Loading Video . . . Singer Ileana Santamaría wrote a poem that she then brought to musician Raffi Dimoian to produce this intimate spoken word piece imagining Eve's response to Adam from Genesis 2:21-24. Genesis 2:21-24 Eve's Song By Ileana Santamaría + Raffi Dimoian Credits: Written by Ileana Santamaría Composition and Piano by Raffi Dimoian Vocals: Ileana Santamaría Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2017 Spoken Word Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This piece, “Adam! (Eve’s song)”, came about as a response to Genesis 2:21-24 and to the beautiful idea of a helpmeet* – Ezer in the Ancient Hebrew, a helper suitable for man, a companion on this Earth that was given first to him and then to her and their progeny. In a way, it was also a response to the deeply moving response to the same passage conceived by Spark and Echo in their first album. Titled “Flesh”, that work – in itself Adam’s response to this wondrous creature made from and for him, marked by an exuberant, childlike joy and excitement in showing her around the garden and declaring giddily, ‘I was waiting, I was waiting for you’, made quite an impression on me. Recently I was reminded of that fascination with the idea of Eve after reading a blurb from Christian author Gary Thomas’ book Cherish , in which he espouses the notion of Eve being the only woman on Earth as a guideline for men struggling with temptation, calling on them to cherish their wives (hence the title) as the sole woman on Earth, the precious gem crafted for and given especially to them. The seedling of an idea was thus born and lay dormant in me until recently, namely, that of responding to this Scripture by assuming Eve’s voice as she responds to Adam about her calling from and to his side and their calling together. Raffi has been a perfect collaborator for this piece, helping me flesh it out from its bare-bones poem form and suggesting verbal markings that brought out both the music in the recitation and the deeper meaning in the words themselves. After that initial interaction with and response to the piece, he then took to the piano and, with each new run-through, engaged my delivery, helping along the shift from monologue set to music to an interplay in the fullest sense — both interactive and playful, words responding to and bouncing off of notes and vice versa. It is our hope and prayer that “Adam! (Eve’s song)” will capture something that will speak to and, in keeping with the spirit and the objective of this wonderful Spark and Echo Arts project, illuminate some aspect of the person of Eve — who and what she was made to be before the Fall, beyond the infamous fruit of the tree she is perennially associated with. The piece aims to tie in that destiny “redeemed, restored”, as one line reads, into the redemption of our humanity in Jesus Christ, and in particular, of the aspect of woman as partner — a femininity that goes way beyond one-dimensional stereotypes back to its true roots in gentle yet fiercely loving strength and capacity to love and serve and to follow our Lord together with man through the hardships of this life. *help·mate ˈhelpˌmāt/Submit a helpful companion or partner, especially one’s husband or wife. Origin: late 17th century (as helpmeet ): from an erroneous reading of Gen. 2:18, 20, where Adam’s future wife is described as “an help meet for him” (i.e., a suitable helper for him). The variant helpmate came into use in the early 18th century. (From Google Dictionary ) Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Ileana Santamaría began the performing artist life as an aspiring Latin singer over a decade ago, embarking on the long journey of fulfilling an aspiration rooted in an eclectic, music-filled childhood. After much meandering, following (mostly unwittingly) where the Lord led, she happened upon a voice teacher that opened up her voice and found beauty in it, a surprise to Ileana, who had long struggled with vocal technique and producing healthy, beautiful sound. While waiting for the surprise of getting to sing, her Heavenly Father bestowed upon her many other gracious gifts — a knack for foreign languages, work in an international organization, friends from many countries and walks of life, and a talent for and enjoyment of crafting spoken word poetry, which Ileana first dabbled in producing and performing in her college years. Today she is privileged and honored to collaborate on this piece with her dear friend Raffi Dimoian ( bio below ), French horn player, pianist, budding spoken word artist and fellow appreciator of wordsmithery and language. Raffi Dimoian set out on his journey to multifaceted, inventive music-making in early childhood; classical piano was his first port of call (and a home base he would return to often) before choosing the French horn as primary instrument in his teens. Drawn to jazz and world music, Raffi came to the United States, the first foreign student to attend the California Institute of the Arts on a full scholarship. The palette of sounds Raffi works with in composing and producing edgy, lyrical tracks is enriched by his fertile aural imagination and his eclectic musical influences, which span the sounds of his Armenian heritage and Bulgarian upbringing as well as his affinity for Middle Eastern microtonal melodies and African rhythms, to name but a few. Raffi is a lifelong language buff and has enjoyed the process of helping create music for a spoken word piece, finding himself inspired to write some of his own spoken word poetry as a result. Website Ileana Santamaría + Raffi Dimoian About the Artist Ileana Santamaría + Raffi Dimoian Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Brooklyn-based stop-motion animator and mixed media artist (painter, sculptor) Jessie Brugger chose Isaiah 59 for this fanciful and macabre exploration of Spark+Echo Arts' 2012 theme "Hands." Molding clay, Jessie inquires of the imagery in the passage, vividly animating the poetry of the ancient prophet's grim language. Isaiah 59 Webs By Jessie Brugger Credits: Curated by: Charis J Carmichael Braun 2012 Film, Stop Motion Animation Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Born into a Catholic family and having a father who was a Catholic priest, I am intrigued with religion and how it takes such a presence in society. There are a lot of unknown's when it comes to Religion; for me, and my work is an exploration into that unknown. The church has been a main influence on my life and work; as it is the first place I understood hierarchy, power struggles and gender injustice, at the same time experiencing beauty, light, and spirituality. I often use the "Carnivalesque" as a vehicle to portray my thoughts and stories. I was interested in the Bible project that Spark and Echo Arts is doing because there were no limits placed on my interpretation of any passage from the Bible. I chose hands as my theme because I believe the Bible is a mixture of Man's hands and spirituality. I chose Isaiah 59 because it was so visually dark and showed how evil man could be, yet somewhere in hands that can do evil, they can also do beauty and goodness too. Hands have always been my favorite thing to draw since I was a child. My hands are my tools. Creating my vision through clay maquettes that I build in order to tell a story, I use the maquettes as a world to draw from, and then animate. The sculptures are raw and imperfect. I am interested in video because of the time element, I am interested in stop-animation because of the freedom of imagination it allows for: each photo that is taken in the process of a stop animation video is a moment in time that is captured, and complete, yet it is part of a bigger picture. My maquettes, paintings, drawings and videos are all part of a bigger world, in which I am creating. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Jessie Brugger was born in Puyallup, Washington. She started her artistic studies of painting, drawing, and mixed media at Western Washington University in 1997. In 2000, she transferred to Concordia University, in Montreal Quebec, receiving her Bachelors of Fine arts in 2002. Jessie moved to Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn in 2005, and in 2010 she completed a Masters of Fine Arts at the New York Academy of Art. She started doing stop animation in 2010 with her drawings, clay, and other mixed materials. The videos that Jessie makes are colorful and whimsical, yet disquieting and socially political. In April 2011, she was awarded “Best in Animation” at the New York International Film Festival for her video, “The Stained Glass Window.” Jessie works on her animations, maquettes, paintings and drawings in Brooklyn, New York. Website Jessie Brugger About the Artist Jessie Brugger Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Img 1660 img_1660.jpg isaiah-43_3.jpg isaiah-43_4.jpg Loading Video . . . This visual work by theater artist Emily Clare Zempel explores the concept of "Beginnings" and Isaiah 43:18-19 which invites us to "Remember not the former things." Isaiah 43:18-19 Rivers in the Desert By Emily Clare Zempel Credits: Artist Location: New York City Curated by: Jonathon + Emily 2012 Digital photography collage Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I felt called to respond to this theme because I have been experiencing a period of beginnings in my life. Most tangibly, my husband Jonathon and I moved to a new apartment in the Bronx. We packed our things, said goodbye to the East Village: to restaurants on every corner, to a shower in our kitchen, and to the three tiny rooms that comprised the first home we shared together. We said hello to an unknown neighborhood in the Bronx, space, empty streets, room to breathe, and new possibilities. With the energy of a fresh start, I made my "New Years Resolutions" in February, a little later than usual. As my body began to unwind from that compact 300 square feet to a spacious 1,000, my mind began to clear, and I began to fill the time and space now given to me by searching for the next step in my professional and creative life. For me, this has involved a lot of theological exploration, discussion, and journalling in my new found subway time. I have also begun to develop new areas of my life, areas that I have always wanted to explore, but that have been put on the back burner due to restraints in time, space, and finances. Physically, I began training for a marathon. I have enjoyed running for several years now, but I am amazed at how the structure of a training program is allowing me to thrive. Combined with my proximity to Central Park, I am ready to be amazed by what the human body can do, and how we can challenge ourselves to use it more fully. Artistically, I am hoping to expand my interests into visual art (mostly drawing and painting) and dance. I know that growing in these areas will feed my artistic spirit and deepen the work I do in both music and theater. Last weekend I was told that there are two deep sources of pain that we as humans habitually cultivate; impatience with other people and everyday worry. Realizing that these two instinctual reactions are a choice that I make has been a powerful factor in this new chapter of my life. Highlighted in this realization is the fact that when I try to control my life, these two monsters are constantly looking over my shoulder. When, in some rare moments, I am able to trust and let go, those monsters lose their hold on me as well. The above pieces are an exploration of my visual sense of newness, creation and beginning. Compiled are photographic elements from a few series of photographs: a perfect witch hazel plant in full bloom, our new apartment stacked full of boxes, and New Years Resolutions scrawled on sticky notes. This series of four photographs explores the struggle between God and myself to create new beginnings. I cloud His purpose with my will, my busyness, and my frantic pace, trying to create my future and force it into submission. Meanwhile, God presents me with this "new thing", which I am only able to see if I let go of my cluttered mind. I found it fitting to explore these themes in a very unfamiliar medium, forcing me to relinquish my control and my ego, and to begin expanding my vision. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Emily Clare Zempel (Spark+Echo Arts Co-Founder) is an actor and musician based in Beacon, NY, who received her MFA from Brooklyn College. Favorite credits include Katherine in Love’s Labour’s Lost at Milwaukee Shakespeare, Ophelia in Hamlet at Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, and Wittenberg at Rep Stage, which was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award. She plays bassoon, ukulele, guitar, clarinet, and other assorted toys in Spark & Echo the Band, has co-created the original play Esther with Jonathon Roberts and Chris Cragin, and has a small obsession with running marathons. Website Emily Clare Zempel About the Artist Bitter Drink Emily Clare Zempel Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Jacob David Pettibone Loading Video . . . We are pleased to present the work of David Pettibone as he explores the theme of "Hands" from the story of Jacob and Esau from Genesis 27:1-17. Genesis 27:1-17 Jacob By David Pettibone Credits: Curated by: Charis J Carmichael Braun 2012 16 x 27 inches Oil on canvas Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I consider myself agnostic and initially had superficial reservations about taking on this project. Yet I have a deep respect for religion and immeasurable appreciation for the good that can come out of faith and tradition. I also have always felt an intense connection and fascination with the iconography of the Catholic Church and would never deny the effects of nearly two thousand years of christianity on an individual, growing up in a western society. My stance on religion, I feel, is important to mention as it hopefully gives the viewer insight into the approach I chose towards making my painting. I was initially drawn to the theme of hands for many reasons. As a painter, I create with my hands. The handcrafted, in the age of speed and overload, is almost a symbol of defiance. To create directly with the hands is to slow the world down and reconnect with all that is physical and sometimes primal. An unmatched level of craftsmanship and much beauty can come directly from the hand. And yet, at the same time, the hand is responsible for so much that is ugly and destructive. The human hand can nourish and save life and it can just as easily, sometimes with more ease, take life away. In Genesis, through his hands, Jacob deceives his own, blind father, Isaac, in order to obtain the birthright that was to be his elder brother's- to rule over his people. And it was those same hands, with which he later wrestled with an angel, thus becoming "Israel", a prince with God and a leader of the Jewish people. I chose the moment of deception as the subject for my painting as it is a moment that expresses the extreme contradictions that the human hand is capable of. Mores specifically, I chose to focus on the hands themselves. As it may look to a dying, elderly man, blinded by age, obscure hands come out from the shadow and are laid down on a blood-red table. Instead of goat skin, I chose lambskin to cover the backs of Jacob's hands. Traditionally, the Bible refers to believers as Lambs of God, and I felt that using lambskin would bridge the identity from Jacob to all people. As all of us are capable of using our hands towards both deception and graciousness. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection David Pettibone is a New York based artist focusing extensively on the medium of oil paint and the portrayal of the contemporary figure. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona and received his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and MFA from the New York Academy of Art. Upon graduating, he stayed on at the New York Academy of Art for one more year as a Fellow. He has taught painting at Brooklyn College and currently teaches drawing and painting at Marymount Manhattan College, 3rd Ward in Brooklyn and Brooklyn Artist Gym. His work is included in various private collections with continuous growing support. Website David Pettibone About the Artist David Pettibone Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Author Lancelot Schaubert offers the final release from his inventive three-part mini-series, presented as a small newspaper in response to a collection of Scripture passages. This section focuses on the theme of "kings" as found in Judges 9:7-21 in addition to a summation of the series. Judges 9:7-21 Dragonsmaw Daily | 3 By Lancelot Schaubert Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2020 Creative Writing Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I wanted to literalize the story of the trees electing a king, so I featured some of the tree creatures of Gergia and their recent conclave to elect a new Woodward. I think you'll find that the sort of thing spoken of in Judges is quite literal in Gergia. The Dragonsmaw daily is a paper circulating on LOMEDAY of the month of BLAGUROEDD 47 in the year 1109 P.T. on Gergia, one of the Vale Universe ( short story series here ). It may seem like a high-shelf sort of entry for the average reader, something that takes a herculean effort to embrace in terms of the suspension of disbelief or secondary belief in my created world. However, I think it's quite easy: if you'll trust me, it'll read as a wonderfully foreign paper from a wonderfully foreign world. It's ephemera: something like an in-world artifact I happened to pick up from a newsboy who was hawking EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA copies in order to have enough ₮ to get his sister through the week on an onion (actually it's more like a leek) based soup. She beat the fever, in case you were wondering. But I brought it back from Gergia and gave it to my friends at Spark and Echo that it might supplement the stories I've written here and elsewhere about these fantastic worlds I travel so frequently. For those that have followed along in any capacity, this paper tells of events taking place prior to the events in the Moon Boys series from my artist residency and quite far in the past from the other commissions here at Spark and Echo. It occupies the region around the Imperial Crescent in Gergia (top left of the main land mass on that false map I drew of the world) . Each of the events recorded in this paper feature major workings in the region. All together I wanted to bind up the themes of extinction, of power dynamics, and of being lost and found into one piece. So I stitched together three commissions in a more unified form than normal. Of course some parts of the paper will remain out of reach for some time — like any foreign country, Gergian customs and economics and politics only make sense after you've lived there for quite some time. But one day the times, dates, seasons, and currency will make perfect sense to you. And then the dread realization of what the paper really reveals will come all too clear, as clear as a Bell Hammer. 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 Watchtower Stripped to the Bonemeal Metaphysical Insurance Claim 0075A: The Delphic Oracle Philadelphia Bloodlines Lancelot Schaubert Other Works By As with most shared newspapers, some of the pages have been pulled out and are out of order, so you will have to piece them together as the project is released. You may find the other parts of the project at Dragonsmaw Daily | 1 and Dragonsmaw Daily | 2 . You may also view the entirety of the project, here — as a brand new newspaper. Related Information View More Art Make More Art FANCY FEAST has returned to Dragonsmaw! View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . FANCY FEAST has returned to Dragonsmaw! Download Full Written Work

He is Good; His Love Endures Forever (11x17, Paper Collage on Strathmore Drawing Paper) They Burned the House of God (11x17", Paper Collage on Strathmore Drawing Paper with Conte Crayon) Loading Video . . . In this project, collectively entitled "A Body without the Spirit," visual artist Nicora Gangi explores a contrast between two passages from the same book: 2 Chronicles 7:3-4 and 2 Chronicles 36:19. 2 Chronicles 36:19 2 Chronicles 7:3-4 The Body without the Spirit | 1 By Nicora Gangi Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts, April Knighton 2021 Various Sizes Mixed Media Collage Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link About "He is good; His love endures forever" (from II Chronicles 7:3-4) This collage was created to give the viewer a sense of looking up at the perfect glory light of God's presence. This account in II Chronicles shows us the reverence of His people before Him, adoring Him, expressing their awful dread of the Divine Majesty, along with their cheerful submission to the Divine Authority. They—with thankfulness—acknowledge the goodness of God. Even when the fire of the Lord came down they praised him, saying: "He is good, for his mercy endureth forever. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, but the sacrifice is consumed instead, for which we are bound to be very thankful" (NASB). About "They burned the house of God" (from II Chronicles 36:19) In this image I have begun to create a scene of the havoc and destruction of the temple. The previous verses ( vv. 14-18 ) describe the desolation itself. Multitudes were put to the sword, even in the house of their sanctuary. They fled for refuge there, hoping that the holiness of the place would be their protection. But how could they expect to find it so when they themselves had polluted it with their abominations? They forsook God, who had compassion on them, but they still would have none of Him. All the remaining vessels of the temple (great and small), all the sacred treasures of God's house, and all the secular treasures of the king and his princes were seized and brought to Babylon. The temple was burnt, the walls of Jerusalem were demolished, the houses and all the furniture were destroyed and laid in ashes: A significant indicator for us all to be diligent and to watch over the temple of our body and soul, rooting out the worm that creates havoc and causes the sin that leads to destruction. 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 | 2 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 | 2 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

mandy-bankson_strangers_se.jpg Loading Video . . . California artist Mandy Bankson responds to the theme of "Strangers" and Hebrews 13:2. Hebrews 13:2 Strangers By Mandy Bankson Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2014 40" x 30" Acrylic Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I chose this passage, on the theme of Strangers, because of an experience I had many years ago. Coming out of anesthesia after a major surgery, there were several nurses around my gurney, looking down at me. When I saw them, I saw each person as an individual gift. Their skin was like wrapping paper holding an extremely precious and unique treasure inside. I believe I was given a glimpse of what God sees when he looks at us with Love. God sees first not our faults and weaknesses, but our beauty, our creation in His image. This theme and this verse in particular, allowed me to honor the spiritual experience I had 20 years ago that continues to affect the way I see people around me. So much of each of us is hidden. And in what is hidden there is often a treasure to be discovered. We are called as God's friends, to be hospitable to that stranger, no matter who they are. Sometimes that is not easy; sometimes it is. But we are reminded in this verse of the mystery that is lurking when we allow ourselves to enter into God's kingdom and see as God sees. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Mandy Bankson was born in rural Indiana. Her mother was an artist and Mandy began drawing and painting as a young girl, attracted to patterns and design.. Although art was always on the periphery, she taught Special Education in the San Francisco bay area for many years. After marrying a widower with two young daughters and moving to Santa Rosa, CA , she began to paint more seriously. Mandy paints abstractly inspired by patterns of the natural world. However her most recent body of work is an abstract series based on Jacob’s Ladder (Genesis 28:10-18). She started and continues to curate the Gallery at First, a ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Santa Rosa. She is also involved in the gallery at The Journey Center, a Christ centered community. Mandy is an ARTrails Open Studio artist, and shows in Marin and Sonoma counties: her works are collected locally and internationally. More of her work can be viewed on her website www.mandybankson.net . Website Mandy Bankson About the Artist Mandy Bankson Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

suarez_final.jpg Loading Video . . . Many interesting things have been revealed since my last post. I have spent most of July and August intensively rehearsing and researching. It has truly been a joy to collaborate with performing artists Carol McDowell and Rebeca Hernandez. It has also been a joy to be the Studio Artist in Residence at 1450 Ocean-Camera Obscura. It is sadly so rare that I’ve had the opportunity to come to a work on a daily basis. It has truly deepened my point of view. Below are photos of the studio and our view! Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Ruth 1:16-17 Artist in Residence 2015: Christine Suarez Part 3 By Christine Suarez Credits: Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2015 2015 Dance Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link September 7, 2015 Many interesting things have been revealed since my last post. I have spent most of July and August intensively rehearsing and researching. It has truly been a joy to collaborate with performing artists Carol McDowell and Rebeca Hernandez. It has also been a joy to be the Studio Artist in Residence at 1450 Ocean-Camera Obscura. It is sadly so rare that I’ve had the opportunity to come to a work on a daily basis. It has truly deepened my point of view. Below are photos of the studio and our view! We are preparing for a performance on August 29. This manifestation of the work I have designed in part as a site-specific piece and in part as a lecture-demonstration. The actual location and construction of the studio has informed this choice. As you can see from the pictures the studio is mostly windows. Everyone that comes into the building sees us in the studio rehearsing. Also there is a path along the other side of the building where curious folks watch us rehearse from the other side. Throughout the piece I am curious about how we see the performers – our vantage point – and how what we are seeing is framed -literally and figuratively. Since our rehearsal process has been basically “transparent” I wanted the piece to display our process. That is why I am viewing the work in part as a lecture-demonstration. I am narrating the piece: telling the audience the story from the Book of Ruth, sharing our rehearsal process, and talking about our interpretation of the story. We have continued our physical work with the Ruth and Naomi paintings. We have begun to manipulate the material in interesting ways. We have talked at length about how Naomi and Ruth reconfigured what a family looks like and how a woman is supposed to behave. We have been using that idea of reconfiguring in application to our choreographic material. We have also been playing with patterns in space to represent how these two women navigate the cultural structure, which they lived – how they both continued on with their lives together though with great uncertainty. We have also been experimenting with some improvisation structures to embody different aspects of Naomi and Ruth. More soon! And please if you have any thoughts or responses, I welcome them! Email me at info@suarezdance.org. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Christine Suarez is a Los Angeles-based choreographer, performer and educator. Born in Caracas, Venezuela and raised in Baton Rouge Louisiana, Christine made her first works of choreography to the Grease soundtrack. Since then she has created eleven evening-length dance-theater works, numerous site-specific and community events and close to a dozen dances for the theater and film, along with teaching, creating and performing at school sites all over the U.S. While living in New York City from 1994-2006, her work was presented at various venues including Danspace Project, P.S. 122, HERE, Joyce SoHo and Dixon Place. In 1998 she founded SuarezDanceTheater, a not-for-profit, ensemble of dancers, actors and musicians. SuarezDanceTheater examines the unexpected – creating dance-theater in unexpected places with unexpected people about unexpected subjects. Christine and company were Artists in Residence at Tribeca Performing Arts Center from 2003-2006. Her work has toured nationally and internationally to over 20 cities. Her work happens in theaters, houses, parks, Churches, galleries, sidewalks and beaches. She collaborates with multi-generational performers along with parents, children, veterans, high school students and teen mothers. Since relocating to Los Angeles, she has been invigorated by making dances in unexpected places. Wet Spots (2008) was a site-specific performance about female orgasm that she created in collaboration with a multi-generational cast of women. The Los Angeles Times called it “ingeniously crafted…poignant…hilarious.” She has organized community dance participatory performances in parks, beaches and classrooms in partnership with city governments, community based organizations and schools. She has also been touring Wet Spots: Solo to Tallinn, Estonia, Movement Research at Judson Church (New York City), The Garage (San Francisco), Emory University (Atlanta, GA), The A.W.A.R.D. Show! (REDCAT). Most recently she premiered her new evening length work MOTHER . at the Motion Pacific at the Santa Cruz Fringe Festival and Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica, CA. As an educator, Christine has worked at public schools all over the New York City and Los Angeles area. She has been a guest teacher/choreographer at California State University San Marcos, California State University Los Angeles, Emory University, Indiana University, Southeastern University of Louisiana and Louisiana State University. She holds an MFA in choreography from UCLA’s World Arts and Cultures Department and a BA in Theater and English Literature from Emory University. She is a government contractor co-creating a dance program for Veterans at The School for Better Living, a psycho-social research initiative a the West Los Angeles VA Hospital. She also works as a teaching artist with the HeArt Project. She has been awarded grants from the Center for Cultural Innovation, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Puffin Foundation, Meet the Composer, the Association for Hispanic Arts, JP Morgan Chase Regrant, the Field and the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center. She is honored to be a Hispanic Scholarship Fund/Cheech Marin Endowed Scholarship Scholar and recipient of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund McNamara Family Creative Arts Projects Grant. (Photo by CedarBough Saeji) www.suarezdance.org Website Christine Suarez About the Artist Artist in Residence 2015: Christine Suarez Part 2 Artist in Residence 2015: Christine Suarez Part 1 The joy of our heart has ceased; Our dance has turned into mourning. Artist in Residence 2015: Christine Suarez Christine Suarez Other Works By Follow the developmental journey of Christine's project by reading her first , second and final post written over the course of the year. Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Elias-Popa_AIR2_Model-detail-4-resized.jpg Loading Video . . . Elias Beaumont updates us on the development of his project as his plans and designs start to become physical. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Job 38 Job 39 Job 40 Job 41 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 2 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 June 4, 2018 In creating “Reckoning and Attaining,” the minimalist form of the installation is impregnated with mystery through its interaction with natural elements. The form itself is camouflaged in its environment. Mirrored on all sides, it reflects its outer environment thus rendering it as a part of the scape surrounding it. The light that passes through the opening creates a corridor of light, gently beckoning one to enter through its awkward, tight opening. It is through this uncomfortable space that the transformation is set: the questioning of Job via the terror and mystery of God leading to the reward of the endless universe and all that is in it. This sculpture leans on the irony that restriction of elements, body, and matter actually free our minds and souls to deep understanding and relationship, and thus a peaceful space. Although I’ve had a good amount of time to reflect on the purpose of a sculpture as an installation artist, it can be difficult to sometimes realize the physical manifestation of the things I dream of. In preparing for this project, I built a model to test the light and shadow as it cuts through the openings of the sculpture and into the centre of it. It wasn’t until I saw this materialized model that I felt a certain excitement begin to swell up within me. The tactile model allowed me to understand better the play of light through the narrow opening in the side, and the thin strip of light passing through shadow. I imagined myself curious to walk through. Although the scripture in Job I selected is complex, grand, and even terrible in its depiction of the mysteries and power of God, my particular focus is towards the small, sweet, whisper that comes after the sacrifice of one’s life. It is like a narrow gate—a tight opening. Currently, I have selected materials such as the frame and turf that will be used to create the field. I have already employed one builder to assist me in building the sculpture. I am sourcing the mirrors from a construction supply company that works in large scale wall installations. My hope and prayer is that there is a venue in Hell’s Kitchen who will approve the building of the sculpture on their roof. In the next two weeks, I hope we will have a secured space allowing building to start in about two months. Build time is expected take roughly one week. As always, when embarking on installation projects, the vision at the beginning changes as needs and hurdles come up. For example, in the original computer rendering, the entrance to the sculpture wrapped around one wall to create a thin corridor. In creating the material model, however, I found that keeping one wall slightly shorter created a simpler design that was more intuitive to enter. 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 1 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 first , 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

Loading Video . . . Authors Lancelot Schaubert and Alexander Sirkman reimagine the story of the resurrection of Jesus in their short-story that responds to Luke 24:10. Luke 24:10 Metaphysical Insurance Claim 0075A: The Delphic Oracle By Lancelot Schaubert Credits: Co-Author: Alexander Sirkman Illumination Representation Image by Lancelot Shaubert with Ai on Midjourney Curated by: Rebecca Testrake 2023 Short Story 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: Bloodlines Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia Bloodlines Lancelot Schaubert Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Every year prior to the year in question, the city-state of Oracle Hill had a birth rate of 0 due to a populace of monks and nuns View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Every year prior to the year in question, the city-state of Oracle Hill had a birth rate of 0 due to a populace of monks and nuns Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Responding to the theme of "Harvest" from Revelation 19:9, Meaghan Ritchey organized and designed this work to be a communal dining and sensory experience with exquisite food and wine, handmade goods, and incorporating spatial choreography. Revelation 19:9 Supper By Meaghan Ritchey Credits: Food Sourcing and Preparation by The Pixie and the Scout Paper Goods, Illustrated and Printed by The Hungry Fox Tablescape Design by Pilot Projects Curated by: Jeffrey Leiser 2013 A communal dining and sensory experience Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link "Supper" was designed to be a communal dining and sensory experience with exquisite food and wine, handmade goods, and incorporating spatial choreography. In a small passage in Robert Farrar Capon's book, The Supper of the Lamb, he describes necessities of the proper slicing of an onion. The process involves taking a seat at the kitchen table rather than standing at the counter for a good hour is meant to be spent in the company of the onion. "Supper" be not be 'a mere trip to the trough.' It illustrates the importance of the relationship between objects in meeting with each other -- occupying a space in time with their being. The Pixie and the Scout , a network of growers and producers formed over years of sourcing and cooking in the North Atlantic region provided the sourcing and preparation for "Supper." The custom menu offered a celebration of time-honored techniques from some of New York's finest kitchens; an aesthetic expression composed of simple, exquisite details and a commitment to cooking and eating toward the future of food. The architectural experience was designed by Pilot Projects Design Collective of NYC. Custom dinner troughs invited participants into a unique food-sharing experience incorporating elements of light, structure and choreography. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection In 2005, Meaghan Ritchey moved to NYC to earn her BA in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from The King’s College. Born in the West Texas town of El Paso, and currently residing in the South Bronx neighborhood of Mott Haven, she loves identifying regional distinctives and local flavor in her writing. She shares a brownstone with seven friends and spends much of her free time on a bicycle. Meaghan is the Managing Editor of The Curator and Director of International Arts Movement. Website Meaghan Ritchey About the Artist Meaghan Ritchey Other Works By The menu items were hand-crafted and sourced by The Pixie and the Scout , paper goods were illustrated and printed by The Hungry Fox , and a sophisticated tablescape trough was designed by Pilot Projects . Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Composer Jonathon Roberts weaves together some of Apostle Paul's famous verses on love as part of a theatrical response to the life of Apostle Paul. 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:7 Ephesians 4:16 Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7 Romans 8:22 Philippians 2:15 How Beautiful By Jonathon Roberts Credits: Vocals by Jonathon Roberts Saxophone Quartet: Chris Clouthier, Allison Davis, Mark Determan, Kim Reece Artist Location: Wisconsin Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2005 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This work for voice and saxophone quartet is a key moment in the theatrical production of Project Paul , a response to the life and writings of the Apostle Paul. It weaves together several of Paul's fascinating concepts, "How beautiful are the feet of those that bring good news" (from Isaiah, but quoted by Paul in Romans), "every supporting ligament grows and builds itself up in love" from Ephesians, Paul's most famous expression of love from 1 Corinthians 13, and several more. 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 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 VIEW SCORE for Voice and Saxophone Quartet How Beautiful Lyrics and references How beautiful are your feet my love. How beautiful. How beautiful. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. (Romans 10:15, Isaiah 52:7) And now I will show you the most excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:31) If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal. If I can fathom all mysteries, if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing, nothing. Love is not self-seeking. Love is not self-seeking. The whole creation is groaning (Romans 8:22), Love is not self-seeking. In love, every supporting ligament. Every supporting ligament grows and builds itself up in love Every supporting ligament. I know your every supporting ligament. (Ephesians 4:16) And I know you shine like a star in the universe. (Philippians 2:15) And I know that darkness best draws men to the light. And I know that you are the lovely seal upon my heart. (Song of Songs 8:6) Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work