Colin Burns - Debut Album ‘Emerald&Gold’

Colin Burns’ debut album Emerald&Gold will be available in May. Its 14 tracks comprise 5 instrumental acoustic guitar pieces, 7 songs and 2 performance poetry pieces by Peter Nevland (www.spokengroove.com), backed by Colin on guitar. Guitar parts & songs written and performed by Colin. An 8 page booklet is enclosed containing Colin’s artwork and lyrics. Recorded and produced in Sheffield by Andy Baker (www.resoundmedia.co.uk).

Cost of CD £10 (add £2.50 p&p UK, £3 Europe, £4 ROW). It will also be available on digital download; more information to follow. To order please contact Colin at Arts Centre Group, c/o Paintings In Hospitals, 51 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU. Tel: 020 7407 1881 or 0845 458 1881. Email: info@artscentregroup.org.uk.

Colin will be performing at the commission4mission Run With The Fire exhibition launch, Monday 21st May, Strand Gallery, 32 Robert Adam Street, London, WC2N 6BP and June 9th at ‘Fun In the Park’, Redbridge, Essex.

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.

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.

'The Month' features our launch

After-Launch refreshments

Bishop David making his keynote speech

Outside St Albans on the Art Tour

Fr. Roderick Hingley

Revd. Jonathan Evens

The centre pages of the current edition of 'The Month', the newspaper for the Diocese of Chelmsford, features a story about the recent launch of Commission For Mission.

commission4mission enjoyed a successful launch at St Alban's Romford. Fr. Roderick Hingley, St Alban's Parish Priest, gave a tour of the 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 cancel 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.

Jonathan Evens gave a brief presentation of the aim and objectives of commission4mission which also set out our initial programme:

• exhibitions at Pentecost Festival (30th May) & Chelmsford Cathedral (2nd-7th November);• study day at Chelmsford Cathedral (7th November);

• exploration of four possible commissions with two proposals submitted;

• co-operation with the Faith & Image group;

• application submitted for catalogue funding;

• art workshop at ‘Fun in the Park’ in Barkingside (13 June);

• invitation to be part of London-wide discussions on art in religious spaces;

• invitation to exhibit in the West Ham Festival; and

• support from Bishop of Barking for commission4mission leaflets.

Finally, Bishop David gave the keynote address as Patron of commission4mission. 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.

Photos from the launch can be found by clicking here and here.