E17 Art Trail: Steven Saxby interview

Steven Saxby has been interviewed about his curation of exhibitions for the E17 Art Trail. Click here to read the interview in which he says: "It is very exciting that we have these artist expressions of thoughts and feelings and reflections on what is meaningful in their lives and how this can communicate with others ... I always liked the relationship between art and expression and how people are communicating something about their lives."

Steven has once again organised an amazing line-up of artworks for the E17 Art Trail at St Barnabas and St Saviours, both in Walthamstow. Click here for information about the 16 different displays/events at St Barnabas and here for the 7 displays/events at St Saviours.

Another c4m member Nadiya Pavliv-Tokarska is contributing two displays at the Tokarska Gallery. Click here for details.

When deciding the theme for this year’s E17 Art Trail the organisers knew they had to find an expression to reflect the generosity of all who make this such a rich festival programme. Bestow giftwraps the invitation of almost 3000 practising artists and creative contributors, an invitation to enjoy the vision, to relish the gifts and to consider the ideas of our creative community. Doors are open to you revealing new compositions in artists workspaces and homes. Poets, playwrights, musicians, and comics will captivate you with stories old and new. You will encounter art that is joyous, challenging, confrontational, delightful, humourous, distinguished, ambitious and enterprising. Enjoy your visit, and treasure the memories.

'Run with the Fire' interviews

Steve Scott has been interviewed about his wide ranging career in art, music and poetry, including his involvement with Run with the Fire, in the current edition of Down The Line magazine. Steve has some fascinating things to say and the interview can be downloaded by clicking here.

Transpositions has also published an interview with Steve specifically about Run with the Fire. Run With The Fire is an arts project for the London 2012 Olympics year organized by CANA, commission4mission and Veritasse. Designed to exhibit in churches, Transpositions say that Run with the Fire is an interesting synergistic example of what happens when art, culture, and the church come together. Click here to read the interview.

Steve has also given an interview to Church and Art Network in which Run with the Fire is featured as a case study. 

Steve Scott is a British writer, poet, and musician whose songs have been recorded by artists including the 77s and Larry Norman. His musical and spoken word projects include Love in the Western World, Lost Horizon, Magnificent Obsession, More Than a Dream, The Butterfly Effect, Empty Orchestra, We Dreamed That We Were Strangers, and Crossing the Boundaries, in conjunction with painter Gaylen Stewart. In 2012, his songs became available on MP3 format, coincident with the release of a limited edition CD, Emotional Tourist: A Steve Scott Retrospective. He writes and speaks often on the arts in the UK and US, and is the author of Like a House on Fire: Renewal of the Arts in a Post-modern Culture, The Boundaries, and Crying for a Vision and Other Essays: The Collected Steve Scott Vol. One. He holds an MA in global leadership.

Transpositions interview

Jonathan Evens has been interviewed about the work of commission4mission for the current online 'Art in the Church' workshop at Transpositions. The interview can be found at http://www.transpositions.co.uk/2012/06/an-interview-with-commission4mission/ and more information about the workshop can be found at: http://www.transpositions.co.uk/2012/05/introducing-the-art-in-the-church-workshop/.

Death is certain - Nothing dies (2)

The digital graphics tryptich Death is certain - Nothing dies formed the centrepiece to the small retrospective of Christopher Clack's work at Modern Religious Art which ended today.

Juxtapositions are Clack’s stock-in-trade. Tyrannasaurus rex and crucifix, cemetery and prism, head formed by the moon, pieta with astronaut - these are just some of the disparate images brought together in his work and this show. Such juxtapositions position us at a point of paradox, a liminal place where there are more questions than answers, as in Death is certain - Nothing dies.

Clack has written that:

"In much contemporary art practice we are not given answers, we are given images and word games. Contemporary art attempts to move us away from the everyday, to break down our ideas and preconceptions ... artists in someway expect us to be able to live with their inexplicable contents, to live with the inexplicable. 'What does it mean' is not the appropriate question in relation to contemporary art, but how does it alter my perceptions, does it open things up."

Similarly, in a interview with Living South, Clack said: 

"People ask what I am trying to express, but I can't say I set out to express anything. In the process of working you find things, and show what you find.

"The process of making art can seem a messy business, chaotic at times; what the rules are is never very clear, and when we find rules we then break them as the situation calls, yet out of this comes an order, a sense of meaning. Many artists will say their best work seems is if it made itself."

Contact info@modernreligiousart.com for details or 020 86131944 / 07942099500.

Ally Clarke interview

Ally Clarke is interviewed in the current edition of Third Way about her role as artist in residence for the Bradfield Club, a youth and community centre in Peckham.

In the interview Ally says, "My heart in inhabiting this place [the Bradfield Club] is to be obedient and joyful in creating artwork, and also in and through this work to be in prayer for the club and the neighbourhood, which situated right at the core of tough, urban Peckham."

Henry Shelton

Henry Shelton is a noted painter of religious art in a contemporary style.

He trained as an apprentice draughtsman in a London studio developing his drawing skills in lettering and fine art. After 15 years he set up his own studio receiving many commissions to design for such clients as the Science Museum, Borough Councils, private and corporate bodies.

In recent years he has worked designing in studios across the world, including Hong Kong and the USA. Throughout this time he has painted Christian art and his commissions include an Ascension installed as an Altar piece in the Church of the Saviour, Chell Heath; the Millennium clock tower in Goodmayes and the memorial etched glass windows in All Saints Church, Goodmayes, depicting events in the life of Jesus. In 2007 he had a one man exhibition in York Minister depicting the Stations of the Cross. Most recently, he has completed commissions for St Lukes Chapel in Queens Hospital Romford and a contemporary set of Stations of the crown of thorns for St Pauls Goodmayes.

Henry is the Chair of commission4mission. An interview with Henry can be found by clicking here and here.

Interviews with C4M Patron & Founder

David Hawkins, the Bishop of Barking, is himself a practising artist as well as being Patron of Commission For Mission. 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.

Henry Shelton is the founder of Commision For Mission and a professional fine artist. Henry has also been interviewed for Commission For Mission and his interview can be found by clicking here and here.

“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’.” David Hawkins

“The purpose of Commission For Mission is to promote modern Christian Art in all its forms and by doing so raise money for charity. I want us to be offering quality work and craftsmanship, rather than mass-produced work, to continue the legacy of the Church as a great commissioner of art.” Henry Shelton