commission4mission exhibition - St Paul's Goodmayes

commission4mission's exhibition at St Paul's Goodmayes has been set up today ready for the parish's Patronal Festival on Sunday to be followed by the opening of the exhibition to the public and our opening night reception on Monday featuring art talks and our AGM. All are welcome - click here and here for more details. 

In addition to c4m's exhibition, the permanent collection of art works commissioned by St Paul's Goodmayes can also be seen. These range from stained glass produced by Morris & Co. to Henry Shelton's 'Stations of the Crown of Thorns', a set of Stations of the Cross commissioned from c4m. To explore St Paul's permanent artworks click here.

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.

c4m exhibition: St Paul's Goodmayes

St Paul's Church Goodmayes is hosting an Art Exhibition for commission4mission
Monday to Sunday ~ 1st to 7th July 2013. Open 10:00am to 4:00pm daily. Admission is free and Light Refreshments will be available. 

The Art Exhibition will begin with a formal opening night including artist presentations, a talk on the work of John Piper by Mark Lewis and the Annual General Meeting for commission4mission on the evening of Monday 1st July 2013. All are welcome.

Artists exhibiting include: Ross Ashmore, Harvey Bradley, Anne Creasey, Michael Creasey, Valerie Dean, Elizabeth Duncan Meyer, Jonathan Evens, Mark Lewis, Caroline Richardson, Joy Rousell Stone, Henry Shelton and Peter Webb. Some of the exhibits will be for sale.

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.

St Paul's has been a generous patron of the arts through the generosity of the Parochial Church Council 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, many from the original William Morris workshops at Walthamstow, now a museum.

The Church is proud to own a set of contemporary 'Stations of the Crown of Thorns' a series of 14 individual pieces featuring a large Triptych. These were created by the local Seven Kings artist Henry Shelton the founding member of commission4mission.

You can explore St Paul's permanent artworks by clicking HERE.

For details on how to find us, please click HERE.

Member's update

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). Valerie's 'Stations' will be 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.

Harvey Bradley is planning this year's Billericay Art Trail (http://www.billericayarttrail.co.uk/) and has included input from various c4m members.  The Big Draw is at Norsey Wood (http://www.basildon.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2410) with Mark Lewis and Peter Webb plus Joanna Bradley, Harvey Bradley, Dezadie and Julia Tanner (Saturday 20th July, 10am - 3pm). Arts Evening at St. Mary Magdalen (http://www.billericaychurches.org/html/st_mary_magdalen.html) with Tim Cunningham & 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).

Harvey is currently showing in an exhibition of work by selected members of ‘Anglian Potters’ at the Dolby Gallery Oundle (http://www.dolby-gallery.com/anglian-potters-selected-members-show-5-20-june-2013/) - until 29th June. 

The current show at the Tokarska Gallery (http://tokarskagallery.co.uk/current-exhibitions) has paintings by Sharon Drew which are modern-day Abstract Expressionism reinvented for the 21st Century. Imagine repeat-patterns disrupted by the gestural brushwork of American Artist De Kooning and the vivid hues of St Ives School British Painter, Patrick Heron. This show continues until 30th June.

Art in the Boardroom: Valerie Dean

Following exhibitions by The Ven. Martin Webster and Andrea Farmer, the Art in the Boardroom programme at Chelmsford Diocesan Office now features the work of commission4mission artist Valerie Dean.

The set of Stations of the Cross paintings which Valerie is currently showing in the Boardroom at Guy Harlings (Chelmsford Diocesan Office) have a very clear and intense focus on details which are evocative of the whole, as can be seen from the photographs she has taken of the set which can be viewed here. Valerie is keen to discuss ways of making these Stations available for any church that would be interested in having them. 


Valerie Dean's Stations of the Cross can be seen in the Boardroom at Guy Harlings (Diocesan Office, 53 New Road, Chelmsford CM1 1AT) from Monday 20th May – Friday 28th June 2013 during office hours. However, because the Boardroom is in regular use it is best to ring 01245 294400 before visiting to check boardroom access.


Guy Harlings is a Grade II listed building, constructed in about 1716-1721 by John Comyns, later a Baron of the Exchequer, and re-fronted at the beginning of the 19th century. Three parts of the building will be open: the front hall, containing 16th century linenfold panelling with a frieze of carved heads, made of timber probably from the Tudor house on this site; the board room; and the resources centre (bookshop). The rooms overlook an expansive lawned garden. The name of the building comes from Guy Harlings who inherited a brewery on the site in 1453. The building has housed the offices of Chelmsford Diocese since 1951.

The Seed: Mark of the Cross and The Passion

The Seed has hundreds of resources for you to download and use throughout the Church year. Digital Worship resources and inspirational articles are available to download and read online. You can choose free weekly resource downloads from an expanding collection of over 40,000, with the option of purchasing more.

The Seed and seedresources.com is a collaboration between the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust (LWPT) 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 features 20 poetic meditations on Christ’s journey to the cross and reactions to his resurrection and ascension. These meditations focus on the mark of the cross in his life and body and were originally written by Jonathan Evens as part of a community arts project in Hertford. They are complemented by a set of semi-abstract watercolours of the Stations of the Cross and the Resurrection created by noted religious artist, Henry Shelton.

The Passion: Reflections & Prayers: These pictures, poems and prayers by Henry Shelton and Jonathan Evens enable us to follow Jesus on his journey to the cross reflecting both on the significance and the pain of that journey as we do so. Their aim in these reflections has been to pare down the images and words to their emotional and theological core. The mark making and imagery is minimal but they hope in a way that makes maximum impact.

Member's update: Henry Shelton and Jonathan Evens

The Passion: Reflections and Prayers with images by Henry Shelton and words by Jonathan Evens is now available from The Seed as a pdf, powerpoint presentation and as individual images.

These pictures, poems and prayers enable us to follow Jesus on his journey to the cross reflecting both on the significance and the pain of that journey as we do so. With this series Henry and Jonathan have aimed to pare down the images and words to their emotional and theological core. The mark making and imagery is minimal but they hope in a way that makes maximum impact.

The Passion is the second series by Henry and Jonathan to be available through The Seed. The first, Mark of the Cross, was described by Steve Santry on Revster's Ramblings as "Stunning artwork and thought provoking words [which] open up the events around Easter in a new and imaginative way."

The Seed and seedresources.com is a collaboration between the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust (LWPT) and Twelvebaskets Ltd.

In 2010 Henry Shelton completed a commission for Stations of the Crown of Thorns at St Paul's Goodmayes. Parish priest Fr. Benjamin Rutt-Field wrote meditations for this set of Stations and has now published these together with photographs of Henry's Stations. Copies of this booklet can be obtained from Fr. Ben on b.ruttfield@btinternet.com.

In addition to Henry Shelton, other commission4mission members with completed sets of Stations of the Cross include Valerie Dean and Rosalind Hore. Valerie's Stations have a very clear and intense focus on details which are evocative of the whole, as can be seen from the photographs she has taken of the set which can be viewed here. Click here and here for photographs of exhibitions featuring Rosalind's Stations. Henry, Valerie and Rosalind are all keen to discuss ways of making these Stations available for any church that would be interested in having them. Contact Jonathan Evens on jonathan.evens@btinternet.com for more information. 

Passion: pictures, poems and prayers

Jesus dies on the cross

The sun is eclipsed, early nightfall,

darkness covers the surface of the deep,

the Spirit grieves over the waters.

On the formless, empty earth, God is dead.

Through the death of all we hold most dear, may we find life. Amen.

Jonathan Evens and Henry Shelton have published a second set of images and meditations on the Passion narrative. 

Their first set entitled Mark of the Cross (available in booklet, presentation, and individual images formats) has proved a popular download from the 12baskets site for user contributed worship resources.

This second set comes initially as a double-sided A3 sheet with all the images, haiku-like meditations and prayers laid out in sequence for ease of devotional use. 

These pictures, poems and prayers enable us to follow Jesus on his journey to the cross reflecting both on the significance and the pain of that journey as we do so.

Henry and Jonathan have aimed in these reflections to pare down the images and words to their emotional and theological core. The mark making and imagery is minimal but, they hope, in a way that makes maximum impact.

Each sheet costs £3.50, plus £1.20 p&p per purchase. To purchase copies, send a cheque made out to commission4mission to Rev. J. Evens, St John's Seven Kings, St Johns Road, Ilford, Essex IG2 7BB or email to jonathan.evens@btinternet.com for more information. 

Mark of the Cross

Jonathan Evens and Henry Shelton have published Mark of the Cross, a book of 20 poetic meditations on Christ’s journey to the cross and reactions to his resurrection and ascension. These meditations focus on the mark of the cross in his life and body and were originally written as part of a community arts project in Hertford. They are complemented by a set of semi-abstract watercolours of the Stations of the Cross and the Resurrection created by Henry Shelton.

These meditations and images are available via twelve baskets as a pdf book, a powerpoint presentation and as individual images. They are ideal for use within Lent, Passiontide, Holy Week and Easter services. The PowerPoint would work well with background music played whilst the viewers meditate on the imagery and words.

Jonathan Evens will be using these meditations and images in the three hour devotion at St Margaret's Barking from 12 noon on Good Friday.

Members update

Valerie Dean has recently completed the set of Stations of the Cross on which she has been working. They have a very clear and intense focus on details which are evocative of the whole, as can be seen from the photographs she has taken of the set which can be viewed here. Valerie is keen to discuss ways of making these Stations available for any church that would be interested in having them. 

Nadiya Pavliv Tokarska has sent information about the next exhibition at the Tokarska Gallery. Mythology in London by Anna Alcock runs from 15th - 31st March. The Private View is on 15th March from 6 - 9pm. Anna Alcock uses Greek and Roman mythological images and populates them with modern day narratives that are of significance to her living in London now. The exhibition will also include an exclusive bound suite of 15 etchings, which will be exhibited alongside etching collages and tabloids of myths with personal modern day stories that she imbues with her unique style and bold colours.

The Tokarska Gallery are also publicising their annual 'Drawing the Culture' competition for children and young people (see http://tokarskagallery.co.uk/drawing-the-culture). This is a juried open exhibition of children's drawings.
The next exhibition by the National Society of Painters, Sculptors and Printmakers, of which c4m artists Michael Creasey and Peter Webb are members, will be held at Launderdale House from 13th - 25th March.

Andrew Vessey has set up a website for his art and poetry. He writes that the website offers:

"the chance for making sensible and clear witness to my own Christian values, which have always determined how one paints as much as what I have been trying to achieve. To do theology on line in a website and give voice to the motivation which lies behind many of my ideas is a new challenge. I hope you'll be able to discern more than passing reference to having been a parish priest, or an art teacher for that matter, as the connections I am looking for, and the aspiration for thinking and then developing them as avenues of prayer and reflection, is one I welcome as a very exciting new form of ministry. I trust that my art will help move people on from the very tired language and inadequate symbolism that constitutes so much church art, to one that is rooted in the incarnation within us and divine glory around us."

Andrew will be exhibiting from 29th May - 17th June at Gallery Two, Wingfield Barns, Wingfield, Suffolk. This solo show of 60+ works will have new oil paintings "Looking into Glory" as the major focus, constituting a series of Stations on the Post-Resurrection as described in St John 21.

Jonathan Evens will be speaking on commission4mission and understandings of Christian Art at the February Learning Supper for West Mersea Parish Church (6.30pm, Sunday 26th February). Learning Suppers on Mersea Island include a time of worship, teaching, prayer and a convivial supper of soup, cheese and wine on the 4th Sunday in the month. Jonathan will also be using his Mark of the Cross and Seven Words from the Cross meditations in the three hour devotional which he will be leading at St Margaret's Barking on Good Friday from 12 noon to 3.00pm.

c4m, churches and the E17 Art Trail

c4m Associate, Rev. Steven Saxby has overseen the involvement of St Barnabas Walthamstow and St Saviour's Walthamstow in this year's E17 Art Trail. Among the artists exhibiting at St Saviour's is Henry Shelton whose Stations of the Cross, previously exhibited at York Minister and St Barnabas, can be seen at St Saviour's this weekend as part of the Art Trail, and subsequently at the usual church opening hours.

Three c4m members - Valerie Dean, Rosalind Hore and Henry Shelton - have completed series of Stations of the Cross and would be interested to discuss the possibility of these being located in local churches. To discuss this possibilty further and to see images from each series, please contact tel: 020 8599 2170 or email: jonathan.evens@btinternet.com.

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 is also showing paintings by Elizabeth Pell and soft sculptures by Harriet Hammel. For the last 20 years Elizabeth Pell has been an art tutor in Adult Education. There is also a display of work by Jonathan Carthy, Kofi Serebour, Susan Collins and Alyson Scott who are members of a class which she currently teaches at Scope.