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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

Loading Video . . . Guitarist and composer Mark Lettieri's "Spark and Echo" explores God's role as the one true judge of man. This work is in response to James 4:12 and the theme of "Destruction." James 4:12 Spark and Echo By Mark Lettieri Credits: Curated by: Mark Lettieri 2014 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link James 4:12 states, “There is only one lawgiver and judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you – who are you to judge your neighbor?” (NIV). I came across this verse while researching the biblical theme of destruction. I had planned on composing a piece about the literal destruction of something physical. I wanted the song to be dark and maybe even violent (which led me to Revelations first, of course). But when I found this verse, I ended up writing a song about destroying something emotional; ultimately a song about love. What I took from this verse is this: without God, we’re constantly tempted to judge and chastise others, as if we’ve always lived a life free of sin ourselves. This song is about the idea that as Christians, we must destroy that desire to judge, and replace it with a showing of His love instead. The heavy layered rhythm guitars, drums and strings represent the tearing down of this judgmental attitude, with the bright melody representing a reconstructed view built on love and respect. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Mark Lettieri is a guitarist, composer and producer based in Fort Worth, TX. Proficient in a multitude of styles, he records and performs in virtually every genre of popular music with both independent and major-label artists. He also composes and produces original instrumental music under his own name. Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lettieri came to Texas via Texas Christian University (TCU), studying advertising and public relations, and competing in track and field. A passionate guitarist since middle school, he began his music career in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area upon graduating from TCU. Playing in the vibrant Metroplex gospel and R&B scene led Lettieri to join jazz/world group Snarky Puppy in 2008. The now two-time GRAMMY Award-winning band tours and records constantly, having performed on all continents except Antarctica. Aside from Snarky Puppy, Lettieri has spent time on the road with neo-soul icon Erykah Badu, gospel singer/actress Tamela Mann, and American Idol: Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips. He’s also performed with a myriad of other artists, including Anthony Evans, Chrisette Michele, Myron Butler, N’dambi, Bilal, and even Pat Boone. An in-demand session guitarist, recent work includes David Crosby, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Adam Levine, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Lalah Hathaway, Eric Roberson, Lecrae, Lupe Fiasco, Keyshia Cole, Xzibit, as well as numerous radio and television jingles. Lettieri is also a member of Team SKP, a production collective led by GRAMMY Award-winning producer Symbolyc One (Kanye West, Beyonce). Since 2010, he has been a member of the house band for the Marcus & Joni Show, a morning talk/variety show broadcast in 200 countries on Daystar, a Christian cable network. As a composer/bandleader, Lettieri has released three albums, Knows in 2011, Futurefun in 2013, and most recently, Spark and Echo in 2016 (Ropeadope Records). Through tours with Snarky Puppy and social media network shares, these records have created a sizable buzz among fans of instrumental music worldwide. He performs frequently in a trio setting featuring a revolving rhythm section of world-class Dallas musicians, and has begun touring this music in the U.S. and Europe. www.marklettieri.com Website Mark Lettieri About the Artist Mark Lettieri Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . For the third part, we really are trying to capture how scientism is really a sort of magical thinking and how religion — how ontological philosophy — is more causally bound. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Galatians 4:21-5:1 Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 3 By Lancelot Schaubert These stories contain strong language and may not be suitable for all audiences. Credits: Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2019 2019 Fantasy Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link October 7, 2019 For the third part, we really are trying to capture how scientism is really a sort of magical thinking and how religion — how ontological philosophy — is more causally bound. We’re getting at the nature of magic and how, if it’s real, it’s something more like prayer and less like voodoo, more like hope and imagination and less like the sort of snake oil we see in Silicon Valley. All in the same milieu with a bit of discovery of the continuing backstory. 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 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 Bloodlines Lancelot Schaubert Other Works By You can read his prior short stories (and chapters within his overarching story) in his first , second and final phases. Related Information View More Art Make More Art "Toss the Spell for Prayer" View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . "Toss the Spell for Prayer" Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Dancer Helen Hale created this beautiful and contemplative dance piece in response to the theme of eavesdropping and Genesis 18:9-15. Genesis 18:9-15 One Long Adagio with Antenna Up By Helen Hale Credits: Artist Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Curated by: Elizabeth Dishman 2014 Dance, film Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I imagine Abraham and the three men/the Lord picnicking at a distance. Maybe their vantage point is the opening image of this video, of the tree, far away. I imagine the Lord asking, “Where is your wife Sarah?” and Abraham saying, “There, in the tree.” I am curious about the way in which the Lord announces the promise of a son to Abraham, and not to Sarah. Rather than getting the news directly, she overhears it as she’s listening outside. God even asks Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh?” And only addresses Sarah when she denies her laughter, saying, “Yes, you did laugh.” For a long time I read into this passage a lack of intimacy, a kind of chiding, from the Lord to Sarah, but as I’ve paddled in the pool of this scripture I’ve come to imagine the Lord engaging in a romance with Sarah from a distance—an exchange of knowing looks from across the room. He doesn’t really need to ask anyone why Sarah laughed. He full well knows. He’s been anticipating her response to this absurdly unexpected news. In my interpretation, Sarah, in her moment of surprise and incredulity says, “What? After I am worn out from miles and miles and miles and years and years and years of dancing this adagio in the hot sun will I now have the pleasure of this mist on my face?” Furthermore, as it turns out, the Liszt composition I chose for the sound is entitled “Consolation.” I am certain Sarah needed much consoling along the road to ninety. My first name is Sarah, after this Sarah. Wildly enough, while working on this piece, I have received absurdly unexpected news that a door in my life that I thought was closed forever has been re-opened. Coincidence? Fulfillment of a promise that I’ve been moving toward while so often thinking it had disappeared, mirage-like, in the sweltering Heat of Life? Throughout Sarah’s long slow dance, the Lord so patiently awaits her arrival, and she so patiently moves towards Him with great longsuffering. He prompts her to laugh, and as she laughs, He joins her! –Sharing an undeniable joy from which new life is born. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Helen Hale is a choreographer and performer, and the director of Helen Hale Dance. Her work has been presented by The High Museum of Art, The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, The Galleries at Moore, The Hambidge Center, Dance Truck, Dashboard Co-op, The Lucky Penny, BurnAway Magazine, MINT Gallery, Art on the Atlanta BeltLine, and WonderRoot Community Arts Center, among others. Helen received a BFA from Temple University (PA) in 2009 and has performed with companies and choreographers around the country including Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, Staibdance, Dishman + Co., PushPush Theater, Tahni Holt, Team Sunshine Performance Corporation, Duende Dance Theater, Meg Foley/Moving Parts, Troupe Hellas, and Ground Delivery Dance Theater. After a long period of research and collaboration with musicians and visual artists in Atlanta, Helen has returned to Philadelphia where she is currently reworking her one-woman show, Sanity Ceremonies, performing with Kun- Yang Lin/Dancers, and seriously committing to creative playtime in developing a new body of work with collaborator, Maggie Ginestra. Website Helen Hale About the Artist Helen Hale Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . The Spark+Echo Band brings to life the wild imagery of Isaiah 6 in their lively song Ruined, featuring nimble flute and piano underscoring Isaiah's text. Isaiah 6 Ruined By The Spark & Echo Band Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2010 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Six winged angels flying to your lips with a live coal, ravaged fields and ruined cities‚ÄìIsaiah 6 is full of dramatic imagery. It's a vivid story filled with uncertainty and atonement that takes some time to sink in. This is the text that inspired "Ruined." The recording is from the Spark+Echo Band's debut album. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection The Spark & Echo Band is a family outfit of songwriting-storytellers led by husband and wife duo Jonathon Roberts and Emily Clare Zempel. Their music brings forgotten poetry and wild stories from the Bible to life: visions of sparkling wheels in the sky, hunger and thirst, and legends of love as strong as death weave with memorable melodies and captivating rhythms. Drawing from a classical background, influenced by the pianism of Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds, and emulating Paul Simon’s narratival techniques, Spark & Echo sings epic tales of love and adventure. The duo has collaborated on three full lengths albums (Spark&Echo, Inheritance, Cities Project), one video album (In the Clocktower), in addition to many theatrical collaborations, this very nonprofit, and two children. They live in beautiful Beacon, New York, with all of the above. Website The Spark & Echo Band About the Artist White Robe What a Day Deep Calls to Deep Yo Sé Do You Love Me? Where Can I Go? How to Be Free Flesh Lifeblood Artist in Residence 2015: Spark & Echo Band Take to Heart The Wheels Frogs 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

bookends_karen-swenholt.jpg Bookends_Wide-3-books_karen-swenholt.JPG Bookends_Wide-shot__karen-swenholt.JPG Bookends, "Radiohead" (detail) Bookends, "Not Listening" (detail) Loading Video . . . Sculptor Karen Swenholt brings her personal faith journey and an appreciation of the life and work of Edvard Munch to her reading of Zechariah 7:11 to produce this emotive work, "Bookends." Zechariah 7:11 Bookends By Karen Swenholt Credits: Curated by: Laurel Justice 2018 14 x 17 x 9 inches Terracotta, Bibles Sculpture Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link For me, life was a cacophony before I believed in God. It did not make sense. It was noise. I could not hear the melody lines, the beat, the structure—the point of it all—until I met God. Then harmony and peace were possible for me. With Bookends , I analogize God and His word to music. Radiohead hears God, responding to His music rapturously, snapping his fingers and gesturing with his right arm in response to beat and melody. Not Listening stops his ears and turns away. One would think the joy of Radiohead’s response to the music might intrigue his brother, but not so. Ironically Not Listening stops his own ears, claiming Radiohead also hears nothing and accuses Radiohead of delusion for apprehending the existence of God. In the world of Not Listening , Radiohead is mad. As I worked on Not Listening , I was struck that his facial structure resembles that of the figure in The Scream by Edvard Munch . Munch’s parents were committed Christians. His mother died young of tuberculosis, leaving him a beautiful plea/prayer in writing that her child find God. Munch’s early adulthood was very painful with bouts of drinking that verged on madness. He painted The Scream during that time. What is The Scream afraid to hear? That a God that controls the universe let his mother die? Isn’t it safer then, not to believe in God at all? That is why the torso of Not Listening is slashed. It reveals the man is hollow of life. He has been wounded. May God have mercy and reveal himself to the Not Listenings in the world and heal their wounds. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Karen Swenholt is a figurative sculptor who lives and works in Northern Virginia. After attending MICA and California College of the Arts, she continued studies at New York City’s New York Studio School and the Art League in Virginia. Influences from the West Coast’s Bay Area Figurative Movement combined with the emotional power of abstract expressionism from her East Coast studies and origins to form the foundation of Swenholt’s work today. The rough painterly surfaces of her sculptures contrast with their grace, conveying emotion and movement. Karen Swenholt is presently the artist in residence at Convergence in Alexandria, Virginia. Her work can be found in many public and private collections including Cairn University in Philadelphia, Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C and churches across the U.S. and abroad. www.karenswenholt.com www.facebook.com/karenswenholtart Website Karen Swenholt About the Artist Heart for a Stone Karen Swenholt Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Emily Rose Hazel's work reflects on her experiences in Ghana while responding to the theme of "Harvest" and the passages of Exodus 16:2-4, 11-16, 31; Numbers 11:7-9; 1 Kings 17:1-16; Matt. 6:11-13, 25-27; and John 6:1-13 as she builds a poetry collection responding to every theme from the year as a 2013 Spark+Echo Artist in Residence. Exodus 16:2-4 Exodus16:11-16 Exodus 16:31 Numbers 11:7-9 1 Kings 17:1-16 Matt 6:11-13 Matt 6: 25-27 John 6:1-13 Give Us This Day By Emily Ruth Hazel Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts, 2013 Artist in Residence 2013 Poetry/Spoken Word Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link The initial inspiration for this poem came to me more than eight years ago, when I was traveling in Ghana. While there, I had the opportunity to attend performances of several classic plays I had seen in the United States (including The Sound of Music and Grease). I loved seeing the different ways these stories were translated through another culture. That got me thinking about ways of reframing the familiar, looking at the same concepts through different cultural lenses. At the time, I was trying to eat vegetarian, which proved to be a challenge in Ghana. My nearly-daily diet consisted of rice and beans, sweet plantains, and life-changing pineapples and mangoes. My friends insisted that I try traditional Ghanaian fufu. In West and Central Africa (as well as parts of the Caribbean), fufu is a staple food, prepared by boiling starchy vegetables such as cassava root, yams, and/or plantains, which are then pounded until they have the consistency of dough. The traditional way to eat fufu is to pinch off a small portion with one's right hand, dip it into an accompanying soup or stew, and swallow it without chewing. It's a filling dish, and I was glad I tried it, although I returned to my standbys. Around then, I had a conversation with a Ghanaian friend about the phrase "Give us this day our daily bread," a line from the New Testament passage commonly called The Lord's Prayer. We were talking about how this verse wouldn't hit home in the same way for people for whom bread is not a staple food. Half-jokingly, my friend said that the Ghanaian cultural translation should be "Give us this day our daily fufu." That was the germ of the idea for this poem. I was reminded of that conversation when my exploration of biblical passages on the theme of Harvest led me to words about bread.Recently, my career transition to freelancing fulltime as a writer has had me thinking about miraculous provision, as in the biblical accounts of God providing manna—a mysterious, edible substance that covered the ground like frost each night when the Israelites were wandering in the desert. This was their "daily bread." While most of us would prefer to be promised a lifetime supply of bread upfront, often we aren't promised a year or even a month's worth, but simply a day's worth. That measure of uncertainty presses us to trust beyond what we can see and to be expectantly present in each day we are given. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Emily Ruth Hazel is a poet, writer, and cross-pollinator who is passionate about diversifying the audience for poetry and giving voice to people who have been marginalized. Selected as the Honorary Poet for the 25th Annual Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading in Providence, Rhode Island, she presented a commissioned tribute to the Poet Laureate of Harlem in February of 2020. She is a two-time recipient of national Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Prizes and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for a residency at The Hambidge Center in 2014. Her chapbook, Body & Soul (Finishing Line Press, 2005) , was a New Women’s Voices finalist. Emily’s work has appeared in numerous anthologies, magazines, literary journals, and digital projects, including Kinfolks: A Journal of Black Expression and Magnolia: A Journal of Women’s Socially Engaged Literature. Her poetry has also been featured on music albums, in a hair salon art installation, and in a science museum exhibition. Emily has written more than twenty commissioned works for organizations, arts productions, social justice projects, and private clients. Currently, she is developing several poetry book manuscripts and writing lyrics for an original musical inspired by the life of the extraordinary singer and Civil Rights icon Marian Anderson. A graduate of Oberlin College’s Creative Writing Program and a former New Yorker, she is now based in the Los Angeles area. EmilyRuthHazel.com Instagram: @EmilyRuthHazel Facebook.com/EmilyRuthHazel Website Emily Ruth Hazel About the Artist Artist in Residence 2013, Emily Ruth Hazel Word of Mouth In the Wake of the Storm Circling the Waist of Wisdom Give Me a Name Homecoming Runaway Undressing Prayer Emily Ruth Hazel Other Works By Explore the other works composed throughout the year in Emily's poetry collection, created as a 2013 Artist in Residence. Explore her works created throughout the year: “In the Wake of the Storm” LIGHT AND DARKNESS (JANUARY 21, 2013) “Circling the Waist of Wisdom” FOOLS (APRIL 26, 2013) “Homecoming” DANCING (JUNE 27, 2013) “Runaway” LIES (AUGUST 8, 2013) “Give Us This Day” HARVEST (NOVEMBER 14, 2013) “Undressing Prayer” MEMORY (JANUARY 6, 2013) Artists in Residence Spark+Echo Artists in Residence spend a year developing and creating a major work in response to Scripture. Click on their names to view their projects. Current Artists in Residence Spark+Echo Arts seeks to develop and support communities of artists who engage with and create in response to the Bible. Due to the impacts of COVID-19 and some internal changes, we decided to pause the Artist in Residency for a year so that we could regroup our resources. Our hope is to continue offering this opportunity in 2021. Previous Artists in Residence 2020 Sapient Soul, Marlanda Dekine (Poetry + Spoken Word) 2019 Lancelot Schaubert (Short Story) 2018 Elias Popa (Installation Art) 2017 Aaron Beaumont (Music), Lily Maase (Music) 2016 Ebitenyefa Baralaye (Visual Art), Chris Knight (Film), Lauren Ferebee (Theatre), Stephanie Miracle (Dance) 2015 Benje Daneman (Music), Jason DaSilva (Film), Melissa Beck (Visual Art), Don Nguyen (Theatre), Christine Suarez (Dance), The Spark & Echo Band (Music) 2013 Nicora Gangi (Visual Art), Emily Ruth Hazel (Poetry) Related Information View More Art Make More Art Give us this day, however you slice it, thick or thin—let this be enough, at least until the sun, golden as an egg-brushed Chinese bun, rises again. View Full Written Work Give Us This Day by Emily Ruth Hazel Give us this day, however you slice it, thick or thin—let this be enough, at least until the sun, golden as an egg-brushed Chinese bun, rises again. Bring us the Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday bread of life, the ordinary comfort that we crave: the constancy of cooking rice, the routine of rolling tortillas. Give the French their measure of heaven alongside every meal. Give Italians their pasta, Ethiopians injera, and Jamaicans coco bread. Give Pakistanis their chapatti and Southerners their biscuits. Give us couscous to satisfy the ache in our bellies, naan to mediate the fire in our mouths. Sustain us one calendar square at a time, through days that boil us down and pound us like cassava root until whatever stew we are in, we are like dough in your hand, as soft and stretchable as fufu. The days and years we wander in the wilderness, dependent on a promise, moving toward what seems to be a mirage of milk and honey, speak over us a grace that is more than words. Let even the winter sky be generous: let us wake to frosted flakes on the ground outside our windows, like the cereal you sent your children in the desert, the answer to their stomachs’ complaints itself named after a question— What is it?—Manna, silently arriving as faithfully as morning dew, in between dinners delivered as a hard rain of quail. Stories tell of divine provisions appearing in pairs: rolls and sardines, one boy’s lunch, feeding thousands of listeners on a hillside; ravens carrying bread and meat to a ravenous prophet riding out the drought in a rocky ravine; a widow’s last portion of flour and oil lasting as long as her mysterious houseguest stays. Listeners, prophets, and widows, we are hungry for surprises. Give us eyes to see potential in the smallest offerings, the driest seasons, the almost-empty jars. In the urban oven, when summer’s heat hovers and we are desperate for relief, may we be grateful whenever we breathe in— instead of the odor of ripening garbage— the scent of something holy: a bakery’s aroma reaching several city blocks. After praying for hope we can harvest, may we not be too preoccupied to notice, as we pass the community garden, the sunbursts of zucchini blossoms and the lazy, yellow squash lolling on the ground, primed for the picking. May we consider the sparrows that swoop across sidewalks, their fearless pace unchanging as they fly through chain link fences. These tiny birds gather what they must to build their nests, eat the seeds of found fruit and disperse them, need no silos for storing tomorrow’s concerns. They put no stock in corporate politics, are not consumed with working toward the next promotion. Sparrows have no pension plans. They simply trust there is always a picnic ending somewhere, a blanket of blessing ready to be shaken out. Give us that much faith, a thin space we can squeeze between our fingers. Give us, too, a taste of Wonder, baskets of leftovers, crumbs of miracles scattered like new constellations. Fill our empty pita pockets. Multiply our multigrain. Braid our lives together like a loaf of challah bread, and lead us not into temptation to rush the delicious. Help us be present with each other here in this day you have given us. When we gather, let us linger; let us learn to chew more slowly so as not to miss the flavor in the moments we share. Let us do this in remembrance of you, the carpenter boy next door turned man of sorrows, fisher of souls— like us, always waiting for the next bite. Close Loading Video . . . Give us this day, however you slice it, thick or thin—let this be enough, at least until the sun, golden as an egg-brushed Chinese bun, rises again. Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Aliki Barnstone's bold poem challenges the roles and portrayals of women in response to 2 Kings 9:30-37. 2 Kings 9:30-37 So That They Shall Not Say, This Is Jezebel By Aliki Barnstone Please note: this work contains strong language and some graphic violence. Credits: Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts 2016 Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link As the child of a Greek mother, all my life I heard the stories of the gods and goddesses and was captivated. When I discovered the work of H.D. as a young poet, I found a poetic expression of my own understanding of continuity of faith. I wrote the introduction and notes for the readers’ edition of H.D.’s Trilogy , and that work made me particularly conscious of the ways that the stories and iconography of the gods and goddesses prefigure, coincide with, and live on in the Judeo-Christian tradition. In the second section of the first book of Trilogy , “The Walls Do Not Fall,” H.D. reveals: …gods always face two-ways so let us search the old highways for the true-rune, the right-spell, recover old values nor listen if they shout out your beauty, Isis, Aset or Astarte is a harlot; you are retrogressive, zealot, hankering after old flesh-pots… In my research, I discovered that Jezebel was probably a priestess of Astarte (and Baal), and was struck again by these lines of H.D.’s about the feminine element, the goddesses becoming “flesh-pots” in patriarchal monotheism. The portrayal of Jezebel in the bible is consistent with the demonization and erasure of women and feminine godheads. Astarte’s divinity encompasses fertility, wisdom, health, magic, healing, death, rebirth, marriage, and more. She is associated with wisdom or Sophia. Her sacred symbol is the dove. She is thought to be Yahweh’s feminine aspect or Shekinah, which becomes the Holy Spirit in Christianity. Isis is the Hellenized form of “Aset” or “Astarte,” the goddess who prefigures the Virgin Mary. I call her the Mother God and use Isis’s name in my poem instead of Astarte’s because, as H.D. shows, the depictions of Isis suckling her son Horus carry forward in the Christian iconography of Mary and the baby Jesus. Another connection between the stories is that Jezebel’s son was murdered, as Christ was. Just as H.D. found solace in the feminine divine, so, too, did Emily Dickinson, as in the following poem: Sweet Mountains – Ye tell Me no lie – Never deny Me – Never fly – Those same unvarying Eyes Turn on Me – when I fail – or feign, Or take the Royal names in vain – Their far – slow – Violet Gaze – My Strong Madonnas – Cherish still – The Wayward Nun – beneath the Hill – Whose service – is to You – Her latest Worship – When the Day Fades from the Firmament away – To lift Her Brows on You – Dickinson frequently alludes to Greek mythology as a more gentle spirituality than the Calvinist Christianity of nineteenth century New England with which she was raised. Here is the poem in full that I quote in my poem: The Bible is antique volume Written by faded men At the suggestion of the Holy Spectres – Subjects – Bethlehem – Eden – the ancient Homestead – Satan – the brigadier – Judas – the great Defaulter – David – the Troubadour – Sin – a distinguished Precipice Others must resist – Boys that “believe” are very lonesome – Other boys are “lost” – Had but the tale a warbling Teller – All the boys would come – Orpheus’ sermon captivated – It did not condemn. I have been profoundly distressed about this election in which white supremacists are supporting a fascist with vulgar hate speech. The work I did for my edition of H.D.’s Trilogy heightens my awareness of the use and misuse of names, particularly the names of female deities. When politicians (not President Obama) and those in the media call the terrorist group ISIS, I, along with others, consider such an appellation misogynistic and racist, as offensive as if people called Daesh “MOSES” or “JESUS.” Since 2000, Isis has been in the top 1000 girl names. Girls and women named Isis are being objectified and bullied because of their name. Just as calling a woman “a Jezebel” is a way of demeaning her as a whore, a schemer, and evil, so too, now, the name of brown-skinned goddess of love and nurturance has been cruelly transformed into an epithet of hate and terror. (Since my poem deals with a woman and women, I’m mostly focusing here on iterations of misogynistic tropes against the feminine aspect of the divine and women in general, but this language extends to all kinds of bigotry.) As I’ve indicated, this hate worship has its roots, sadly, in the scriptures and in patriarchal interpretations. Jezebel is fully erased, so that women are socialized to believe that if they take power and if they speak out, they will be labeled “harlot” and will be punished, even in death, without the dignity of a burial. The mob calls for Secretary Clinton’s imprisonment and assassination. She has committed no crime except being a woman, who happens to be one of the most accomplished persons in the world, seeking the most powerful position on Earth. The hate speech directed at Clinton has its sources in the characterization of such outspoken and intelligent biblical women as Jezebel. The intent of these stories is to effectively terrorize girls and women into submission and silence, so I thought I’d tell a different story. I am a Christian (as Emily Dickinson and H.D. were in their own ways). Like Dickinson and H.D., I do not take the sum-total of the Judeo-Christian tradition to be a merely binary theology made up of good and evil, saved and damned, faithful and infidel. Instead, I share with my foremothers a more inclusive vision that venerates all expressions of the divine, including the wisdom, justice, kindness, peace, grace, and love in feminine divinity and power. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Aliki Barnstone , is a poet, translator, critic, editor, and visual artist. She is the author of eight books of poetry: The Real Tin Flower (Crowel-Collier, 1968), Windows in Providence (Curbstone, 1981), Madly in Love (Carnegie-Mellon, 1997), Wild With It (2002), Blue Earth (Iris Press, 2004), Dear God Dear, Dr. Heartbreak: New and Selected Poems (Sheep Meadow, 2009), Bright Body (White Pine, 2011), and Dwelling (Sheep Meadow, 2016). She translated The Collected Poems of C.P. Cavafy: A New Translation (W.W. Norton, 2006). Her first book of poems, The Real Tin Flower (Crowell-Collier, 1968), was published when she was 12 years old, with a forward by Anne Sexton. In 2014, Carnegie-Mellon University Press reissued her book, Madly in Love , as a Carnegie-Mellon Classic Contemporary. She has edited A Book of Women Poets from Antiquity to Now (Schocken, 1980; 2nd edition, 1992) and the Shambhala Anthology of Women’s Spiritual Poetry (Shambhala, 2002). Her literary critical work includes writing the introductions and readers’ notes for H.D.’s Trilogy , co-editing The Calvinist Roots of the Modern Era , and her study, Changing Rapture: The Development of Emily Dickinson’s Poetry (University Press of New England, 2007). With musician Frank Haney, she recorded a CD, Wild Wind . Her visual art has appeared in New Letters and Tiferet , and illustrates and is the cover art for Elizabeth Cohen’s Bird Light (St. Julian Press, 2016). Among her awards are a Senior Fulbright Fellowship in Greece, the Silver Pen Award from the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame, a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Literature Fellowship in Poetry, and a residency at the Anderson Center at Tower View. She is Professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Missouri and serves as poet laureate of Missouri. Website Aliki Barnstone About the Artist Aliki Barnstone Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art The one who tells the story has power to erase a story, a nation, a faith “so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel, ”Phoenician princess who became Queen of Israel. View Full Written Work So That They Shall Not Say, This Is Jezebel by Aliki Barnstone 1 The one who tells the story has power to erase a story, a nation, a faith, “so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel,” Phoenician princess who became Queen of Israel. So that a woman shall not speak, a woman shall not have power to tell the story. 2 Emily Dickinson wrote “The Bible is an antique Volume Written by faded men.” Skilled at the artful smear such men make a Queen faithful to her own a harlot, a fleshpot, a despot. 3 He looms behind her as she speaks, taunts her for daring to lead. 4 The King of Greed rants she is pushy, brags he grabs pussy, rapes a child, lies every 196 seconds, fact-checkers reckon. 5 The teachings say she was a dominating wife, with “force of intellect and will,” and none of the “nobler feminine qualities” of selflessness. 6 Faded men with faded skin, evolved from migrating North, away from sunlight and warmth, away from the Mother God brown-skinned Isis, whose name they disgrace, make a terror curse— Isis, friend of slaves and artisans, icon of the icon of Mother and Child. 7 After her son was murdered, knowing she, too, would be killed, Queen Jezebel dressed, arranged her hair, and lined her eyes with kohl, prepared herself for the grave where she would never be lain. Her last question: “Does he have peace, who slays his Lord?” 8 His answer: “Throw her down!” Pushed out the high window, adorned in a gold embroidered and tasseled hyacinth gown, her blood splashed on her palace wall and on her assassins’ horses. “He trode her under foot” till he was king and he left his Queen’s corpse to be eaten by dogs, except the skull, feet, and palms. 9 “And her carcass shall be as dung on the field… so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel,” write the faded men who deem their story the Word of the Lord. Close Loading Video . . . The one who tells the story has power to erase a story, a nation, a faith “so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel, ”Phoenician princess who became Queen of Israel. 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 . . . This work is the finalized project of 2015 Residence, Jason DaSilva. To follow the development of his film-in-progress, "When We Walk," click here. For the final video, I made use of animation that will be present throughout the entire piece of When We Walk in bits and pieces just as it was in the recent film When I Walk. When We Walk will be a follow-up film and has similar imagery to that of When I Walk. Romans 12:2 Artist in Residence 2015: Jason DaSilva By Jason DaSilva Credits: Title: When We Walk Film by Jason DaSilva Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2015 Film, Documentary Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link For the final piece presented, I used Romans 12:2 to highlight my personal challenges with multiple sclerosis and how I choose to use them only as a way to transform myself and present the work that I do in a way that it can help educate others. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will. For the final video, I made use of animation that will be present throughout the entire piece of When We Walk in bits and pieces just as it was in the recent film When I Walk. When We Walk will be a follow-up film and has similar imagery to that of When I Walk. Because When I Walk recently won an Emmy award, there is much anticipation for the follow-up film. In the piece, I show some of the different statistics for primary progressive multiple sclerosis and how I do not fit in any of the statistics of somebody who is typically diagnosed with the disease. Already, primary progressive only affects 10% of the Earth's population. One out of one thousand people get MS so that means that the possibility of me getting primary progressive multiple sclerosis is one in ten thousand people. Generally MS affects more women than men and so does primary progressive. That means the statistics of men to women is 1 to 3 and thus the stats of me getting MS is only 33% out of the one in ten thousand. Sounds kind of confusing: watch the video for a clearer picture. MS affects more people in temperate climates- I grew up in South Florida, so somehow I fell into this stat. The kicker is that most people that develop MS are from Western countries. My family is from India, and my parents' generation were born and raised in East Africa. So all in all, I fell into something that I could have never expected. That's when the passage comes in my mind. I realize that I was placed on this Earth and given this strange disease with astronomical odds so that I could use my artistic talents to help spread awareness and help others with MS and other disabilities. I'm glad to share it with the Spark and Echo community and I look forward to seeing all the work you produce and hearing from you in the future. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Jason DaSilva has been a prolific filmmaker for the past 10 years. He has directed four short films (OLIVIA’S PUZZLE, A SONG FOR DANIEL, TWINS OF MANKALA, and FIRST STEPS) and two feature-length documentary films (LEST WE FORGET and WHEN I WALK). Many of his films have won awards; OLIVIA’S PUZZLE premiered at the 2003 Sundance Festival and qualified for an Academy Award. Three of his films have had national broadcasts on PBS, HBO, and CBC. He also produced Shocking and Awful, a film installation on the anti-Iraq war movement, exhibited at the 2006 Whitney Biennial. Each one of these works advanced Jason’s objective to give voice to those on the periphery of society. In 2006 Jason took a short break from filmmaking to earn his MFA in Applied Media Arts from Emily Carr University. He recently produced and directed an Op-Doc (opinion documentary) for the New York Times called ‘The Long Wait,’ published in January 2013. DaSilva’s latest film, WHEN I WALK, was an Official Selection of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and won Best Canadian Feature at HotDocs 2013. Following the film’s theatrical release this fall, it will air on POV on PBS in 2014. He currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Interested in learning more about Jason’s creative process? Visit his website at: http://wheniwalk.com/ Website Jason DaSilva About the Artist Artist in Residence 2015: Jason DaSilva Part 3 Artist in Residence 2015: Jason DaSilva Part 2 Artist in Residence 2015: Jason DaSilva Part 1 Jason DaSilva Other Works By To follow the development of his project as a 2015 Artist in Residence, read his first , second , and third posts. Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work