Questions Davelyn Hill Questions, Detail 1 Questions, Detail 2 Questions, Detail 3 Loading Video . . . Multi-talented Davelyn Hill offers up this visual and poetic response to Luke 18:18-30, inviting the audience to participate in self-reflection along with the rich young ruler. Luke 18:18-30 Questions By Davelyn Hill Credits: Creative Writing Genre: Poetry Painting photographed by ShAy Black Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2020 12 x 24 inches Mixed media Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I love these verses on the Rich Young Ruler. I used a recycled piece that is years old to create this work. It is mixed media, using acrylic, yarn, paper, wood, and metal. I have a philosophy about not creating art to sit in a warehouse or extra storage. For me, it is to be enjoyed as a part of the culture of a home or business. This piece did not sell so it was in the rework pile. I painted it the first time and apparently was able to process whatever I needed to and move on. As I began to read the scripture in context, what struck me most was that he his hands were full . So, my figure's hands are full of balloons and treasures. He will not let go in order to grasp the hand of the other larger figure in the painting. Where your treasure is there your heart will be ( Matt 6:21 ) . There is so much that he can't see in the rainbow with the many colors and swirls, and textures — all he knows is that God is asking for what is in His hands. The Ruler's Question: 1. Why do I need to sell everything if wealth is an indicator of nearness to God? Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Davelyn Hill is the Program Director for Speaking Down Barriers . She has a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Converse College where she is working on a second Masters in Creative Writing with an emphasis in poetry. Known as “Davelyn Athena” in some circles, she is also an author, poet, and intuitive painter. She has featured at “Say it with Slay’” in Spartanburg, SC. Her art has been displayed through Spark and Echo, the National Equity in Medicine Online Gallery, and Neue South SPACE Walk. Davelyn Athena is a two-time Haiku Champion at Say What Haiku slam through Wits End Poetry . She recently held an online auction of her art to raise funds and awareness for a campaign to provide healing and resources to Black women who have been previously incarcerated. Alongside providing counseling services, she has led support groups, presented research, and conducted university presentations around racial trauma and oppression. Most recently she has been coordinating with funeral personnel around issues with grief and is a part of a team of facilitators presenting public series on the grieving process. Davelyn is also a Level II Reiki Practitioner of the Usuimethod. She is a spiritual director, healer, life map retreat provider and spiritual midwife. Find Davelyn at: Instagram Facebook Website Davelyn Hill About the Artist Kept Davelyn Hill Other Works By Read the accompanying poem: Questions Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Honor Thy Father Christopher Williams Resized Smaller Loading Video . . . In this rich and personal work, painter Christopher Williams (also known as The Black DaVinci) reflects on Black Joy and his relationship with his own father in response to Exodus 20:20. Exodus 20:20 Honor Thy Father By Christopher Williams Credits: Curated by: Rebecca Testrake 2021 84 x 66 inches Oil on Canvas stretched over wood panel with Copper/Gold Leaf Mixed Media Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link My art practice focuses on Black Joy: a spiritual feeling that has uplifted the African Diaspora through countless trials and tribulations in the quest for freedom and equity. It defies a simplistic explanation. Black Joy is like a heartbeat. Never bitter, it is sweeter than the blackest of cherries or the richest of chocolates. It is a steady climb or an out of frame kiss. It is a moment that is magical, that expands what it means to be Black and does not limit Black people to being solely objects of judgement and discrimination. My joy, my Black Joy may not be the same as the next. For me, it is a vehicle for connection, educating others and sharing my experience as a Black man. I am able to develop authentic empathy for my subject matter, laying their soul bare in my art making. At once, the viewer connects not only with my subject matter, but also me. Black Joy in my art making is not straight forward. It is, at times, elusive and difficult to grasp. My paintings transport the viewer through different realms of emotions, expanding from realism to partial realism laced with abstraction, often conveying the notion of being out of time and place with an expressionistic element that can be viscerally felt. My figures tend to gaze back at the viewer, at times emboldened, at times cautious because my Black joy emerges directly from the historical context of struggle and oppression, yet always striving to be respected and fully seen. I have found this process is like walking to the edge of darkness and then calling upon faith to take one more step to embrace all of joy's manifestations. Of note specifically about this piece is that the Bible that is on the left-hand side was my father's huge king James version from 1984. My dad wrote and highlighted and taped Post-it notes all throughout many chapters—cross referencing other Bible verses. He also used to quiz me all the time about Scripture. Those were good memories. I was on a Bible quizzing team that placed 7th nationally. My dad was very proud because as I grew older, every Bible quiz and team I was on placed first or high enough to compete in national tournaments. I used to be able to quote a lot of chapters in the Bible by memory (my favorite Bible verse being Hebrews 4:12 ). So, the verse Exodus 20:20 means so much to me! Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Christopher Williams’ art practice focuses on Black Joy — a spiritual feeling that has uplifted the African Diaspora through countless trials and tribulations in the quest for freedom and equality. It defies a simplistic explanation. He explains its experience: Black Joy is like a heartbeat. Never bitter, it is sweeter than the blackest of cherries or the richest of chocolates. It’s like a steady climb or an out-of-frame kiss. It is a moment that is magical and void of being Black, judged and discriminated against. My joy, my Black Joy may not be the same as the next. It is my vehicle for connection, educating others and sharing my experience as a Black man. What makes the journey of my work unique is my ability to develop authentic empathy for my subject matter. I have found this process is like walking to the edge of darkness and then summoning the courage to take one more step to understand what lies beyond our differences. These steps are necessary to overcome bigotry, hatred and indifference, to embrace the pursuit of joy. Website Christopher Williams About the Artist The Modern Day Queen of Sheba & Queen Esther Christopher Williams Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Katrina Ross Samuel Josefine5 Loading Video . . . Artist and theologian Katrina Ross created this beautiful work and thoughtful prosaic reflection in response to 1 Samuel 2:19. 1 Samuel 2:19 Samuel and Time Travel By Katrina Ross Credits: Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2019 Pen + Photoshop Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I think all spiritual practice is a cultivation of faith that the divine is good and present with us, even in the struggles we face. Throughout my life, I've found personal healing by making art, and think of it as part of my spiritual practice. For as long as I can remember, I've used drawing to process my emotions and challenges. Sitting at a desk in my room as a child was a safe place to be, and it continues to be a safe place today. I realized later in life that the drawings I've made are cryptic journal entries, which I've saved in notebooks all these years. When I go back to them, the drawings allow me to revisit those times in my life. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Katrina Ross is currently an M.Div student at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and she has also worked as a freelance graphic designer and artist for many years. She draws things using ink, water-based paints and digital applications. Katrina’s inspiration is often derived from things she thinks she saw, or symbols that want to be reconfigured. She tries to avoid explicit narrative to leave room for a range of experiences, because your contribution as the viewer is central to the meaning. Website: katrinaross.net Blog: katrinaross.blogspot.com Website Katrina Ross About the Artist Oil Monster Katrina Ross Other Works By You can read her exploration of the passage and her work by clicking on this title: Samuel and Time Travel . Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

emmitt-israel-feat.jpg EmmittIsrael2.jpg Loading Video . . . Artist Emmitt Klein-Stropnicky responds to Joshua 1:1-6. Joshua 1:1-6 IsraelearsI By Emmitt Klein-Stropnicky Credits: Curated by: Evelyn C. Lewis 2015 3/8 x 20 x 25 inches Drawing- pen and ink on dentil. Frame- fabricated steel with satin wax finish Mixed Media Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link It takes much meditation and concentration to trace the intricacies of a map. What is most fascinating is what I see within them as they emerge on the page. Often I find an arrangement which renders the map in a fitting representation of itself. In this case it is almost animalistic and yet so beautiful and simple. By mirror imagining the map I have taken it to another level of beauty. Maps are so full of dialogue and history. I wanted to remove some of the loaded politics and religion that is behind Israel‚ strip it of its names and labels. The passage I chose represents so perfectly what is still going on in this land today. Often in my work I combine different mediums and art forms (I.e. drawing and sculpture), which is why I chose to suspend the drawing so one can walk around the piece and view it's transparency from both sides. I saw it fit to juxtapose the map in front of a Brooklyn cityscape. it plays on my personal Jewish background and having been to Israel versus my residence in Brooklyn. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Emmitt Klein-Stropnicky is a transgender artist who has resided in Brooklyn since he graduated from Pratt Institute in 2008 with a BFA in Sculpture. The spark for his love of maps all began when he traced his first map of his coastal hometown in Massachusetts. He currently works as lead fabricator at a high-end metal shop where he is continuing to pursue his passion for metalworking. Website Emmitt Klein-Stropnicky About the Artist Emmitt Klein-Stropnicky Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

don-nyugen-air4th_first-supper-seating-layouts.jpg Loading Video . . . Hi, my name is Don Nguyen and this is my second post for the Artist in Residence project. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Luke 22:14-48 Artist in Residence 2015: Don Nguyen Part 2 By Don Nguyen Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2015 Theatre Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link July 6, 2015 Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Don Nguyen was born in Saigon, Vietnam, grew up in Nebraska, and now currently resides in New York City. As a playwright, Don has written several full-length plays including: SOUND, a sign language play which was a finalist for the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference and was previously developed at The Playwrights Realm. Don’s first full-length play RED FLAMBOYANT was developed at the Ojai Playwrights Conference and was both a finalist for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival as well as the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. THE MAN FROM SAIGON has been developed at Naked Angels and was a NYSAF Founders Award recipient. THE COMMENCEMENT OF WILLIAM TAN was developed at New York Stage and Film and was a finalist for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival. Don was also recently one of 48 playwrights commissioned for The Flea Theater’s 5 1/2 hour epic production of The Mysteries, directed by Ed Iskander, which was a stage adaptation of the Bible. Don is a proud member of the Ma-Yi Writers Lab, a member of the inaugural Emerging Writers Group at the Public Theater in New York and served five years as artistic director for The Shelterbelt Theatre. Don is also a frequent volunteer for the 52nd Street Project. Website: thenuge.com Website Don Nguyen About the Artist Artist in Residence 2015: Don Nguyen Part 1 Artist in Residence 2015: Don Nguyen Part 3 Artist in Residence 2015: Don Nguyen My Million Spectacular Moments Don Nguyen Other Works By To follow the developmental process of Don's play read his first , third and final posts as a 2015 Artist in Residence. Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . 2012 Spark and Echo Arts Curators Eric and Jeffrey Leiser created this fascinating short film created in response to John 4:13-14. The theme of "Water" is evident here, and the film captures its metaphorical and historical significance in this passage. John 4:13-14 Living Waters By Eric and Jeffrey Leiser Credits: Director/Animator: Eric Leiser Music/Sound by Jeffrey Leiser Special Thanks: Jennifer Colville Leiser, Spark+Echo Arts, Freesound Project Curated by: Adam Tyson 2012 Film Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Albino Fawn Productions was established in 2001 by filmmakers Eric and Jeffrey Leiser to produce films with spiritual, surreal, experimental and/or animated content. In 2005 AFP teamed up with Vanguard Cinema to release Eclectic Shorts and Faustbook, as well as Imagination [2008] and Glitch in the Grid [2012]. AFP-produced films have won top awards at film festivals internationally and have toured theaters across the United States. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Eric Leiser is an award-winning filmmaker, animator, puppeteer, writer, holographer and multi-media artist working in the New York and London area. A graduate from CalArt’s Experimental Animation program, he creates animated and live action feature films and shorts as well as works integrating animation, puppetry, holography, live performance and installation. He has made 24 short films, eight of which appear in the Vanguard release Eclectic Shorts by Eric Leiser, and three features: Faustbook, released by Vanguard Cinema, Imagination, and Glitch in the Grid, both released theatrically in the U.S. before hitting DVD/VOD through Vanguard. Imagination was featured in Animation Magazine and Glitch in the Grid was featured on Apple iTunes Trailers and IMDb Feature Trailers. It also won two awards at the Park City Film Festival and Catskill Film & Video Festival respectively. Eric’s fine art and holographic paintings have exhibited at galleries in the United States, Europe and Asia. Jeffrey Leiser is a composer, screenwriter and sound editor. He started in 2001 with his brother Eric’s short film Autumn, moving on to compose original music and sound edit 23 short films and 3 feature films. In 2011, he won a Gold Medal for best use of music in a feature film [Glitch in the Grid] at the Park City Film Festival. Jeffrey has released 11 albums through iTunes and CDBaby. As a colorist assistant for Technicolor, Jeffrey worked on hit TV Shows like USA’s White Collar and HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, as well as feature films like The Town, Black Swan, and a host of other films and TV Spots. In 2007, Jeffrey graduated from Video Symphony, a Pro Tools accredited institute for post-production. He is the co-founder, with his brother Eric, of Albino Fawn Productions, an independent film company focused on exhibiting experimental, non-narrative, and/or spiritual works. He also wrote the screenplay Finding Infinity, a biopic about Georg Cantor, and Twilight Park, about a boy who gets the chance to live out his grandpa’s past memories. Website Eric and Jeffrey Leiser About the Artist Eric and Jeffrey Leiser Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Se Farrar 1 Peter A Loading Video . . . Set and lighting designer S. Benjamin Farrar explored 1 Peter and the theme of "stranger" in this beautifully crafted design. 1 Peter The First Epistle of Peter in 1/2" Scale By S. Benjamin Farrar Credits: Location: Pennsylvania Curated by: Michael Markham 2014 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link These photographs of models, figures, and dioramas are based on The First Epistle of Peter. My focus is on the intended audience of this text – Christians, Jews, and Gentiles in Asia Minor who were in the midst of some kind of persecution and have been forced to stray into unknown or foreign lands and have been struggling with forces that might lead them spiritually astray. They are all strangers in this exotic land. The dreamscape dioramas in which these photos are set represent this foreign land of exile and there are several passages scattered throughout 1 Peter that have inspired specific compositions. In some photographs I have superimposed the relevant text from a “self-pronouncing” copy of the Kings James Bible as an atmospheric element. In other photographs I have allowed the composition to speak for itself in regards to its relevance to the text. The graphic qualities of the keys to pronunciation add a sense of foreignness in my mind – a sense that assistance is needed to translate exotic place-names into the language of those who travel into and through these lands. The author of the text (whose identity is in dispute) places great emphasis on maintaining the power structures and hierarchies of the exiles’ former way of life in their current strange surroudings. Whether it is the authority of God, Rome, or the husband, the author assures the audience that strict adherence to these structures will be rewarded, even if the reward is not seen in this life. My compositions attempt to show the strains and pressures that work to dismantle the frail scaffolds of culture and authority as the exile stretches farther from home and memories and priorities are lost or transformed by need, time, and distance. My choice of media is based on both my background in scenic design (in which models are a common form of communication for stage design) and an essay by the writer Michael Chabon in The New York Review of Books that has had a great effect on my work. In Chabon’s review of Wes Anderson’s film Moonrise Kingdom , he goes well beyond the normal limitations of the film review genre and creates a philosophical framework for art that I find deeply truthful. Below is an excerpt: “The world is so big, so complicated, so replete with marvels and surprises that it takes years for most people to begin to notice that it is, also, irretrievably broken. We call this period of research “childhood.” There follows a program of renewed inquiry, often involuntary, into the nature and effects of mortality, entropy, heartbreak, violence, failure, cowardice, duplicity, cruelty, and grief; the researcher learns their histories, and their bitter lessons, by heart. Along the way, he or she discovers that the world has been broken for as long as anyone can remember, and struggles to reconcile this fact with the ache of cosmic nostalgia that arises, from time to time, in the researcher’s heart: an intimation of vanished glory, of lost wholeness, a memory of the world unbroken. We call the moment at which this ache first arises “adolescence.” The feeling haunts people all their lives. Everyone, sooner or later, gets a thorough schooling in brokenness. The question becomes: What to do with the pieces? Some people hunker down atop the local pile of ruins and make do, Bedouin tending their goats in the shade of shattered giants. Others set about breaking what remains of the world into bits ever smaller and more jagged, kicking through the rubble like kids running through piles of leaves. And some people, passing among the scattered pieces of that great overturned jigsaw puzzle, start to pick up a piece here, a piece there, with a vague yet irresistible notion that perhaps something might be done about putting the thing back together again. Two difficulties with this latter scheme at once present themselves. First of all, we have only ever glimpsed, as if through half-closed lids, the picture on the lid of the jigsaw puzzle box. Second, no matter how diligent we have been about picking up pieces along the way, we will never have anywhere near enough of them to finish the job. The most we can hope to accomplish with our handful of salvaged bits—the bittersweet harvest of observation and experience—is to build a little world of our own. A scale model of that mysterious original, unbroken, half-remembered. Of course the worlds we build out of our store of fragments can be only approximations, partial and inaccurate. As representations of the vanished whole that haunts us, they must be accounted failures. And yet in that very failure, in their gaps and inaccuracies, they may yet be faithful maps, accurate scale models, of this beautiful and broken world. We call these scale models “works of art.” -Michael Chabon, “The Film Worlds of Wes Anderson,” New York Review of Books. March 7, 2013. http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2013/mar/07/film-worlds-wes-anderson/ The “brokenness of the world” parallels the historical and philosophical perspective of The Bible as a whole and speaks specifically to 1 Peter. But this view does not directly support the advice of 1 Peter, rather it initiates (or continues) a dialoged with the author about how to best deal with the rending and deterioration of the scaffolding of culture and authority. Perhaps creation – art – is another way to salvage what is broken or breaking. Certainly, scale models have been used previously in Jewish heritage – what was the Ark of the Covenant if not new a jewel-box scale-model of the unbroken world – so that those in exile could carry with them a piece of that world through the truth of the law? Did the exiles addressed in 1 Peter need a similar scale model to keep a hold on the fragments that bound them to their former lives? In this way, the media I utilize to create my compositions is perhaps Chabon’s answer to the crisis of fragmentation and loss that the author of 1 Peter is attempting to ameliorate. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection S. Benjamin Farrar is a designer for live performance and an explorer and photographer of smaller worlds. Benjamin is the resident designer for Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca (a professional dance company based in Madrid, Spain); an assistant professor and resident designer for The Department of Theatre and Dance at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania; and a freelance designer of scenery, lighting, and projection for live performance. He has worked as a designer and assistant designer in many venues in New York City, including The Public Theater, The Joyce Theatre, The Lortel Theatre, The Cherry Lane theatre, and The New Victory Theatre. He has designed throughout North America in venues such as The Majestic Theatre in Boston, White Bird in Portland, The McCarter in Princeton, The Royal Conservatory in Toronto, Wolf Trap in Virginia, and The Zellerbach Playhouse in Berkeley. He has also designed for venues in Australia, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, England, Scotland, and Switzerland. Benjamin has worked as a guest designer at NYU Gallatin School in New York and Grinnell College in Iowa. He is a graduate of The University of Iowa and Vanderbilt University. He would like to thank his partners in crime, Jody Marie and Theodora Soledad. Website S. Benjamin Farrar About the Artist S. Benjamin Farrar Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Nicora Gangi Psalm 16 Loading Video . . . We are pleased to feature this image of Psalm 16, a dynamic collage by renowned visual artist Nicora Gangi. Psalms 16 Psalm 16 By Nicora Gangi Credits: Artist Location: New York City Curated by: Janna Aliese (Dyk) 2011 Paper Collage Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This psalm has Jesus Christ in it. It begins with such expressions of devotion as may be applied to Christ yet concludes with a confidence of a resurrection. One, which is to prevent corruption that only, applies to Christ. David speaks of the prospect, which the Redeemer had of His resurrection and the glory that should follow. Both Peter and Paul quoted this psalm in Acts 2: 24, 13: 36 . This psalm is one that we may surely use to encourage one another and edify ourselves and then learn: that it is our wisdom and duty to set the Lord Jesus always before us, and to see Him continually at our right hand wherever we are, to gaze upon Him as our chief good and highest end, our owner, ruler and judge, our gracious benefactor, our sure guide. We have little to hope for from this life but we shall rest in hope of a better life. We can put off the body in that hope. Christ's resurrection is a sure promise of ours if we are His. Our pleasures here are transient and momentary, but those at God's right hand are pleasures for evermore, pleasures in the immediate vision and fulfillment of an eternal God. Here is the "color notation" used to develop Psalm 16 . Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Nicora Gangi was educated at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA (BFA 1974 and MFA 1976). She was a Professor of Art at Syracuse University for 29 years. Gangi has been awarded many Grand Prize and First Place awards and grants. She has been and continues to be published in numerous artist’s books on pastel paintings. She has lectured regionally and nationally as a visiting artist at universities and artist’s guilds. She is represented by: Edgewood Gallery (Syracuse, NY), and Gangi Studio (Winter Garden, FL ). Website Nicora Gangi About the Artist The Mountain of the House of The Lord I See Him but Not Now So Shall Your Descendants Be This One The Body without the Spirit | 1 The Body without the Spirit | 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 Kiss the Son EAST, WEST, NORTH & SOUTH AT HIS TABLE Nicora Gangi 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 dance work "Stranger Name" was created by Elizabeth Dishman and presented during Spark+Echo Arts Live 2014 in NYC. The piece is a response to the theme of “strangers” and the passages of Matthew 16:17-19, John 1:42, and John 21:15-19. Matthew 16:17-19 John 1:42 John 21:15-19 Stranger Name By Elizabeth Dishman Credits: Choreographer: Elizabeth Dishman Dancers: Kristen Bell, Elizabeth Dishman Musicians: Sarah Gregory, voice; Evan Gregory, piano Location: Brooklyn, NY Curated by: 2014 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Contemplating the theme of Strangers, I started thinking about how we can be strangers to ourselves. I've always been intrigued by instances in the Bible when God re-names someone, so for this work I focused on Jesus giving Peter a new name, and predicting both glorious and horrible things for Peter's life. "Stranger Name" ponders what it could be like to receive a new name, to wrestle with a new identity, one that only God understands and aids us in developing. Initially this was a solo work, the dancer engaging with the props on her own initiative. But something felt missing; I wanted to be more explicit about the relational struggle inherent in taking on, accepting, or being asked to accept a new identity. I was hesitant to introduce a God or Jesus figure, but decided to see what it would be like to have another person there, at first just witnessing, then assisting, then strongly shaping the action. The outcome, for me, reflects a very true scenario in which God is present in many different ways, some more welcome than others. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Elizabeth Dishman is the Artistic Director of Dishman + Co. Choreography, a Brooklyn-based experimental dance company founded in 2001. Originally from Colorado, she studied Voice Performance at Emory University, and Choreography at The Ohio State University. In pursuit of ineffable junctures between the abstract and theatrical, the universal and deeply personal, Elizabeth and her collaborators devote themselves to scrupulous exploration and ardent play, probing the elusiveness of live performance in search of lasting things. Over 15 years and 40+ original works, Dishman + Co.’s choreography has been described by critics as “complex skeins and cerebral dreams”, “bodies in rigorous concentration”, and “playful and provocative…raw humanity seeps in”. www.DishmanAndCo.org Website Elizabeth Dishman About the Artist Tide dance in the dances Terra Firma Visitation Elizabeth Dishman Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . This is my second entry for Spark and Echo Arts. I will outline how things are going for my proposal project, When We Walk. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Romans 12:2 Artist in Residence 2015: Jason DaSilva Part 2 By Jason DaSilva Credits: Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2015 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This is my second entry for Spark and Echo Arts. I will outline how things are going for my proposal project, When We Walk . It has been a fulfilling several months since my last entry where I explained the project, When We Walk . One of the more defining points that I decided upon is to feature other countries from around the world in the video piece. Within this entry are a couple video clips that I edited for inclusion in the final piece. The first one is of myself driving through the streets of Tbilisi in Georgia. I was grateful to be able to travel with the American Film Showcase to show When I Walk in Georgia. I quickly found out that sidewalks and stoplights are things that are not guaranteed – I presumed that these would be available because of living in North America, in New York City. When We Walk Video Journal #1 - Georgia The second video is of my travels in Turkey where I showed my previous film, When I Walk , and promoted AXS Map (http://www.axsmap.com/). In all my world travels thus far, I’ve been graced to have so many people helping me as I navigate and try to spread the word about the importance of accessibility. There have been several challenges along the way, and that will continue to be the case. The first one is pretty obvious. These cities are not all set out to be disability-friendly. When We Walk Video Journal #2 - Turkey I recently attended the UN Enabled (http://www.un.org/disabilities/) conference where I was able to present AXS Map along with the World Disability Union. The whole conference was an eye-opener for me because I got to see how the world’s disabled community got together to share their voices and work together to raise awareness of their similar issues for our community. I was able interview several people from the disability community on the specifics that they are concerned with. There were several topics that came to the forefront: education, accessibility, and intersection with other minority communities (for example: gender and race, law, and even ageism). While moving forward with the film, it is easy to follow the different threads. One of the biggest challenges will be to remain focused. During this time, I’ve been writing lots of grant proposals and will continue to do the same along with being consistent with writing for Spark+Echo Arts and the When We Walk blog ( https://www.tumblr.com/search/whenwewalk ; http://www.sparc.bc.ca/ ). Writing grants and proposals are the biggest ways to stay focused. I am thankful to Spark+Echo Arts for keeping me grounded and I look forward to continuing the project and presenting it to the world. Another big focus of the piece will be to document MAPATHONS, where we will spread around the world how to use AXS map to find wheelchair accessibility data quickly and efficiently with lots of people in any vicinity. As my vision and hands get worse, I am most thankful for everyone rallying together to support me and AXS Map. 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 1 Artist in Residence 2015: Jason DaSilva Jason DaSilva Other Works By To follow the development of his project as a 2015 Artist in Residence, read his first and third posts. Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Spark+Echo Arts founder Jonathon Roberts creates a musical groove to illuminate Philemon 1:17-21. Philemon 1:17-21 Consider Me a Partner By Jonathon Roberts Credits: Composition, Music and Editing by Jonathon Roberts. 2015 Vox: Emily Clare Zempel, Walter Kermit Zempel Roberts Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2015 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link While developing this work, I was mostly struck by the first phrase, "if you consider me a partner." I've been writing music and editing sound for years, first alone and then with my wife, Emily. Now we have a new partner in our life, our one-year-old Walter. Emily and I now run voiceover recording sessions at home while trading off who holds Walter and who is performing. It's a long road, but I'm learning how to be a better creative partner, both with Walter and with Emily. As I edited this piece, I tried to create a musical groove and soundscape that naturally weaves in the outbursts and exclamations that occurred when we recorded Emily performing the text. A drum hit here, a synth line there, a word or phrase got replaced with their interjections. If I "consider them partners" in my life, I need to welcome them, as Paul insists, in every way. 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 Weakness The Day Is Almost Here Surrogate Babbler Remember Me Prayer How Beautiful I Am a Fool The Constant Ecclesiastes Cows Blessing Fools for Christ More Than Rubies Only a Few Years Will Pass Dear Friend Jonathon Roberts Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

aaron-beaumont-air-post-3-feat.jpg Loading Video . . . In my first post, I laid out plans (you might even call them my “best laid plans” at the time) to select and refine lyrical content during the second phase of my project. So, naturally, this required me to devote the last few months exclusively to sketching out musical ideas and avoiding lyrical ones at all costs. In the process, however, an overall structure and concept has started to emerge, albeit possibly an overly ambitious one at this point. More refining, limiting, and general paring down will definitely be in order, BUT in the meantime, I’ll attempt to make some sense of the current disparate glut of ideas. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Daniel 4 Artist in Residence 2017: Aaron Beaumont - Part 2 By Aaron Beaumont Credits: Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2017 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link June 19, 2017 In my first post, I laid out plans (you might even call them my “best laid plans” at the time) to select and refine lyrical content during the second phase of my project. So, naturally, this required me to devote the last few months exclusively to sketching out musical ideas and avoiding lyrical ones at all costs. In the process, however, an overall structure and concept has started to emerge, albeit possibly an overly ambitious one at this point. More refining, limiting, and general paring down will definitely be in order, BUT in the meantime, I’ll attempt to make some sense of the current disparate glut of ideas. I keep coming back to the idea of the oblivion – or even serenity – of Nebuchadnezzar’s “punishment” for hubris. It doesn’t actually sound all that bad to spend seven years unselfconsciously communing with animals. Is it better to know, or is self consciousness a burden? Is an omniscient God therefore infinitely miserable? You could even see how Nebuchadnezzar’s chastening brings him relief: from having to know, from being a god among humans. The unknowability of mental states other than our own (and maybe even including our own) is endlessly fascinating, as is the variability of one’s own mental state and identity. Accordingly, I’ve been sketching out a sonic psychological journey somewhat inspired by Nebuchadnezzar, as he moves from a sort of “innocence” – the naivete of solipsism – into experience: an awareness of not only the ‘self’ but also of the ‘other,’ of the infringement and imposition of something greater, of something different from his own absolute sovereignty and will. The way I’m hoping all this will play out is in a series of short movements or a musical collage representing a state of flux, like psychological weather or a sort of mental channel surfing. The changes could be jarring or synchronous. I’m hoping to include some choral and instrumental interludes, and may also cut between brief excerpts from several of my own “orphan” unrecorded songs to represent the manic channel-changing transitions between movements. I like this idea of “sampling” myself – my older unrecorded work – as a representation of memory or identity itself, the illusion that we’re ever a fixed point or something other than dynamic. These previous works therefore function like memories or artifacts of a different self in a different psychological state. I’ve included four rough instrumental sketches, and a few pieces of sheet music. Here’s my current sort of Rorschach interpretation of them: Sample 1: oblivion, indeterminacy, movement, disorientation, flux, introspection Sample 2: oblivion, haze, holy nature, pastoral, serene, picturesque, transitioning Sample 3: dreamy, free, easy, floating, here (also the clear sonic outlier here – work in progress!) Sample 4: reconciliation, emergence, revelation, daylight, resolution, experience, settling, stasis All music written, performed, and produced by Aaron Beaumont. 2017. VIEW: SHEET MUSIC FOR VOCAL INTERLUDE SKETCH 1 VIEW: SHEET MUSIC FOR ORCHESTRAL SKETCH 1 The challenges moving forward will be selecting lyrics that support the musical ideas, refining the music, and weaving the discrete movements into a seamless work. I’m also hoping to work with a few instrumentalists and vocalists – at this point I *plan* to incorporate violin, harp, bass, and horns. And, as exemplified by Nebuchadnezzar’s impromptu foray into the animal kingdom, if one thing is reliable, it is the best laid plans of mice and men! Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Aaron Beaumont has toured the U.S. and Europe as a pianist and songwriter and been invited to share his work in wide-ranging venues from the Sziget Festival in Budapest to KCRW Santa Monica to the Tribeca Film Festival to off-Broadway Theatre 80 in the East Village to the main stage of the West Hollywood Carnaval. L.A. Weekly wrote that Aaron's music brings "a new life to the ancient music-hall/pop piano-man tradition, with clear-headed songs of genuinely witty lyrical oomph and, most of all, a historically informed musical depth – all delivered with style, grace, wit and elan, of course." Aaron wrote one song, arranged two others, and served as a piano performance coach for the feature Permission (Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Jason Sudeikis, 2017 Tribeca Film Festival), which premieres worldwide February 2018. He also contributed two songs to the forthcoming series Dan is Dead (Drake Bell, Maker Studios) and two songs to the indie feature film Alex & Jaime (2017 Roxbury International Film Festival). Aaron contributed an original co-write (“17”) and several arrangements to Gil McKinney’s 2017 debut album, How Was I to Know, which reached #1 on the iTunes jazz chart and #8 on the Billboard jazz chart. He also co-wrote “Good Love” for Briana Buckmaster’s 2018 debut album (#1 iTunes blues, #3 Billboard blues). Other recent TV and film placements include original songs written for Cedar Cove (Andie McDowell) and Where Hope Grows (Billy Zabka, Danica McKellar; Dallas Film Festival, Roadside Attractions). Aaron has composed original scores for films and theatrical productions, including All the Lovely Wayside Things; Tall, Dark, and Handsome; Heart; Until We Have Faces; Shrew; The Fire Room; the Breakfast Show with Adam O; Companion; and Beyond Imagination, winning best score and sound design at the Hollywood Fringe Festival for his work on Fugitive Kind’s production of The Fire Room by Ovation Award-winning playwright Meghan Brown. In 2016, Aaron wrote a commissioned work for the Spark & Echo Arts project, and in 2017 Aaron created a larger scale work as an Artist in Residence. Aaron also works as an in-house arranger, producer, composer, and mix engineer for the Gregory Brothers / Schmoyoho, whose original music has earned them a gold and platinum record and nearly one billion views on YouTube, along with myriad collaborations on other platforms. Recent Gregory Brothers collabs include the Justice League film (ft. Gary Clark Jr.), Weird Al Yankovic, Debbie Harry and Chris Stein of Blondie, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bassnectar, Alex Wassabi, LaurDIY, Markiplier, Slow Mo Guys, Todrick Hall, J. Fla, The Resident (Fox Network), and the International Olympic Channel. Songs Aaron has worked on with the Gregory Brothers have received over 175 million plays on YouTube. In 2015, Aaron participated in the Ultraviolet Music and Arts Festival in Los Angeles as a featured artist and presenter, and performed with his band The Mots Nouveaux for the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 Rockwood Music Festival in Frankfurt, Germany. Aaron wrote the music and lyrics to the original musical, Behind Closed Doors, which sold out every performance at the historic Hayworth Theater, received multiple Broadway World L.A. Award nominations, and played for thousands of festival goers on the main stage of the West Hollywood Carnaval. Behind Closed Doors was selected to participate in the New York International Fringe Festival as a national show, enjoying a mostly oversold run at off-Broadway Theatre 80 in the East Village. Aaron was selected as a finalist as a composer and lyricist for the Fred Ebb Foundation / Roundabout Theatre Company Fred Ebb Award for musical theater songwriters, and received the Hal Gaba Scholarship for Excellence in Lyrics from UCLA/Concord Records. Aaron is currently developing new musicals with playwrights Meghan Brown, Andrew Crabtree, Peter Berube, and Cassandra Christensen, and a one-woman show with soprano Lorelei Zarifian. Lorelei and Aaron’s first musical triptych, Midtown Antoinette, was featured on NPR-affiliate WFIT in March 2016 and debuted as part of the Florida Tech / Foosaner Museum French Film Festival. Aaron also occasionally helps produce the outrageous bingo raves phenomenon, Rebel Bingo, in New York and Los Angeles, as featured in the L.A. Times, Guardian, and BBC , and recently played a run of five capacity shows in the downtown L.A.’s Globe Theatre as part of 2016 Night on Broadway. Aaron has collaborated as pianist, musical director, and/or co-writer with a panoply of music buddies, including Jason Manns, Gil McKinney, Sara Niemietz, Tim Omundsen, Dave Yaden, Nicholas Zork, Aaron Roche, Nick Bearden, Emma Fitzpatrick, Amanda Wallace, Shane Alexander, Ben Jaffe, Brett Young, Courtney Bassett, Eden Malyn, Luis Selgas, Aly French, Sam Heldt, Karma Jenkins, Emily Iaquinta, Lynette Williams, Meshach Jackson, Roy Mitchell-Cardenas, Kamasi Washington, Chad Doreck, J.T. Spangler, and Katrina Parker. He claimed several distinctions as a young classical pianist, including two-time Wisconsin Academy Musician of the Year, Andrews University Concerto Competition Finalist, and the British Royal Conservatory of Music Award of Highest Distinction for Piano Performance at the Newbold Creative Arts Festival. He currently serves as co-chair of the Carnegie Hill Concert Series in New York, featuring leading interpreters of classical and New Music from around the globe. In 2015, Aaron founded SongLab, an online songwriting community for emerging songwriters. The inaugural SongLab Series welcomed GRAMMY-winner Dave Yaden as special guest. In addition to working with other artists, Aaron performs as one-third of the pop trio, The Mots Nouveaux, alongside vocalists Emma Fitzpatrick and Amanda Wallace. The band celebrated their latest album release with a residency at Hotel Café, a six-month residency at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, and residencies at Rockwood Music Hall and Sidewalk Café in New York. They were invited to join the lineup for the Broke L.A. Music Festival in downtown Los Angeles, where Lyynks music hailed their set as the “greatest revelation” of the festival, one that “really thrilled the crowd” of thousands at the Lounge Stage (GroundSounds.com). The Mots Nouveaux recorded a new EP in Spring 2017 with co-producer Peter Barbee / Among Savages, with forthcoming tracks slated for 2018 release. Aaron released his debut solo project, Nothing's Forever (Not Even Goodbye), featuring the first ten songs he wrote, on Milan Records (Warner-Ryko) in 2008. In his spare time, Aaron enjoys playing the piano, traveling, eating, writing songs, making coffee, drinking coffee, collecting records, going for brisk walks, being near coffee, and composing extensive autobiographical sketches in the third person. Website Aaron Beaumont About the Artist Artist in Residence 2017: Aaron Beaumont - Part 3 Artist in Residence 2017: Aaron Beaumont - Part 1 Lightness of the Pines Artist in Residence 2017: Aaron Beaumont Narwhal and Ocelot (Dietary Restrictions) Aaron Beaumont Other Works By Follow the development of Aaron's project by continuing to read his prior first , third and final posts written as 2017 Artist in Residence project. 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