c4m @ Billericay Art Trail

Among events at the Billericay Art Trail today was a Big Draw workshop at Norsey Woods and an Arts Evening at St Mary Magdalen. commission4mission made a contribution to both events with Mark Lewis and Peter Webb taking part in the Big Draw plus Colin Burns and Jonathan Evens performing at the Arts Evening. These contributions were at the invitation of Art Trail organiser, Harvey Bradley.

The Big Draw workshop featured drawing, printing and digital images at Norsey Wood. Trail artists also included Julia Tanner, Dezadie (digital artist), and Lesley Cartwright. The Campaign for Drawing has one aim, to get everyone drawing; and this event certainly achieved that aim!

The Big Draw was followed by an Arts Evening at St. Mary Magdalen Billericay. This event had a varied programme which included poetry, music, digital projection, storytelling and dance and featured Tim Cunningham and Jonathan Evens (poetry), Colin Burns (music) and Dezadie (animations) plus Reflection Dance and storytellers Colin Taylor and Pat Roberts.

Billericay-based Cunningham has been called the poet of good endings and his apposite phrases served to illuminate the everyday encounters which characterise his poetry. Painter-turned-performer, Colin Burns, fused instrumental dexterity and melodic poetry on tracks from his debut album Emerald & Gold. Dezadie showed her Robot Chicken awaiting transmission animation. Reflection Dance performed on the themes of creation and Pentecost. The storytellers came with a mix of traditional tales and humorous originals, while Jonathan Evens shared a selection of poems on the theme of new beginnings.

Inside St Mary Magdelen the hub exhibition for the Art Trail could be viewed while outside were examples of the yarn bombing which had taken place throughout the Art Trail.

Billericay Art Trail

The Billericay Art Trail has its online brochure available at www.billericayarttrail.co.uk/5html.

In the brochure Harvey Bradley says, "Although creativity can be challenging, the struggle often leads to things that lift the spirit and give great joy. This summer, Billericay celebrates those who have overcome such a challenge. We applaud the artistic talent and skills that thrive in our community. At the same time, we give proper recognition to the shops and businesses that help host our annual show.
As part of the Essex Summer of Art, the Billericay Art Trail can be proud of its growing arts reputation as the town attracts more visitors who are keen to take part and experience the event."

Click here for details of input to the Art Trail by other commission4mission artists.

Newsletter No. 17 - June 2013

 

c4m pops up at the Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival

commission4mission held a pop-up exhibition in Harlow Town Centre for the Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival in May. The exhibition, which included ceramics, drawings, fused glass, paintings, photographs, sculptures and wooden reliefs. featured work by Ross Ashmore, Harvey Bradley, Elizabeth Duncan Meyer, Jonathan Evens, Ken James, Mark Lewis, Caroline Richardson, Henry Shelton, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb. 

A day on the visual arts was organised as part of the Festival with art talks, the Run with the Fire digital art exhibition and Harlow Seniors Photographic Society Exhibition at St Paul's Harlow plus a lunchtime reception at the commission4mission exhibition. The Rt Revd. Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford, outlined the background to Stanley Spencer's Christ in the Wilderness paintings before sharing meditations based on particular paintings in the series. c4m member Mark Lewis summarised the career of John Piper, highlighting his interest in abstraction, typographical content, war commissions, colour and contrast, stained glass commissions before ending with his murals including the Emmaus mosaic at St Paul's Harlow.
The final event in the Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival also featured c4m members. Performance was an evening of music and poetry at Holy Trinity Hatfield Heath. Jonathan Evens opened the evening with a selection of poems that included The Mark and Worthship. Colin Burns performed songs and instrumentals from his Emerald and Gold album, as well as new material. Jane Grell read from her newly published Collected Poems Praise Songs. The first half of the programme was brought to a resounding conclusion by the Brass of St Mary's (Sheering) that included both Be Still and Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines. Mal Grosch made a humorous start to the second half of the programme with poems from his new collection entitled Blackfriars. A choir from Holy Trinity and St Mary's reprised songs from the Roger Jones musical David. The evening's varied and thoroughly enjoyable entertainment concluded with songs, a poem and a story by Jane Grell.

c4m @ St Paul’s Goodmayes

St Paul's Church Goodmayes (http://www.stpaulsgoodmayes.org.uk/) is to host an Art Exhibition for commission4mission - Monday to Sunday ~ 1st to 7th July 2013, open 10:00am to 4:00pm daily (Barley Lane, Goodmayes, Ilford, Essex IG3 8XE). Admission is free and light refreshments will be available.
The exhibition will begin with a launch night on Monday 1st July featuring artist presentations, Mark Lewis on the work of John Piper and c4m’s Annual General Meeting. Work by Ross Ashmore, Harvey Bradley, Anne Creasey, Michael Creasey, Valerie Dean, Elizabeth Duncan Meyer, Jonathan Evens, Mark Lewis, Danielle Lovesey, Caroline Richardson, Joy Rousell Stone, Henry Shelton will be included and much of the work shown will be for sale.
Visitors will also be able to see an installation on the theme of peace plus the significant collection of permanent commissions housed at St Paul’s. St Paul's has been a generous patron of the arts through the generosity of the PCC and many ad memoria by it's loyal and faithful membership throughout its history. The church is home for a large selection of stained glass and is also proud to own a set of contemporary ‘Stations of the Crown of Thorns' a series of 14 individual pieces featuring a large Triptych and commissioned from c4m.

The last day of the exhibition will coincide with the 'Our Community Festival'; an annual event co-ordinated by the London Borough of Redbridge. This will take place in Barley Lane Recreation Ground directly opposite the church and will run from 12 noon to 4:00pm on Sunday 7th July 2013.

The Big Draw @ Norsey Wood
The Big Draw will be an event featuring drawing, printing and digital images at Norsey Wood, Billericay on Saturday 20th July, 10am - 3 pm. This free event will be a drawing opportunity for all who wish to come and is being organised by c4m member Harvey Bradley as part of the Billericay Art Trail. Artist leaders will be c4m members Mark Lewis and Peter Webb. Trail artists - Julia Tanner, Dezadie (digital artist), Lesley Cartwright. Meet by the Visitor centre. Children are to be accompanied by an adult. This event is associated with the national Big Draw movement - www.campaignfordrawing.org. The Campaign for Drawing has one aim: to get everyone drawing! The Big Draw will be followed by an Arts Evening at St. Mary Magdalen Billericay with Tim Cunningham and Jonathan Evens (poetry), Colin Burns (music) and Dezadie (animations) plus a dance group and projected images from the Big Draw (Saturday 20th July, 7:30pm - 10pm).

Stations of the Cross

An exhibition of 'Stations of the Cross' by Valerie Dean is currently at the Diocesan Office for the Chelmsford Diocese  (53 New Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1AT) in the Boardroom at Guy Harlings until Friday 26th June. Visits are by arrangement during normal office hours, as the boardroom is in regular use. Please check access before you visit by ringing 01245 294400. Valerie is also exhibiting in Brussels during June.

The Big Draw: Norsey Wood

The Big Draw: Drawing, printing and digital images. Norsey Wood, Saturday  20th  July, 10am - 3 pm. Free. Drawing opportunity for all.  Come and take part. Artist leaders - Mark Lewis and Peter Webb. Trail artists - Julia Tanner, Dezadie (digital artist), Lesley Cartwright. Meet by the Visitor centre. Children to be accompanied by an adult. Associated with the national Big Draw movement - www.campaignfordrawing.org. The Campaign for Drawing has one aim: to get everyone drawing!

The Big Draw is followed by an Arts Evening at St. Mary Magdalen Billericay with Tim Cunningham and Jonathan Evens (poetry), Colin Burns (music) and Dezadie (animations) plus a dance group and projected images from the Big Draw (Saturday 20th July, 7:30pm - 10pm).

Member's update

An exhibition of 'Stations of the Cross' by Valerie Dean is currently at the Diocesan Office for the Chelmsford Diocese (53 New Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1AT). Valerie's 'Stations' will be in the Boardroom at Guy Harlings until Friday 26th June. Visits are by arrangement during normal office hours, as the boardroom is in regular use. Please check access before you visit by ringing 01245 294400. Valerie is also exhibiting in Brussels during June.

Harvey Bradley is planning this year's Billericay Art Trail (http://www.billericayarttrail.co.uk/) and has included input from various c4m members.  The Big Draw is at Norsey Wood (http://www.basildon.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2410) with Mark Lewis and Peter Webb plus Joanna Bradley, Harvey Bradley, Dezadie and Julia Tanner (Saturday 20th July, 10am - 3pm). Arts Evening at St. Mary Magdalen (http://www.billericaychurches.org/html/st_mary_magdalen.html) with Tim Cunningham & Jonathan Evens (poetry), Colin Burns (music) and Dezadie (animations) plus a dance group and projected images from the Big Draw (Saturday 20th July, 7:30pm - 10pm).

Harvey is currently showing in an exhibition of work by selected members of ‘Anglian Potters’ at the Dolby Gallery Oundle (http://www.dolby-gallery.com/anglian-potters-selected-members-show-5-20-june-2013/) - until 29th June. 

The current show at the Tokarska Gallery (http://tokarskagallery.co.uk/current-exhibitions) has paintings by Sharon Drew which are modern-day Abstract Expressionism reinvented for the 21st Century. Imagine repeat-patterns disrupted by the gestural brushwork of American Artist De Kooning and the vivid hues of St Ives School British Painter, Patrick Heron. This show continues until 30th June.

Newsletter No. 16 – May 2013

Tenth completed commission: Altar Frontal by Anne Creasey

commission4mission's tenth commission, an altar frontal by Anne Creasey, was installed at Christ Church Thames View for the church's Easter Day services.
 

The all year round altar frontal features the colours of the Church calendar and incorporates a central cross in gold surmounted by the sun. The sun's rays also form pentecostal flames while the ball of the sun equates to the host raised above the chalice. Stunning from a distance, the frontal's design also repays closer inspection through the intricate details of Anne's embroidery and appliqué work, particularly on the ball of the sun and its rays.

Rev. Mina Smallman, Vicar of Christ Church, said: “The congregation loved it. The church building has a practical sense to it, no stained glass windows; all we had was a wooden altar. The frontal has given the altar a wow factor.”

Our 10 completed commissions have involved nine of our artists and have included etched windows, fused glass windows, holy water stoup in oak and brass, mosaics, paintings, textiles and wooden reliefs. In under five years commission4mission has built a significant pool of creative artists able to deliver a wide variety of quality work to fit a range of budgets making the commissioning of contemporary art viable for churches of all sizes and contexts. Anne Creasey's altar frontal is a marvellous example, as we reach this milestone of our 10th completed commission, of what can be achieved when artists and churches share a vision for creativity and mission.

Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival 2013

commission4mission will be creating a pop-up gallery at 20 Broadwalk in Harlow Town Centre for this year’s Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival. The exhibition will be open from Thursday 23^rd – Monday 27^th May, 10.00am – 4.00pm and a lunchtime reception will be held on Saturday 25^th May from 1.00 – 3.00pm.

c4m members are also making several other contributions to the Festival. Mark Lewis will speak on the work of John Piper as part of a morning of art talks at St Paul’s Harlow on Saturday 25^th May. Bishop Stephen Cottrell will also speak on the ‘Christ in the Wilderness’ paintings of Stanley Spencer. On Monday 27^th May Colin Burns and Jonathan Evens will be contributing music and poetry to a performance evening at Holy Trinity Hatfield Heath which will also include music from the six churches and poetry from Jane Grell, Mal Grosch and Jenny Houghton. For more information see http://www.chelmsford.anglican.org/areas-and-bishops/barking-area-team/events/art-trail. 

Exhibition & events in July

commission4mission will be exhibiting at St Paul’s Goodmayes from 1^st – 7^th July, 10.00am – 4.00pm. St Paul’s is a church which has consistently commissioned contemporary artists throughout its history - most recently, through c4m, of a set of Stations of the Cross by Henry Shelton – and has made creative use of the Arts in its engagement with the local community. Our exhibition will span the Patronal Festival of St Paul’s and the Our Community Festival to which it has regularly contributed arts events.

c4m member Harvey Bradley is involved in the organisation of this year's Billericay Art Trail (11th - 21st July). He has organised input from c4m members to a Big Draw event at Norsey Woods, 10.00am - 3.00pm, and a Performance evening with dance, music and poetry at St Mary Magdalen, 7.30 - 9.30pm, on Saturday 20th July. See http://www.billericayarttrail.co.uk/ for full details.

Days and Rites

Mark Lewis has recently published Days and Rites: Popular customs of the Church (Heart of Albion Press). In the book, Mark describes liturgical traditions which have survived unbroken over many centuries, together with others which have been revived after a break during the twentieth century. By drawing together, for the first time, detailed information about these popular customs of the church, he hopes to stimulate further interest, research and recording of these remarkable events.

Member Profile: Pouka

Pouka is an artist and sculptor who believes in the ability of human love and kindness to make our world a free and safe environment for every living creature. The huge challenges we are facing in our modern times are the driving force of the creativity in his artwork as he believes everything created has its own purpose, like the earth we live in - there is no other place where humans can share the same breath with animals and plants or drink the same water and many other things.