Images from Commission For Mission's Pentecost Festival exhibition

Harvey Bradley & Rosalind Hore in discussion

A view of the exhibition

Exhibition visitors viewing Henry Shelton's paintings

Observing Harvey Bradley's painting demonstration

Harvey Bradley contemplating his demonstration painting

Rosalind Hore with her painting 'The Moment of Resurrection'

A visitor viewing Jonathan Evens' 'Windows on the world' photographs

Visitors viewing Bishop David's two treescapes

Peter Shorer showing his jewellery to an exhibition visitor

A view of the exhibition

Peter Shorer shows his antique reproduction jewellery to interested visitors

Harvey Bradley shows his sketch book to exhibition visitors

Peter & Audrey Shorer with Peter's jewellery and in front of works by Jonathan Evens

Peter Shorer & Henry Shelton discuss Henry's paintings

Harvey Bradley begins his painting demonstration

'North York Moors' by Bishop David together with paintings & pottery by Harvey Bradley

Harvey Bradley & Henry Shelton discuss their art

One wall of our exhibition showing works by Harvey Bradley & Jonathan Evens

News from 'Church Times'

Commission For Mission is featured in an article written by Glyn Paflin in today's Church Times. Entitled 'Society backs craftsmanship' the article, which features our launch event in March, suggests that churches may be em­boldened in their commissioning of contemporary art by the setting up of Commission For Mission and the example of St Albans Romford, our launch venue.

Also in the current edition of the Church Times is the news that the Revd. Canon Martin Webster, Team Rector of the Waltham Abbey & Holy Cross Team Ministry and a Commission For Mission member, is to become the next Archdeacon of Harlow. We wish Martin well in his new ministry and look forward to exploring with him and others ways of contributing to the rich artistic heritage of Harlow itself.

Bishop to exhibit at Festival

The Baptism of Christ by Rosalind Hore

Station 8 by Henry Shelton

Ivy 1 by David Hawkins

Man by Jonathan Evens

Burstling through the Crown of Thorns by Harvey Bradley

David Hawkins, the Bishop of Barking and Patron of commission4mission, will be exhibiting alongside Harvey Bradley, Jonathan Evens, Rosalind Hore and Henry Shelton at commission4mission's Pentecost Festival exhibition (Saturday 30th May, 12 noon - 6.00pm, Westminster Methodist Central Hall , Storey's Gate, Westminster SW1 9NH).

Bishop David describes himself as an artist first and priest second. He is inspired by landscape, with most of what he paints finding its inspiration there. He will be exhibiting two substantial landscapes of the North York Moors and two pieces combining paint and photographic woodland images. There are a large number of artists and periods that he finds absorbing but what fires him most are contemporary artists such as Terry Frost, Sam Francis, Ivon Hitchens and Howard Hodgkin.

In 2005 he collaborated with Pippa Hale and Stuart Tarbuck in a public art project in Leeds called Mene Mene which saw a series of texts being abstracted from their original Biblical context and filtered throughout the city in a variety of formats; from high-profile banners and adverts on bus shelters to more intimate sayings on bench plaques and shop windows.

Bishop David has said: “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’.”

The exhibition will feature works in a wide variety of styles and media including collage, jewellery, paintings, photographs, pottery, and a conceptual work using transparencies on mirror.

Pentecost Festival exhibition

Five Commission For Mission artists - Harvey Bradley, Jonathan Evens, David Hawkins, Rosalind Hore and Henry Shelton - will be exhibiting at Westminster Methodist Central Hall (Storey's Gate, Westminster, SW1H 9NH - click here for directions) 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.

St Andrews Leytonstone

Sanctuary of St Andrews Leytonstone


Painted altar

Stained glass by Hilary Davies

Stained glass by Margaret Chilton

Stations of the Cross by Lewis Davies

Above are photos of the interior of St Andrews Leytonstone, venue for our summer exhibition. St Andrews contains windows by noted stained glass artist Margaret Chilton, banners and a window by Hilary Davies and Stations of the Cross by Lewis Davies. Our exhibition will therefore complement a space in which art already plays a significant role.

Airbrushed from Art History?

Jonathan Evens is asking for help with a Personal Development project that he is currently undertaking.

The project involves him firstly in reviewing and updating his reading on Christian influences on Modern and Contemporary Art and secondly in posting summaries of these influences at his blog. He is calling the series of posts 'Airbrushed from Art History?' as his basic contention is that these influences have been consistently overlooked or ignored in art histories.

Your help, if you are able to give it, would be to comment on these posts, as and when you are able, as people able to critique or develop the ideas and information summarised in the posts.

Jonathan's aim is to systematise and develop his thinking on this theme and make use of the material generated in Study Days and other events to be organised in future by Commission For Mission. The series of posts will potentially also form a useful source of reference for those interested in this topic.

Guest post on Commission For Mission

Jonathan Evens has been asked to write a guest post for Phil's Treehouse, the blog of Revd. Philip Ritchie, about Commission For Mission.

Philip has responsibility for lay education and training in the Diocese of Chelmsford and he writes that he is delighted to publicise the exciting initiative in mission and art that Commission For Mission represents.

If you would like to read this post, which also features examples of the work of several Commission For Mission artists, then click here.

David Hawkins

David Hawkins, the Bishop of Barking and Patron of Commission For Mission, describes himself as an artist first and priest second.

He is inspired by landscape, with most of what he paints having its inspiration in landscape. There are a large number of artists and periods that he finds absorbing but what fires him most are contemporary artists such as Terry Frost, Sam Francis, Ivon Hitchens and Howard Hodgkin.

In 2005 he collaborated with Pippa Hale and Stuart Tarbuck in a public art project in Leeds called Mene Mene which saw a series of texts being abstracted from their original Biblical context and filtered throughout the city in a variety of formats; from high-profile banners and adverts on bus shelters to more intimate sayings on bench plaques and shop windows.

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.

On Saturday 30th May, he will join Harvey Bradley, Jonathan Evens, Rosalind Hore and Henry Shelton in exhibiting at the Pentecost Festival.

Peter Webb

Supper at Emmaus

The Betrayal

Peter Webb is a Fine Artist and former Art Teacher. His commissions include paintings of St George and also of the Supper at Emmaus. His painting of the The Betrayal can be viewed at St Marys Woodford. Peter is a member of the Faith & Image group and is a regular contributor to its meetings, most recently on the Royal Academy's Byzantium exhibition (see the report in Easter 2009 edition of the St Marys magazine). Peter has also contributed to community arts initiatives including a mobile created as part of the 2008 Woodford Festival.

Art & Spirituality exhibition

Together with St Andrew’s Church Leytonstone we are planning to hold a summer exhibition on the theme of Art and Spirituality for the Leytonstone Festival and Leytonstone Arts Trail.

The exhibition details are as follows:

• 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.

St Andrews and ourselves will also be organising 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.

We plan to have three speakers making 10 minute presentations each on a question such as 'Spirituality: the hidden heartbeat of art?' followed by discussion and debate. Please put this date and time in your diaries, as it would be great to see you at this event and to have your input to the discussion.

Colin Joseph Burns

Secret Forest I

Destiny

Colin Joseph Burns works mainly in acrylics and paints landscapes and other works with a spiritual/Christian element.

Colin writes:

"Journeying into the unknown, a sense of adventure and discovery, hinting that there may be something more beyond the physical world than we can see - these are the themes that I am exploring in my work. I do this mainly through the depiction of landscape, both observed and imaginary. There may be a path leading into the distance which symbolises the idea of journey or there may be light coming from an unseen source drawing the viewer in almost as if entering a hidden, unseen world.

I aim is to convey these ideas not only by the representation of the subject matter but also by the creation of an atmosphere. It is hoped that the work has a certain presence which encourages the viewer ‘into’ the painting as it were. There is a sense that something is going on beneath the surface, behind the scenes

I paint in both oils and acrylics. My acrylic painting method is influenced by the landscape watercolours of artists such as Turner and traditional Chinese painters. Using acrylics in a very fluid way, I build up transparent layers allowing the underlying images to show through. I often start out with an idea but I take advantage of the natural tendency of the paint to produce unpredictable and surprising results as if the paint itself itself is exploring and going on a journey."

Colin is also administrator for the Arts Centre Group, has been playing guitar for over 30 years and teaches guitar in London. Having started out studying classical guitar and later electric guitar full time at college, he embraces various styles and brings them together in his original acoustic guitar compositions.

Martin Webster

Martin Webster is interested in promoting Christian Art as a form of engaging with the gospel. He paints (oils and acrylics) particularly 'sacred spaces' usually forest/landscape views. He is the Archdeacon of Harlow.

A journey of discovery

In addition to exhibiting his paintings in the Open Studios exhibition at Wimbledon Art Studios, Colin Burns will also be performing at The Lighthouse Café Club on Friday May 22nd in
'A journey of discovery: explorations in music and painting - an evening with Colin Burns.'

Colin has been playing guitar for over 30 years and teaches guitar in London. Having started out studying classical guitar and later electric guitar full time at college, he embraces various styles and brings them together in his original acoustic guitar compositions.

He is also a painter and is currently based at South Wimbledon Art Studios where he takes part in regular exhibitions. Last year he was represented by Hicks Gallery in Wimbledon. Around this he fits in working as administrator for the Arts Centre Group!

Colin will be performing some of his original acoustic guitar pieces and talking about his paintings. He will be sharing about his journey and development as an artist and musician.

Friday May 22nd 2009. Tickets £2.50. 7.30 for 8.00pm. Venue: Parkside Evangelical Church, 1 St Flora’s Road, Littlehampton, BN17 6BD. All enquiries to 01903 725471.

Airbrushed from Art History

Jonathan Evens has begun a series of posts entitled 'Airbrushed from Art History' which argue that religious and/or Christian influences on modern art have been airbrushed out of histories of modern art.

He is echoing Daniel A. Siedell's call in God in the Gallery, for "an alternative history and theory of the development of modern art, revealing that Christianity has always been present with modern art, nourishing as well as haunting it, and that modern art cannot be understood without understanding its religious and spiritual components and aspirations."

In this series of posts Jonathan will aim to highlight at least some of the artists and movements (together with the books that tell their stories) that should feature in that alternative history when it comes to be written.

Colin Burns opens his studio

Commission For Mission member, Colin Burns will be exhibiting in the Open Studios Art Show being held at Wimbledon Art Studios on Thursday 14 – Sunday 17 May 2009.

Wimbledon Art Studios is London’s largest studio complex and holds open studio shows twice a year. These exhibitions are the ideal opportunity to buy original work from over 100 emerging and established artists including painters, sculptors and ceramicists.

Families are welcome. There is free entry, free parking and a Café. You are able to purchase direct from artists and cards are accepted. Thursday & Friday 2-10pm. Saturday & Sunday 11am-6pm.

Wimbledon Art Studios, Riverside Road, London SW17 0BB. Tel: 020 8947 1183. Email: enquiries@wimbledonartstudios.co.uk. Web:
http://www.wimbledonartstudios.co.uk/.