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.

Dedication of mosaics

The Rt Revd David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking and patron of commission4mission, dedicated new mosaics, commissioned through commission4mission, at St John's Seven Kings today. The dedication took place at the end of the Patronal Festival service for St John's.

The two mosaics were commissioned as part of the development of the community garden at St Johns. They were envisaged as bold, bright works to catch the eye of passers by and draw them into the green space of the garden. Viki Isherwood Metzler has re-created her Graffiti Love design for display on the East wall of the church, while Sergiy Shkanov has added a mosaic to the Trinity sculpture in the remembrance area of the garden. This design of circular and triangular lines connecting three granite shapes is intended to symbolise the constant exchange and interconnections within the Godhead.

Submission to Arts Council England consultation

commission4mission aims to encourage the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches, as a means of fundraising for charities and as a mission opportunity for the churches involved. It is an emerging arts network based in East London and the Diocese of Chelmsford, and its patron is David Hawkins, The Bishop of Barking, who is himself a practising artist.

Our consultation response is a generalised response based on comments from our members but relates most closely to Q5. What do you think are the most important things to focus on in order to ensure more people value and enjoy the arts? and Q8 Do you agree with our thinking regarding the future role the Arts Council will play in partnership with others? Do you have alternative ideas?　

Supporting the links between faith and art

Faith communities are part of the wider community of engagement with the arts and it is important that they are recognised in the matrix of how and why people value and enjoy the arts.

Faith is an influential context for people's lives: it influences how people see themselves, their relationship with others and their environment, and how they create a sense of meaning and identity, which in turn influences how they behave.

Members of faith communities may enjoy art which (although not exclusively) touches and nurtures their spiritual lives. Members of c4m (as both artists and audiences) talk about the value of art in their spiritual growth and understanding. Art has been an important medium through which communication about faith and belief has taken place over centuries, and as a result the church has enjoyed a long partnership with the arts, though this seems to have eroded in recent decades.

Faith is not something that sits in isolation from art or any other area of people's lives: it is part of a complex unity. Increasing numbers of Britons report a sense of deepening 'spirituality', a seeking for something beyond the material life - 76% according to recent research (Hay/Hunt, Frequency of report of religious or spiritual experience in Britain for years 1987 and 2000, Blackwell Companion to Christian Spirituality, Blackwell, 2007, pp 417-441.) This is not an insignificant sector of the public, but a majority.

Thus it is important that the connection between art and faith in England is sustained by Arts Council England (ACE) - initiatives which recognise and nurture this (such as the Faith and the Arts website) are sustained and developed, that regional offices are encouraged to see faith organisations as valuable partners, and that funding is available for activities that enable artists and communities to connect faith and art.

Churches as creative spaces and Christianity as an influential theme

We wish to flag the significance of churches as: spaces in which artworks are and can be displayed; venues for community art initiatives; places for accessing community members for consultation and/or participation in community arts initiatives; holders of significant arts collections; and as a continuing source of inspiration and encouragement for artists. The recent trend of placing significant art work in church venues (e.g. Antony Gormley, Flare II, St Paul's Cathedral), and the development of church-based arts spaces (e.g. Wallspace) and mainstream artists drawing on Christian themes (Mark Wallinger, Ecce Homo) has to be seen in the context of this.

Christianity has been one of the great historic narratives and themes for art, and remains such, and this still needs to be acknowledged and encouraged.

As the Bishop of Barking notes: 'For centuries one of the principal subjects that the great masters have depicted have been biblical scenes. This was partly because the church was a significant patron of fine art but also the bible [like Greek mythology] provides epic and iconic themes which evoke the whole range of human emotion and which plumb the depths of divinity and depravity and of good and evil. If our art galleries were divested of all the paintings depicting biblical subjects our national collections would be severely depleted. Just because church attendance and Christianity in general is less fashionable than it was in previous centuries this is no reason to sideline works of art which depict Christian themes or are being created from a Christian motivation.'

The commissioning of visual art work for public spaces indicates there is still a demand for art on a Christian theme, or by Christian artists. This forms part of the hidden economy of the arts which needs recognition and support.

c4m supports and encourages the commissioning of contemporary Christian art work in public spaces. Recent commissions in which it has been involved in the past 12 months include: Queens Hospital Romford, St Paul’s Church Goodmayes, St Peter's Church Harold Wood and St Edmunds Church Tyseley.

Christian art projects and social engagement

Christian arts projects are also offering a point of engagement and nurture for people who are socially excluded or marginalised - the Crypt of St George's Leeds, involved a professional artist working with homeless people to produce a mural. Work by c4m members in East London is starting to reach out and engage with diverse communities in community-based arts activities in churches.

Developing an active partnership

At a time when the Archbishop of Canterbury has said that 'the church needs more artists', the church and Christian organisations need to be seen as valid partners for the arts.

We commend an active and sustained engagement with churches, cathedrals and Christian organisations as partners with ACE and arts organisations in the creation, delivery, and display of artworks and arts initiatives. The value of this partnership has previously been recognised on occasion (e.g. involvement of Church organisations in consultation on ACE rural arts policy) but lacks sustained energy and dialogue at a national and regional level.

These partnerships and dialogue should be encouraged across all regional offices. Regional offices may need confidence and encouragement to engage with and talk to churches and faith organisations - ACE should provide support and guidance on this.

Funding guidelines (e.g. Arts 4 All) should be reviewed to ensure they are not discouraging or disbenefiting organisations with a faith background which can demonstrate that their work has a wider community benefit - many can. Funding and art form advisors should be encouraged to support, and not dismiss, applications from faith organisations.

ACE should stimulate this partnership by documenting local and national partnerships between the arts and churches, what they achieve, how they evolve and what artists and audiences they engage with.

ACE should find ways of supporting commissioning of Christian art works e.g. by extending the 'Own Art' scheme to churches and other faith organisations to enable them to spread the cost of commissioning and purchasing works.

ACE should work in partnership with organisations such as c4m to develop the skills and capacity of faith/church organisations to commission art work - through supporting the development of guidance, case studies and access to professional advice.

Newsletter No 4

Bishop David speaking at our Study Day in November 2009

Newsletter No. 4 – January 2010

commission4mission is moving into an exciting future as we move into 2010. Our catalogue of artists is being distributed. We have new works underway for St Peter's Harold Wood, St Edmunds Tyseley and St Pauls Goodmayes. We are planning a Passiontide exhibition, a second Study Day and have offers of permanent exhibition spaces at two churches. During 2010 we will be joined by Helen Gould, who was formerly Director of Creative Exchange, to work on events and strategic development.

‘Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art’
A commission4mission Study Day held at Chelmsford Cathedral on 7th November 2009 with an accompanying showcase exhibition, 2nd – 7th November

The Bishop of Barking, the Rt. Revd. David Hawkins, issued a call to re-engage with our visual heritage as a spur to mission at a Study Day on Church Art organized by commission4mission and held at Chelmsford Cathedral.

The Bishop argued that a large part of worship was non-verbal – visual or sound – and that the non-verbal aspects of worship often affected people more than the verbal. The Church in the past had taught the faithful through images in stained glass, fresco and mosaic and, because we once again live in a highly visual culture, we need to understand that the commissioning of art for churches is a missional activity.

He pointed to the story of the bronze snake crafted by the Israelites while in the wilderness (Numbers 21. 4-9) as the first piece of transformational and healing public art in the Judeo-Christian tradition and suggested that a work such as Anthony Gormley’s Angel of the North has had a similarly transformative integrity in a depressed region of the country.

The Bishop told two stories of commissioning, from his own parish experience at St George’s Leeds, to illustrate his argument. The first concerned designs which he as an artist priest developed to complete lancet windows which were part clear and part stained glass. The theme for these windows – the Tree of Life – arose naturally from a year of teaching on the theme of roots and shoots as part of the 150 year celebrations at the church. The Bishop’s design had integrity in the context because it focused and summarized a significant year in the life of the church.

His second example concerned a commission by Steve Simpson for a former boiler room in the crypt at St Georges which was to become a prayer space for the homeless project located there. The idea was for twelve paintings on a ‘Last Supper’ theme to be based on project users and displayed in the round above benching. These ideas, however, only came to life in the space once discussions concerning the work reached the conclusion that the images needed to be torn as though they were fragments of historical artefacts emerging from the crypt’s wall. As a result, the Bishop highlighted the importance of the collaborative process as a source of real creativity in commissions.

He also called for greater use of temporary artworks and projects. These would emerge from a particular generation and time but were not intended to become permanent additions to a church. Finally, he highlighted the significance of encouraging all kinds of people from our communities to bring their visual expressions into church. We are all creative, he argued, because we are all made in the image of God. Our creativity becomes part of worship, whether conscious or not.

The Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral, the Very Revd. Peter Judd, shared stories of commissioning a range of works from artists such as John Piper, Mark Cazalet and Peter Eugene Ball. His experiences were mixed as some commissions had proved very difficult with significant opposition encountered while others had come together very easily.

His first experience, of installing a Nativity window by John Piper at Iffley Church Oxford, was one of the most controversial and has recently been documented in a new biography of Piper and his wife Myfanwy (F. Spalding, John Piper, Myfanwy Piper: Lives in Art, OUP Oxford, 2009). The opposition that Judd encountered and the difficulty of agreeing an appropriate location for and extension to what was an existing work by Piper were eventually resolved and once installed the window became a greatly loved addition to a church already famous for its beauty and architectural interest. Judd ended by encouraging those present to trust the artist.

Among the highlights of commission4mission’s exhibition which accompanied the Study Day was Peter Webb's Architect's arguing over the Tower of Babel, a wonderfully detailed and witty take on a rarely depicted or imagined aspect of the story that has previously been included in a Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Colin Burns' oils evoked a sense of calm and reflection that could well benefit a prayer space. Caroline Richardson's glass work Broken-Hearted was a strong statement working well with popular rather than explicitly Christian imagery. The Leader by Joy Rousell Stone and Henry Shelton's two Stations of the Cross pieces, by the energy of their brushwork and their semi-abstract nature, evoked a powerful sense of the violence of the Passion.

Harvey Bradley’s pottery incorporated ash (symbol of repentance) which after being fired became a textural gold colour. Sarah Ollerenshaw's large and epic meditations on suffering and sacrifice contrasted strongly with the deliciously delicate miniature that was Celia Ward’s Madonna.

The exhibition was the most comprehensive exhibition by commission4mission artists to date and with the range of artists and media included, gave a real taste of the exciting possibilities for churches wishing to commission contemporary Church Art.

More information about commission4mission can be found at http://commissionformission.blogspot.com/ or by contacting Jonathan Evens at: jonathan.evens@btinternet.com or 020 8599 2170.

Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art (4)

The Rt. Revd. David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking, spoke at commission4mission's recent Study Day from the perspective of those envisioning others on the commissioning of contemporary art for churches:

"All human beings are made in the image of God; everyone has creativity within them and, for Christians, that creativity becomes part of their worship whether conscious or not.

If we think of worship as liturgy, music, preaching etc, then we can see that much of the Church's worship and teaching has been through the visual arts. Teaching was, for example, read in stained glass, frescoes and mosaics. We need to help our congregations recognise that a large part of worship is non-verbal and that the visual arts and music often move people more than words. It is, after all, a visual world we live in.

commission4mission is deliberately saying that commissioning art is a mission activity and that is necessary because the narrative of the christian faith is no longer in people's heads. As a result, we need to make the story visual once again.

This Study Day has included discussions about finance and we need to face the question of whether commissioning art is an indulgent project in recession time. Times of recession, historically, have been when the Arts have flourished as we have a need for hope and inspiration. Modest expenditure can produce real inspiration.

Numbers 21. 4-9 is about the first piece of public art in the Judeao-Christian tradition; an artwork that was transformative and healing. The bronze serpent had a transformational integrity with the people of God in a particular place and started me thinking about God and context. It has similarities to the Angel of the North; which has been a symbol of inspiration in a depressed part of the country.

Two examples of collaborative commissions may help in taking these thoughts further. These were modest projects coming out of encounter with God and the people of St Georges Leeds. The first involved a major reordering during which Victorian balconies were taken out to reveal huge lancet windows with blank glass (where the balconies had been) above the stained glass (which had previously been all that could be seen of the windows).

I designed a panel to complete the Victorian stained glass which was contemporary but harmonising and worked with a stained glass artist to realise the design. The window was the culmination of a year of teaching to commemorate 150 years of the church. The theme for the window - the Tree of Life - was obvious because the theme of the year had been roots and shoots. The simple stylised design had a context and a sense of focusing and summarising an important year in the life of the church.

The second project involved the Crypt of St Georges which, since 1930, has been a night shelter and day centre for homeless people. Refurbishment of the Crypt involved replacement of the boiler and the clearing out of the old Victorian boiler room; a beautiful and still vaulted space. On seeing it cleared out, I immediately said it had to be a chapel and place of prayer for the Crypt.

Steve Simpson was the artist commissioned to create a work on a Last Supper theme with the work intended to be seen above a bench running all around the room and seating 12 comfortably. We envisaged a mural or a set of paintings but found that alot of collaboration - between the artist, Vicar and homeless users of the building - was needed to squeeze out something inspirational.

Steve brought cartoons of his ideas based on photographic images of the Crypt's users. These were rectangular paintings which made the space look like a gallery rather than a worship space. I suggested tearing the paintings up which he initially said he was not going to do but, after half and hour of debate, he started to tear around the images and they became like historical artefacts emerging as fragments from the walls. The time and agony of time taken on the problems of a committee relating to an artist; this process became part of the work of art. Because of the process, the work was altogether different but integral to the church space. It is therefore important to argue but to still stay friends.

These stories lead me to three final points:

1. The importance of collaborative process and finding real creativity which allows people to feel that their signature is there.

2. The scope for temporary art in churches which reflects a particular generation and period. We can all think of paintings or stained glass that have served their useful life but which can't be easily removed. Art can be for that time alone and can be created with the expectation that it will later be taken down. This approach can help to keep the relationship between art and faith alive and vital. It is similar to music, where some hymns go on forever while others go out of fashion.

3. Encouraging all kinds of people from our communities - not just Christians - to bring visual expressions into church, as a missional and outreach activity."

Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art (1)

Bishop David speaking during the Study Day

Peter Judd, Peter Webb, James Bettley, Henry Shelton & Harvey Bradley

Part of the Study Day audience

Lunchtime discussions at the commission4mission exhibition

Viewing the commission4mission exhibition

Cartoons of artworks commissioned by Peter Judd

Study Day participant talking to Peter Webb

What follows is the introduction by Jonathan Evens to our Study Day 'Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art' held on Saturday 7th November at Chelmsford Cathedral. Summaries of the other presentations made at the Study Day and mentioned in this introduction will be included in subsequent posts:

commission4mission was launched in March 2009 by our Patron, the Bishop of Barking, to encourage the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches as a means of fundraising for charities and a mission opportunity for churches.

We aim to:

• provide opportunities for churches to obtain and commission contemporary Christian Art for church buildings;
• provide information, ideas and examples of contemporary Christian Art and its use/display within church settings; and
• raise funds for charities through commissions and sales of contemporary Christian Art.

We promote the purchase of artworks by churches through donations given in memory of loved ones, with these people being commemorated in plaques placed (wherever possible) on or near the artwork itself.

Examples of the work of our artists, commissions to date, and exhibitions held can be seen on the screen. In the short time that commission4mission has been in existence we have:

• built up a pool of artists available for Church commissions and working in a wide range of media including: drawing, glass, jewellery, painting, photography, pottery, silver, and textiles (many of these artists are exhibiting in our showcase exhibition which can be viewed today);
• gained commissions for works at Queens Hospital Romford and St Pauls Goodmayes;
• organised six exhibitions including exhibiting at the Pentecost, West Ham and Leytonstone Festivals and as part of the E17 and Leytonstone Art Trails;
• held a networking evening on the the theme of 'Spirituality - the heartbeat of Art?'
• developed a a webpage (http://commissionformission.blogspot.com/) profiling our artists and giving up-to-date news of our activities; and
• obtained funding from London Over the Border to produce a catalogue of our artists and work, which is currently in production.

The necessity for and validity of our approach is, in part, demonstrated by the speed with which commission4mission has grown and the interest that is already being shown in our work. However, some further explanation of our particular approach to commissioning may also be helpful and pertinent to the theme of this Study Day.

Local churches contemplating the possibility of commissioning contemporary art are often put off by what they think will be prohibitive costs, disputes in the congregation about appropriate styles, and arguments that there are more important priorities for the available money.

Since the mid point of the twentieth century, cathedrals in the UK began once again to regularly commission contemporary art but, for the reasons listed above, local churches have rarely followed their lead. commission4mission is seeking to change that by making the commissioning of contemporary art an opportunity for mission and a means of fundraising for charities.

The visual arts can contribute to mission by: speaking eloquently of the Christian faith; providing a reason for people to visit a church; making a link between churches and local arts organisations/initiatives; and providing a focus around which local people can come together for a shared activity. A good example of this is St Albans Romford, where commission4mission was launched in March 2009, and where, as a direct result of its many commissions, the church is regularly visited by those from the local community and further afield who come to see Christianity differently through their visit.

When the visual arts are seen as integral to mission, then the interest of congregations in commissioning is likely to grow but the issues of cost and other priorities still remain. As a result, commission4mission is building up a pool of artists (to date painters, textile artists, glas artist, sculptors, silversmith, potter, a jewellery maker and a mosaicist) able to work flexibly to available budgets and willing to allow a proportion of the cost of each commission to go to charity.

Our experience suggests that the combination of charitable fundraising and memorial donations that we also promotes overcomes many of the issues usually faced when considering the commissioning of contemporary art for local churches.

None of this means that quality is being compromised either. In the words of Henry Shelton, the founding artist member of commission4mission, what we offer is "quality work and craftsmanship, rather than mass-produced work, to continue the legacy of the Church as a great commissioner of art."

For the artist, however, a very different set of challenges exists as a result of Church commissions. All churches, regardless of age and style, provide an existing space which is coupled with a history (recent or ancient) that includes architecture, existing art and community memories. The artist, and the finished artwork, has to relate in some way to the space and its history, either integrating within it or challenging what already exists through its difference.

Christianity, too, comes with a history and visual heritage with which the artist and the finished artwork must interact. Will the artist work with traditional Christian imagery or iconography? Can a contemporary take be found to traditional iconography or can new and contemporary symbols be found for the traditional images and doctrines of the Christian faith? Each of our artists have a different solution to these issues and that solution may vary from artwork to artwork.

As part of this dialogue all involved also face the question, ‘What is Christian Art?’ In the past this question was easily answered as Christian Art was art for churches created under the patronage of the Church by artists in communion with the Church and using the iconography of the Church. Today, there is no easy answer to this question, as: artwork using traditional iconography could be created for church or gallery; the Church is no longer a major patron of the visual arts; traditional iconography can be utilised artists in order to be subverted or challenged; artists exploring spiritual themes could be people of faith or of none and may or may not use traditional iconography.

Today all of the old certainties regarding Christian Art can be questioned and shown to be inadequate. commission4mission, though, by focusing primarily on encouraging the commissioning and placing of contemporary art in churches largely returns to the earlier understanding.

Finally, in addition to their dialogue with space, history and iconography, artists commissioned by churches are also in dialogue with people. Most commissions will involve the artist is relating to a group of church members and possibly to some advisory body (such as the Diocesan Advisory Committee in the Church of England system). Relating to the different tastes and appreciations of the visual arts and to differing understandings of the role of the artist among those liaising with the artist on behalf of the church, make this dialogue one of the most challenging for the artist and can lead to a concern that art is being created by committee and vision diminished as a result.

In writing of the “passionate and intelligent understanding of the arts in the service of the Church” that was demonstrated by Bishop George Bell (Bishop of Chichester, 1929 - 1958), Canon Keith Walker sets out a model for an ‘ideal’ relationship between church and artist. He quotes Bell as arguing that: “the Church should dictate the subject-matter whilst the artist should decide the style;” “today’s artists to be employed to paint in our churches not in a style imitative of the past but in the idiom natural to them;” and the Church … must be prepared to trust its chosen artists to begin their work and carry it through to the end as the fulfilment of a trust, the terms and circumstances of which they understand and respect.”

We hope that this Study Day will take consideration of these ideas and issues further forward.

The programme is designed to cover the perspectives of:

• those commissioning contemporary art for worship spaces – The Very Revd. Peter Judd, Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral, will speak about his experiences of commissoning for churches and the Cathedral and lessons learnt from these experiences;
• those advising on such commissions – Dr. James Bettley will speak about the approach taken and factors considered by the DAC within the faculty process;
• artists working on commissions - a selection of c4m artists will be interviewed about their experiences of being commissioned; and
• those envisioning others regarding commissioning - the Bishop of Barking seek to give each of us a vision for the commissioning of contemporary Christian Art.

Chelmsford Cathedral showcase exhibition

commission4mission's showcase exhibition was set up at Chelmsford Cathedral today and is the most comprehensive of our exhibitions to date in terms of the range of artists exhibiting and the range of media on display.

The exhibition can be viewed until 2.30pm on Saturday 7th November during the normal opening hours of Chelmsford Cathedral. Also on Saturday 7th November is our Study Day entitled 'Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art' which features input from the Bishop of Barking, the Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral and several commission4mission artists, among others. All are welcome to attend the Study Day which begins at 10.00am and ends at 2.30pm.

Showcase exhibition & Study Day

'Consider the lilies' by Anne Creasey

'Nativity' by Rosalind Hore

'The Young Christ' by Joy Rousell Stone

'Grafitti Joy' by Viki Isherwood-Metzler

'St John' by Celia Ward

'Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art' is a commission4mission Study Day taking place on Saturday 7th November at Chelmsford Cathedral (New Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1TY) from 10.00am – 2.30pm. It will bring to an end our showcase exhibition in the Cathedral (Monday 2nd - Saturday 7th November, Cathedral opening times).

Our showcase exhibition at the Cathedral will be the most comprehensive we have yet mounted both in terms of the number of artists contributing and the range of works on show. The showcase exhibition will include works by Harvey Bradley, Colin Joseph Burns, Anne Creasey, Michael J. Creasey, Jonathan Evens, Rosalind Hore, Viki Isherwood-Metzler, Mark Lewis, Sarah Ollerenshaw, Caroline Richardson, Henry Shelton, Peter Shorer, Joy Rousell Stone, Celia Ward and Peter Webb.

The Study Day programme is as follows:

9.45am - Registration & refreshments;
10.00am - Welcome & Introduction to commission4mission;
10.20am - The Very Revd. Peter Judd, Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral – ‘Experiences of commissioning art for Church & Cathedral’;
10.50am - Dr James Bettley, Chair of Chelmsford DAC – ‘Commissioning & the Faculty process’; 11.20am - Three commission4mission artists to be interviewed about their experiences of commissioning;
12 noon - Midday Prayers, Lunch break & Exhibition viewing;
1.00pm - Q&A session involving Peter Judd, Dr. James Bettley & the three artists;
1.45pm - Rt. Revd. David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking – ‘A Vision for the commissioning of contemporary Christian Art’;
2.15pm - Q&A session with Bishop David;
2.30pm: Close & Exhibition take-down.

To book a place or for more information, contact Jonathan Evens on 020 8599 2170 or jonathan.evens@btinternet.com.

Newsletter No. 3 – August 2009

West Ham Festival exhibition

Three exhibitions at three Festivals

Our first three exhibitions were held within a three month period as part of the Pentecost, West Ham and Leytonstone Festivals. Exhibiting artists included: Harvey Bradley, Anne Creasey, Michael J. Creasey, Jonathan Evens, David Hawkins, Rosalind Hore, Henry Shelton, Peter Shorer, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb. The reaction from both the churches involved and from those visiting the exhibitions was very positive. All Saints West Ham have, as a result, offered us a permanent exhibition space.

Mark Lewis, Rosalind Hore & Jonathan Evens at the Leytonstone networking event

Spirituality – the heartbeat of Art?

Our exhibition at St Andrews Leytonstone also included a successful Art & Spirituality networking evening where we debated the question, 'Spirituality - the heartbeat of Art?'

Helen Gould, Refresh Project Development Worker at St Andrews, opened the event by saying that the networking event and exhibition launched a new creative programme – Reflect – which will run alongside their newly opened café, Refresh. Their intention being to offer a spiritual haven to the local community.

The evening continued with presentations from three commission4mission artists. Rosalind Hore spoke about her work as the exaggeration of emotion. She reflected on the way in which the medium affects the means by which she conveys emotion; working in clay affords more detail, while working in plaster or concrete requires sweeping lines and folds. She also described her functional work for church festivals and the way in which worship often inspired images and new work.

Mark Lewis spoke about spirituality in art as a sense of aliveness. He highlighted the very different work of Mark Rothko and Stanley Spencer, speaking about the sense of contemplation induced by Rothko's work and the sense of heaven in the ordinary in Spencer's. In speaking of his own work he described his sense of absorption in and fusion with the work as a spiritual experience.

Jonathan Evens argued that, despite reluctance among art critics and tutors to note or engage with religious themes and imagery, there is nevertheless a prevalence of religious themes and imagery to be found in modern and contemporary art. He gave a brief and partial alternative history of modern and contemporary art to illustrate this argument and suggested that this prevalence of themes and images does indicate that spirituality remains a significant inspiration of the visual arts.

Summaries of these three presentations can be found by clicking here, here and here. They led on to vigorous debate which covered the following issues:

• the extent to which spirituality should be the starting point for an artist's work or conversely whether spirituality could emerge from the artist's handling of form;
• the extent to which non-religious themes can convey a sense of spirituality;
• the extent to which traditional religious iconography still connects with the general public or whether artists should seek to create new imagery and forms for the truths of their faith;
• the extent to which the artist bears the potential audience for the work in mind while creating or is absorbed in the work itself without consideration of outside influences;
• the extent to which it is better to display spiritual art within churches or out in the public realm;
• ways of countering the perceived lack of interest or understanding of spirituality within the art world generally; and
• the need for examples of good practice and networks of artists with an interest in both art and spirituality.

Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art

The programme for our Study Day entitled 'Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art' has been finalised. Taking place on Saturday 7th November at Chelmsford Cathedral (New Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1TY) from 10.00am – 2.30pm , it follows our showcase exhibition in the Cathedral (Monday 2nd - Saturday 7th November, Cathedral opening times).

The programme is as follows:

9.45am - Registration & refreshments;
10.00am - Welcome & Introduction to commission4mission;
10.20am - The Very Revd. Peter Judd, Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral – ‘Experiences of commissioning art for Church & Cathedral’;
10.50am - Dr James Bettley, Chair of Chelmsford DAC – ‘Commissioning & the Faculty process’;
11.20am - Three commission4mission artists to be interviewed about their experiences of commissioning;
12 noon - Midday Prayers, Lunch break & Exhibition viewing;
1.00pm - Q&A session involving Peter Judd, Dr. James Bettley & the three artists;
1.45pm - Rt. Revd. David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking – ‘A Vision for the commissioning of contemporary Christian Art’;
2.15pm - Q&A session with Bishop David;
2.30pm: Close & Exhibition take-down.

To book a place or for more information, contact Jonathan Evens on 020 8599 2170 or jonathan.evens@btinternet.com.

First Station produced by Henry Shelton for the St Pauls Goodmayes commission

Two commissions

Our first two commissions have been over a year in negotiation but are currently in preparation. The first, is a set of fifteen Stations of the Cross by Henry Shelton for St Pauls Goodmayes (see left for example), which includes a central tryptich incorporating three stations and a resurrection station. The second is for two paintings by Henry Shelton (Crucifixion and Do this in remembrance of me) for the St Lukes Prayer Room at Queens Hospital Romford. This latter commission may also be expanded to include an additional piece by Henry and a sculpture by Rosalind Hore.

'St George and the Dragon' by Peter Webb

Member profile: Peter Webb

Peter Webb is a Fine Artist and former Head of Art at the Bishop Stopford School. His commissions include paintings of St George and the Supper at Emmaus for the school. He has painted many portraits of staff at the School and created a statue of Bishop Stopford from papier-mâché on a galvanised chicken-wire frame. His painting of The Betrayal can be viewed at St Marys Woodford. Peter is a member of Faith & Image and has contributed to community arts initiatives including a mobile created as part of the 2008 Woodford Festival.

Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art

The programme for Commission For Mission's Study Day entitled 'Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art' has now been finalised.

The day will take place on Saturday 7th November at Chelmsford Cathedral (New Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1TY) from 10.00am – 2.30pm and comes at the end of Commission For Mission's showcase exhibition in the Cathedral (Monday 2nd - Saturday 7th November, Cathedral opening times).

The Study Day programme is as follows:

9.45am: Registration & refreshments
10.00am: Welcome & Introduction to Commission For Mission
10.20am: The Very Revd. Peter Judd, Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral – ‘Experiences of commissioning art for Church & Cathedral’
10.50am: Dr James Bettley, Chair of Chelmsford DAC – ‘Commissioning & the Faculty process’
11.20am: Three Commission For Mission artists to be interviewed about their experiences of commissioning
12 noon: Midday Prayers, Lunch break & Exhibition viewing
1.00pm: Q&A session involving Peter Judd, Dr. James Bettley & the three artists
1.45pm: Rt. Revd. David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking – ‘A Vision for the commissioning of contemporary Christian Art’
2.15pm: Q&A session with Bishop David
2.30pm: Close & Exhibition take-down

To book a place or for more information, contact Jonathan Evens on 020 8599 2170 or jonathan.evens@btinternet.com.

West Ham Festival exhibition

Works by Henry Shelton, Jonathan Evens & Peter Webb

Works by Rosalind Hore, David Hawkins & Anne Creasey

Works by Michael J. Creasey & Anne Creasey

Works by Michael J. Creasey

Works by Harvey Bradley (in the foreground)

Works by Harvey Bradley, Peter Webb & David Hawkins

Works by Harvey Bradley, Jonathan Evens & Henry Shelton

Works by Rosalind Hore, Anne Creasey & Michael J. Creasey

Works by Harvey Bradley, Joy Rousell Stone, Jonathan Evens & Rosalind Hore

Works by Joy Rousell Stone, Jonathan Evens & Henry Shelton

The West Ham Festival has been revived this year by All Saints West Ham to celebrate community life in the area. The church is open between 11.00am and 5.00pm until Sunday for people to view exhibitions (including the past and present life of the church and works of art by local artists), enjoy concerts, a Children's Party, a dinner, and a Grand Féte. On Sunday there will also be a Festival Service of Thanksgiving.

Our exhibiting artists are: Harvey Bradley, Anne Creasey, Michael Creasey, Jonathan Evens, David Hawkins, Rosalind Hore, Henry Shelton, Peter Shorer, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb. The 26 works on show include a conceptual piece, embroidered panels, paintings (abstract and figurative), and a wall hanging.

Two Saturday openings

This coming Saturday sees the opening of two initiatives with which Commission For Mission is involved.

The first is the opening of the West Ham Festival at All Saints Church, Church Street, West Ham, London E15 3HU. The Festival runs from 20th - 27th June and includes an exhibition by Commission For Mission artists.

Our exhibiting artists are: Harvey Bradley, Anne Creasey, Michael Creasey, Jonathan Evens, David Hawkins, Rosalind Hore, Henry Shelton, Peter Shorer, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb. The 26 works on show will include a conceptual piece, embroidered panels, paintings (abstract and figurative), and wall hangings.

In addition, to our exhibition there will also be: exhibitions by Andy McGuire and John Uche; a church history exhibition (All Saints is one of Newham's finest buildings which dates back a thousand years); a textiles exhibition; and a flower festival. The West Ham Festival also features a wide range of other events and services. Details of these can be found by clicking here.

The second opening is of Café Refresh at St Andrews Leytonstone at 11.00am on Saturday 20th June. Harry Cohen MP for Leyton and Wanstead will be opening the café at 11 am. Free coffee and tea will be served for all their community and guests at Café Refresh from 11 am until 12 noon.

Café Refresh is being launched to serve as a meeting place and ‘haven’ for the local community. Local chef, Elliot Joseph, will run the café. Elliot is passionate about healthy food and bringing the community together. He’s on a mission to bring healthy, tasty food to the community. Café Refresh will be offering teas, coffees, hot chocolate and light snacks and lunches. Opening times are 10 am –5pm on Tuesday and Saturday, and 12 –5pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

St Andrew’s is also opening as a creative centre and will have a creative programme – Reflect – running alongside the café. This programme launches on July 5th, with an exhibition of Christian artworks in the Church by Commission for Mission. A networking evening on Art and Spirituality will be held on 9 July from 7-9.30pm involving presentations from our artists - Jonathan Evens, Rosalind Hore and Mark Lewis. The church will also be playing host to a number of creative events during the Leytonstone Art Trail and Leytonstone Festival.

Veritasse Artisan's newsletter article

This piece about Commission For Mission has recently been published in the Veritasse Artisan's newsletter:

Local churches contemplating the possibilty of commissioning contemporary art are often put off by what they think will be prohibitive costs, disputes in the congregation about appropriate styles, and arguments that there are more important prorities for the available money.

Since the mid point of the twentieth century, cathedrals in the UK began once again to regularly commission contemporary art but, for the reasons, listed above local churches have rarely followed their lead. Commission For Mission is a new arts organisation which is seeking to change that picture and to do by making the commissioning of contemporary an opportunity for mission and a means of fundraising for charities.

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. A good example of this occuring is St Albans Romford, where Commission For Mission was launched in March 2009 and where, as a direct result of its many commissions, the church is regularly visited by those from the local community and further afield who come to see Christianity differently through their visit.

When the visual arts are seen as integral to mission then the interest of congregations in commissioning is likely to grow but the issues of cost and other priorities still remain. As a result, Commission For Mission is building up a pool of artists (painters, sculptors, silversmiths, potters, jewellery makers etc.) able to work flexibly to available budgets and willing to allow a proportion of the cost of each commission to go to charity and is recommending that commissioned artworks are donated to churches by interested parties as memorials to loved ones. Our experience suggests that this combination of charitable fundraising and memorial donations overcomes many of the issues usually faced when considering the commissioning of contemporary art for local churches.

None of this means that quality is being compromised either. In the words of Henry Shelton, the founding artist member of Commission For Mission, what we offer is "quality work and craftsmanship, rather than mass-produced work, to continue the legacy of the Church as a great commissioner of art."

Our Patron, David Hawkins, the Bishop of Barking, sums it up when he says:

"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 this has eroded in recent times. I agree with Rowan Williams that the Church needs more artists and 'that artists are special people but every person is a special kind of artist.' I think that there is great scope in the Church encouraging creative expression in everyone as this is a way of helping us to be fully human."

We are providing many opportunities to see the quality and originality of work available from commission4mission and its artists over the coming months including at the West Ham and Leytonstone Festivals.

We are also aiming to provide information, ideas and examples of contemporary Christian art and its use or display within church settings. To that end, we are organising a networking event at St Andrews Leytonstone on Thursday 9th July from 7.00pm. Three commission4mission artists (Jonathan Evens, Rosalind Hore and Mark Lewis) will give brief presentations on 'Spirituality - the heartbeat of Art?' leading into space for open discussion and debate. A Study Day entitled 'Perspectives on commissioning Christian Art' has also been organised for Saturday 7th November at Chelmsford Cathedral (10.00am - 2.30pm) with contributions from the Bishop of Barking, the Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral, the Chair of Chelmsford DAC and commission4mission artists. For more information about commission4mission, our activities and our artists, please email me at jonathan.evens@btinternet.com.

West Ham Festival exhibition

Following the success of our Pentecost Festival exhibition, we are looking forward to our next exhibition which will show work by a wider range of our artists.

Among those showing work in the West Ham Festival (All Saints Church, Church Street, West Ham, London E15 3HU) from 20th - 27th June will be Harvey Bradley, Anne Creasey, Michael Creasey, Jonathan Evens, David Hawkins, Rosalind Hore, Henry Shelton, Peter Shorer and Joy Rousell Stone. The works on show will include conceptual pieces, embroidered panels, paintings (abstract and figurative), photographs, and wall hangings.

In addition, to Commission For Mission's exhibition there will also be: exhibitions by Andy McGuire and John Uche; a church history exhibition (All Saints is one of Newham's finest buildings which dates back a thousand years); a textiles exhibition; and a flower festival. The West Ham Festival also features a range of events and services. Details of these can be found by clicking here.

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.