Newsletter 19 - November 2013

Deconstructing c o n f l i c t

Paintings by Maciej Hoffman together with works by commission4mission artists were on show in Chelmsford Cathedral as part of an exhibition entitled Deconstructing c o n f l i c t during One World Week. 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. He says that he "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."

The Revd. Canon Ivor Moody (Vice-Dean, Chelmsford Cathedral) said, "We wish to use the interest, challenge and impact of art to draw people from our differing communities into genuine dialogue with each on the basis of the real issues each of us face. These events bring issues of justice and peace to the centre of local family, school and community life." 

A fascinating inter-faith lecture by Rabbi Herschel Gluck OBE, founder of the Muslim-Jewish Forum which seeks to build bridges between Muslim and Jewish communities, was held on Tuesday 22nd October in the Chapter House of the Cathedral. Beginning with a BBC film on the founding of the Muslim-Jewish Forum, Rabbi Gluck spoke about his family history, his work with the Next Century Foundation through which he has played a significant role as a mediator in conflicts as diverse as the Sudan and former Yugoslavia, as well as reflecting on the work of the Muslim-Jewish Forum. Rabbi Gluck first met Maciej Hoffman in Poland and has been a strong supporter of Maciej's work ever since, so it was particularly appropriate that he should be able to deliver this lecture as part of the programme of events for the Deconstructing c o n f l i c t exhibition.

These events were organised by Chelmsford Cathedral, commission4mission and the Mid Essex Inter-faith Forum, with the support of the Big Lottery Fund, to inspire, inform and encourage more people of diverse backgrounds to come together to explore shared values and take action to build a just, peaceful and sustainable world. Our aim was to challenge stereotypes which cause conflict and empower people to live and advocate peaceful lives. 

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.

Christmas cards

commission4mission is producing Christmas cards for the first time this year featuring designs from our artists in a variety of media and styles.

Artists contributing 11 different designs include: Hayley Bowen, Harvey Bradley, Mark Lewis, Henry Shelton and Peter Webb.

The cards will be available either in packs of ten and as single cards and can be ordered by emailing to cform@btinternet.com or by visiting the Inspire exhibition at St Stephen Walbrook.

 

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.

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.

Newsletter No. 14 - November 2012

Completed commission: Wooden Reliefs

Peter Webb has recently completed our latest commission - two painted wooden reliefs for Dagenham Park Church of England School. The reliefs are heads of Christ and Mary Magdalene. This commission completes a circle for Peter as he first made wooden reliefs while an art teacher, as an aid in teaching Cubism to his pupils. The commission features as part of the brand new state-of-the-art school building with world class facilities into which the school has recently moved. This building, which was designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, has been nominated for a British Construction Industry Award 2012 in the category of Building of the Year.

Christmas exhibition: Incarnation

commission4mission will launch itself in south London with a Christmas Exhibition entitled “Incarnation” featuring 15 artists working in a variety of media. The exhibition will be in Wimbledon Library Gallery, 1st floor, Wimbledon Library, Wimbledon Hill Road, London SW19 7NB. Opening times are 4 - 8 December, 9.30am-7.00pm (2pm on Saturday) with access through the Library. You are warmly invited to the Private View and Launch on Monday 3 December from 6.30 - 9.30pm or a Second Private View on Tuesday 4 December from 6.30 - 9.30pm. On Monday and Tuesday evenings from 7pm, the Gallery can be reached via a side entrance in Compton Road.

Peter Webb, Alan Hitching and Henry Shelton at All Saint‟s Woodford Wells

Barking Arts Festival events

c4m organised two events in October for the Arts Festival of the Barking Episcopal Area, run in parallel this year with the Woodford Festival. Mark Lewis, Francesca Ross, Peter Webb and others provided advice and opportunities to try creating portraits through drawing, painting and printing as part of the Big Draw event at St Mary's Woodford.

We also held an exhibition in the newly opened Atrium of All Saints Woodford Wells which included the 'Run with the Fire' digital art exhibition plus work by Elizabeth Duncan Meyer, Jonathan Evens, Alan Hitching, Mark Lewis, Caroline Richardson, Janet Roberts, Francesca Ross, Henry Shelton, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb.

Together with Kathryn Robinson, Performing Arts Adviser for the Barking Episcopal Area, Jonathan Evens also organised a poetry evening as part of the two Festivals. This Celebration of Poetry featured the poetry of c4m members Alan Hitching and Jonathan himself, as well as that of Tim Cunningham, Jane Grell, Malcolm Guite and Jennifer Houghton.

The Passion: Reflections & Prayers 

Henry Shelton and Jonathan Evens have recently published their second collection of images and meditations on the Passion of Christ to raise funds for c4m. This collection is available initially as a double-sided A3 sheet containing all 14 images, meditations and prayers. The pair have aimed to pare down the images and words to their emotional and theological core. The mark making and imagery is minimal but in a way that makes maximum impact. The A3 format is designed for ease of devotional use and can be ordered (£3.50 + p&p) from jonathan.evens@btinternet.com. Their first collection - Mark of the Cross - remains available as a download from 12baskets (http://www.twelvebaskets.co.uk/view/178/store/pdf/mark-of-the-cross-pdf).

Member Profile: Richard Paton 

Richard Paton is a stained glass artist with 20 years in the trade who started Rainbow Glass Studios, based in Stoke Newington, North London, in 2001. In that time Richard has had hundreds of commissions which have required different techniques and designs to fulfil the very diverse briefs. These range from corporate work to individual commissions from the rich and famous through to work in Churches.

Run with the Fire update

Run with the Fire has entered a new and really exciting phase with a series of initiatives around the country. Read about what is happening in Streatham and Plymouth and see more of the RWTF artwork in our newsletter - click here! Then go to the Run with the Fire blog for the latest stories such as Colours of Life, Inflame and God in the Park.

Newsletter No. 12 – April 2012

Completed commission: Holy water stoup

The latest completed commission undertaken by commission4mission is a holy water stoup designed by Mark Lewis for St Margaret of Antioch Ilford. The holy water stoup, which is made from oiled oak and polished brass, was dedicated by parish priest Fr. Stephen Pugh on Sunday 25th March 2012 in memory of Mr Ron Smith. Mr Smith's family attended the service, as did Mark Lewis. The engraved inscription on the stoup reads as, ‘We praise you O God.’

Pentecost Festival: Run With The Fire exhibition

Our next exhibition will be at the Pentecost Festival in which the Run with the Fire digital exhibition will be shown alongside original artworks from commission4mission artists and invited guest artists. The Run with the Fire exhibition will take place at the Strand Gallery (32 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6BP) from 22nd - 27th May, 11.00am - 6.00pm.

Including an eclectic mix of styles and media, this will be a stimulating and exciting show exploring the broad theme of running life's race with passion and spirit. Featured artists include Harvey Bradley, Colin Burns, Christopher Clack, Elizabeth Duncan Meyer, Robert Enoch, Jonathan Evens, Christine Garwood, Jim Insole, Ken James, Miriam Kendrick, Mark Lewis, Glenn Lowcock, Henry Shelton, Sergiy Shkanov, Joy Rousell Stone, Esther Tidy, Mike Thomas, Rachel Watson and Peter Webb.

A Launch Night on Monday 21st May, 6.00 - 8.00pm, will provide the first opportunity to see the exhibition and will also include music and poetry exploring the exhibition theme. Those performing include singer-songwriter and poet Malcolm Guite, artist-musician Colin Burns, artist-poet Jonathan Evens, musician-poet Steve Scott and performance poet Tamsin Kendrick. Refreshments will be available. Cost - £2.00, pay on the door.

On Saturday 26th May there will be an additional programme of art talks and painting demonstrations:

• Painting demonstration – Harvey Bradley, ongoing throughout the day. See Harvey work on a painting and discuss his approach with him.
• The Spiritual Image in Modern Art - Mark Lewis, 11.30am. A broad overview of the spiritual impulse in the art forms of the modern world and their potential to turn our minds to higher things.
• Run with the Fire – Steve Scott, 12.30pm. A talk about the ‘Run with the Fire’ project and DVD.
• Stanley Spencer – A Visionary of our Time – Mark Lewis, 2.00pm. A talk which examines the life and work of one of Britain’s most renowned and eccentric 20

• th Century painters. The main themes include Spencer’s time as a war artist, and his extraordinary paintings which envision the Christian Gospels played out by the people in his beloved home town of Cookham.
• Praying with our eyes open – Glenn Lowcock, 3.00pm. A talk on using images as an aid to prayer.
• Emotional Tourist – Steve Scott, 4.00pm. What I am learning about art, life, spirituality, Trinity, and relational aesthetics from my travels in Bali and elsewhere.
• Christian influences on modern & contemporary art – Jonathan Evens, 5.00pm. A broad overview of modern and contemporary art and artists which engage with Christianity.

See http://commissionformission.blogspot.com/, http://www.pentecostfestival.co.uk/home/, and https://www.proudonline.co.uk/exhibitions.aspx for more information.

Copies of the Run with the Fire DVD can be purchased via http://www.veritasse.co.uk/cards-prints/most-popular/run-with-the-fire-dvd-pack/ or at the exhibition. A preview of the Run with the Fire digital exhibition can be seen at http://youtu.be/nFBGZDgFaw4, while for up-to-date news of the project see http://runwiththefire.blogspot.com/.

Member profile: Valerie Dean

Valerie Dean works in acrylics and her technique is usually to put materials and colours on canvas or board, to see what emerges. It is a dialogue between the artist and her materials. Because of her background, this often consists of figures around a religious theme. They just appear! Very often, people seem to want to appear in her paintings, a little like the pictures in the fire that she used to see in her childhood. At other times, she finds that buildings and places she knows inspire her.

Newsletter No. 10 – January 2012

Peter Webb speaking at the Tokarska Gallery Private View

Christmas exhibition at the Tokarska Gallery

Our Christmas exhibition at the Tokarska Gallery featured a variety of c4m artists working in a variety of media (ceramics, concept drawings, fused glass, paintings, painted wooden reliefs), styles (abstract, conceptual, figurative, semi-abstract) and content (biblical scenes, landscapes, portraits, still life, symbolic scenes).

Contributing artists included Harvey Bradley, Colin Burns, Christopher Clack, Ally Clarke, Valerie Dean, Jonathan Evens, Mark Lewis, Nadiya Pavliv-Tokarska, Janet Roberts, Caroline Richardson, Henry Shelton, Joy Rousell Stone, Andrew Vessey and Peter Webb.

As part of the Private View Colin Burns performed guitar instrumentals from his forthcoming CD. Andrew Vessey read three poems that, like several of the paintings he exhibited, explore encounters and travels in well-known biblical stories but set into the context of contemporary landscapes of Suffolk and Gower. Peter Webb spoke about creativity as the essence of God in his introductory remarks and Jonathan Evens read his poem on the creative process entitled 'The Mark'.

Marisa Martin, writer of the 'True Colors' column on WorldNetDaily, featured c4m and the Tokarska exhibition in a piece entitled 'Anglicans invite artists back to church' (see http://www.wnd.com/2011/12/372561/). In her article, Martin noted that c4m works to keep alive the Anglican Church tradition of inspiring, commissioning and installing new art but "uses contemporary and decidedly non-traditional art" to do so. She highlighted particularly the work of Peter Webb and Christopher Clack, describing Webb's Supper at Emmaus as "something like a cross between Jack Levine's and Franz Hals' group scenes" and Clack's Descent II as "visually riveting, although spiritually neutral." The question that c4m poses, she suggested, is whether "new and contemporary symbols be found for the traditional images and doctrines of the Christian faith?"

Run With The Fire

A promotional presentation for 'Run with the Fire' is now available to be viewed on YouTube. The presentation outlines the project, shows examples of work included and gives information for ordering copies of the 'Run with the Fire' pack. Each pack includes: a digital exhibition on DVD with a 2 year licence for use in the purchasing church; an electronic book and planning aid produced by three experienced Christian event organisers, with samples and templates to save you time and effort; telephone, skype or e-mail support to help you use the pack effectively; access to a large pool of Christian artists who you may wish to involve in your project.

Each 'Run with the Fire' pack costs £50.00 (any profits, go to Oxfam) and can be bought from http://www.veritasse.co.uk/ or by contacting Sue Newham on 01686 626228.

Member profile: Robert Enoch

Robert Enoch's art is an exciting exploration of colour, form, movement and meaning. He makes artistic interpretations of the Bible in a visionary form and has made installations for the church that visually explore and interpret the Gospels. His films blend social documentary and corporate video. In his photographs he searches the environment for images of piercing meaning among the everyday.

Dedication of etched windows

The second set of etched windows, etched by Richard Paton to designs by Henry Shelton at All Saint's Hutton, were dedicated on Sunday 4th December 2011 by Revd. Bob Wallace, Rector of the parish. The windows feature symbols of the four Evangelists complementing the earlier set of windows in the opposite screen which features symbols of seven Saints.

2012 plans:

Our plans for 2012 include: work on three current commissions; a Central London exhibition as part of the Pentecost Festival; and our partnership project, 'Run with the Fire', with CANA and Veritasse for the Olympics.

Newsletter No. 8 – July 2011

commission4mission exhibition, Crypt Gallery at St Martin-in-the-Fields

Exhibitions @ St Martin-in-the-Fields & the Leytonstone Festival

Our exhibition in the Crypt Gallery at St Martin-in-the-Fields (4th – 17th July) was designed to encourage the commissioning of contemporary Christian art as 16 of our artists showed work in a variety of media, including cartoons, concept drawings, fused glass, paintings, reliefs and textiles, and new roll-up banners provided examples of some completed commissions and information about the commissioning process.

Contributing artists include Adam Boulter, Harvey Bradley, Colin Burns, Ally Clarke, Anne Creasey, Valerie Dean, Jonathan Evens, Viki Isherwood-Metzler, Mark Lewis, Nadiya Pavliv-Tokarska, Caroline Richardson, Janet Roberts, Henry Shelton, Sergiy Shkanov, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb.

A well attended private view was followed by significant numbers viewing the exhibition. Comments made included: “Great variation and imagination”; “beautiful and interesting”; “a creative combination of art – materials, textures and colours”; “deserves lots of visitors, looking forward to the next exhibition and a growing network of Christian artists!”

A smaller commission4mission exhibition was also held at Holy Trinity with St Augustine of Hippo Leytonstone (14th - 20th July) as part of the Leytonstone Festival and the Barking Episcopal Area Art Festival.

The exhibition included work by Colin Burns, Jonathan Evens, Mark Lewis, Elizabeth Duncan Meyer, Caroline Richardson, Henry Shelton and Joy Rousell Stone. Also able to be seen as part of this exhibition were a set of intricate Stations of the Cross by Barbara Sampson and Scenes from the life of St Augustine, a concrete frieze by the sculptor Stephen Sykes.

c4m AGM

We held our AGM on Wednesday 20th July at Holy Trinity with St Augustine of Hippo Leytonstone and heard presentations from Dr Graham Gould on Scenes from the life of St Augustine, a concrete frieze by the sculptor Stephen Sykes, and Mark Lewis speaking on the Art Trail for the Barking Episcopal Area, before agreeing a revised constitution designed to enable us to register as a charity.

Annual charitable donation

We have recently made our annual charitable donation accrued over the previous financial year from our commissions and sales. Following our first full year of operation we were able to make a donation of £2,700 to the children's hospice, Haven House. This year we have donated £1,568 split between Sightsavers and SmileTrain. Sightsavers is a charity which works to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people in the developing world. SmileTrain is focused on solving a single problem - cleft lip and palate - by providing free cleft surgery for poor children in developing countries.

Member profile: Joy Rousell Stone


Joy studied under John Nash, Edward Bawden, Stanley Spencer and Edward Ardizzone at the Royal College of Art. She has had many one man shows. Her favourite subject matters are: The Holy Land, Egypt, Greece, Italy (especially Assisi) and USA. She works in all media and is the retired Head of Art & Design at The Plume School, Maldon.

Study day: The value of public art

A study day, organised by c4m, featuring input from the Bishop of Barking, Harlow Art Trust and Art & Christianity Enquiry plus opportunities to view the public art of Harlow Sculpture Town (e.g. Harlow Sculpture Trail, Gibberd Gardens, Parndon Mill etc.) will be held on Saturday 17th September at St Paul’s Harlow. To register contact – tel: 020 85992170 or email: jonathan.evens@btinternet.com.

Forthcoming exhibitions @ St Mary’s Billericay (9th – 18th September) and Tokarska Gallery, Walthamstow throughout December 2011.

commission4mission Newsletter No. 6

Pottery and paintings in our ‘Peacing Together One World’ exhibition at St Mary Magdalen, Billericay

Newsletter No. 6 – December 2010

Peacing Together One World

Peacing Together One World, our most recent exhibition, was held at St Mary Magdalen Billericay during One World Week. The exhibition was curated for us by Harvey Bradley who also acted as artist-in-residence throughout the exhibition. The exhibition featured a varied range of work by 14 commission4mission artists including our newest members at that point, Richard Baxter and Alan Hitching, both potters. As a result, a significant selection of pottery was shown alongside paintings and sculptures.

Harvey, and his wife Barbara, organised a range of supplementary events during the week which helped to swell the numbers attending the exhibition as a whole. These included a successful performance evening featuring images, meditations, music and poetry readings. Among those taking part in this evening were Colin Burns, Anne Creasey, Michael Creasey, Jonathan Evens and Helen Gheorgiou Gould.

Joy Rousell Stone @ St Nicholas Rawreth

Following from our ongoing exhibition space at All Saints West Ham, a second church has offered space to commission4mission members and Joy Rousell Stone was the first member to take up their offer with an exhibition of landscapes and animal paintings held at St Nicholas Rawreth in October. Joy’s skilful technique and insightful eye were greatly appreciated by those viewing the exhibition.

Run With The Fire

Run With The Fire is an arts project for the London 2012 Olympics organized by CANA, commission4mission and Veritasse based on the image of fire which links the Church’s Pentecost celebration with that of the Olympic runner.

Over 40 artists have applied to be part of Run With The Fire. Artists from South Korea, China, South Africa, USA, Netherlands, UK and the Philippines are all keen to supply artwork for the project. The deadline for entries has now passed. The next stage is the selection of artists by the jury members, all respected Christians with a background in the arts. All artists will be informed of the jury’s decision during January 2011.

Run With The Fire will create an original, international collection of artwork, for churches running community arts outreach projects, linked with the 2012 Olympics in London. Information for churches wishing to use the digital exhibition and put on community events will be produced by Easter 2011. If you wish to put your church on the Run With The Fire information mailing list, please contact Sue Newham, membership@veritasse.co.uk.

Run With The Fire is our first collaborative project but we hope it will not be the last as our Patron, the Bishop of Barking, is writing to a range of other arts and faith organizations to sound them out about the possibility of working in partnership in future.

Member profile: Ally Clarke

Ally Clarke studied Sculpture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee and is inclined to create installation works complimented by photography, drawing, collage and print. Enjoying creative collaborations, she has worked with other artists to produce film and performance works. Ally views her creative work as a means of investigating the world and presents evocative, personal creations that produce opportunities for reflection and refreshment.

2011 plans

In 2011 expect to see among other initiatives:

• the launch of the Barking Art Trail;
• dedications of commissions at All Saints Hutton, St Edmunds Tyseley; St Peters Harold Wood;
• a group exhibition at the Crypt Gallery in St Martin-in-the-Fields;
• a new charitable constitution presented at our AGM;
• a new publicity leaflet; and
• involvement in the Barking Episcopal Area Art Festival and the Bishop of Barking’s resourcing mission week in Harlow.

Keeping Art and Soul Together

c4m featured in a recent Church Times article entitled ‘Keeping Art and Soul Together’ which can be read at http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=103880.

Newsletter No 5

 Bishop David, Fr. Ben Rutt-Field & Henry Shelton

Stations of the Crown of Thorns dedicated

Our second completed commission was dedicated by the Bishop of Barking on 17th July at St Paul’s Goodmayes. The commission, undertaken by Henry Shelton, was for a contemporary set of Stations of the Cross which has become known as the Stations of the Crown of Thorns in that, as part of its semi-abstract imagery, Christ is depicted throughout only by the Crown of Thorns. There are 15 paintings in all, as the scheme includes a resurrection Station depicting Christ present in the Eucharistic elements. A tryptich incorporating Stations XI, XII and XIII forms the central focus of the scheme. This tryptich has inventively incorporated an existing metal crucifix into its design to form Station XII; 'Jesus dies on the cross'. The colour scheme of these 'Stations' harmonizes with the existing stained glass at St Paul’s Goodmayes and the paintings feature the minimal flowing lines that characterise Shelton’s semi-abstract style. Parish Priest, Fr. Ben Rutt-Field wrote an original set of meditations to accompany the Stations and these were prayed by Bishop David as part of the Service of Dedication. A networking afternoon featuring members speaking about their work preceded the Dedication.

 Rosalind Hore at the Grace & Passion exhibition

Grace & Passion exhibition

Rosalind Hore and Helen Gould organised a successful Passiontide exhibition held at St Laurence Upminster which featured the work of 15 members. Central to this exhibition was the first showing of a contemporary set of Stations of the Cross by Rosalind Hore. Also on display was work from Rosalind’s series of clay and plaster sculptures. A booklet featuring Rosalind's Stations was produced for the exhibition.

Exhibition space at All Saints West Ham

c4m now has an ongoing exhibition space at All Saints West Ham which has been used initially to hang a small group show by a selection of members. This exhibition formed a part of this year’s West Ham Festival at the church. This space enables work by members to be viewed on an ongoing basis and it is hoped that a changing display will include solo and paired exhibitions, in addition to group shows.

Strategic development

At our AGM we agreed a Development Strategy researched and prepared for us by Helen Gould. The strategy was based on a survey of members and an external review and includes: registration as a charity; development of regional cells; creation of an advocacy team; and exploration of opportunities for partnership with similar organisations. This work will be taken forward by a c4m committee comprising: Harvey Bradley; Jonathan Evens; Helen Gould; Mark Lewis; Henry Shelton; and Peter Webb. Our thanks go to former committee members Alexander Chaplin and Steven Saxby who stood down from this role at the AGM.

Current commissions

The Baptism of Jesus, an oil painting by Rosalind Hore is awaiting installation at St Edmund’s Tyseley. Caroline Richardson has designed two windows on the theme of abundant life for St Peter’s Harold Wood while Henry Shelton is designing etched glass windows for All Saints Hutton.

In memoriam: Peter Shorer

Jewellery maker and conservator Peter Shorer died in June. His life was celebrated at a service held in St John’s Seven Kings. Our webpage includes a tribute to Peter taken from this service.

Member’s profile: Michael Creasey

Michael Creasey is a largely self-taught artist, specializing in portraits and figurative work, mostly nudes. He says, "I am not especially a religious painter, as I mainly paint portraits and figure studies, but I do also paint abstract works which tap into emotional and spiritual aspects of my life and reflect my Christianity." Michael will exhibit at the Visual Arts Centre of Francis Bardsley School, Romford, from 23rd to 27th August.


Barking Area Art Trail

c4m has been successful in gaining funding from London over the Border to develop an Art Trail for the Barking Episcopal Area. Churches have for many years been significant patrons of the visual arts and the Anglican churches in the Barking Area are no exception containing works of art by artists such as Eric Gill, John Hutton and John Piper, among others. Mark Lewis is currently undertaking research for the project and will prepare a leaflet to highlight artists, artworks and churches and to set out the Art Trail created for the Area.