People around the world of different backgrounds, economic statuses, weight, ethnicities, that are followers of Christ are depicted at the bottom of the portrait carrying the heart of Christ. He shines down on the world and enters the hearts of those who welcome Him. The portrait shows even when Christ's followers have an abundance of hate being thrown at them they carry the fruit of the spirit to withstand it and show they are in the world but not of it. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Celestial Poet , also known as CP, is a resident of Greenville, S.C. CP speaks softly but her words are loud and heavy with deep meaning and personal triumphs. Inspired by Maya Angelou, CP writes about anything that bothers, or touches, her heart. She recently began expanding her creative endeavors to include logo design and painting. Celestial Poet influences and coaches poets with her self-developed “LMNOP Writing Workshops” through CPPoetry.com . In these workshops, she pushes her students out of their comfort zones to teach them how to write from their hearts, learn the power of their voice, how to deal with stress, perform with passion, and communicate effectively. CP has grown to be a great leader in her community by teaching the youth the power of Spoken-Word working with students ages 6 to 86 and who come from a kaleidoscope of backgrounds. She has taught at the YMCA as a teen counselor, worked as the 3rd through 6th-grade counselor, and worked as a full-time substitute throughout Greenville County School district. She currently works with Writer’s Well Youth Fellowship , a program through Speaking Down Barriers , founded and created by Crystal Tenille Irby, mentoring young black teen girls how to be their authentic selves through the art of poetry and is also a co-founder of #FreeUpstatePoetry where she works alongside Jason "Max Lit" Franklin to bring a judgment-free artistic venue to the upstate every other Friday at 8 pm via FreeUpstatePoetry.com . Website Hayle "CP" Oswell About the Artist Hayle "CP" Oswell Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work
- Artist in Residence 2015: Spark & Echo Band
Loading Video . . . The Spark & Echo Band presents their latest development on their 2015 Artist in Residence work: "Cities Project," a song cycle personifying biblical cities from Joshua 6; Ezekiel 16:4-42, 59-63; Micah 5:2; Acts 18:19-21; 19:8-12, 20:16-24; Ephesians 1:1-2, 1:15-17, 6:23-24; Hebrews 13:14; Revelation 2:4; 21; 22:1-5. Ezekiel 16:4-42 Joshua 6 Artist in Residence 2015: Spark & Echo Band By The Spark & Echo Band Credits: Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2015 2015 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link We are proud to announce the release of Cities , a five-song cycle personifying biblical cities. Each track responds to a specific city in the Bible–Bethlehem, Ephesus, Jerusalem, Jericho, and the “New City” as described in Revelation. They are inspired by specific passages that personify–Bethlehem being told in the book of Micah that “though you are small, out of you will come a great ruler”, and Jerusalem in Ezekiel 16 described as an adulterous wife, for example. It was composed by Spark+Echo Arts founder Jonathon Roberts, in collaboration with co-founder Emily Clare Zempel, and involved several other musicians who have participated in this project. It was developed in part during a 2015 residency with Spark+Echo Arts. You can listen to the entire album and also purchase the album here . 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 Take to Heart The Wheels 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
- Hope in God
Tsuboi Copy Loading Video . . . In this fabulous work Japanese Kiri-e artist Gen Tsuboi responds to Lamentations 3:55-56. Lamentations 3:55-56 Hope in God By Gen Tsuboi Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts, Selected from Artist Submissions 2015 20″x32″ Kent cartridge paper Primary Scripture I called on your name, Yahweh, out of the lowest dungeon. You heard my voice: “Don’t hide your ear from my sighing, and my cry.” Lamentations 3:55-56 Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link We often lose hope because of various trials. On such occasions, it feels like we are thrown into a place surrounded by utter black walls that give us an illusion of hopelessness. But if we know that God helps us without fail, our despair turns into eternal hope. Since we have learned the idea of the value of God’s kingdom, we become liberated from the idea of the values of the human world, and come to believe that God does not ignore us no matter how hard we suffer from painful situations. People who obey God are never left alone. The passage in Lamentations arouses in my imagination a scene of a person who looks straight up to God from a deep pit. He stands on his toes and raises his hands towards Him, confessing his need for His help and for His love. The persons in the small, dark places on either side of the central figure of the man in the pit represent the man in times past – both good and bad – when he did not relate to God. The swirling parts represent the flow of time. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection "I have created kiri-e based on themes mostly drawn from the New Testament as my life’s work after my retirement ten years ago. I want my work to convey the gospel to the world. I’ve exhibited my works three times in Canada and twice in Japan. Some of my works are in churches in both Japan and Canada. In the future, I hope to produce Christmas cards, New Year’s cards, and calendars." - Gen Tsuboi, 2015 Website Gen Tsuboi About the Artist Gen Tsuboi Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work
- Happiness is God
Loading Video . . . Ryan Pendell's work, Happiness is God, restructures biblical text into a powerful response to the theme of "destruction" and Lamentations 3:1-18. Lamentations 3:1-18 Happiness is God By Ryan Pendell Credits: Artist Location: Omaha, Nebraska Curated by: Self-submitted 2014 Film, poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link My theme is destruction. I selected a passage from Lamentations, in which the author weeps for the ruin of Jerusalem–yet with some hope (or at least faithfulness). I took the text and destroyed it. I cut it up into pieces. Then I tried to figure out what could come out of it. The poem exists in a liminal space; it hardly exists at all. I think of the Biblical text as a kind of environment that this text lives in, like an animal, an ecological niche, an endangered species. Like a lion alone. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Ryan Pendell received in his MFA in Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2009. His poetry has appeared in literary journals nationwide. He is the managing editor of Silicon Prairie News and was an editor for the Sundance Film Festival in 2014. He lives in Omaha, Nebraska. Website Ryan Pendell About the Artist Ryan Pendell Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work
- You Saw Me
Loading Video . . . Acclaimed singer/songwriter Mara Measor explores the theme of "Dancing" from 1 Chronicles 15 in this work. 1 Chronicles 15 You Saw Me By Mara Measor Credits: Written, Composed, Performed by Mara Measor Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2013 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Through my songs, I seek to gently transport people from where they are to where they might not have been before. Places of introspection, provocation, memory; places accessible only through melodies. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Born and raised in Hong Kong, Mara Measor is half-British and half-Chinese but you wouldn’t guess it when you hear her. After high-school she spent a year working and singing in Ethiopia and now performs as an indie singer-songwriter in NYC. She was featured as “One to Watch” in Audrey Magazine, and her bilingual song “I want to Love You” recorded live on a Hong Kong TV Channel RTHK was shortly selected as a Best of the Year performance in 2012. She has played in NYC venues including Joe’s Pub, the Bitter End, Caffe Vivaldi and the Museum of Chinese in America. She has also sang in Shanghai and South Korea. Mara graduated with an acting degree from NYU Tisch. She has appeared on TV (Blue Bloods, CBS), off-Broadway shows and starred in numerous independent films. She is currently a recording artist at Good Mood Records, where she works in collaboration with Emmy-Award winning producer and composer Jamie Lawrence. Her debut album “Mara” was released August 2013. www.marameasor.com Instagram: instagram.com/marameasor Website Mara Measor About the Artist Weight of the Dark Mara Measor Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work
- Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 1
Loading Video . . . I think we are all familiar with the plight of Job and God’s terrifying responding questions of Job’s understanding. For me, this passage provides such a revealing of God’s mystery. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Job 38 Job 39 Job 40 Job 41 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 1 By Elias Popa Credits: Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2018 2018 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link March 12, 2018 I think we are all familiar with the plight of Job and God’s terrifying responding questions of Job’s understanding. For me, this passage provides such a revealing of God’s mystery. When reading those scriptures, I always feel like God lets us in on a small fraction of his complex and labyrinth-like heart. It’s uncomfortably narrow and sometimes violent. Wild. Frightening. Claustrophobic. But as we follow through this squeezing, we resign to the terrible holiness of God. That done, we find that upon passing through these narrow passages, God leads us to the Centre of His heart which is wider, more encompassing and peaceful than the entire universe. VIEW: Project Proposal Mock Up for Spark+Echo Arts It is by passing through this ‘tightness of fitting’ that our perspective of the world changes to one of radical sameness. Although nothing has changed in that we are still very much in our current circumstances, the world is made new—revealed as filled with unceasing opportunities. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Elias Popa was born April 7, 1987 to Romanian immigrants in California. After traveling between his home in Romania and throughout the United States, he continued his travels into his adulthood by moving to China, traveling Southeast Asia, South America and working with refugees. During his travels around the world, his worldview in art was deeply impacted. “My art expresses the struggle of identity and hope, worship and expressions of life. It explores common world views and challenges them. My work shines a light on the temporal solutions we put in place to replace what we really need deep inside”. As an installation artist, Elias uses conventional materials such as paper, wire, thread, and clothing to evoke a deeper understanding about social structures. His aim is to solidify abstract ideas about the nuances that make up sociological structures. By doing so, he retrains the eye to build a visual literacy again and treats the art as a fundamental language. He also studied dark room photography for 10 years, as well as writes poetry. Through his art, Elias started The Human Rights Network, a non for profit organization aimed at “telling stories that change lives.” The organization aims to build narratives through art that can impact social issues and generate activism. He currently works as a curator and manager of the esteemed Waterfall Mansion and Gallery on the Upper East Side, as well as the founder of the Human Rights Network. He resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan where he works out of his home. He was the recipient of CFW’s artist vocational intensive, held at Princeton University. He also was selected on an Interfaith and Arts Panel at Columbia University, as well as regular participates in speaking engagements. Website Elias Popa About the Artist Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 2 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 3 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa The Art of Kintsugi and Sacrifices in Sidewalks Elias Popa Other Works By Follow the development of Elias' project by reading his second , third and final posts written as 2018 Artist in Residence. Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work
- Artist in Residence 2016: Stephanie Miracle
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
- Ishmael and the Whale
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
- Strange and Stranger Within the Gate
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 The servant who was set over the reapers answered, “It is the Moabite lady who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab. She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came, and has continued even from the morning until now, except that she rested a little in the house.” Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go to glean in another field, and don’t go from here, but stay here close to my maidens. Ruth 2:6-8 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
- Bloodlines
Loading Video . . . Writer Lancelot Schaubert explores the meaning of words and translations in this poem responding to Mark 6:3. Mark 6:3 Bloodlines By Lancelot Schaubert Credits: Photo Credit by Lukas Tennie on Unsplash Curated by: Rebecca Testrake 2023 Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link These three pieces work in tandem. They're meant as a running commentary on (1) the sorts of people who are close to us who reject the work of the miraculous in our lives and through our lives, (2) the kinds of silly exegetical traditions that exist as little more than a prop for church splits, (3) the metaphysical absurdity of the miraculous as the miraculous, when it happens, (4) a call to see James as a miracle worker in his own right, a cousin, and someone who would have been as baffled as anyone else — though joyful — in the presence of the miraculous. Sometimes the "sons of Thunder" stuff becomes such a focus, I wanted to focus on something else for St. James. To see the other pieces from Lancelot, click the links below: Philadelphia Metaphysical Insurance Claim 0075A: The Delphic Oracle 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 Watchtower Stripped to the Bonemeal Metaphysical Insurance Claim 0075A: The Delphic Oracle Philadelphia Lancelot Schaubert Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Around a certain cousin titled James There is a dampened smoldering of fames. For those in shires who share ancestral wombs View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Around a certain cousin titled James There is a dampened smoldering of fames. For those in shires who share ancestral wombs Download Full Written Work
- Romans 12:9-13
David Chang Romans 129 132 Loading Video . . . We are excited to present a work by calligraphy-influenced artist, David Chang, responding to Romans 12:9-13. Romans 12:9-13 Romans 12:9-13 By David Chang Credits: Curated by: Ebitenyefa Baralaye 2012 17 x 22 inches Ruling pen, Ink and Gouache Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Based on the topic of friend and community, I found that Romans 12:9-13 really spoke to me; verse 13 in particular. For the creation of the piece, I took impressions from a community center where I was having a show. This served as my foundation. The calligraphy is derived from the textures that appear from the impression. I gradually build up the layers, weaving letter forms and paying attention to composition. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection The art of David Chang is a sustained exploration into the significance and meaning of words and texts as embodied through physical gestures. Centuries-old eastern techniques in calligraphy find new form in the western alphabet as the artist shapes his own hermeneutics of the hand. The artist’s brushwork, vacillating between traditional scripts and contemporary abstraction, issues statements of personal, cultural, and spiritual awareness, while it also retains an autonomous formal beauty full of urgency and grace. Website David Chang About the Artist David Chang Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work