Loading Video . . . Ellen Stedfeld's beautiful spinning piece explores the contrast found in Proverbs 4:18-19. Proverbs 4:18-19 Brightening Path, Stumbling Darkness By Ellen Stedfeld Credits: Curated by: Rebecca Testrake 2016 5″x7″ each Pencil, Marker, Charcoal, Ink, and Oil Pastel on Colored / Textured Paper Mixed Media Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Proverbs 4:18-19 appealed to me with its tangible experiential metaphors - the path of the just/righteous is as a sunrise, and the wicked stumble blindly through darkness. My depiction explores this duality of possibility, a demonstration of opposing options, feelings, and outcomes. Though worded in statements of fact, there is a promise of hope, and a warning of despair. Despite the initial arrangement of the verses, I had to start with the darkness. Layering jagged lines, blotted inks, and shadowy smudges, I filled the space with confusion and agitation, my tools assaulting the page in a frenzied frustration to the point of ripping. During one stage of the process, the thick ink that was supposed to result in a sinkhole of black turned out to contain a silvery glitter. Although this altered the intention, in a twisted way, it made sense. The wrong path can deceptively appear alluring, only thinly masking the sludge that lies below the surface. While I may miss looking at the gathering of brash lines that were there, now hidden underneath, the meaning has become even more fitting. You know not on what you stumble. This murk is now truly inscrutable. Then conversely, we have the path of righteousness, a glow growing gradually brighter. Layered oil pastels and brush pens were applied, for both vibrancy and softness. White is at the center, the brightest place where the road leads to, and as I built the colors around this point it brought to mind how white light actually contains all colors. On the path, I drew implied shapes of people walking, and wanted to show them holding hands. They would be unified, unlike the solitary struggle of wandering the dark. But it was hard to settle on a particular color or form. I kept suggesting without truly defining them, wanting to leave an openness for the viewer to see themselves in it. Intentionally, my image is inviting you to step onto that path. Although the presence of people is not visually obvious, it did affect my approach, as I decided they would do more than hold hands, they would throw up their arms and rejoice! That's where those squiggly lines came in. Much of my other artwork relies on reproduction, but this piece can only be understood properly in person, hinging on its uniquely tactile qualities. There is no glass over the art, just the raw materials exposed. You must see and examine it for yourself, and you must turn it back and forth with your own hands. The choice of frame was very intentional. It reinforces the related reversal of these two paths depicted, and allows the viewer to consider these concepts in either order. In a way, it emphasizes the implicit decision ‚Äì which one will you turn away from, and which path will be yours? Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Ellen Stedfeld is an artist / illustrator native to New York City. Wearing a holster of brush markers, she often goes exploring around town, and sketches at live events and performances.Interested in overlapping art forms, her influences range from historic masterpieces to classic children's books and contemporary comics. At any given time, she is shaping several stories for original novels or graphic novels. Also working freelance, her projects have included band posters, wedding portraits, a page for a comics newspaper, and award-winning neon animations. Her faith in Jesus deeply shapes her creative practice, whether she is putting the Bible to pictures, weaving themes of unexpected love and forgiveness into a tale, or doodling silly drawings to evoke laughter. Learn more on her website www.EllesaurArts.com Website Ellen Stedfeld About the Artist Ellen Stedfeld Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Joy And Sadness Of Change Amanda Grove Loading Video . . . Illustrator Amanda Grove plays with colors and imagery as she brings together a dichotomy of emotions within her piece reflecting on Ezra 3:11-13. Ezra 3:11-13 The Joy and Sadness of Change By Amanda Grove Credits: Curated by: Rebecca Testrake 2020 Watercolor and pen tools on Adobe Sketch (on iPad pro) with an Apple pencil. Edited in Photoshop Digital Art Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This passage immediately stood out to me because of the strong visuals it evokes without having to pick apart each verse. I think we can all relate to the emotions described in the passage: The feelings of joy and sadness that change or loss can bring about. There is a sense of nostalgia and loyalty for the places we've come to know as constants in our lives, and when those places are taken away and replaced with something new, we can feel an incredible sense of anger and loss. Even if the change is necessary. When thinking about how to depict these emotions I was drawn to the parallels of the gloominess of rain in early Spring. It can seem monotonous and unnecessary at times, but it brings forth the most beautiful life. I chose to depict these emotions as a torrential rain surrounding the temple to represent the sadness felt by the people, and the bright colorful flowers to represent the joy. And of course the rainbow to represent hope for the future. The temple is caught in the middle of these strong outpourings of grief and glee. The design of the temple was inspired by a model that resides in the Israel museum in Jerusalem. The flowers are all native to Israel. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Amanda Grove is an Illustrator/Designer and owner of Golden Grove Paper based in Ashland, OR. She creates greeting cards, vinyl stickers, art prints and more based on her designs. Plants and nature serve as her main forms of inspiration and she uses them to create patterns and shapes in her work. Using traditional tools on a digital platform, she strives to stretch the natural elements of our world to create a surreal and otherworldly interpretation of the things she loves. You can check out more of her work at Golden Grove Shop Website Amanda Grove About the Artist Amanda Grove Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Focusing on the terms "image" and "subdue," composer Douglas Detrick and motion designer Kyra Odi respond to Genesis 1:27-28 in a collage of video and sound. A work looking at humanity and its role in the natural world, the piece is known as "The Genesis Project." Artists Detrick and Odi were commissioned by Spark and Echo Arts and "The Genesis Project" was premiered on June 20th, 2011 at M-1 Lounge in New York City. Genesis 1:27-28 The Genesis Project By Doug Detrick and Kyra Odi Credits: Film by Kyra Odi Music by Douglas Detrick Artist Location: New York City Curated by: Jonathon 2011 Short Film Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link "The Genesis Project" is a nuanced statement about humanity's role in the world, about time shared with friends, about mundane times we usually forget, and about the costs of the way we live our lives. It came from our personal need to explore and come to terms with what it means when we see ourselves as created in the "image" of God and to have "dominion" over the natural world as it says in Genesis. Douglas Detrick: The project changed significantly of the course of its creation, and the only thing we knew for sure was that we were letting go of control of how the piece would turn out, letting it take shape on its own. Seeing the street scenes that Kyra had filmed encouraged a radical change in how I was hearing the music for the piece. The finished piece was quite different from what we expected, but we still feel it makes an important statement. We can't say that there are any definitive answers offered by the piece, but we do hope that the piece encourages some thought in an ongoing conversation about what our duty is to the natural world. Kyra Odi: We started at something in the beginning which was so so different from what it turned into. All I can say is that I just let go of the need to control the piece and let the subjects (people of the city) guide it as I explored our surrounding environment. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Douglas Detrick is a composer and trumpet player who resides in the Bronx, NY and was raised in Portland, Oregon. Equally at home as a performer and a composer, he creates unique music in the worlds of jazz, chamber music, electronic music and improvised music. Douglas holds degrees from the Lawrence Conservatory of Music and University of Oregon. Find out more about Douglas at DouglasDetrick.com Kyra Odi , Graphic + Interactive Communication graduate from Ringling College of Art + Design in Florida, now resides in New York as a freelance designer / animator working at a variety of companies and learning from each diverse experience. Socially inclined, she feeds off the city’s energy which she then does her best to infuse into her personal work. See more from Kyra at KyraOdi.com Kyra Odi Photo: Rasmus Keger Website Doug Detrick and Kyra Odi About the Artist Doug Detrick and Kyra Odi Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

elias-popa_img_4516.jpg Elias-Popa_IMG_4460-768x1152.jpg Elias-Popa_IMG_4487-768x512.jpg Elias-Popa_IMG_4511-768x512.jpg Elias-Popa_IMG_4514-768x512.jpg Elias-Popa_IMG_4515-768x1151.jpg Elias-Popa_IMG_4516-768x512.jpg Elias-Popa_IMG_4520-768x517.jpg Elias-Popa_IMG_4526-768x495.jpg Elias-Popa_IMG_4530-768x512.jpg Loading Video . . . Elias Popa, an installation artist, brings beauty to the broken spaces near his home in response to Acts 2:42-47: Elias Popa, "The Art of Kintsugi and Sacrifices in Sidewalks" Acts 2:42-47 The Art of Kintsugi and Sacrifices in Sidewalks By Elias Popa Credits: Curated by: Michael Markham 2016 Gold Mica Powder, Gesso Medium, Resin Installation Art Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link In reading Acts chapter 2, I was particularly struck by the radical reaction the church had to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I spent days thinking over the implications of giving everything away for one another. To be solely dependent upon outside sources, while allowing others to be dependent on your own benevolence. In fact, it reminded in part of the philosophy Wabi-Sabi, focusing on the idea of the temporal and imperfect being handled with beauty and restoration. In the art of Kintsugi, when an object is broken, it is not discarded. Rather it is repaired. The cracks of the object are filled in with Gold. This precious and beautiful material makes new and useful what was once broken and decommissioned, while also embracing the pain of the past. It is both redemptive and humbling. How is the art of Kintsugi reflected in the community built in Acts? How can we build that same community today? What is a visual representation of this "Kintsugi" formed by Christ? I decided to perform Kintsugi on the cracks in New York City. I used Gold, being that it is the most precious materials we know, reflecting the preciousness of blood. Filling in each crack in the sidewalk was a meditative experience. Each crack had a history. Each broken concrete slab was a story of New York City. Slowly, in a subtle and gentle way, the gold began to leak through and repair the brokenness. Each work was a prayer, gently asking for completion of a work that I never saw the start of, and may never see the end of, but still have a hand in pouring out what little gold I have to build the city. It is a beacon of radical self-sacrifice in a society that begs us to find inward meaning. It is allowing what is precious to me to be stepped on in an effort to bring beauty into the world. I focused on the radius of my neighbourhood as a reminder that this work begins in the home. The work of Kintsugi begins in the brokenness of one's own heart. 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 2 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 3 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Elias Popa Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Theatre artist Timothy Giles explores the movement of Revelation 9:1-6 in the composition of his song, "Abyss." As a piece all on its own these verses are terrifying‚Äìas dark as the Inferno. I tried to work as much of this as possible into this composition‚Äìthe conflict, terror, chaos, and longing. Revelation 9:1-6 Abyss By Timothy Giles Credits: Curated by: 2016 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link My background in music is varied, but the explanation for the way I work on pieces like ‘Abyss’ is best understood through my work as a theatre artist. I have a habit of getting myself in over my head, taking on opportunities that put my skills in the crucible. It’s a habit that delivers varied results, but the best chances to grow. Most of the music I wrote before being asked to compose for my first play has never touched another person’s ears. Even though I knew that the best experiences I often had were having music that I created or performed fit into an experience that went beyond me, whether that was people dancing to a band or seeing physical theatre backed by something I had written. Because I have always experienced music physically. I love music for its ability to seemingly take over my body and I create music from that inspiration. When I went searching for the Bible verse I wanted to use for this project I was of course pulled to this passage, to its intense imagery and action. I wanted the movement inherent in the story to guide the music, and I wanted to do my best to capture the specific vision, dark and chaotic, that the verses created in my head. There’s extreme conflict in these lines: A hell on earth permitted by God whose end is only torture and no absolution, hope and longing for the comfort of death that is never answered, and mercy for some at the expense of others. As a piece all on its own these verses are terrifying–as dark as the Inferno . I tried to work as much of this as possible into this composition–the conflict, terror, chaos, and longing. Each line becomes a piece of a movement in this musical representation. Though this is not my first attempt, I am not a composer of great orchestral music. That has been my crucible for this project. But it was a journey I was glad to take and I hope I have grown from it. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Tim Giles is primarily a theatre artist. He serves as the Assistant Director of HUB-BUB in Spartanburg and also works as an actor, composer, sound designer, teacher and whatever else presents itself. As a sound designer and composer he has worked exclusively on new works: the collaborative You Need. Go Search. , Wallop by Charles Cissel, Treasure Island adapted by Jay Briggs, The Reckless Season by Lauren Ferebee, Organic Shrapnel by Charles Cissel, how i learned to become a SUPERHERO by Dennis Flanagan, and Blood Potato by James McManus. Website Timothy Giles About the Artist Timothy Giles Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Composer and audio illustrator James Newman created this rich audio landscape in response to Zechariah 14 and Zechariah 12:10. Zechariah 14 Zechariah 12:10 Jacob's Lament By James Newman Credits: Composer: James Newman Performed by James Newman Cinematic Orchestra Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2018 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Audio illustrator James Newman and the James Newman Cinematic Orchestra are pleased to present "Jacob's Lament". This piece was composed as an artistic musical reflection over Jerusalem and Israel based on events found in Zechariah 14. Though this piece is a mournful lament for these events, it also reflects that which is spoken in Zechariah 12:10 : "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn." With this in mind, Newman shares about his piece: "I've concluded this piece with a faint hint of the wind of change... a major chord in its ending portraying the coming hope of Christ's return, the destruction of Israel's foes, freeing both captive Israel, and the world from the Beast and his empire. Christ shall rule the world with a rod of iron and as Zechariah 14:9 states: 'And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.' I hope this musical reflection helps brings to life these living words found in the book of Zechariah." Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection James Newman is an international media composer, and audio illustrator. James uses his knowledge and love of sound design coupled with his ability to tell stories through his music to take the listener on journeys of aural excellence. Website James Newman About the Artist James Newman Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . We are proud to debut Kings&Prophets [chapter13], a new work by spoken word artist Baraka Noel aka grandmaster mumbles. This piece grew out of the theme "Beginning" and was written in response to the passages listed. Mr. Noel was selected to participate in Spark and Echo Arts’ illumination project by 2012 Curator and poet Emily Hazel. Nahum 3:1 Nahum 3:6 Ecclesiastes 1:2–4 Job 28:3–6 Isaiah 26:17 Malachi 1:10–11 Proverbs 23:33 2 John 1:5 Kings&Prophets [chapter13] By grandmaster mumbles Credits: Words and music by Baraka Noel; Production by Lucas; Photos by Merchants of Reality Curated by: Emily Ruth Hazel 2012 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Nahum 3:1,6 “Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not… And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.” Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Baraka Noel aka grandmaster mumbles is a poet, spoken word artist, and creative collaborator living in California. “one of the best traveling poet live acts on the planet.” – illiterate magazine Website grandmaster mumbles About the Artist grandmaster mumbles 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 piano and vocal composition by Jonathon Roberts, Dear Friend, juxtaposes a floating melody with virtuosic piano playing to represent Apostle John's letter to his friends. 3 John 1:1-13 Dear Friend By Jonathon Roberts Credits: Composer and performer by Jonathon Roberts Artist Location: New York City 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 A piano and vocal composition setting the book of 3 John. The gentle melody is nearly entirely whole steps and floats over a rapid-fire piano section--John's words are both calm and energizing. The distant feeling of whole steps gives way to a half step in the final vocal line as John prepares to visit in person. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection J onathon Roberts is a composer and sound designer for games, film, theatre, and ensembles. His style grew out of classical and jazz training, and evolved through quality life adventures: touring the country in an RV with a one person theater piece on the Apostle Paul, living in Brooklyn with an improv music ensemble, performing in a downtown NYC absurdist comedy band, and a long stint writing music for the renowned slot machine company, High 5 Games. He has released four albums including the latest, Cities a song cycle personifying biblical cities. He created the popular podcast/web series ComposerDad Vs. Bible , in which ComposerDad accepts intense compositional challenges from a mysterious Bible while out with his kids. He frequently collaborates on music and theater projects with his wife, actor Emily Clare Zempel. They live in Beacon, NY, with their two boys and a tangled box of electrical cords. www.jonathonroberts.com Website Jonathon Roberts About the Artist Loving Arms I Make Tents The Sower Response There Is Room These are My Sons Consider Me a Partner Weakness The Day Is Almost Here Surrogate Babbler Remember Me Prayer How Beautiful I Am a Fool The Constant Ecclesiastes Cows Blessing Fools for Christ More Than Rubies Only a Few Years Will Pass Jonathon Roberts Other Works By Dear Friend Dear friend, I pray for your health. Even as your soul is getting along well. It gives me great joy. There’s no greater joy. I have no greater joy. O my dear friend, you are faithful to the Name, and to my brothers and sisters, though they’re strangers to you, they know your love. I know your love. I write to you. I don’t write to your friend who loves to be first. He will not welcome us, spreading malicious nonsense. So I will call attention, I will call attention. Dear Friend, do not imitate evil but what is good. It is from the Name. I have much to tell you, but not with pen and ink. I’ll see you soon, face to face. I will see you soon. Peace to you. Your friends here send their greetings. Greet my friends there by nam Download Full Score Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Improvising cellist Matt Turner brings us this haunting piece in response to the theme of "poverty" and two verses from the Psalms. Psalms 102:17 Psalms 140:12 Two Prayers By Matt Turner Credits: Composer and Recorded By Matt Turner Artist Location: Wisconsin Artist Photo: John Beaver Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2014 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link "Two Prayers" is an improvisation for multi-tracked electric cello. The piece consists of two distinct sections with each part representing a prayer, hence the title. The first prayer is one of anguish and questioning. The second prayer is a desperate plea. As a child, I remember reading the Psalms and being drawn to the imagery and colors of each psalm. Concise and powerful, these writings are full and vibrant much like this verse. In this verse, destituteness means more than being poverty-stricken. Here it represents those who are grieving, suffering, or lost, and I have attempted to capture this in "Two Prayers" as a lamentation transforming into resolution. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Matt Turner is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading improvising cellists. Equally skilled as a pianist, Turner performs in myriad of styles and has shared the stage with Cape Breton fiddle sensation Natalie MacMaster, avant-garde musicians Marilyn Crispell, Peter Kowald, Guillermo Gregorio, Scott Fields, and John Butcher, country musician Wanda Vick, singer-songwriter LJ Booth, and jazz musician Bobby McFerrin to name a few and has performed in Canada, Europe and Asia. He appears on over 100 recordings on Sketch/Harmonia Mundi, Nato /Hope Street, Ayler, Illusions, Music and Arts, Accurate, Polyvinyl, Cadence Jazz and others and has recorded with jazz violinist Randy Sabien, goth vocalist/pianist Jo Gabriel, singer-songwriters Mark Croft and Tret Fure, punk artist Kyle Fischer, Kitty Brazelton’s chamber rockestra Dadadah, alt-country band Heller Mason and with the Pointless Orchestra. Turner completed his undergraduate studies at Lawrence University and his Master of Music degree in Third Stream Studies (now the Contemporary Improvisation program) at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Dave Holland, Geri Allen and Joe Maneri, and where he was the recipient of a Distinction in Performance Award. As a leader, Turner’s recordings appear on Illusions, Stellar, O.O. Discs, Asian Improv, Penumbra, Fever Pitch, Geode, Tautology, and Meniscus Records. His music is published by Carl Fischer, Alfred Music, Latham, and Alliance. Turner is a Yamaha Performing Artist, teaches improvisation at Lawrence University and currently performs and records with Bill Carrothers, Randy Sabien, Karmadog and with the Jean-Marc Foltz Trio. (Photo by John Beaver) Website Matt Turner About the Artist Matt Turner 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 work of poet and Christian theologian Jerome Blanco holds the tension of devastation in the world with the promise of God's restoration from Joel 3. Joel 3 The Day of the Lord By Jerome Blanco Credits: Photo by Matthew Jones Curated by: Rebecca Testrake 2017 Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Prophetic passages on God's eventual judgment and restoration of the world can feel very distant for me. As I wrestled with the third chapter of Joel, I couldn't help but think these coming mysteries were lifetimes away, especially considering all the weight of what is happening in the world today. Despite God's dual promises of vengeance and restoration, I wonder about what good those promises have for those suffering now. Are the promises of abundant milk and wine (3:18) satisfying enough? What about the promises of God's vengeance on the wicked (3:21)? The prophecies of Joel certainly deliver a sense of hope, but that hope that comes from a promised future sits in tension with the painful realities of the present. In this poem, I recall the refugees that I met during a brief time I spent in Europe. Many expressed a hope in God despite terrible circumstances, but who were of course also weighed down with unimaginable despair. God was often what kept them going, but they weren't without fear. In the text, I specifically refer to a man I met from Homs, Syria, who spoke to me about both these things. The poem's form is modeled on this not-yet-ness of God's restoration. Excluding the final line, the poem is written in six stanzas of six lines each. Six, here, exemplifies that longing for completion‚ seven being the satisfying number of wholeness in God's creation. The final line acts as a promised seventh line to the final stanza, and as a promised seventh stanza to the poem as a whole. The prophecies in Joel are already in our hands. Christians can hold to the truth that God's promises will be fulfilled. And yet we are forced to wait restlessly for them in the meantime, as we wait for the day of the Lord‚ the day of judgment and restoration that is yet to come. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Jerome Blanco is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary and is an MFA candidate at New York University’s Writers Workshop in Paris, where he is studying fiction writing. He was born in Manila but currently calls Southern California home. Website Jerome Blanco About the Artist Jerome Blanco Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art As for the sinners, so they say, the hand of God will someday descend from heaven to pick hem off like forked lightning. View Full Written Work The Day of the Lord Jerome Blanco As for the sinners, so they say, the hand of God will someday descend from heaven to pick them off like forked lightning. The promise for saints: streams of wine, water for life, a heaven-land of flowing milk—but all this a long time from now. Today, we watch good men murdered in the streets, hear cries of wounded women wrecked, see children made orphans at the bomb’s thunderclap. Once, I met a man who feared the Lord, who hailed from hell-torn Syria and showed me pictures of his rubble home—nothing left but stones on stones. I trust in God, he said with hope in the words of the prophets. But the weight of exile can bring a man’s shoulders low, pull his head down towards the foreign ground—like he might sink into the earth, slowly first, then suddenly, like a shot. When I go, I swear, he is ankle-deep. What good the promised justice eternities away, that a man’s short life cannot stretch to reach? What help is heaven milk while killers dance in dusty Homs? If God withholds the wine, then it had better be sweet, overflowing so that it pours back in waves, cascading over all the years that my friend is made to wait. When God smites with his left, I’d like to see his right dig deep, pulling the buried from the dirt, raising them high like the acacias in the Lord’s green valley Close Loading Video . . . As for the sinners, so they say, the hand of God will someday descend from heaven to pick hem off like forked lightning. Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Brooklyn Composer Michael Hearst rounds up the local jam band for a hootenanny on injustice and the words of the prophet Habakkuk. Habakkuk 1:1-4 Habakkuk's Hootenanny By Michael Hearst Credits: Composer, guitar, vocals by Michael Hearst Band: The Huffbunnies Artist photo by Franck Bohbot Artist Location: Brooklyn Curated by: 2018 Cinematic Hootenanny Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link While trying to decide which direction to take this project, the minute I read the "Habakkuk's Complaint" verse, I knew! As it turns out, there's a "jam band" on my block in Park Slope, Brooklyn. For the past three years, every Wednesday night a handful of us get together (each week at a different house) and play old-timey music, drink wine, eat snacks, and vent about politics. The verse couldn't have been more fitting or timely. I recorded the band playing the song using two iPhones (to get stereo) and then brought the recording into my studio the next day, over-dubbing a few more instruments and vocal tracks. All along I knew I wanted to end-cap the piece with something more cinematic, turning it into an imaginary section from a movie or modern dance. And there you have it. P.S. I told the band I would use the proceeds to take us all out for dinner : ) Composed, Recorded, Mixed by Michael Hearst Performed by Michael Hearst and The Huffbunnies John Fabricant - vocals Stephen Gerard - banjo, vocals Robert Glasser - guitar, vocals Michael Hearst - guitar, vocals Steve Lewis - ukulele, vocals Nicki Pombier Berger - washboard, vocals Toby Snyder - mandolin, vocals Tom Swafford - fiddle Doyle Warren - vocals Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Michael Hearst is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and writer, whose vast output is marked by a fascination with extremely specific themes, and with wanting to learn as much as he can about almost everything. His most recent project is a three-part book series, each book geared toward a different large theme: Unusual Creatures , Extraordinary People , and Curious Constructions . The first book, Unusual Creatures, includes the companion album, Songs For Unusual Creatures , and sections of the book have been made into a PBS Digital series. His previous album, Songs For Ice Cream Trucks has been used by at least 50 ice cream trucks around the world. Hearst has also composed soundtracks for the movies To Be Takei , Magic Camp , The House Of Suh , and The Good Mother among others. Michael Hearst is a founding member of the band One Ring Zero , who have released nine albums, including the literary collaboration As Smart As We Are (The Author Project), featuring lyrics by Paul Auster, Margaret Atwood, Dave Eggers, and Neil Gaiman, among others; Planets , a collection of new compositions to represent the solar system and beyond; and their most recent, The Recipe Project , in which the band has taken recipes from today’s top chefs (Mario Batali, Tom Colicchio, David Chang, etc.), set them to music, and sing them word for word. Hearst has performed and given lectures and workshops at universities, museums, and cultural centers around the world. He has toured with The Magnetic Fields, performed with The Kronos Quartet at Carnegie Hall, and has appeared on such shows as NPR's Fresh Air, A+E's Breakfast With The Arts, and NBC's The Today Show Website Michael Hearst About the Artist Michael Hearst Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . So I have been thinking lately about the importance of two simple things: the notion of circles (in particular concentric circles), and the meticulous keeping of lists. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Revelation 11:3-7 Revelations 9:10-20 Isaiah 8:11 Proverbs 4:23 Artist in Residence 2017: Lily Maase Part 1 By Lily Maase This album contains some strong language, references to violence, and allusions to drug use, and may not be suitable for all audiences. Discretion is advised. Credits: Composed, Written, and Performed By Lily Maase. 2017 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 March 13, 2017 So I have been thinking lately about the importance of two simple things: the notion of circles (in particular concentric circles), and the meticulous keeping of lists. Because we experience our lives in a linear fashion we tend to take a very list-like approach to taking stock of our experiences. This is useful for us, for the most part, because it enables to get from point A to point B in our daily lives. But, if our lives really were as linear as we think they are, why does history have this pesky tendency to repeat itself? Wouldn’t it stand to reason that we would encounter a problem, learn from it, and then check it off our ‘list’ of life lessons and move on? If learning an instrument worked like this, my students would all learn their first song, master it, go on to the next song, and after doing this a dozen tunes or so have a relative mastery of the instrument. But anyone who has picked up a creative endeavor will most likely learn the hard way that this is not the case. It is only through learning six or seven (or sixty, or seventy!) pieces of music that we develop the skill and diligence to be able to go back an truly perfect the first. I spoke recently with a pastor who suggested to me two things: that the best way to interpret holy scripture is through the scripture itself, and that the things we experience within ourselves run in confluence with the things we experience outside ourselves. This runs in apparent conflict with the same pastor’s idea that no elements of the Bible should be taken figuratively. Attempting to conflate these two concepts into something applicable has been, to say the least, a fascinating prospect. There is a popular phrase in Eastern medicine that echoes this sentiment with a simplicity and elegance that so much of Eastern thinking brings to us Westerners, who like to deal in concrete details but who also like to make our understandings of even the most basic things unbelievably intellectually complex: “As within, so without. As above, so below.” This is actually a concept that I first encountered when being treated for my physical pain and, by extension, my PTSD. Interpreted literally, it means that if something is wrong with your right shoulder, you might see it reflected in the way you carry your left ankle. Or, if you have a disease of the gut, you might see evidence of this ailment present in places on your skin. But for me it has also meant that, as I learned to honor and work through my emotional pain, I have been slowly been relieved of my physical torments as well. Taken from a spiritual perspective, this becomes a fascinating way to interpret the Bible, and in particular, to interpret Revelation. Are we living in the end of times? Perhaps. But the human ego is, in the words of a popular public figure, ‘tremendous.’ And so every generation seems to have thought that it was perhaps destined to be the last to walk this earth. Nevertheless, in my own life I have experienced a myriad of personal crises that made me feel as if the world was coming to an end. And in each of these I had to dig into the darkness in my life, bear witness to the challenges before me, and decide which parts of my life will be asked to come to an end so the better parts may live. If this isn’t an apt metaphor for the concentricity of the apocalypse, I don’t know what is. There are some scriptural precedents for the idea of looking within for answers to the struggles that lie without. Proverbs 4:23 tells us “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Similarly, Isaiah 8:11 reads “The Lord hath said to me in the strongest terms: ‘Do not think like everyone else does.” To me this means that a Godly life is one of constant inventory of the self (the within) and a skepticism of majority thinking, even if this thinking happens to be the norm (the without). In other words, I am observing patterns in my life and in the world emerge in perfect circles, am taking stock of my interactions with these patterns, and as a result I am finding that I have quite a bit to write about. In some ways this process is one of concentricity—the evil within is echoed by the evil without, and the struggles and salvation within mirror the struggles and salvation in the world at large as suggested in the book of Revelation. In short terms, I am working on a song cycle from the perspective of the Devil and the angels who conspired together in the undoing of the earth. But the cycle is also about my mother, whom I am sad to say, is the purest representation of evil within my own limited worldview; and about the way this heritage has manifested in my own life and had to be held at bay. I am writing about bearing witness to these things and accepting the consequences of having open eyes, and about the fearlessness that this process—which is essentially a keeping of lists—requires. In the Bible these witnesses manifest as two pillars of light in the storm and I believe this has some pertinent political relevance—of all the protests signs I have seen since the turning of the political tide in this country, my favorite has been this, held by an elderly women in rural New Mexico: ‘I am the storm, I leave light in my wake.’ In mid-March I will begin recording some of this music and look forward to sharing the results with you before I continue onward in this process of self-discovery, creative development, and striving both internally and through my relationship with the outside world to continue to grow towards the light. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Lily Maase is a rock, country, jazz and classical guitarist raised in New Mexico, educated at the University of North Texas, and living in Brooklyn, New York. She is contributing writer for Premier Guitar Magazine and has contributed to Guitar World and Guitar World’s Acoustic Nation, who recently lauded her as a “master guitar teacher.” She is the founder and owner of Brooklyn GuitarWorks, a workshop-oriented center for guitar and bass guitar education located in Williamsburg. Lily is the lead guitarist, musical director and bandleader with the Rocket Queens all-female tribute to Guns N Roses and the Suite Unraveling (Tzadik). She is the lead guitarist with Gato Loco, and is endorsed by Godin Guitars. Her playing has been featured by Vans.com, Maxim.com, Guitar World’s Acoustic Nation, Teen Vogue, and Elle Magazine. Website Lily Maase About the Artist Artist in Residence 2017: Lily Maase Part 2 Artist in Residence 2017: Lily Maase Part 3 Artist in Residence 2017: Lily Maase Look Out Below Lily Maase Other Works By Follow Lily's project's development throughout the year by reading her previous second , third and final posts. Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work