franciscan magazine articles

Articles written by commission4mission members for franciscan magazine can now be viewed online at http://www.franciscans.org.uk/franciscan/franciscan-january-2013. They include: 'Facets of faith: the gospel in modern and contemporary art' by Jonathan Evens; 'Father Andrew the artist: Plaistow friar, who never lost his boyhood enthusiasm for all things artistic' by Steven Saxby; and 'Re-imagining the gospels' by Helen Gheorghiu Gould.

Newsletter No. 15 – January 2013

Christmas Exhibition: Incarnation

Wendy McTernan curated and organised an excellent commission4mission exhibition entitled ‘Incarnation’ at Wimbledon Library Gallery in December 2012. commission4mission's South London launch took place at a well attended Private View. We were encouraged by the interest shown by all who came both in the conversations that took place and in the works that were sold.

Those who came appreciated the look and feel of the show, our invigilators had several valuable conversations with those who came, we also made a number of new contacts and gained new members. Midnight Church by Elizabeth Duncan Meyer and Transforming Power by Caroline Richardson were amongst several works which sold. 

Those exhibiting included Harvey Bradley, Colin Burns, Christopher Clack, Ally Clarke, Valerie Dean, Elizabeth Duncan-Meyer, Jonathan Evens, Ken James, Sarah Ollerenshaw, Caroline Richardson, Janet Roberts, Francesca Ross, Henry Shelton, Sergiy Shkanov, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb.
 

franciscan: The Gospel in Art

Three commission4mission members have written articles on the arts for the latest edition of franciscan, which is published three times a year by the First Order brothers and sisters and includes articles on Franciscan themes, as well as book reviews and news of the Society (http://www.franciscans.org.uk/franciscan-january-2013). 

The three articles are:

• ‘Facets of faith: the gospel in modern and contemporary art’ by Jonathan Evens
• ‘Father Andrew the artist: Plaistow friar, who never lost his boyhood enthusiasm for all things artistic’ by Steven Saxby
• ‘Re-imagining the gospels’ by Helen Gheorghiu Gould

The article by Jonathan features the work of Ally Clarke, Caroline Richardson and Sergiy Shkanov while Helen's piece includes interviews with Henry Shelton and Peter Webb. 

To order a copy of the magazine contact the subscriptions secretary using franciscansubscriptions@franciscans.org.uk. 

The Seed 

The Seed (http://seedresources.com/) has an expanding collection of over 40,000 resources to download and use throughout the Church year including Digital Worship resources and inspirational articles. The Seed and seedresources.com is a collaboration between the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust and Twelvebaskets Ltd. 

Among the available resources are two by commission4mission artists, both of which raise funds for c4m. They are:

• Mark of the Cross which features 20 poetic meditations by Jonathan Evens on Christ’s journey to the cross and reactions to his resurrection and ascension complemented by a set of semi-abstract watercolours of the Stations of the Cross and the Resurrection created by Henry Shelton.
• The Passion: Reflections & Prayers: Pictures, poems and prayers by Henry Shelton and Jonathan Evens enabling us to follow Jesus on his journey to the cross reflecting both on the significance and the pain of that journey.

New publications

Christopher Clack and Jonathan Evens feature in a new Dutch book entitled Jezus voor ogen (Eyes on Jesus) with visual meditations and word & image Bible studies for Lent. The visual meditations included in the book have all featured previously on the ArtWay website (http://www.artway.eu/artway.php?lang=en) and include the meditation which Jonathan Evens wrote on Christopher Clack's Descent II.

Jonathan Evens' new book, The Secret Chord, is jointly authored with Peter Banks of After The Fire, and is an impassioned study of the role of music in cultural life written through the prism of Christian belief. A website for The Secret Chord (http://www.thesecretchord.co.uk/) has news, bios, additional links, comments and views. The Secret Chord is available in paperback as well as a Kindle book. 

Member Profile: Gillian Barritt

Gillian Barritt is a ceramics artist whose work is expressive and sculptural. Her work reflects her Christian faith as well as capturing a love of Cornwall where she lives and was born. Gillian incorporates words with clay pieces which include scripture and also poetry. She also has an interest in recycled media like sea china and glass.

franciscan: three articles

Three commission4mission members have written articles on the arts for the latest edition of franciscan, which is published three times a year by the First Order brothers and sisters and includes articles on Franciscan themes, as well as book reviews and news of the Society.

The three articles are:

• Facets of faith: the gospel in modern and contemporary art by Jonathan Evens;
• Father Andrew the artist: Plaistow friar, who never lost his boyhood enthusiasm for all things artistic by Steven Saxby; and
• Re-imagining the gospels by Helen Gheorghiu Gould.

The article by Jonathan features the work of Ally Clarke, Caroline Richardson and Sergiy Shkanov while Helen's piece includes interviews with Mark Lewis, Henry Shelton and Peter Webb.

To order a copy of the magazine contact the subscriptions secretary at franciscansubscriptions@franciscans.org.uk.

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.

Bestow - the 2012 E17 Art Trail

c4m member Rev. Steven Saxby 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. Nadiya's own cityscapes of Finsbury Circus are currently on display at the gallery until 25th August - don't miss the opportunity to see these works!

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. The E17 Art Trail 2012 will open on Saturday 1st September with a launch event.

E17 Art Trail 2011

Rev. Steven Saxby writes: "The E17 Art Trail programme is just out. Once again we have a wide selection of top quality work at St Barnabas Walthamstow (Venue 76) and some excellent work, including Henry Shelton's Stations of the Cross, coming into St Saviour's Walthamstow (Venue 77). The link for the programme with all the listings for both churches and all other venues is at http://www.e17arttrail.co.uk/index.php?page=97&name=Exhibition."

Work being shown at St Barnabas this year includes banners, cartoons, flower arrangements, jewellery, photograms, photographs, silver. Artists include: Rebecca de Quin, Lorraine Huddle, Lano, Louise Loder, Anna Newson-Lyons, Sean Pines, J.A. Saxby, Kirsten Schmidt, Sandra Shevlin, Simplystems, Paul Tucker. St Saviour's will also show paintings by Elizabeth Pell and soft sculptures by Harriet Hammel.

The Tokarska Gallery is also taking part in the E17 Art Trail. Cognitive Congestion is a group show featuring: Allen Browne, Punk Recruit, Fiona McGregor, Patrick O'Sullivan, and Nadiya Pavliv-Tokarska. The Private View is Thursday 1 September 2011, 6pm - 9pm and the exhibition continues until 11 September 2011, 12pm - 7pm.

At first, the work that arises may seem disparate and divergent, but give it a second consideration, and dialogues emerge. Nadiya Pavliv-Tokarska's paintings of London's business streets form a dialogue with Patrick O'Sullivan's structural paintings which in turn draw our attention to the fabric of the gallery. Allen Browne's paintings draw us back to the present as he explores fragmentation through refraction by glass and prisms. In Fiona McGregor's Silent Song, a post-apocalyptic robotic intelligence delivers its message through fragments of text and song. You would imagine that silent mannequins would be in-human and alien, but in Punk Recruit's handling they are far from being a non-human presence and come to stand in for the human presence absent, though implied, by the other works in the show.

Church transformed into gallery for community Art Trail

St Barnabas Church Walthamstow has been transformed into a gallery for a community art trail.

The E17 Art Trail, one of most exciting community events in London, is now in its fifth year and the ten-day programme includes work by hundreds of artists exhibited in 120 venues. St Barnabas participated for the first time in 2009 with work by Henry Shelton but this year is displaying work by ten artists and is described by the Art Trail organisers as “a major venue”.

The Grade II* Listed church is open during the Art Trail to exhibit its own collections of fine Arts and Crafts furnishings and the contemporary work including fashion photography, portraits, silverware, a 20 foot wall installation and a newly-painted altar triptych.

Portraits, by artist Emma Scutt, are hung in the spaces usually occupied by the church’s stations-of-the-cross. They relate to the Art Trail’s 2010 theme “Welcome to Walthamstow” and include depictions of 10 Walthamstow people past and present, including Walthamstow-born William Morris, artist Grayson Perry, TV presenter June Sarpong, pop-star Brian Harvey and the church’s parish priest Father Steven Saxby.

Walthamstow’s MP Stella Creasy (also depicted in a portrait) cut a tape to launch the Trail at St Barnabas’ private view and responded to Father Saxby’s description of Walthamstow as “the cultural capital of the Universe” by saying she prefers to call E17 “God’s own country”. There are also three events for the Art Trial at St Barnabas: a discussion on Pen Dalton’s work “Does your mother come from Ireland?; ‘the Art of Singing’ by the choir of the Rose and Crown Pub and a dance event including dance from the many cultures represented in the congregation at St Barnabas.

Father Saxby said, “It is wonderful to see the church being used in this way to welcome the wider community. We have already had scores of visitors to see the art work, including many from the neighbourhood who’ve walked through the doors for the first time. It was a challenge for me displaying work by ten artists but the work looks spectacular in the church!”

Opening times are Thurs 9th (7pm-10pm), Fri 10th (Noon-4pm), Sat 11th (10am-4pm) and Sun 12th (Noon-4pm).

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.

Magnificent Stations

Steven Saxby writes:

"Henry Shelton and I installed his Stations of the Cross at St Barnabas Walthamstow and then prayed the Stations using Jonathan Evens' meditations: beautiful and very moving! It is well worth seeing the Stations in the space. They look fabulous! We are open Sats 5th and 12th September, 10.30am-5pm and Suns 6th and 13th September, 1pm-4pm, same times for each Sat and Sun. If these are no good, please feel free to make an appointment to come another time. They look magnificent in the church. We also have five additional paintings by Henry."

A reconciling vision

Henry Shelton greets Father Steven on behalf of Commission For Mission

Father Steven with a representative from the local Mosque

The Igorot community singing 'Dios Ama Sika Langwa'

Tonight was a celebration of new ministry for Commission For Mission committee member Father Steven Saxby as he was licensed by Bishop David, Commission for Mission's Patron, as Priest-in-Charge of the parish of St Barnabas with St James the Greater, Walthamstow.

Steven has been tremendously supportive of Commission For Mission since its inception. He suggested our name, introduced Henry Shelton's work to the Waltham Forest Deanery, linked us up with St Andrew's Leytonstone, and in September will display Henry's Stations of the Cross in St Barnabas as part of the E17 Art Trail. Henry was among those community representatives welcoming Steven into his new role and did so on behalf of Commission For Mission.

The service was a wonderful reflection of the diversity of the Parish and the strength of Steven's Deanery, ecumenical and inter-faith relationships. He is someone with a vision for reconciling across differences. This is something that has been reflected in his personal choice of artwork for his new Vicarage; a Peace Tryptich by Br. Robert Lentz based on the meeting in 1219 between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malek al-Kamil. A Franciscan flavour also featured in the service as today was the Feast of St Bonaventure and we sang All creatures of our God and king based as it is on St Francis' 'Canticle of the Sun'.

The service included a challenging sermon by the Rt. Revd. Keith Newton, Bishop of Richborough on the need for all Christians to be engaged in mission and move beyond the patronising stereotype of mission as something supported by us for those in other parts of the world. In illustrating these points he recounted Oscar Wilde's comment that missionaries are the divinely provided food for destitute and underfed cannibals as an example of the colonialist mentality towards mission. He also told the joke about the Jehovah Witness who was unable to explain his faith on being invited in to a home and offered tea and cake because he had never got that far before in order to make the point that it wasn't actually true and that Christians should be challenged by the dedication that Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons show in sharing their faith with others.

As Steven faces the challenges of his new role and parish, we echo this prayer from tonight's service: Almighty God, give to your servant Steven grace to fulfil his ministry here. Give him reverence in celebrating the sacraments, faithfulness in proclaiming your Word, diligence in pastoral care, tenderness in comforting, power in healing the wounds of God's people, openness in receiving the ministry of others, and humility, self-sacrifice, and courage in all things. Following the steps of your Son, may he guide your people to eternal joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Café Refresh

New contacts for and additional interest in Commission For Mission seems to come on a daily basis at present.

The latest group that we are talking to are Café Refresh based at St Andrews Leytonstone. Through Café Refresh the church plans to offer a spiritual haven for their community. They intend to run a creative programme in their café, hall and worship space and are looking for local artists of all genres to help and participate in this.

They are exploring how they can offer such activities as children’s creative workshops, poetry/literature reading and writing workshops, low cost exhibition space, music recitals, and possible joint arts projects with other partners. They are also planning about six exhibitions per year. They would like to get this up and running by summer 2009.

Helen Gheorghiu Gould is the project's Development Worker. She has been involved in the original vision and Action Plan, and is now developing the café and creative programme and meeting as many local organisations and people as possible. Her previous experience has been in running a charity dealing with arts and social/international development.

Also in Walthamstow will be the annual E17 Art Trail for which Commission For Mission Chairperson Henry Shelton, at the instigation of Commission For Mission member Steven Saxby, will be loaning his Stations of the Cross to be displayed at St Barnabas Walthamstow from 5th - 13th September 2009.