Sletten Create Clean Heart Lighter Smaller Cef Contrast Adjustment Loading Video . . . Visual artist Ingrid Sletten was naturally drawn to Psalm 51:11 as the longing expressed by the psalmist mirrors the themes of her works that seek to depict the divine residing in the physical body. Psalms 51:11 A Clean Heart, O God! By Ingrid Sletten ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Laurel Justice 2017 8 x 11 1/4 inches ​ Gouache on heavy paper Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ About the This Work Life is difficult! It has ups and downs. My faith sustains me in the journey. I have a daily prayer ritual that includes Psalm 51, of which this verse is a verse that I recite daily. In that reciting I am fervently asking God to direct me to the light, to the positive side of the soul. So, when Spark and Echo asked for a verse I had an easy choice! I selected what I pray every day from the heart. I am showing my experience of God’s answer to my prayer in me and around me. In the image I am gazing out at you and you can see intimately the spirit at work in response to my prayer. The Spirit is in the abstract forms around me – circles of various sizes and colors. The colors suggest the bright light – and also the essential minerality -- of the Spirit. The varying thickness of the paint shows the palpable, tactile sense I have of the energy of the Spirit. My face shines with the infusion of the Spirit! It is, I am, experienced as having been cleansed. I hold this moment, this image, as another and eternal prayer for continued cleansing of the heart. About My Body of Work I have painted human figures and abstract shapes for the last seventeen years. In some images, the figure is alone in the work. In others the abstract forms occur alone. The human and the abstract forms also appear together. Most of my work is on paper using tempera, water color and charcoal. For the human figure I draw from life using a model. My figures are often drawn larger than life. The abstractions are linear or circular shapes. Both language systems are necessary for what I wish to communicate. Through the figurative language I intend to depict the divine that resides in the physical body. These depictions communicate the presence of the divine spirit, or a divine spiritual state such as joy, peace, tranquility; truth. The abstractions depict the energy of the divine presence that may be within and around the body. My work is connected to meditation and reflection practices combined with the experience of life drawing. Abstract images of shapes and colors may come to my imagination during or after meditation. As I draw from life or reflect on existing drawings of the figure, I imagine the energy in or around the figure in a particular form or color. “My images are intended to represent the divine within the human person, through natural depictions of the physical body as well as through abstract forms.” Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Descended from Norwegian immigrants who settled in Wisconsin in the early 20th century, Ingrid Sletten moved to New York twenty years ago and considers herself a New Yorker. She is proud of her hometown as a collective of diverse, courageous and persistent people. Fifteen years ago, Ingrid began a journey as an artist and a spiritual director. She is now an active visual artist producing exhibit work that depicts human figures and abstract shapes with a focus on the presence of the divine in the images. Ingrid has a Master’s Degree in Christian Spirituality from Fordham University, Bronx, New York. Privileged to serve in the media industry in New York, Ingrid worked in the field for twenty years -- serving Fortune 500 Companies through the dot.com boom and beyond. Six years ago she began a career in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction field where she found joy combining her expertise in business and media with her first love: spirituality and the visual arts. Ingrid's family property, The River Cabin, is located in Chetek, Wisconsin. Her family is beyond dear to her. They help her focus on God’s presence and social justice; areas in which she hopes to champion as long as she is graced to be on this earth. Website Ingrid Sletten About the Artist Ingrid Sletten 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 . . . Don Nguyen shares the development of his new theater piece in his fourth post. Luke 22:14-48 Artist in Residence 2015: Don Nguyen 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 ​ Hi, this is my fourth and final post (maybe) for my Spark and Echo artists residency. To recap, I chose Luke 22:14-48, which covers The Last Supper because it’s the ultimate dinner party. I was attempting to create a communal evening of theatre, food, improvisation, and game playing based on these selected passages. In my last post , I talked about the obstacles I was running into, my fear of finishing the project, and the direction I wanted to take it in. After exploring different avenues and giving it a lot of thought, I’ve decided to pivot the theme of the project from The Last Supper to The First Supper. The idea of the First Supper really intrigues me because we know so much about the events of the Last Supper, but we don’t know much, if anything, about the First Supper. And in exploring the notion of the First Supper as a kind of origin story for the apostles, I started to dig deeper into each of their backgrounds. It was then I reached out to Jonathon Roberts, Founder and Co-Executive director of Spark and Echo to discuss this new theme. I wanted to know if there was anything mentioned in the new testament about this so called first supper. Jonathon reached out to his colleague Pastor Timothy Bourman of Sure Foundation Lutheran Church for information, and I was struck deeply by what Pastor Bourman had to say about the relation of the last supper and the first supper: "The last supper probably isn't the best name for the Lord's Supper. It is really a continuation and a deepening of a fellowship that began at the beginning of time and will culminate in the wedding feast of the Lamb. It is neither the first supper nor the last supper." “It is neither the first supper nor the last supper.” This really crystallized thematically what I wanted my project to be about. It was this comment that gave me “permission” to look beyond the apostles and into my own life and the people I know and allowed me to posit the notion of a “First Supper” moment for all of us. So what is a “First Supper” moment? To me, it is a moment in your life when you’ve experienced something life changing, memorable, thought provoking, challenging, or illuminating; all while breaking bread with someone. This someone could be your family, close friend, or a complete stranger. This idea of everyone having a “First Supper” moment also helped me to figure out the audience participation aspect of my immersive theater project. How was I going to engage with the audience in a way that would allow them to feel included? Of course! I’ll ask them to share their first supper moment with me. And those personal moments for the audience would become the necessary seed used to grow the show organically into an evening of theatre. I then reached out to some of my friends and asked them to share their first supper moments with me. I told them to not be literal in terms of a “supper.” It doesn’t have to be a feast or large gathering. It can be small and intimate. As long as that moment was important to them. I also wanted to keep it simple for them, so I asked of them only two things: 1. A short sentence or two describing the moment 2. List any food or drinks that you remember/stood out to you. I provided an example from my own first supper moment: “I was forced to go on a family trip to Oregon when I was 13 or 14. One night we grilled fresh oysters that came in on the boat that day. My dad cracked open a beer and shared it with me. It was a moment I’ll never forget.” Food: Fresh oysters and a can of Budweiser. – Don Nguyen Here are some "First Supper" moments that have been shared with me. Some even provided photos: “I was eight when my father’s union went on strike. His friend brought us a plate of cheese and meats. As my father thanked him, I peered into the otherwise empty fridge gazing on it with awe. It dawned on me what it felt like to not have quite enough.” Foods: Swiss and cheddar cheese. Cured meats. Probably Hickory farms or some such. – Stella Fawn Ragsdale “Having my first proper dinner with grandma. I obviously didn’t have the manners required so i pretended to fall asleep and my mom took the cue and removed me from the scrutiny.” Foods: disgusting beets and cooked carrots… and some other things that were fine. – Dusty Brown “My wedding reception dinner. That day was one of the happiest of my life. And the meal included green bean casserole. This is significant because green bean casserole is one of my absolute favorite things, but it’s not exactly "classy”. Yet, my husband let me include it as one of the side dishes for our reception. I think it represented us as a couple quite well – not very fancy, but comforting, enjoyable, and finding happiness in making each other happy.” Foods: Green Bean Casserole – Deborah Krambeck “In 1985 my Dad would pick me up early from Sunday school and we’d rush back to watch the Chicago Bears win 15 games and then ultimately the Super Bowl.” Foods: Microwaved Tyson chicken patty with mayonnaise on a bun. Still my favorite meal. – Aaron Levy “At the O’Neill Center, I had oysters and lobster for the first time at the clam bake we attended. And Dark and Stormys. And Don (co-writer) and I both declared that it was the fanciest meal either of us had ever had. And our cast was there, too, even though it was only supposed to be for the writers. And we all felt like we were in heaven.” Foods: Oysters, Lobster, Dark and Stormys – Chris Cragin Day “Eating without my family, but with my dog at the dining room table, while my parents were visiting my sister in the eating disorder ward of a hospital. it was a delicious frozen meal given to us by a friend.” Foods: a baked noodle dish, with cream sauce, chicken, peas and Parmesan cheese on top. Italian inspired. – Anonymous “First time meeting the Mother of my first long-term boyfriend. She was a widow, he was an only child and somewhat of a Mama’s boy so pressure was high to get approval. She was treating us to her favorite restaurant: Farmer Brown’s Steakhouse. I knew she had a limited budget so I was conservative with what I ordered. The food was awful. I tried to push the food around on my plate to make it look like I had eaten more but she noticed and commented to the boyfriend later. I think she thought I was too good for the food. I just thought not ingesting it was better than ingesting and then regurgitating it back on the table. I so wanted to make a good impression. It was a no win.” Foods: Side of canned green beans, side of cold spaghetti, meat with gristle that I had to do the napkin spit into, baked potato that sat in the warmer too long – butter, salt and pepper dousing helped a little. – Anonymous “Thanksgiving, 2014. My son, who hardly ever gets sick, ran a fever the night before Thanksgiving, so we had to cancel our plans to travel to see family. My husband and I ran out at seven a.m. Thanksgiving morning to shop for groceries, and we whipped up a quick feast.” Foods: Cornish game hens (as there were no turkeys left to buy), mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, squash, corn, bread, cheese & crackers. Served on our only-used-once-ever china! – Christina I love how just a handful of these “supper moments” captures an incredibly personal story with wide ranging themes of love, loss, and hope. Next Steps Now that I’ve identified the ever important “seed” for the evening, we need to water it a bit. I imagine the evening will go like this: RSVP and Prep 1. After a guest rsvp’s online, they are asked to share their “first supper” moment with the option of listing it with their name or “anonymous” and sharing any photos related to their moment. 2. Guests can read other “first supper” moments and photos for inspiration and personal curiosity. 3. Only twelve guests are allowed at each show. 4. A special menu will be created based off of the foods and drinks listed in everyone’s first supper moment. The menu doesn’t have to get literal with the items listed, it merely needs to recreate the essence of it. What will be interesting here is to find any connections between each guest’s list of food items. 5. A group of 4-5 performers made up of actors and musicians skilled in improvisation will conceptualize a skeleton show based on these first supper moments. The Garden Show 6. When guests arrive to the First Supper, they are greeted with a garden show which consists of light mingling and music, either live or a playlist made up especially for the guests. 7. During the garden show, three “first supper” moments will be performed and can consist of a monologue, scene, improvised scene, song, dance, call and response, visual art, etc. We should be open to trying any form. Each “first supper” moment performed should last no longer than two to three minutes, with a maximum of ten minutes for each performance “act.” Breaking Bread 8. Everyone in the room will literally break bread. The guests will then be seated. The dinner table can be different for each show and it doesn’t have to be one long table. It can be anything, as long as the performer’s playing space is immersed within the dining space. 9. Three more “first supper” moments are performed The First Course 10. Performers will serve the guests the first course, which is starter dish consisting of soup or salad. Performers can mingle and actively listen to the guests conversations at this time and mentally file anything that is said which can be used for later improv. The Second Course 11. Three more “first supper” moments are performed. 12. The second course is served, which is the main dish. 13. Again, performers can mingle and listen attentively to the conversations. The Third Course 14. Dessert and coffee is served. 15. The final three “first supper” moments are performed. 16. The chef comes out and talks to the audience about how their “first supper” moments inspired the evening’s menu. 17. The performers present a special song written for the evening, made up of all the stories shared that night. 18. We end the night with a spoken coda: 1. “Thank you for breaking bread with us tonight, and sharing your stories. They are gifts we will cherish forever and we hope each of you will cherish them as well. And as we part ways tonight, remember that we all began as strangers, but we will part as friends, and the stories we’ve shared with each other we hope will prove that tonight’s supper was neither the first nor the last. Goodnight. Here are some rough sketches of possible dining/performance seating layouts: Final Thoughts I really do feel like I’ve made a breakthrough with my process. Unfortunately it took me all this time to get to this point. But what’s great about being an artist in residence is that that’s exactly what I needed to crack open this idea: time. I want to continue exploring this idea and once the holidays are over, to really get it on it’s feet with an audience. This was something I had hoped to do before this post, but it was difficult inviting an audience and performers to something that didn’t have a clear foundation to build off of. But now I feel like I really have something interesting to work with. Look for an update in early 2016! 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 Part 3 My Million Spectacular Moments Don Nguyen Other Works By To follow the developmental process of Don's play read his first , second , and third 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 . . . Poet Emily Ruth Hazel wrote a collection of six poems incorporating her experiences with every theme from the year in response to passages of scripture. Isaiah 50:2-3 Isaiah 59:9-11 Luke 1:78-79 Proverbs 1:8-9 Jeremiah 31:13 Genesis 2:21-25 Exodus 16:2-4 Jonah 2:5-7 Artist in Residence 2013, Emily Ruth Hazel By Emily Ruth Hazel ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2013 ​ ​ Poetry/Spoken Word Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ Poet Emily Ruth Hazel wrote a collection of six poems incorporating her experiences with every theme from the year in response to passages of scripture. Explore her works created throughout the year: “In the Wake of the Storm” LIGHT AND DARKNESS (JANUARY 21, 2013) “Circling the Waist of Wisdom” FOOLS (APRIL 26, 2013) “Homecoming” DANCING (JUNE 27, 2013) “Runaway” LIES (AUGUST 8, 2013) “Give Us This Day” HARVEST (NOVEMBER 14, 2013) “Undressing Prayer” MEMORY (JANUARY 6, 2013) Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Emily Ruth Hazel is a poet, writer, and cross-pollinator who is passionate about diversifying the audience for poetry and giving voice to people who have been marginalized. Selected as the Honorary Poet for the 25th Annual Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading in Providence, Rhode Island, she presented a commissioned tribute to the Poet Laureate of Harlem in February of 2020. She is a two-time recipient of national Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Prizes and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for a residency at The Hambidge Center in 2014. Her chapbook, Body & Soul (Finishing Line Press, 2005) , was a New Women’s Voices finalist. Emily’s work has appeared in numerous anthologies, magazines, literary journals, and digital projects, including Kinfolks: A Journal of Black Expression and Magnolia: A Journal of Women’s Socially Engaged Literature. Her poetry has also been featured on music albums, in a hair salon art installation, and in a science museum exhibition. Emily has written more than twenty commissioned works for organizations, arts productions, social justice projects, and private clients. Currently, she is developing several poetry book manuscripts and writing lyrics for an original musical inspired by the life of the extraordinary singer and Civil Rights icon Marian Anderson. A graduate of Oberlin College’s Creative Writing Program and a former New Yorker, she is now based in the Los Angeles area. EmilyRuthHazel.com Instagram: @EmilyRuthHazel Facebook.com/EmilyRuthHazel Website Emily Ruth Hazel About the Artist Word of Mouth In the Wake of the Storm Circling the Waist of Wisdom Give Me a Name Homecoming Runaway Give Us This Day Undressing Prayer Emily Ruth Hazel Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

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

Loading Video . . . Poet Lynn Powell explores the theme of "Harvest" from Job 38:25-28. Job 38:25-28 At the Equinox By Lynn Powell ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Emily Ruth Hazel 2013 ​ ​ Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ I have always found odd comfort in the Voice from the Whirlwind's answer to Job's anguished questions about human suffering. Instead of answering Job on his own human terms, the Lord flings out fierce, exquisite questions, asserting the vastness, mystery, and unfathomable complexity of creation. Humanity is hardly mentioned in the litany of creation's scope and wonder, ferocity and beauty. It's that cosmic perspective I find, in my most receptive moments, thrilling and calming and liberating, both as a person and as an artist. In this little poem, I try to evoke the orders of magnitude of creation, which continues within and around and through us in countless, inventive ways. As a poet, I "work the dark with rigs of silk," and am grateful for the little galaxies that occasionally condense, for a while, on those thin lines. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Lynn Powell is the author of two books of poetry, Old & New Testaments and The Zones of Paradise, and a book of nonfiction, Framing Innocence: A Mother’s Photographs, a Prosecutor’s Zeal, and a Small Town’s Response . Among her awards are fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ohio Arts Council, the Studs and Ida Terkel Award from The New Press, and the Brittingham Prize in Poetry. Her poems have been published in many magazines, including Poetry, FIELD, Image, Tiferet , and The Paris Review , and have been anthologized in 180 More: Extraordinary Poems for Everyday and The Norton Introduction to Literature. Poems from her current book-in-progress, A Scherzo for Sadness, are forthcoming this fall in Shenandoah and The Georgia Review . A native of East Tennessee, she has lived with her family in Oberlin, Ohio, since 1990. Website ​Lynn Powell About the Artist ​Lynn Powell Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art For a little while after the fog lifts, the autumn field flashes with sudden flowers‚ like filigrees of mirror, like alloys of lace and light. View Full Written Work AT THE EQUINOX by Lynn Powell Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew? -Job 38:28 For a little while after the fog lifts, the autumn field flashes with sudden flowers- like filigrees of mirror, like alloys of lace and light. A weird miracle? Some manic, brilliant manna? -until, of course, it's spiders -ten thousand that have worked the dark with rigs of silk to snag a fly and then, surprising themselves, have step-fathered the dew. And so, for an odd hour, their creations glisten like galaxies, sieved from a passing thought of lake and air. Close Loading Video . . . For a little while after the fog lifts, the autumn field flashes with sudden flowers‚ like filigrees of mirror, like alloys of lace and light. Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Oregon poet Nathan Hunt responds to Psalm 131, one of David's "song of ascents". Psalms 131 Psalm 131 By Nathan Hunt ​ Credits: Artist Location: Eugene, Oregon Curated by: Jonathon 2011 ​ ​ Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ Psalm 131 is one of my favorite verses. I love that it is a song of ascents, sung as David climbs the steps to minister in the Temple, and yet his eyes are downcast. This is the great and still humility in the face of divine love. The Temple and the work there are the “great matters or things too wonderful for me” which David is ascending to, but instead of thinking of pomp and splendor, he’s quieting his soul. The central image, the soul stilled like a weaned child with its mother, is something I couldn’t possibly improve upon. And the final verse comes in as a triumphant refrain! I tried to interpret this psalm through imagery, through contrasting the glory and joyous noise of a parade with a speaker more enraptured by a small plant and its world. He thinks on a tiny, natural, sincere thing, rather than “great matters or things too wonderful…” I explored the child’s transformation from teething to weaned, as the great commotion makes it forget its pain. The parade must be ignored to see the aphid’s tender moment, as it “nuzzles the green,” but yet the wild celebration (and the Temple worship) are the glory that provide the reason for silence. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Nathan Hunt grew up on a small farm near Eugene, Oregon. He received a Bachelor's Degree in Writing and Literature (with a minor in Spanish language) from George Fox University in the fall of 2009. In his spare time, he works at two wineries in Newberg, Oregon. His poems have been featured in The Iconoclast, Mudfish, Perceptions, The Houston Literary Review and Boston Literary Magazine, among others. He is the co-founder and co-editor of the upstart literary journal Cartographer. Website Nathan Hunt About the Artist Nathan Hunt Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Among the streaming people on hazy summer streets, a sprouting weed. View Full Written Work PSALM 131 Among the streaming people on hazy summer streets, a sprouting weed. In the thorns a tiny aphid nuzzles the green. The crowd blinks at the marching band. The floats crawl slowly past. Overhead a huge balloon tosses its shadow on the beaming upturned faces. The melodies ascend. The cymbals splash. My eyes are downcast and next to me a teething child is amazed into silence. Close Loading Video . . . Among the streaming people on hazy summer streets, a sprouting weed. Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Desimber Rose Wattleton's poem, "Naked Grace," looks at our broken tendencies transposed with grace in her creative interpretation of Genesis 9:18-28. Genesis 9:18-28 Naked Grace By Desimber Rose Wattleton ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Marlanda Dekine 2019 ​ ​ Spoken Word Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ This poem explores the nature of God's grace as it pertains to Genesis 9:18-28, a God who sees our sin, but covers us with mercy, and refuses to allow our process to cancel our purpose. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Desimber Rose Wattleton is an author, poet, and pastor of The Rock Worship Center in West Union, South Carolina. She has served the Body of Christ as a teacher, motivational speaker, and spoken word artist. Empowering believers and reaching the world with love and truth is what she seeks to do with every opportunity to share the Gospel. Desimber Rose has authored a book of poems entitled Interpretations , a children’s book entitled Gumbo World , biblical study resource God Does Not Want Your Bill Money, and digital devotional “Jesus Is King.” Facebook: Desimber.Rose Twitter: DesimberRose Website Desimber Rose Wattleton About the Artist Desimber Rose Wattleton Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Somebody said opportunity knocks, but I have to disagree, if destiny 's the house, opportunity is the door, and the only one knocking is me View Full Written Work Naked Grace by Desimber Rose Wattleton Somebody said opportunity knocks, but I have to disagree, if destiny’s the house, opportunity is the door, and the only one knocking is me… Bang, Bang on the door till my knuckles bleed, while my soul leans on the bell, every now and then I try picking the lock, but shortcuts always lead to hell…so foolish…if I’d stop asking amidst I’m sure butterflies would lend me their wings…but every failed attempt to pimp the effects rape grace repeatedly…so ruthless…make Him my homie lover friend, side piece, or a one night stand…throw a prayer up, ask The Word to turn a trick, I want miracles on demand…we do this Parade our sins across the stage, invite Jesus to the show…exposed…naked and unashamed because of what I know, if I shake this world hard enough to make faith clap maybe bondage will fall to the floor…transposed…and for every article of sin I take off I become more of a bride and less of a whore…composed…red letters spell my name, “it is finished” indicate He could do no more…case closed…in the meantime, I’m grateful God’s a big tipper, I swear I heard Christ whisper I’m in love with a stripper, when He opened the door… Close Loading Video . . . Somebody said opportunity knocks, but I have to disagree, if destiny 's the house, opportunity is the door, and the only one knocking is me Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Remember Me by Jonathon Roberts is a setting of Ecclesiastes 12:2-7 in honor of the composer's 60th wedding anniversary. Ecclesiastes 12:2-7 Remember Me By Jonathon Roberts ​ Credits: Piano/Vocals by Jonathon Roberts Clarinet/Vocals by Emily Clare Zempel Recorded/mixed by Alexander Foote Photography by Ilya Popenko 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 ​ This song was written as a tribute to my Grandparents Bob and Marie Mikels on their 60th wedding anniversary. They are very special to me. Their constant love and faith ceaselessly moves through our family as a river and will continue to flow for generations. I love the text of this piece taken from Ecclesiastes 12. At the end of the day our greatest wish is simply that God remembers us. 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 Prayer How Beautiful I Am a Fool The Constant Ecclesiastes Cows Blessing Fools for Christ More Than Rubies Only a Few Years Will Pass Dear Friend Jonathon Roberts Other Works By Remember Me Ecclesiastes 12:2-7 Before the sun and the light And the moon and the stars grow dark, The clouds return after the rain; When the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men stoop, When the grinders cease, And the windows grow dim, When the doors to the street are closed And all the sounds fade away; When men rise up to the sounds of birds, But all their songs grow faint; When men are afraid of heights And dangers in the street; When the almond tree blossoms And the grasshopper drags along Desire no longer stirred, Then man goes to his eternal home Mourners in the street. Before the silver cord is severed, Or the golden bowl broken Before the pitcher is shattered Or the wheel broken at the well, Dust returns to the ground, The spirit returns to the sky, Remember me. Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

benje_daneman_featured.jpg Loading Video . . . It’s my great honor to be a part of Spark & Echo Arts’ 2015 Artist in Residence program. I love who they are, what they have done and what they are doing. I have been very fortunate to have been associated in many ways with them over the past few years. They are passionate, supportive and honest people – allowing their artists to stretch their wings to explore scripture from a truly personal and unique standpoint wherever the artist’s spiritual perspective might be. I’ve grown tremendously in my faith and my artistry from being a part of their program, and am grateful. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. John 1:1-14 John 3:19-21 John 9:1-16 John 11:1-44 John 12:31-36 Artist in Residence 2015 | Benje Daneman 1 By Benje Daneman ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2015 ​ ​ Live Music, Jazz Suite Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ March 16, 2015 It’s my great honor to be a part of Spark & Echo Arts’ 2015 Artist in Residence program. I love who they are, what they have done and what they are doing. I have been very fortunate to have been associated in many ways with them over the past few years. They are passionate, supportive and honest people – allowing their artists to stretch their wings to explore scripture from a truly personal and unique standpoint wherever the artist’s spiritual perspective might be. I’ve grown tremendously in my faith and my artistry from being a part of their program, and am grateful. When approached by S&E to work as an artist in residence this year I was excited at the possibilities of it. After some thought, I realized it was great opportunity to approach two different projects that have been ruminating in the back of my head over the past few years: The first being a musical exploration of how the the book of John utilizes “light”. The second would be compiling a band of high level jazz musicians within New York City that also claim Christianity as their faith grounding. With this group, the idea would be approaching music that is based upon faith ideas or scripture from a similar faith standpoint (while even within that standpoint, our personal views and thoughts of Christianity might be diverse). My Faith Search As I’ve grown in my own faith over the past year, I’ve realized the depth, diversity and difference within the current “Christian” world. While some see differences as threatening or challenging, I have actually approached this positively and have been quite interested in it. Just as our world and people are extremely diverse in many ways, so is the faith of Christianity. Spanning from an extreme liberal approach to an extreme conservative, people view the “holy scriptures” in such unique and different ways – while keeping Christ as the center of it in both camps. The different approaches, creeds and thoughts have in many ways inspired me to search within and connect with God in my personal journey. While I believe in Christ, and have seen how He has positively changed my life, I have been convicted to open myself up to searching out who and what Christ really is to the world and myself. I’ve found it to be a bit more complicated than just reciting a prayer, believing a creed or faithfully accepting scripture alone. I’ve found myself on a personal and real faith search – a place where I believe we all should be; continually growing and searching in our faith in discovering who God is. I have a sense that his year and this project will be a pivotal moment in that search for me. The Process I have found one of the best ways for me to personally explore and grow in my faith comes through music composition. I find the time to be, in a sense, my prayer and meditation time allowing me to a way to personally explore what scripture is saying uniquely, which to me is more productive and personal than just reading and processing it within. One major method teachers use to test comprehension is having a student teach another student the concept (yes, I do have a music education degree!). When I must express it through my musical writing, I feel it’s similar to the way a student might learn through teaching another student a concept. I find myself having to sift through the deeper concepts, allowing the scripture to ruminate within and making real world decisions about it. I usually come out the other end inspired, thoughtful and greatly changed. The Composition The phrase “The Light in the Darkness” has always stuck out to me in the book of John, taken specifically from John 1:5 (The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.) Over the past few years I’ve been considering the idea of a “musical study” of how the book of John uses light as a theme throughout. After S&E approached me for the residency, I knew the time had come. I’ve chosen the following scriptures to focus on: John 1:1-14 John 3:19-21 John 9:1-16 John 11:1-44 (focus 1-16) John 12:31-36 (focus 35-36) Light is used in different ways throughout these specific scriptures. Many of them controversially interpreted depending on “which side of the fence” one theologically stands. Either way, the light almost always speaks of Jesus, his power and his greatness. I look forward to studying, searching and exploring these scriptures. My overall plan is to produce an hour-long composition/suite to be performed live and potentially professionally recorded. Search Party (The Band) For nearly two years now I’ve had a vision in the back of my mind of initiating a band of not only fantastic jazz musicians, but ones who also claim Christianity as being their faith foundation. As you can imagine from my faith search description above, I want honest, diverse and truthfully searching musicians. My definition of “Christian” has no specific theological necessity, just that the members claim to be a “Christian” (whatever that might mean to the individual is personal, as I’ve found it means different things to different people). From there though, we can at least be coming from a similar foundation and point. The plan for the group is to approach music that is based on faith and upon scripture, and to grow both in our faith and personally together. The definition of a Search Party is “A group of people organized to look for someone or something that is lost.” This is my definition of Search Party as it relates to this band: “A group of like minded musicians, searching for a deeper faith understanding within the music and personally.” I’m not searching for a specific goal, but for specific growth – both musically and faithfully, through the vehicle I am so familiar with: music. I’m very excited and truly honored to have tentatively secured the Search Party Band to include the following musicians (all of them being some of the top in their musical field): pianist, Jon Cowherd; bassist, Ike Sturm; Drummer, Jaimeo Brown and vocalist, Ashley Daneman. The End Product While I hope to maintain and continue this band as one of my ongoing projects, for the residency specifically, my plan is to write a full composition/suite of music (around an hour at length) based upon the chosen scriptures. My plan is to debut this at a musical venue within New York City around November/December 2015 (location to be announced) and potentially record the music professionally around the same time, if the funding and opportunity becomes available. In addition to the performance, I do hope to couple it with an open discussion/talk about my process and what I have taken from my “Search” through the process. It will be open and geared to the public and for all faiths, not just Christians. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ About Benje Daneman A sought after musician for his personal approach, creative musicality and strong versatility, Daneman got his start professionally in 2007 on a national tour with with Doc Severinsen’s Big Band. Since then he has performed with the world renowned Jose Limon Dance Ensemble, recorded for the Grammy nominated album “Elevation” (HMI Big Band) and has appeared as both a leader and sideman at prestigious venues across the country including The Kennedy Center, Baryshnikov Arts Center, FONT (Festival of New Trumpet) Music Festival and The Iridium. As a composer/arranger, he has received commissions from the United States Air Force Band (in Europe), Dr. Steve Zegree, Spark and Echo Arts and Lutheran Music Missions. His 2015 Artist in Residence for Spark and Echo Arts, is the catalyst for one of his newest projects called Search Party which approaches faith topics through original music, with a band including some of the top musicians on the jazz scene today, including Ike Sturm, Jon Cowherd, Jaimeo Brown and Ashley Daneman. Another new project of Daneman’s, Life Stories, calls upon his deep interest and history in musical storytelling by musically creating a personal and unique experience for the audience by aurally recreating true stories of people places and events. Daneman’s 2013 EP release Estelle’s Farewell Gift features all original compositions featuring Jeremy Siskind, Ashley Daneman and Andrew Rathbun and has been described as “Simple songs that open doors to complex reactions” (David Sumner, Bird Is The Worm). A Teaching Artist for the New York Pops, Daneman is a passionate educator and has led clinics and workshops throughout the country at such institutions as McNally Smith College, Western Michigan University, Concordia University and for the Michigan State Band and Orchestra Association. He is also the co-director of the Jazz & Creative Institute (http://www.jcinstitute.org), which has a mission to inspire artistic development and cultivate creative entrepreneurship for all levels of creative musicians. Benje has attended and holds degrees from Western Michigan University, The Henry Mancini Institute (Los Angeles, CA), and Manhattan School of Music (New York, NY). Benje lives in New York City with his wife, jazz singer-songwriter, Ashley Daneman and daughters, Rivi and Elise. Website Benje Daneman About the Artist Artist in Residence 2015 | Benje Daneman 2 Artist in Residence 2015 | Benje Daneman 3 To Lay Down One's Life Artist in Residence 2015: Benje Daneman Benje Daneman Other Works By Follow the development of Benje's project by reading this in addition to his second , third and final posts as a 2015 Artist in Residence. Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

danny-kline_one-step-one-breath-photo.jpg Loading Video . . . We are pleased to present this meditative work by artist Danny Kline in response to Psalm 46:10. Psalms 46:10 One Step, One Breath By Danny Kline ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Carey Wallace 2012 4 x 8 feet ​ Photography, Ink Jet Print Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ My work is about simply seeing. I work in a variety of media to research and experience where the intellectual mind starts and stops. Creating visual koans (riddles), I work to short circuit the intellectual mind in order that the intuitive mind can be experienced more fully. The raw materials I choose (shed antlers, rust, grass, etc.) help me to get closer to the experience rather than being pulled into judgement and intellectual analysis. I am always searching for the vein (or divining rod) in the work that has a natural flow and direction toward new space. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Born in 1973 in a small industrial town in central Ohio, Danny Kline has always found expression in his life as an artist of one sort or another. Whether in formal studies at University art programs from the age of 12 or traveling the U.S. and Europe playing his own unique brand of American roots music, Kline has made it his central effort to mine the intuitive experiences of life. The common thread in all of his work (in various media – 2D, 3D, Installation, Music, Aikido) would have to be the desire for connection and expansion of the mind through intuitive expression. To walk through this life clinging to little, creating in one an openness to as much as possible. Kline’s work can be found in both private and public collections and has been exhibited throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. He has recently completed a new body of work on the subject of non-attachment using various photography and sculptural processes to play with naturally cast-off materials such as shed antlers, bone, and various other natural materials. Kline currently works as a freelance photographer in Ypsilanti, Michigan where he is founder and chief instructor of Michigan ASU Aikido . Recent Exhibitions include Cellar Roots , Booker Gallery, EMU Form and Emptiness , Student Gallery, MFA Exhibition, Eastern Michigan The Peace Bell Annual , Peace Bell Museum, Cincinnati Being Again Union Gallery, Ann Arbor; and Stages of the Cycle , University of Michigan. See more of Danny’s work at www.dannykline.com and www.klinework.com Website Danny Kline About the Artist Danny Kline Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

sound-of-the-prophet-transparent-png.png Loading Video . . . The Sound of the Prophet by international artist Duda Penteado is a response to the wild conversation between God and the Prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19:9-18. 1 Kings 19:9-18 The Sound of the Prophet By Duda Penteado ​ Credits: Artist Location: Jersey City, New Jersey Curated by: Barret 2011 31 inches diameter ​ ​ Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ The real question for me today is: how can an artist working in the twenty-first century continue to create original works of art after the overwhelming presence of remarkable twentieth century art movements like Cubism , Dada, Surrealism, Bauhaus and Cobra? When I go to museums, I look at art from two different perspectives. One is from a historical point of view and the other is from the perspective of an artist. I will never paint like Jackson Pollock or Francisco de Goya but I profoundly admire the challenges they both brought to the aesthetics of art. The last two years have been significant for me in terms reflecting on art, history, and war. Dada was one of the most significant avant–garde art movements, born in the heart of Europe in the midst of World War I. This war remains the most brutal conflict ever seen in history and the artists of the period challenged tradition. Art as it was known would never be the same: industrialization, the photo-illustrated press, radio broadcasting, and commercial cinema. They created new strategies of art–making, including collage, montage, assemblage, readymades, and media pranks. My art installation Beauty for Ashes Project is a response to the history of modernism and functions as a twenty-first century parallel that reflects on the consequences of our times. The real challenge is to know when an artist stops quoting someone else and begins to quote himself. Great art comes from within, it is the true language of the soul. To create art is an act of faith in itself. In my case my faith in Christ Jesus is an endless source of inspiration and empowerment in the areas of creativity, love and hope. —Duda Penteado Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Duda Penteado was born in São Paulo in 1968, and studied at FIAM – SP. Throughout the 1990s, he exhibited in Brazil, then moved to New York City where he obtained a position at Muriel Studio in Soho, NYC, as an assistant to Sheila Marbain, the inventor of a new "silk monotype" technique, which was employed by many leading contemporary artists. Active in Brazil and the USA, as well as in Europe throughout the late-1990s and the early 21st Century, he showed in The Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, N.J.; Biennale Internazionale Dell'Arte Contemporanea, Florence, Italy, 2009; Monique Goldstrom Gallery, NYC; The Museum of Art and Origins, Harlem, NYC (NY); BACI-The Brazilian American Cultural Institute, Washington, DC; Museo de Las Americas, Denver, CO; CITYarts 272nd Mural, "Nature is Love on Earth", New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, The St. John's Recreation Center, Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NYC, 2008, 2009; Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ, Kean University, Union, NJ; Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ; Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ; Drew University, Madison, NJ; Middlebury College, Vermont; UFES- Universidade Estadual do Espírito Santo, Vitoria, ES; UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista, SP, and SESC – SP. He was President of the Artist Certification Board, Jersey City, NJ, until 2010. His awards and recognition from various institutions in the United States include: Urban Artist Fellowship Award, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT; Goldman Sachs Student Art Project Grant, Jersey City, NJ (2006, 2007, 2008); Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation; The Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, Claremont, CA; Special Guest for Artistic Achievement & Commitment to YMCA Greater, NY-Youth, NYC; American Graphic Design Award, Interactive Multimedia Installation, NYC; Humanitarian Award from the Hudson County Chapter of the American Conference on Diversity, Jersey City, NJ, and received a Kappa Pi International Honorary Art Fraternity Award, Eta Rho Chapter, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ. Along with Mario Tapia and Dr. Carlos Hernandez, he has been at the helm of the We Are You Project since 2005. Website Duda Penteado About the Artist Crislaba Duda Penteado Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Haggai 2 Loading Video . . . Visual artist John Bergmeier uses the physical layers in this mixed media art piece to explore the layers of history, personal connection, and exploration of his faith associated with Haggai 2. Haggai 2 Haggai 2 By John Bergmeier ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2018 15 x 24 x 2 inches Collaged Screen Prints, Linocut on Wood Veneer, Gold and Silver Vinyl Film, Appropriated Wood, Metal Pieces + Sinew Mixed Media Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ Intent upon connecting the visual arts to God's Word, I am inspired by various verses and Biblical stories. I think it's perfectly acceptable and God-pleasing to produce artwork that is simply inspired by faith: but also that to teach, preach and share the gospel is the highest good. My work typically includes imagery from nostalgic sources vindicating my personal memories and wistful emotions. Multi-layered, not only with antique line art and purposeful texts but also with the colors themselves. This type of layering and use of multiple images lends itself to the idea of a confusing and complicated life this side of eternity, but still looking forward to "feel the Son's embrace." I have a standard palette of colors that I rely on for most of my mixed media art pieces and prints. These also are intended to imply this vintage feel; as if the colors are pulled directly from my Aunt Erna's living room in Beatrice, Nebraska. A personal favorite is a red-brown that is a mix of the red of Harry Lottman's discarded Velvet tobacco can and the burgundy of the rusting farm implement behind his barn. Lastly, in addition to these solid colors, I frequently use metallic inks, especially gold, to imply a religious and heavenly connection to the overall narrative. This second book of Haggai (one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament) contains 38 verses and was written around 520 BC. From the beginning of my work on this visual art piece I have tried to portray an "Old Testament" aesthetic and sensibility. The materials and imagery that I have selected are meant to represent the various verses that are key components to God's Word here written by Haggai. I struggle to understand how it must have been to be an Old Testament believer, still looking forward to the coming Savior as opposed to our lives now looking back at what has taken place with Christ's plan of salvation for us. In the second chapter of Haggai his prophecies include Christ as the descendant of Zerubbabel from the family of David: He shall soon come, "a comfort of all nations." This lineage is represented by the length of sinew that runs along the top of the piece. One can take these 3 essentials from Haggai 2: be strong, work diligently and do not fear. We are still encouraged to maintain a strength which is required to overcome life with a sinful flesh and a fear that can cripple and hamstring this effort without the power and courage from God. The "yawning" people of Israel at this time had become distracted and had lost focus on the continued rebuilding of the second new temple that God had commanded them to build. The musical notes and bright colors used here characterize this almost festive attitude which resulted in an unfinished temple. The people were also using their gold and silver for other purposes rather than for God's work. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ John Bergmeier is an American artist who received his BA in Studio Arts from Hastings College, Hastings, Nebraska and his MFA in Printmaking and Drawing from Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. Bergmeier has been employed as a Commercial Designer and Design Manager in the decorative films industry since 1992, and has continued to create artwork throughout this time in his home studio. He has exhibited internationally and has also taught studio art and graphic design classes at various colleges. He is currently working on prints and mixed media pieces in the studio space shared with his wife Carla in Waxhaw, North Carolina. Website John Bergmeier About the Artist John Bergmeier Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work