Inspire - exhibition hang

Inspire: art as spiritual exploration

Inspire: art as spiritual exploration is a commission4mission exhibition at St Stephen Walbrook from 18th – 29th November (10.00am – 6.00pm, closed 24 November). Among the artists exhibiting are: Ross Ashmore, Ally Ashworth, Hayley Bowen, Harvey Bradley, Christopher Clack, Anne Creasey, Valerie Dean, Jonathan Evens, Clorinda Goodman, Alan Hitching, Mark Lewis, Pouka, Caroline Richardson, Janet Roberts, Francesca Ross, Henry Shelton and Peter Webb. Parish priest, Peter Delaney will also exhibit his work as part of the show.

A Private View will be held on the evening of Monday 18th November from 6.00pm – 8.30pm and will include a welcome from The Venerable Peter Delaney MBE. All are welcome.

Members update: Jonathan Evens

Jonathan Evens was one of the speakers at ArtServe's Hearts on Fire! festival weekend. Part of a double act with Peter Banks, co-author with Jonathan of The Secret Chord, their talk focused on the twin themes of artistic dilemmas and synchronicity which are explored within the book.

Jonathan said:

"Our experience of creativity is of disparate and often contradictory ideas being crushed, swirled, fermented, shaken AND stirred in our minds in order that the fine wine of creativity results. Those disparate and often contradictory ideas are a little like the grit in the oyster which eventually produces the pearl or possibly, in this instance, the Secret Chord. Our hope is that this book, by exploring artistic dilemmas from a range of different perspectives, will mature in people’s minds exactly like some fine wine or that pearl."

Jonathan was also interviewed, together with Canon Ivor Moody (Vice-Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral), on BBC Essex this morning. The interview can be heard here (for the next seven days) and covered the Deconstructing c o n f l i c t exhibition and inter-faith lecture, plus their review of the Sunday newspapers.

'Deconstructing c o n f l i c t' on the radio

Jonathan Evens will be reviewing the newspapers and talking about our 'Deconstructing c o n f l i c t' exhibition together with Canon Ivor Moody, Vice-Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral, on BBC Essex next Sunday morning at 8.00am.

News about the exhibition can now be found on an eclectic range of different sites including:

http://www.polishculture.org.uk/visual-arts/news/article/deconstructing-c-o-n-f-l-i-c-t-2151.html;

http://www.visitessex.com/events/Chelmsford-Deconstructing-conflict/details/?dms=13&feature=4&venue=0144881&easi=true&groupid=1&nd=All&z=10&msg=Events+taking+place+around+Chelmsford.&townid=222&miles=10;

http://www.benuri.org.uk/public/news.php?news=artists-news-announce-your-event-here;

http://joninbetween.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/spiritual-life-column.html;

http://commissionformission.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/deconstructing%20conflict;

https://www.facebook.com/events/519629288121998/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming.

Deconstructing c o n f l i c t

 

 

'Burning Heads' by Maciej Hoffman

 

'The World In Despair' by Pouka



'Conflict Kid - Fun Future's Resort' by Hayley Bowen



'Agony' by Henry Shelton

'Drawer from The Cabinet of Sin & Salvation' by Jonathan Evens

 

Deconstructing c o n f l i c t is an art exhibition that will be held in Chelmsford Cathedral on 21^st - 23^rd October 2013 (7.45am – 9.00pm, ends 3.00pm Wednesday) and will feature expansive expressionist paintings by Maciej Hoffman supplemented by related work from commission4mission artists. Among commission4mission artists contributing work will be Hayley Bowen, Harvey Bradley, Jonathan Evens, Pouka, Henry Shelton, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb. 

 

Maciej Hoffman is a Polish artist whose work is concerned with the trauma of all individuals and peoples who have suffered - and continue to suffer - worldwide. Hoffman “views his art as both a means of self-expression and a way of engaging in public discourse, depicting contrasts, emotions and powerful human experiences.” He has said that the subjects which interest him are those "issues that puzzle us throughout the years, forming our way of looking at the world, changing us."

 

Hoffman's work has been the focus previously of conferences and events on themes of conflict and resolution in the UK and Poland, including exhibitions such as: Art of Reconciliation 2012 - Edith Stein Centre, Wroclaw Poland; Blue Line Holocaust Memorial Exhibition 2012 - Town Hall, Barry; Journey Line 2011 - Town Hall Wroclaw; and Journey Line 2010 - Oxford Chabad Society.

Members update

The Menier Gallery will be hosting the 80th annual exhibition of The National Society of Painters, Sculptors and Printmakers from Tuesday 10 - Saturday 21 September.

This is an opportunity for the public to see a broad range of work encompassing a dynamic mixture of contemporary paintings, sculpture and printmaking by well established artists from around the UK. Not only will there be hung work to view but also works on paper in browsers and artist cards. Don’t miss this opportunity to support one of London’s premier contemporary art exhibitions and the chance to purchase innovative art at realistic prices.

An increasing number of commission4mission members are also becoming part of the National Society, so look out for some familiar faces if you are able to see the show.

Oxford Journals have recently published the latest book review by Jonathan Evens in The Journal of Theological Studies: The Sacred Community: Art, Sacrament, and the People of God. By DAVID JASPER. Jonathan Evens The Journal of Theological Studies 2013; doi: 10.1093/jts/flt127.

Jonathan's earlier book reviews for the Journal of Theological Studies can also be found by clicking here, here and here.

commission4mission's Greenbelt market stall

Many thanks to everyone who contributed at short notice to our market stall at this year's Greenbelt Festival, in particular Barbara and Harvey Bradley and Jonathan Evens who staffed the stall for us. As well as sales of work and general publicity, the stall also generated new contacts and useful conversations about aspects of our work.

We showed a selection of original work from Hayley Bowen, Harvey Bradley, Ally Clarke, Elizabeth Duncan Meyer, Jonathan Evens, Mark Lewis, Caroline Richardson, Joy Rousell Stone, Henry Shelton and Peter Webb. This included cards, jewellery, meditations, notebooks, prints and t-shirts produced by our artists for sale, as well as information about our work on commissions, exhibitions, events and publications.

commission4mission's Greenbelt market stall

commission4mission's market stall at this year's Greenbelt Festival has been organised for us by Harvey Bradley, who will be showing ceramics and paintings at the stall.

Harvey's work will be supplemented by a selection of original work from Hayley Bowen, Ally Clarke, Elizabeth Duncan Meyer, Jonathan Evens, Mark Lewis, Caroline Richardson, Joy Rousell Stone, Henry Shelton and Peter Webb.

Additionally, we will have cards, jewellery, meditations, notebooks and t-shirts produced by our artists for sale, as well as information about our work on commissions, events, exhibitions and publications.

Please do come to see us if you will be at Greenbelt this year.

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.

Portraits

Our recent exhibition at St Paul's Goodmayes included three portraits of local clerics: Michael Creasey exhibited a striking portrait of The Rt. Revd. David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking, in reflective pose; Henry Shelton showed his portrait of Fr. Benjamin Rutt-Field, Vicar of St Paul's Goodmayes; while Peter Webb included his quirky painted wood relief portrait of Rev. Jonathan Evens.

Portraits are an aspect of the work by our artists which is not well known currently but, in which, several of our artists possess considerable expertise. Peter Webb, for example, has been working on a series of painted and also wood relief portraits as a fundraising project for St Mary's Woodford, while the characters in his major paintings for church settings, such as The Denial at St Mary's Woodford are often based on life studies.