C4M summer exhibition

Plans are being developed for a Commission For Mission summer exhibition on the theme of Art and Spirituality to be held at St Andrew’s Leytonstone for the Leytonstone Festival and Leytonstone Arts Trail.

The exhibition will be mounted at Café Refresh and will feature a range of our artists working in different media. Through Café Refresh, St Andrews Leytonstone plan to offer a spiritual haven for their community. They intend to run a creative programme in their café, hall and worship space and are looking for local artists of all genres to help and participate in this.

We will also be working with St Andrews to organise a networking event on the theme of Art and Spirituality on Thursday 9 July from 7.00-9.30pm. This event will be run in conjunction with Waltham Forest Deanery.

Community launch and preview: Sunday 5 July, 2009, 12 noon – 2pm

Exhibition Opening Times: Tuesday 7 – Thursday 16 July, 2009
Tuesday-Friday: 12-4 pm.
Saturday: 10-4pm.

Celia Ward

St John, tempera with gold on gesso panel

Crucifixion, tempera on gesso panel

Recycled Man, Tempera and gold on gesso panel
22 x 16 cm

Celia Ward was born into a painting family in Kent, England. She studied her craft in this milieu, and at the Royal Academy schools in London. She read History at University College, London.

In 1983 she won the Richard Ford Travel Award to draw at the Prado, Madrid and has exhibited at the Abbott and Holder, Brian Sinfield and Maas Galleries together with shows at the Romanian Cultural Institute in London and Konschthaus Beim Engel, Luxembourg.

Celia’s work is in the collections of The Ashmolean, The Faringdon Collection, Luxembourg State Collection, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and Balliol College, Oxford. Her work has included a series of pictures of the Wardrobe Room at the Royal Opera House and she has been Artist in residence at both the Garsington Opera and the Homeless Centre in Oxford. She has exhibited pictures of the work of Tearfund in Bolivia and in a British Council exhibition documented a Romanian Village over a five year period. She is currently running an East London alphabet project based in Manor Park and working with international partners running and planning similar projects abroad.

C4M articles

Here are a selection of online articles about Commission For Mission:

• 'I want to create a reaction', The Month September 2008;
• 'Peace, good will, and perspex', Church Times 12 December 2008;
• 'Commission 4 Mission launch', Veritasse Newsletter February 2009;
• 'Church is on a Mission', Yellow Advertiser 05 March 2009;
• 'The launch of Commission 4 Mission' and 'St Albans Church', artslove.org
• 'commission4mission platform launched for Christian artists', The Month April 2009.

Stations on the E17 Art Trail

Stations of the Cross by Henry Shelton, which were previously shown at York Minister, are to be displayed at St Barnabas Walthamstow in September as part of the E17 Art Trail.

The Very Revd Keith Jones, Dean of York said that in the huge spaces of the Minster they looked for Stations strongly enough designed not to look insignificant and were therefore deighted to have used Henry Shelton's works for devotion and then to have seen them mounted in the context of his wider work.

Newsletter No. 2 - April 2009

Since our launch in March interest in Commission For Mission has grown considerably with new members, a new webpage (http://commissionformission.blogspot.com/), plans for three exhibitions, funding for a catalogue and our first commission. Information about all of these exciting developments can be found in this edition of the Newsletter.

Information and updates about members can be included in future newsletters and should be sent to Jonathan Evens at: jonathan.evens@btinternet.com or 2 Regent Gardens, Ilford, IG3 8UL.

Commission For Mission ‘s launch event

Commission For Mission enjoyed a successful launch on 7th March at St Alban's Romford.

Fr. Roderick Hingley gave a tour of artworks commissioned for the church and described how the series of commissions had helped to transform the church in terms of light, space and welcome. He spoke about the way in which commissioning contemporary artists had meant that the artworks had relevance and resonance for local people, most obviously in the Mark Cazalet chancel ceiling mural with its imagery drawn from rural and urban Havering.

What the achievement at St Alban's demonstrates is not only that the commissioning of contemporary Christian Art by Parish Churches is possible but that sensitive, informed and brave commissioning enhances the mission of the church as well as its aesthetic.

Our patron Rt. Revd. David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking, gave the keynote address. He began by speaking about creativity as both God-given and a key aspect of what it means to be human. He described the birth and growth of a child into adulthood as the most astonishing kinetic sculpture. He outlined how he saw spirituality breaking through in much contemporary and modern art and called for Christians to be sensitive interpreters of such art. Among the examples he cited were the humanity of Anthony Gormley's work based as it is on his own body and the 'something more' of Damien Hirst's diamond encrusted skull, For The Love Of God.

He ended by using a quote attributed to Rowan Williams “that artists are special people but every person is a special kind of artist.” commission4mission would need, he suggested, to be a support the special people that artists are in their creativity but also to find ways of revealing and developing the creativity of all.

Among those present at the launch were representatives of the Arts Centre Group, Faith & Image and artlove.com.

An organising committee for Commission For Mission was elected during the meeting. The organising committee is: Harvey Bradley, Alex Chaplin, Jonathan Evens (Secretary & Treasurer), Steven Saxby and Henry Shelton (Chair).

Pentecost Festival Art Exhibition

Four Commission For Mission artists - Harvey Bradley, Jonathan Evens, Rosalind Hore and Henry Shelton - will be exhibiting at Central Hall Westminster (Storey's Gate, Westminster, SW1H 9NH) as part of the Festival Feel section of the Pentecost Festival programme. Our exhibition will be taking place on Saturday 30th May from 12 noon to 6.00pm. In addition to our exhibition, Harvey Bradley and Henry Shelton will each give a painting demonstration. For more details see: http://www.pentecostfestival.co.uk/#/commission4mission/4533128379.

‘Fun in the Park’ workshop

Commission For Mission will be running an art installation workshop at the 'Fun in the Park' event being organised by Holy Trinity Barkingside (http://eastlondonchurch.co.uk/www/index.php) on Saturday 13th June (11.00am - 4.00pm). As part of this workshop participants will be able to create a small artwork reflecting something of themselves. Each artwork will be nailed to a cross for display as a temporary installation at Holy Trinity following the event.

West Ham Festival exhibition

Commission For Mission will also be exhibiting at All Saints West Ham (http://www.westhamchurch.org.uk/index.html) in June as part of the West Ham Festival. A wide selection of work by our artists will be on show throughout the Festival which runs from 20th - 27th June.

Showcase Exhibition & Study Day

A week-long exhibition to showcase Commission For Mission artists and a Study Day on the commissioning process are to be held at Chelmsford Cathedral in November 2009.

The exhibition will open on Monday 2nd November and will continue until the Study Day on Saturday 7th November (10.00am – 2.30pm). Contributors to the Study Day will include our Patron, Bishop David, the Cathedral Dean, Peter Judd, the Chair of Chelmsford DAC, Dr. James Bettley, and Commission For Mission artists. The theme for the Study Day will be perspectives on commissioning Christian Art. Please rsvp to Jonathan Evens at: jonathan.evens@btinternet.com or 2 Regent Gardens, Ilford, IG3 8UL if you are interested in coming.

Catalogue funding

Commission For Mission has been successful in securing funds from London Over the Border to publish a catalogue of our artists, their work, and our activities and services in order to promote the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches as an opportunity for mission in the local community and as a fundraising opportunity for charities (as all Commission For Mission commissions involve a donation to a charity).

In our application we said that the visual arts can contribute to mission by: speaking eloquently of the Christian faith; providing a reason for people to visit a church; providing a link between churches and local arts organisations/initiatives; and providing a focus around which local people can come together for a shared activity.

Member profile: Harvey Bradley

Harvey Bradley's creative work includes: Stoneware and Porcelain pottery (domestic with ecclesiastical commissions); Oil Paintings (reflective, figurative subjects that are open to prayerful interpretation); and Designs for banners (carried out by the Emmanuel Billericay banner group). His work can be viewed on the Veritasse website at: www.veritasse.co.uk and at the Anglian Potters site at: www.anglianpotters.org.uk.

New webpage: For up-to-date information and news on Commission For Mission together with profile of member artists, please go to: http://commissionformission.blogspot.com/.

Joy Rousell Stone

Joy Rousell Stone studied under John Nash, Edward Bawden, Stanley Spencer, Edward Ardizzone at Royal College of Art. She has had many one man shows. Her favourite subject matters are: The Holy Land, Egypt, Greece, Italy (especially Assisi) and USA. She works in all media and is the retired Head of Art & Design at The Plume School, Maldon, Essex.

Summer workshop & exhibition

Commission for Mission will be running an art installation workshop at the 'Fun in the Park' event being organised by Holy Trinity Barkingside on Saturday 13th June (11.00am - 4.00pm). As part of this workshop participants will be able to create a small artwork reflecting something of themselves. Each artwork will be nailed to a cross for display as a temporary installation at Holy Trinity following the event.

Commission For Mission will also be exhibiting at All Saints West Ham in June as part of the West Ham Festival. A wide selection of work by our artists will be on show throughout the Festival which runs from 20th - 27th June.

Peter Shorer

Peter Shorer is a museum trained Conservator and Archeologist commissioned to mould original antiquities for reproduction in bronze, gold, silver and pewter.

Established in 1969, his business Historic Jewellery Reproduction, has become the leading retailer of a specialist range of historic artifacts and stunning gold, silver and precious stone-set jewellery which have the uniqueness of being exact reproductions of the original exquisite pieces.

Peter, with his unprecedented experience of many years working with antiquities at the British Museum and countless other museums throughout the world, is one of the select few antiquarians allowed to handle and take moulds from these rare and priceless artifacts. His amazing reproductions have been acclaimed for many years as stimulating and exciting aids to the world’s history lessons and lectures as well as being a necessary part of historic cinema and televisual productions.

Pentecost Festival exhibition

More information about Commission For Mission's exhibition at the Pentecost Festival can be found by clicking here.

Venue: Westminster Central Hall
Address: Storey's Gate, Westminster, SW1H 9NH
Nearest Tube Station: St James's Park/Westminster
Date & Time: Saturday 30th May, 12:00noon - 6:00pm

Henry Shelton

Henry Shelton is a noted painter of religious art in a contemporary style.

He trained as an apprentice draughtsman in a London studio developing his drawing skills in lettering and fine art. After 15 years he set up his own studio receiving many commissions to design for such clients as the Science Museum, Borough Councils, private and corporate bodies.

In recent years he has worked designing in studios across the world, including Hong Kong and the USA. Throughout this time he has painted Christian art and his commissions include an Ascension installed as an Altar piece in the Church of the Saviour, Chell Heath; the Millennium clock tower in Goodmayes and the memorial etched glass windows in All Saints Church, Goodmayes, depicting events in the life of Jesus. In 2007 he had a one man exhibition in York Minister depicting the Stations of the Cross. Most recently, he has completed commissions for St Lukes Chapel in Queens Hospital Romford and a contemporary set of Stations of the crown of thorns for St Pauls Goodmayes.

Henry is the Chair of commission4mission. An interview with Henry can be found by clicking here and here.

Harvey Bradley at Chichester

Harvey Bradley will be among a group of Veritasse artists exhibiting at Chichester Cathedral from 15th May to 18th June. The exhibition is called, 'A Brush with the Almighty' reflecting the awe and gratitude with which the artists view their relationship with God, who is the inspiration for their artwork.

Many of the works on display will have overtly Christian themes. Others will point towards the spiritual aspects of everyday life and the glory of God's creation.

The exhibition will be open during all Cathedral opening hours.

Mark Lewis

Christ before Pilate

Chalice for Hornby Church

Mark Lewis is an artist, jeweller and silversmith and until recently, was a full-time Lecturer in the Sir John Cass Department of Art Media and Design at London Metropolitan University and Chair of Faith & Image. He has undertaken drawing and painting in a Christian context and has designed and made Church plate. In addition to his lecturing, Mark has delivered workshops for the Big Draw as part of its national launch and run other community drawing events. He has now set up a consultancy to develop drawing skills and creative thinking in a variety of exciting learning contexts.

Faith & Image is a forum for all who have an interest in art as a medium of spiritual expression. The group seeks to gain insight and understanding from all art forms, all traditions and cultures. Faith & Image offers a programme of illustrated talks and discussions. Speakers include a wide range of artists, architects, craft workers, art and design historians.

Interviews with C4M Patron & Founder

David Hawkins, the Bishop of Barking, is himself a practising artist as well as being Patron of Commission For Mission. His views on art and the need for the Church to re-engage with the arts can be read in a three-part intervew by clicking here, here and here.

Henry Shelton is the founder of Commision For Mission and a professional fine artist. Henry has also been interviewed for Commission For Mission and his interview can be found by clicking here and here.

“I think there is a big need to re-engage with the Arts. The Church has had a lengthy and happy marriage with the Arts in the past but needs more artists. I agree with Rowan Williams that ‘artists are special people and every person is a special kind of artist’.” David Hawkins

“The purpose of Commission For Mission is to promote modern Christian Art in all its forms and by doing so raise money for charity. I want us to be offering quality work and craftsmanship, rather than mass-produced work, to continue the legacy of the Church as a great commissioner of art.” Henry Shelton

Meditations on Stations

Jonathan Evens has posted a review of the Northwood & Northwood Hills stns to his blog together with photos of selected artworks and his associated meditations.

Feedback from the project on his meditations has included:

• "Thank you so much for these meditations. We found the whole journey [around the artworks] together really moving – thank you for your contribution to it."
• "God really has worked through your words and you have such a gift."

Rosalind Hore

Rosalind Hore is a sculptor and painter of Christian subjects – Christ figures, nativity sets, Ecce Homo, Stations of the Cross etc. She works in clay, plaster, concrete (figures can also be bronze cast at the foundry). Her paintings are mostly in acrylic of the events in the life of Christ. Her Pieta (pictured above) can be viewed at St Laurence’s Upminster.

Rosalind has been an art teacher throughout her working life, has taken part in the Cambridge Open Studios (creating a sculpture garden and art gallery at her home) and has led art groups and projects in the parishes where she has lived. She has a sculpture in the Bible Garden at St Mary's Goring-by-Sea, which she describes as follows: "As part of a parish mission called Stepping Stones, I decided to do something special and made a seated figure of Christ with his arms outstretched titled Come Unto Me. We put stepping stones in the grass leading up to him."

C4M's Pentecost Festival exhibition

Apocalyptic Landscape by Jonathan Evens

Station 3: Jesus Falling 1 by Henry Shelton

Christ by Rosalind Hore

Bursting through the Crown of Thorns by Harvey Bradley

The Pentecost Festival is a London weekend festival with hundreds of events celebrating diversity in the Christian faith: multi-culturalism, arts, politics, ecology, worship. Co-ordinated by Share Jesus International over the Pentecost weekend 26th - 31st May 2009, the festival is highly visible and takes place in the parks, coffee shops, bars, churches, clubs and theatres of central London. In 2008, the festival's inaugural year, the capital saw 10,000 people enjoy over 150 events at more than 60 venues and outdoor spaces.

Four Commission For Mission artists - Harvey Bradley, Jonathan Evens, Rosalind Hore and Henry Shelton - will be exhibiting at Central Hall Westminster as part of the Festival Feel section of the Pentecost Festival programme. Our exhibition will be taking place on Saturday 30th May from 12 noon to 6.00pm. In addition to our exhibition, Harvey Bradley and Henry Shelton will each give a painting demonstration. Click here for more details from the Pentecost Festival website.

Café Refresh

New contacts for and additional interest in Commission For Mission seems to come on a daily basis at present.

The latest group that we are talking to are Café Refresh based at St Andrews Leytonstone. Through Café Refresh the church plans to offer a spiritual haven for their community. They intend to run a creative programme in their café, hall and worship space and are looking for local artists of all genres to help and participate in this.

They are exploring how they can offer such activities as children’s creative workshops, poetry/literature reading and writing workshops, low cost exhibition space, music recitals, and possible joint arts projects with other partners. They are also planning about six exhibitions per year. They would like to get this up and running by summer 2009.

Helen Gheorghiu Gould is the project's Development Worker. She has been involved in the original vision and Action Plan, and is now developing the café and creative programme and meeting as many local organisations and people as possible. Her previous experience has been in running a charity dealing with arts and social/international development.

Also in Walthamstow will be the annual E17 Art Trail for which Commission For Mission Chairperson Henry Shelton, at the instigation of Commission For Mission member Steven Saxby, will be loaning his Stations of the Cross to be displayed at St Barnabas Walthamstow from 5th - 13th September 2009.

Jonathan Evens

Mark of the Cross

I AM Love

Jonathan Evens paints in a symbolic expressionist style and has facilitated the involvement of churches in a range of public art projects. His arts journalism has featured in publications including 'Art & Christianity' and 'The Church Times'. He is also a creative writer (meditations, poetry, short stories, and a blog) and the Vicar of St John the Evangelist Seven Kings. Jonathan is the Secretary of Commission for Mission.

Jonathan's paintings can be viewed on the Veritasse website by clicking here. More information about all of Jonathan's creative projects can be found on his blog at: http://joninbetween.blogspot.com/.

Each week he posts a new photograph in his 'Windows on the World' series on his blog. Past images from this series (each of which feature a foreground object framing a background view to suggest the way in which we each see the world from a specific perspective while also simultaneously perceiving something beyond) can be viewed by clicking on the photographs tab in the blog index.