Loading Video . . . 2016 Artist in Residence Lauren Ferebee shares the final development of her "Book of (H)ours," reflects on her presentation of the work, and looks forward to how she would like to continue the development of her piece that illuminated Proverbs 8. Proverbs 8:1-6 Artist in Residence 2016: Lauren Ferebee By Lauren Ferebee Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2016 2016 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link In Proverbs 8, Wisdom says: Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. (vv. 1-5) On a cold Saturday at the end of November, right before Thanksgiving, about twenty people gathered into a small house generously donated by a friendly organization to listen to me talk for an hour. They were people intentionally invited to share an intimate experience with me, which was the book of hours I created over the last year. I invited each person individually to the performance, and they were mainly people I have met over the last year in Dallas. At the bottom of this post, you can see the intimate setup. The stage was a music stand, a stool, and a lamp. Each audience member, upon arriving, selected a hand-held instrument to use, and they marked the transitions from hour to hour with their instruments. I performed with no makeup, in a sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers. I left my ideas about who I was and who I was supposed to be at the door, and I let who I was in honesty lead the way forward. It was very scary, and I still don't know if I did it "right," but I know that in that space of speaking and being listened to, I learned a lot. I have plans in the works to continue this piece. My dream is to tour it to all the places where I have community, and to share it with those communities. When I began this project in January, I had anticipated creating a large online resource. However, after much discussion with friends and evolution of my own ideas, what I realized was that this would not, actually, be in the spirit of the book of hours or of wisdom. A book of hours was a personal object, made with painstaking work, made for someone on a journey of self-discovery. The template I made for my own book of hours was my own version of that, and it was how I performed it. What I know of wisdom, what I have learned over the last year, is that it is created in the space between people, in communication and understanding. I think Wisdom herself, in Proverbs 8, understands this. As I meditated on the figure of wisdom, standing at the gate, or on the hill, I was struck by the comparable women throughout history, who have called out truth to the masses, often without response, or little response. There is nothing impersonal about it, nowhere to hide behind. To be Wisdom, you have to put your body in space, speaking words, to others. It is just that simple. To receive and ask for wisdom is a deeply personal experience, and a radical sharing of oneself with others In that spirit, I have chosen to share only a piece of what I created that night. However, in thinking about how to share with you the process that I went through, I decided the most beneficial offering I could make would be a template, which you can download here. The template is a guide to making your own book of hours. I suggest doing it with others: perhaps six others, so everyone can take on a day. I continue on my quest to make contemplative objects for others: that practice will take longer and be more time-intensive than I had imagined, but I have found each moment spent creating to be an incredible gift. CLICK HERE TO READ THE BOOK OF (h)OURS GUIDE Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Lauren Ferebee is a Texan native and a multidisciplinary artist whose primary mediums are playwriting and installation/video art. Most recently, her play The Reckless Season was selected for Stage West’s Southwest Playwriting Competition Festival of New Works, and her alternative screwball comedy Sexual Geography was a finalist for the Reva Shiner Comedy Award at the Bloomington Playwrights’ Project. In 2014, she was a juried fellow at Saltonstall Arts Colony, a semifinalist for the Shakespeare’s Sister fellowship and the first theatre-artist-in-residence at HUB-BUB in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where in addition to writing, she did community-based theatre work. Her most recent work includes Sexual Geography (developed at HUB-BUB), The Reckless Season (The Spartanburg Little Theatre/HUB-BUB), Somewhere Safer (FringeNYC 2013, Inkwell finalist), and Blood Quantum (At Hand Theatre & WET Productions). Three of her short plays, jericho, jericho , Bob Baker’s End of the World and The Pirate King are published online at indietheaternow.com , where Somewhere Safer is also published as part of the 2013 Fringe Collection. She is a member of playwriting collective Lather, Rinse, Repeat, and studied playwriting, screenwriting and television writing at Primary Stages/ESPA. Lauren also has regional and NYC credits as an actress on stage and in film, and from 2007-2010 was co-artistic director of a site-specific classical theatre company, Rebellious Subjects Theatre. She especially enjoys acting in and teaching Shakespeare and working on new plays. She holds a BFA in drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Website Lauren Ferebee About the Artist Artist in Residence 2016: Lauren Ferebee Part 1 Artist in Residence 2016: Lauren Ferebee Part 2 Artist in Residence 2016: Lauren Ferebee Part 3 while in a foreign land Wonders of the Deep Lauren Ferebee Other Works By Follow the previous development of Lauren's 2016 Artist in Residence project by reading her first , second , and third post. Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . The voice in this narrative poem by Ren Jackson explores the heartache and journey of praise in response to 1 Samuel 2:1-10. 1 Samuel 2:1-10 Hannah's Song By Ren Jackson Credits: Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2018 Spoken Word Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I will offer this: What struck me from the start was Hannah's voice. On one level, it was fascinating to go through several iterations of the passage, i.e., God's Word, Good News Bible, Amplified and particularly The Message to see how her story was related. Then, on another, to hear how she made her promise to God, in some cases it said, vow, and her subsequent exaltation, to God, for the promise that was fulfilled. It was that exaltation, her song of praise, that resonated with me and is the core of the narrative of the poem. I wanted to explore how might that sound in a contemporary tone, yet rooted in Hannah's voice. As I continued to compose the piece, I felt compelled to include echoes of what transpires in 1 Samuel 1. I thought the reader would appreciate the context of the narrative better with a few more lines providing that referenced where and why the 'song' was lifted up. I know there are diverse examples of this kind of praise throughout the Bible. As much as I was inspired by Hannah's act of worship, it was also the tenacity, and specificity to which she spoke that captivated my imagination. There is clearly an emotional distance that Hannah covers, and what I hoped to convey by the 'end' (because it's a beginning, too) was a sense that along the way she found the space to accept that she was no longer 'broken or barren'—indeed, never was—and that she came to the conclusion to make the choice to dance till her home-going. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Ren Jackson : Born and bred in Indianapolis, this Midwest kid was molded in the deserts of Arizona, and forged on the stages of Chicago. Ren emerged amid the thriving theater and teaching artist community in New York, having logged miles regionally as a professional actor, including time as a company member with the Brooklyn-based, site-specific theater company, Brave New World Rep, in addition to building on his stints as a teaching artist in Chicago and New York. Being a former competitive athlete, much of his approach to his work is grounded in his exploration of a story's physicality. Whether it be through stage combat, dance, gesture or stylized movement, his commitment and enthusiasm to creating a physical narrative that supplements and highlights a text are evident. Ren is always up for collaboration on projects with a focus on strong storytelling, spiritual development, ensemble building and mentoring youth in the performing arts, fitness or sports. Website Ren Jackson About the Artist Ren Jackson Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Broken and barren to the bone I'll haunt this step till You call me home. { SILENCE *kneeling, lips moving*} View Full Written Work HANNAH'S SONG Ren Jackson Broken and barren to the bone I'll haunt this step till You call me home. { SILENCE * kneeling, lips moving * } The pastor was in the church that day. Eyes defiant at what they beheld. Still, I knelt and silently released my lament despite his critical que. "You dare come into His house drunk? He accused. What's wrong with you? This ain't the place to get crunk!" I was delirious in my cry. "I asked Him for a son! I'll bring him to you To have and to hold, to teach and to annoint. He will even eclipse your sons, By His will, I hope you will appoint." With a shiver, I turned to accept his blessing Then went on my way. I knew when I conceived, felt it in my core. In an instant, the insults, and slights - the marital prosecution dissolved. I was full - ripe with the joy that my prayer had been answered. Broken and barren to the bone I'll haunt this step till You call me home {*kneeling*} This time I come before your throne, To praise you for the blessing of my son, Samuel. because I asked You for him. Names she called me, said I was second best She couldn't handle the truth of my love the conviction of my faith I was a rival of hers that put her to the test. Regardless of rank or privilege I did my duty Wife #2 ? No, I'm not no regular Betty. I am Hannah, and I respect the game. She has her brood: four out the door Two on the floor, and another wailing at her chest for more. But I'm not hatin'. Nope not me. Even though in the beginning I was bereft of the bounty that might flow from from my womb, Ready to risk it all, even to lay down in my tomb I still raised my voice like a rushing river, Lifted my eyes like a morning sun blazing Flung my arms like the eagle soars on the wind Despite her crushing ways To praise Him To ask of Him To thank Him for His Love. Broken and barren to the bone I'll haunt this step till You call me home You established my salvation before I was born Reached back in the generations to knit a promise And saved it for the day when I thought I was alone. You are the Creator, no one, no thing, greater. My Rock, my sword, my shield, my wheel in the middle of the wheel The Lily of the valley, a bright and Morning Star It made no difference what she said I still fall on my knees and sing, "I'll wait right here, for ya Jesus, till You come." Cause you firm up my backbone, and make my steps certain While humbling the stiff and loosening their way. You rejuvenate the listless, give hope to the homeless; You revive some from that lasting sleep, while others are laid to rest. You make plenty, where there is lack; Change paupers into princes And even the White House Black. Our world was built by Your word, and through the Word everything came to be; When the Word became Flesh Though many didn't recognize, Your patience surpassed all understanding. Healed and whole in my soul I'll dance this step till you call me home Hannah prayed: I’m bursting with GOD-news! I’m walking on air. I’m laughing at my rivals. I’m dancing my salvation. Nothing and no one is holy like GOD, no rock mountain like our GOD. Don’t dare talk pretentiously— not a word of boasting, ever! For GOD knows what’s going on. He takes the measure of everything that happens. The weapons of the strong are smashed to pieces, while the weak are infused with fresh strength. The well-fed are out begging in the streets for crusts, while the hungry are getting second helpings. The barren woman has a houseful of children, while the mother of many is bereft. GOD brings death and GOD brings life, brings down to the grave and raises up. GOD brings poverty and GOD brings wealth; he lowers, he also lifts up. He puts poor people on their feet again; he rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, Restoring dignity and respect to their lives— a place in the sun! For the very structures of earth are GOD; he has laid out his operations on a firm foundation. He protectively cares for his faithful friends, step by step, but leaves the wicked to stumble in the dark. No one makes it in this life by sheer muscle! GOD enemies will be blasted out of the sky, crashed in a heap and burned. GOD will set things right all over the earth, he’ll give strength to his king, he’ll set his anointed on top of the world! (1 Samuel 2:1‭-‬10, MSG) Close Loading Video . . . Broken and barren to the bone I'll haunt this step till You call me home. { SILENCE *kneeling, lips moving*} Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . We are pleased to feature images of three stunning pastels from a series by Nicora Gangi entitled Sound of Their Wings. These works were created to capture sounds from the book of Revelation, focusing specifically on Revelation 9:7-9. Revelation 9:7-9 Sound of Their Wings By Nicora Gangi Credits: Artist Location: New York City Curated by: Janna Aliese (Dyk) 2011 Pastel on Canvas Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link “My aim in this series of drawings was to capture sound. My reference for this idea came from the paintings by Diego Velázquez ‘Jesus with Martha and Mary’ and ‘Tavern Scene with Christ at Emmaus’. In these two paintings there is evidence of someone listening, in the background and in the foreground. “I wanted to experiment with capturing sound from the book of Revelation particularly Revelation 9:7-9. In this passage there is mention of the sound of locusts and the sound of the horses. Instead of using locusts I decided to use bees and a beetle. The bees represent diligence and faithful industry while the beetle crawling into the book (or on the fruit) represents evil, always eager to destroy the fruits (apple slices) of the righteous. It represents the silent enemy. “In the background of the still life is an engraving of an oil painting by Rosa Bonheur called ‘The Horse Fair’ to represent the sound of horses. The books of knowledge, stacked, opened as well as closed, represent God’s letters to us, the means for us to know God, along with the music and two musical instruments, which are the means for worshiping God. The white cloth, continually unrolled in this series, is like the white robe of our righteous LORD, which covers His people.” -Nicora Gangi 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 Psalm 16 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

don-nyugen-air4th_first-supper-seating-layouts.jpg Loading Video . . . Hi, this is my third post for my Artist in Residency project for Spark and Echo. To recap, I chose Luke 22:14-48, which covers The Last Supper because it’s the ultimate dinner party. I’m attempting to create a communal evening of theatre, food, improvisation, and game playing based on these selected passages. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Luke 22:14-48 Artist in Residence 2015: Don Nguyen Part 3 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 September 28, 2015 Hi, this is my third post for my Artist in Residency project for Spark and Echo. To recap, I chose Luke 22:14-48, which covers The Last Supper because it’s the ultimate dinner party. I’m attempting to create a communal evening of theatre, food, improvisation, and game playing based on these selected passages. The biggest obstacle I’m running into now is fear. The fear of it not working. The fear of it not being interesting and illuminating. And because this is the first time I’ve ever created an interactive evening of theatre, my biggest fear is whether or not I’m doing this right. Just conceptualizing the evening has shown that there are many rabbit holes to go down. I’m not worried about going down a rabbit hole, but rather am I’m worried about not going down the best rabbit hole. But then I tell myself it’s okay. Accept that fear. Instead of debilitating me, I need to let it free me. Just like how I approach writing plays, I need to give myself permission to write/create that really bad first draft. Have faith in the unknown. In my last post, I looked at the string of events occurring in the last supper. I thought that was the key to making an enthralling evening of theatre based on this iconic event. But upon further exploration, I realize now that equally if not more important is character. This is somewhat embarrassing for me to admit, since as a playwright, I should know this by now. But oftentimes it’s easy to forget, especially when you’re dealing with the Bible, which is so well known and so epic in nature. But here I am, now realizing that we need to know who these twelve apostles are, and who they were. Before Jesus asked them to follow him, they were ordinary men. Men who were not perfect, and I find this really intriguing. Perhaps the evening is about getting to know them better? In the book TWELVE ORDINARY MEN by John MacCarthur, he explains these apostles as disciples who “spanned the political spectrum. One was a former Zealot – a radical determined to overthrow Roman rule. But another has been a tax collector-virtually a traitor to the Jewish nation and in collusion with Rome. At least four and possibly seven were fishermen and close friends from Capernaum, probably having known one another from childhood.” So, I’m just going let go of my fear and make some specific decisions, regardless if they work or not. So for the first time, I’m sharing the “script” of how the evening will work. You’re at your computer. You are making a reservation for “The Supper” an interactive evening of theatre and food. You submit your reservation. You immediately receive an email confirmation, which states that you need to bring one ingredient and that will serve as your ticket. When you arrive at the performance, you check in at the front desk with your ingredient. You will be given a drink (beer, wine, soda). You are then greeted with a “garden show” performed by the actors playing the apostles. This garden show can consist of anything: songs, dance, poetry, etc. After the garden show, you can/will mingle with the actors. The actors (he or she) will not be in character. They will not tell you which apostle they are playing. You will spend fifteen minutes mingling with as many actors as possible. Bread will be passed around the room. You will break off a piece. When all the bread is broken, the dinner will begin. You are seated around “the table” and mixed in with the apostles. The chef creates a secret menu for the evening. The chef assigns each guest one ingredient to bring and how much to bring. Any guests not assigned an ingredient brings some kind of dessert to share. Three specific prompts for dinner conversation will be given. For example “taxing the rich” One of the apostles will start the conversation based on this prompt, all while giving clues as to who the apostle is. For example, the actor playing Matthew might say “you know what people hate more than tax? The person who collects it from them. That was me. The most hated man in the world.” When the conversation has covered these three prompts, the apostles line up and the guests vote on which actor is playing which apostle. So how does it end? That’s a good question. That’s something I don’t know right now. What’s clear to me is that this is going to be an ongoing process of trying it out, experimenting, and iterating through revisions. I expect the participants, both our dinner guests and our actors will play a big hand in shaping this piece, so that’s what I’ll plan for next, an actual tryout of this loose script. My hope is that my fourth post will include video footage from that trial run as well as post performance discussion. Til next time! 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 2 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 , second 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 . . . Actor Laurie Schroeder Callen brings us two monologues in response to the theme of healing in the doctor-patient relationship as well as Psalm 6:2-3 and Romans 12: 6-8. Psalms 6:2-3 Romans 12: 6-8 Call and Response By Laurie Schroeder Callen Credits: Written by Laurie Schroeder Callen Performed by Philip Callen and Laurie Schroeder Callen Artist Location: New York City Curated by: Michael Markham 2014 Theatre, monologues Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Heal verb \ˈhēl\ Transitive verb 1a : to make sound or whole b : to restore to health 2a : to cause (an undesirable condition) to be overcome : MEND b : to patch up (a breach or division) 3 : to restore to original purity or integrity. These private juxtaposed monologues explore a brief moment in time of a patient and her physician. From inside the mind of a suffering patient we hear the thoughts, fears and reflections that consume her as her young, ailing body resists a cure. Listening to the words of this physician, we perceive his limitations, his challenges and the burden he feels in his vocation. And ultimately, we can consider from his perspective that we all require God’s grace to be restored. I immediately connected to the sound of David crying out to God, asking for mercy and relief from his pain, both spiritual and physical. Our wounds and ailments are multi-faceted, multi-dimensional struggles we carry in our steps. Some of them are healed, others are not. Some are managed, treated, dealt with, some are not. Some hover in our spirits every day and one day disappear, and we don’t even really notice. And while we walk around needing healing, there are multitudes of humans who are called to intercede. They are called into hospitals and battlefields and schools and offices so that they can help facilitate the healing. So they can cure. And heal. But when they themselves are the struggling and the wounded, full of doubt and anguish – who will help them heal? Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Laurie Schroeder Callen most recently performed the role of Judy in Daughters of the Sexual Revolution by Dana Leslie Goldstein and Hermione in The Winter’s Tale , both at The Workshop Theater. Selected NYC roles include Lulu in Miss Lulu Bett , Gertrude in Hamlet , Arkadina in The Seagull and, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet , where she met her husband, Philip Callen. Laurie also lived in Europe for several years and trained at the Central School of Speech & Drama in London, earning her Masters in Classical Acting before joining The American Drama Group of Europe with their touring production of Death of a Salesman . Paralleling her life as an artist, Laurie also works as a medical educator and interpersonal skills coach for medical students, residents and physicians and is passionate about improving the doctor-patient relationship through simulation. Laurie and Phil live in Washington Heights, New York City. Website Laurie Schroeder Callen About the Artist Laurie Schroeder Callen Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Continuing with the son of heaven, son of earth themes, we’re showing how they get magic here and introducing The Good Lord as a character who, instead of using the word prayer, simply dialogs with characters in the books. In this section, we tee up some ideas that will come into play later and give some call backs to the previous book. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Galatians 4:21-5:1 Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 2 By Lancelot Schaubert These stories contain strong language and may not be suitable for all audiences. Credits: Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2019 2019 Fantasy Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link July 1, 2019 Continuing with the son of heaven, son of earth themes, we’re showing how they get magic here and introducing The Good Lord as a character who, instead of using the word prayer , simply dialogs with characters in the books. In this section, we tee up some ideas that will come into play later and give some call backs to the previous book. Hopefully by the time we do the fourth part of the commission, I can tie it all together neatly as a self-contained unit for the commission itself. For now, it’s functioning as what it is: a piece of a novel at the end of a trilogy. But it’s self-contained, I think, in its own charming way. The important part is the sort of biblical mythology as a magic system for these characters and how that will shape their journeys to come, specifically with how they will use their powers for good and evil a la the verse. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Lancelot has sold work to The New Haven Review (The Institute Library), The Anglican Theological Review, TOR (MacMillan), McSweeney's, The Poet's Market, Writer's Digest, and many, many similar markets. (His favorite, a rather risqué piece, illuminated bankroll management by prison inmates in the World Series Edition of Poker Pro). Publisher's Weekly called his debut novel BELL HAMMERS "a hoot." He has lectured on these at academic conferences, graduate classes, and nerd conventions in Nashville, Portland, Baltimore, Tarrytown, NYC, Joplin, and elsewhere. The Missouri Tourism Bureau, WRKR, Flying Treasure, 9art, The Brooklyn Film Festival, NYC Indie Film Fest, Spiva Center for the Arts, The Institute of the North in Alaska, and the Chicago Museum of Photography have all worked with him as a film producer and director in various capacities. Website Lancelot Schaubert About the Artist Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 3 Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 1 Posh Girls As Waters Cover Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert Dragonsmaw Daily | 1 Dragonsmaw Daily | 2 Dragonsmaw Daily | 3 Watchtower Stripped to the Bonemeal Metaphysical Insurance Claim 0075A: The Delphic Oracle Philadelphia Bloodlines Lancelot Schaubert Other Works By You can read his prior short stories (and chapters within his overarching story) in his first , third and final phases. Related Information View More Art Make More Art "Glittering Eyes" View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . "Glittering Eyes" Download Full Written Work

! Loading Video . . . This beautiful work was created by dancer Christine Suarez in collaboration with Gillian McGinty in response to Lamentations 5:15 and the theme of "Dancing." Lamentations 5:15 The joy of our heart has ceased; Our dance has turned into mourning. By Christine Suarez Credits: Collaborator: Gillian McGinty Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem – Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner Curated by: Elizabeth Dishman 2013 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This work is linked to Christine's explorations in her last project MOTHER. MOTHER. was inspired by the birth of her son and death of her nephew. In it, she dug into joy and grief. She found through this process, a deep sense of loss - a loss of a part of herself, her identity. A truly bittersweet experience. Christine and Gillian began working together with the intention to share their body practice with one another. Sharing weekly space and time together dovetailed naturally into investigating mourning. We began by experimenting how mourning looks/manifests/feels in different body parts. Ultimately we chose the hands. Our hands can reach out and pull away. They can comfort and connect us with one another while also push away and scold. We moved, reflected and lamented on the joy in our hearts ceasing with the intention to be open to the point where mourning can become potentially ecstatic. We wondered how can a dance of mourning become transcendent. How do we let go? Each new project evidences Christine's faith in the collaborative process and her belief that its generosity creates an intimate, shared space with the viewer. She has come to believe that the creative process is transformative experience - creating a community that did not exist before. She enters the process with curiosity and rigor. Her goal is to merge innovative movement, honest storytelling, academic scholarship and community activism. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Christine Suarez is a Los Angeles-based choreographer, performer and educator. Born in Caracas, Venezuela and raised in Baton Rouge Louisiana, Christine made her first works of choreography to the Grease soundtrack. Since then she has created eleven evening-length dance-theater works, numerous site-specific and community events and close to a dozen dances for the theater and film, along with teaching, creating and performing at school sites all over the U.S. While living in New York City from 1994-2006, her work was presented at various venues including Danspace Project, P.S. 122, HERE, Joyce SoHo and Dixon Place. In 1998 she founded SuarezDanceTheater, a not-for-profit, ensemble of dancers, actors and musicians. SuarezDanceTheater examines the unexpected – creating dance-theater in unexpected places with unexpected people about unexpected subjects. Christine and company were Artists in Residence at Tribeca Performing Arts Center from 2003-2006. Her work has toured nationally and internationally to over 20 cities. Her work happens in theaters, houses, parks, Churches, galleries, sidewalks and beaches. She collaborates with multi-generational performers along with parents, children, veterans, high school students and teen mothers. Since relocating to Los Angeles, she has been invigorated by making dances in unexpected places. Wet Spots (2008) was a site-specific performance about female orgasm that she created in collaboration with a multi-generational cast of women. The Los Angeles Times called it “ingeniously crafted…poignant…hilarious.” She has organized community dance participatory performances in parks, beaches and classrooms in partnership with city governments, community based organizations and schools. She has also been touring Wet Spots: Solo to Tallinn, Estonia, Movement Research at Judson Church (New York City), The Garage (San Francisco), Emory University (Atlanta, GA), The A.W.A.R.D. Show! (REDCAT). Most recently she premiered her new evening length work MOTHER . at the Motion Pacific at the Santa Cruz Fringe Festival and Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica, CA. As an educator, Christine has worked at public schools all over the New York City and Los Angeles area. She has been a guest teacher/choreographer at California State University San Marcos, California State University Los Angeles, Emory University, Indiana University, Southeastern University of Louisiana and Louisiana State University. She holds an MFA in choreography from UCLA’s World Arts and Cultures Department and a BA in Theater and English Literature from Emory University. She is a government contractor co-creating a dance program for Veterans at The School for Better Living, a psycho-social research initiative a the West Los Angeles VA Hospital. She also works as a teaching artist with the HeArt Project. She has been awarded grants from the Center for Cultural Innovation, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Puffin Foundation, Meet the Composer, the Association for Hispanic Arts, JP Morgan Chase Regrant, the Field and the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center. She is honored to be a Hispanic Scholarship Fund/Cheech Marin Endowed Scholarship Scholar and recipient of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund McNamara Family Creative Arts Projects Grant. (Photo by CedarBough Saeji) www.suarezdance.org Website Christine Suarez About the Artist Artist in Residence 2015: Christine Suarez Part 2 Artist in Residence 2015: Christine Suarez Part 3 Artist in Residence 2015: Christine Suarez Part 1 Artist in Residence 2015: Christine Suarez Christine Suarez Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Dave Czupryna Usheringinofthewheel Web Loading Video . . . New York artist David Czupryna interprets the vivid account of the prophet Ezekiel's vision in Ezekiel 1 with "The Ushering in of the Wheel." Ezekiel 1:1-28 The Ushering in of the Wheel By David Czupryna Credits: Artist Location: New York City Curated by: Charis Carmichael Braun 2011 29 x 12 inches Water soluble colored pencil heightened with white pastel on wood Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This is a reinterpreted version of Ezekiel's Wheel that I had been toying with. I liked the idea of the wheel within a wheel design, but instead of having the literal visual interpretation of the passage, I decided to go in a different direction and combined the wheels into one object. The passage calls for the rims of the "wheel within a wheel's" to be studded with eyes; instead, I added screaming cherub faces without pupils. I imagine the sight of such an object to be rather disturbing and unnerving as well as awe inspiring (besides, "disturbing" is what I do best). The putti surrounding the wheel are a procession of heavenly beings heralding its arrival. Some are wearing smiling skull masks (death), while others are without (life). This further adds to the idea of benevolence or malice being left to interpretation or even speculation. I like the idea of there being no absolutes, the idea of everything having aspects of both "good" and "evil" of benevolence and malevolence; it all depends on how one looks at it which makes it so. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection David Czupryna is a New York City-based artist and graduate of the New York Academy of Art. Website David Czupryna About the Artist David Czupryna 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 band Lowland Hum created The Father for Spark and Echo Arts in response to the theme of "poverty" and 1 John 1:5, 2:4-11. 1 John 1:5 1 John 2:4-11 The Father By Lowland Hum Credits: Written and recorded by Lowland Hum Artist Location: Charlottesville, Virginia Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2014 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link "The Father" was written on a day off during our first cross country tour. As we read through the scripture in 1 John, a few ideas struck and inspired us. The passage dramatically draws attention to the disparity between our identity as children of God and the way we treat one another. The subject that we were assigned by Spark and Echo was "poverty" and as we read the scripture we recognized our own poverty in a profound way. How can you say you love the father if you hate your brother who is made in His image? It is so easy for us to take a self-protective stance, putting others down, even if its just in our minds, to escape our own darkness and inadequacy. The story of this song is written in hopes of drawing attention to the lack inherent in our love for one another, especially in our families. At the end of the song, we hope to refocus on the freeing and glorious character of God, our only way toward wholeness. In the contrary way of Jesus, we aim to tear our eyes from our inadequacy and to dwell on His goodness and overabundance. In this act we are on the path toward healing, change and we are given the strength to love. In our poverty, He is rich. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Lowland Hum is wife and husband team Lauren and Daniel Goans. Together they invite their listeners to share in the space of vulnerable intimacy they have formed over years of steady collaboration. In the live setting, the duo offers an immersive experience of thoughtful songcraft interspersed with audience interaction and extemporaneous songs about the day's happenings. Their recordings take listeners on a journey through relatable, imagistic poetry exploring themes of memory, longing, confession and identity, and drawing attention to often unnoticed resonances of the everyday. Daniel and Lauren are a prolific, two-person creative factory basing their operation in Charlottesville, Virginia. They write, arrange and produce all of their own music, and have honed a cohesive design aesthetic to match the hushed simplicity of their sound. The duo's beginning starts with Daniel, a songwriter, performer and producer from North Carolina. Daniel and Lauren’s creative worlds first collided one hot, Greensboro summer in 2010 when Daniel asked Lauren to design the album art for a solo record he was working on. Having once heard Lauren singing to herself at a party, he eventually coaxed her into singing some harmonies on that same album. This was Lauren's first experience with recording. Previously, her performance experience consisted of her middle and high school chorus classes, which, in her own words, provided her with a strong connection to melody and harmony in a context that was well-suited to her shy disposition. Initially, Lauren performed with Daniel, singing harmonies on songs he had written, but within a year or so, the two began cowriting and arranging virtually all of the material together. Lowland Hum formed officially in 2012, a few months after the two were married and their collaboration deepened. In the years following the release of their critically acclaimed debut Native Air (2013), the duo has tirelessly toured the country, spending more time on the road than at home. In 2014 they followed up their debut with Four Sisters , a conceptual EP and video series, and then, in 2015, they released their eponymous sophomore full-length album, garnering a slew of praise, including an NPR First Listen. Lowland Hum has performed in diverse settings all over the country ranging from folk festivals, art museums and theaters to living rooms and gardens. During their time off the road, Daniel produces albums for other bands. Lauren's background in visual art asserts itself in the duo's collaboration significantly. She has created all of the band's artwork and design as well as several transportable installation pieces that served as additions to the band’s live performances. She is also responsible for an impressive collection of music videos often using found footage from public domain archives. Over the years, Lauren has designed five editions of handmade lyric books that the duo passes out to audiences so they can read along and interact more deeply with the lyrical content of their songs if they so choose. Lowland Hum's songs have been described as poetic and evocative, and their arrangements minimal, hushed and dynamic. They continue to attract a growing body of listeners around the world. Daniel and Lauren spent the summer of 2016 creating their third full-length album in a friend's attic. The album, Thin , came out on February 10, 2017, and is their "deepest collaboration to date" according to the band. They completed a nationwide headline tour, sharing the stage with the likes of Josh Ritter, Jesca Hoop and Penny and Sparrow along the way. After playing a handful of festivals this summer, the band will embark on a nationwide tour supporting Penny and Sparrow in the fall followed directly by a five week European tour. www.lowlandhum.com Website Lowland Hum About the Artist Lowland Hum Other Works By The Father by Lowland Hum 1 John 1:5, 2:4, 2:9-11 Jackie came home He doesn’t look us in the eyes He said he needs a pillow, and only for a while. Says luck is hard to find these days Especially when you got a bad name He’s covering his face And hiding his darkness in the barn. How can I say That I know the Father When I hate my brother For things he doesn’t do Gloria counting down the years The world has gone and left her While she’s cleaning up the dinner Wonders what her life could be Inherited the homestead She hates it but she won’t change a thing so there’re smiles on the faces of all of her siblings and her nieces and nephews will run where she ran They’ll all blow in like Christmas and then leave the house empty Again How can I say That I know the Father When I hate my sister For what she doesn’t have Our Father is light No shadows at all Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

We Wait Judith Barcroft Loading Video . . . The movement and color in this painting, "We Wait," by Judith Barcroft capture the sense of eager anticipation in response to 2 Peter 3:13. 2 Peter 3:13 We Wait By Judith Barcroft Credits: Curated by: Michael Markham 2018 20 x 24 inches Acrylic Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I have been in the theater for over 50 years, and there is nothing more exciting and mysterious for me than that moment, waiting in darkness, as the curtain is about to go up, and reveal a whole new world! My painting of the audience waiting illustrates our waiting for what is promised; a theatrical moment in God's time! Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Judith Barcroft was in her first art show at the age of five at the Virginia Theological Seminary where her father was studying to be an Episcopal priest. Judith studied art at the Borghese Gallery in Rome and at the Art Students League of New York where she won a merit scholarship and served on the board. She won a certificate of merit for outstanding work in collage at the Salmagundi Club. She is especially interested in spiritual art, and her work illustrating Lauds in the Book of Hours will be on display at the Church of Heavenly Rest in New York beginning January 10, 2019. Judith is also an actress, having appeared in seven Broadway shows, over 100 regional productions, and 12 years of television. Website Judith Barcroft About the Artist Judith Barcroft 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 new song by Nicholas Zork reflects on the beauty that comes from struggling with the difficulties of life in response to Ecclesiastes 7:1-5. Ecclesiastes 7:1-5 Days Uncertain By Nicholas Zork Credits: Written, Composed + Performed by Nicholas Zork Curated by: Aaron Beaumont 2017 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link "[T]he day of death [is] better than the day of birth" is an odd claim to read at any time. Having recently celebrated the birth of my daughter, Emily, I found it especially challenging. But as I reflected on the passage within the contexts of both its surrounding language and the fragile, politically tumultuous world into which my daughter was born, its wisdom became more evident. In "Days Uncertain," I explore the tension between the positive possibilities at the beginning of life and a future in which little is certain except death. Ecclesiastes 7:1 implies something I have long suspected about parenting: we do children a disservice by failing to prepare them for the reality of human frailty and finitude and the inevitability of suffering. I'm an ardent optimist. And I want to raise daughters who are perseveringly hopeful people. But I've come to believe, through my own experience and by reflecting on wisdom such as that found in Ecclesiastes, that hope can truly persist only as we learn to confront life's most sobering truths. Hope without such confrontation is delusion — a fleeting prelude to recurring disappointment. So I wanted to offer Emily a welcome song that, while hopeful in a sense, was also written "in the house of mourning." Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Nicholas Zork is a singer-songwriter, composer, arranger, music director and collaborative artist. His songs, academic writing and music practices explore ways that music can resonate, embody meaning, cultivate diverse and inclusive community, and overcome social barriers. He is the musical director for TINTR ( thisisnottheradio.com/tintr ), a diverse artists’ community in New York City, with whom he has helped create collaborative concerts at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, Apollo Music Cafe and other venues. He is the artistic director and co-curator for Carnegie Hill Concerts, a chamber music series that features artists of different genres and disciplines in curated, shared programs, bringing people together to participate in the celebration and cultivation of New York City’s diverse community ( carnegiehillconcerts.org ). And he is a founding partner of SongLab ( wearesonglab.com ), an online music education community. Nicholas’ classical compositions have been performed by university and festival choirs, and his music has appeared in numerous television programs. In addition to frequently writing and recording with other artists, Nicholas also performs his own alternative folk-oriented pop songs. His music has taken him around the United States, Europe and to Australia. Nicholas’ EPs, “Questions I Can’t Answer” and “All We Own,” explore issues of love, loss, doubt and hope through stories — both autobiographical and imagined. Website Nicholas Zork About the Artist Nicholas Zork Other Works By Read: Days Uncertain lyrics Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . "We Were Like Those Who Dream," a beautiful video work collaboration between musician Joshua Stamper, dancer Lea Fulton, and video artist Ben Stamper responds to the theme of "Dancing" from Psalm 126:1. Psalms 126:1 We Were Like Those Who Dream By Joshua Stamper, Lea Fulton, Ben Stamper Credits: Music by Joshua Stamper Cello by Daniel Delaney Clarinet by Amy Christmas Halteman Guitar by Joshua Stamper Dance by Lea Fulton Photography and Editing by Ben Stamper Curated by: Evan Mazunik 2013 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Joshua Stamper: Part of what's always struck me about the first verse in Psalm 126 is the idea of renewed capacity to dream, to hope, to imagine--a capacity was there originally, but then lost, and now surprisingly, is being restored. I think in these situations, though joy is felt in the extreme, it's delicate; similar to the experience happening upon a deer in a field. Your breath catches and you suddenly stop, for fear that the animal might startle and run away; you drink deep this grace and beauty, but slowly...and quietly. Similarly, in thinking about renewed joy, renewed cause for celebration, renewed capacity to dream--all the usual markers are there...laughter, dancing, levity, etc., but also an awareness of the moment, a desire to take it all in. You dance slower, more carefully, because you don't want to startle the joy that you're now experiencing. Add to that, the peculiarity and strangeness of being able to dream and dance again, stretching muscles in mind and body that have been unused for so long. Lea Fulton: I'm influenced heavily by the shape of the space designated for my dancing and this other worldly setting definitely brought clarity to some early ideas for interpreting this verse through physicality. In the performing of the movement itself on location, I was asking myself a series of questions and letting the body's innate knowledge answer, or at least discuss. How does the body respond to liminality- the space between the original experience and the restoration of this experience which has become a dream? How does memory shape our body? How is our desire for God, and our knowledge of His quality of being everywhere and in every thing, shaped by our desire for our own contentment through the attainment of a personal vision? Can the body be at rest in its tension between two worlds, even when we let things slip through our own fingers? Ben Stamper: Dreams owe their existence to reality Hope is born out of displacement Displacement has to do with unwilling Placement has to do with here and there In exile, time is a weapon used to consume the generations it once brought forth Place is now as large as the body filling There are many in-betweens but one here, one there Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Joshua Stamper has been a restless composer and remarkably active collaborator for over twenty years. His work reflects a deep interest in the intersection points between seemingly disparate musics, and a profound love for the intimacy, charm, and potency that chamber music provides. He studied music composition and playwriting at Hampshire College and worked extensively with Pulitzer-prize winning composer Lewis Spratlan and Rome-prize winner David Sanford. Equally at home in the jazz, classical, avant- garde, and indie/alternative worlds, he has collaborated with hundreds of artists in both live and recording situations, in the United States and in Europe. He has worked with such luminaries as Sufjan Stevens, Danielson, Twin Sister, Robyn Hitchcock, Emil Nikolaisen (Serena Maneesh), Kevin Shea (Mostly Other People Do The Killing), and Rogerio Boccato (Kenny Garrett, Ben Allison). He worked as an orchestral arranger and session musician for Sony/BMG and for independent labels Domino, Dead Oceans, Important Records, Sounds Familyre, Smalltown Supersound, and others. In the past three years, Stamper has recorded two albums under his own name Wend and Interstitials , and his new album the skin, the sea, the sound is set for release in fall 2013. www.joshuastamper.com Lea Fulton is obsessed with stories and the re-telling of them through visual and physical media. Originally from Southern California, she migrated east 10 years ago and finds New York City a stellar place to collect these stories. Based in Brooklyn, some of her storytelling adventures have included a collaboration with Ryan Ross that culminated in a piece of movable theater performed at the Philly Fringe Festival 2008, a dancefilm collaboration "Chloes" with dancer Stephanie Miracle and filmmaker Greg King that was honored in the Dance on Camera Film Festival 2010 and a multi-disciplinary interactive dance theater piece by a group of 13 artists in an old factory in Keane Valley, NY in summer 2012. Being consistently drawn to the medium of film, Lea has choreographed music videos for electronic music artist, Nadia Ali and indie-rock group, Apollo Run in addition to performing in Animal Collective’s video for “Summertime Clothes” and The Form's "Fire to the Ground". She has also created dance with Heather McArdle, Faye Driscoll, Christine Suarez, Kate Watson-Wallace, Laura Peterson, Deborah Karp and Jillian Pena. She's currently working with Motley Dance and Alexandra Beller/Dances. She has taught a dance workshop - "Community Building through Movement"- at Wheaton College and in Mittersill, Austria at the Schloss Mittersill Arts Conference and continues to teach through the medium of yoga in underserved populations and for non-profits in NYC, including Restore NYC and Our Place Wellness Cafe. She holds a B.A in Interdisciplinary Studies from Wheaton College and is in pursuit of a Master's degree at SUNY Empire State in Movement Therapy and Trauma Studies in conjunction with a Somatic Movement Therapy Certification. Ben Stamper is fan award-winning independent filmmaker based in New Jersey.With a background in fine art and music, Ben's intuitive approach to imagery and sound has led him to a broad range of human interests, from exploring remote villages in the Amazon to the complexities of human trafficking across India. Ben is currently working on a feature documentary about an autistic artist and his transition into adulthood. www.benstamperpictures.com Website Joshua Stamper, Lea Fulton, Ben Stamper About the Artist Joshua Stamper, Lea Fulton, Ben Stamper Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work