Regeneration arts project

Fr. Benjamin Wallace

Jonathan Evens has begun a new public art project in collaboration with Fr. Benjamin Wallace, Vicar of St Georges Barkingside.

The project involves photographing and painting the Gants Hill area on a roughly monthly basis during the period of its current regeneration. Jonathan's photographs will be posted on his blog and both their work will also be displayed at St Georges.

There is an open invitation to others to join them and their approach involves conversations with any local people known to them or showing interest in what they are doing while out and about photographing and painting the area. The next project date is Wednesday 21st October at 3.00pm - meet at St Georges Barkingside.

Caroline Richardson

'Tree of Life' - St Lukes Chapel, Queens Hospital Romford

Tranquility

Caroline Richardson studied Architectural Glass at Central Saint Martin’s School of Art and Design. She is particularly interested in using the colour and transparency of glass to create layers of images within her work, sometimes using light to add depth or colour. Caroline combines shapes and textures to create works inspired by natural themes, but often with a spiritual interpretation. She has also worked extensively with fabrics and silk paints and produced many banners and wall hangings.

New press coverage

The current edition of The Month includes two articles covering our Queens Hospital commission and Henry Shelton's Stations of the Cross exhibition at St Barnabas Walthamstow.

The articles include a photo of Henry together with his granddaughter Amy and the painting Suffer the Children which they created together and which was included in the Sr Barnabas exhibition. Amy said "I enjoyed painting this with my grandad and want to be an artist when I grow up.”

Our second commission, a full set of fifteen new Stations of the Cross by Henry Shelton for St Pauls Goodmayes came one step closer to realisation last week when the project was granted a DAC certificate.

The Glory of the Sacred

All Saints Goodmayes (Goodmayes Lane, Ilford IG3 9SJ) celebrate 100 years of worship on their site over the weekend of 16th - 18th October 2009 with a Festival Weekend including a concert, flower festival, recitals, services and a Commission For Mission exhibition.

The full programme is as follows:

• Friday 16th October: Art Exhibition & Flower Festival, 10.00am - 4.00pm. Music recitals featuring Commission For Mission member Alexander Chaplin will also be given throughout the day. Youth Service, 8.00pm.
• Saturday 17th October: Art Exhibition & Flower Festival, 10.00am - 4.00pm. 'The Glory of Sacred Music' Concert featuring the All Saints Festival Choir and the East London Chorus, conducted by Alexander Chaplin, 7.30pm.
•Sunday 18th October: Praise Service, 10.30am. Art Exhibition & Flower Festival, 11.30am - 6.30pm. Choral Evensong, 6.30pm.

The programme for 'The Glory of Sacred Music' concert includes CHH Parry - I Was Glad When They Said To Me; Howard Goodall - The Lord Is My Shepherd, Love Divine; Hayden - excerpts from The Creation; Vaughan Williams - Five Mystical Songs, All People That On Earth Do Dwell; Faure - Cantique De Jean Racine; Cesar Franck - Panis Angelicus; Brahms - Geistilches Leid; and John Ireland - Greater Love. The East London Chorus will feature Max Kenworthy (Organ), Martin Muir (Baritone), and Alexander Chaplin (Conductor).

Concert tickets are £10 (£8, £5 concessions/child only available if booked in advance). Student Standby, £3 on the night with student ID. Available from the Ticket Secretary on 07958 066394 or online from http://www.wegottickets.com/ and at the door on the night.

Those attending any aspect of the Festival weekend will also be able to see the engraved windows on the Life of Christ by our Chairman, Henry Shelton, which gave him the initial idea for Commission For Mission.

Drawing the Seasons

Come and join in the annual "Big Draw" on Saturday 17th October, 10.00am - 4.00pm at St Mary's Church, High Road, South Woodford.

Come and be inspired to capture the seasons of the year through drawing! There will be plenty of things to draw, or just come along, use your imagination, sketch and have fun!

There will be lots of different media and techniques to try. All materials supplied. This is a 'drop-in' event so come alomg at any time and stay for as little or as long as you like. The day is free and open to anyone.

At least three artist on hand to help. Refreshments available. Telephone 020 8504 5840 or 020 8531 0511 for further details.

Faith & Image: Buddhist Art

Graham Dixon introduces the evening with a brief history of Buddhist Art

Photograph by Padmayogini

Painting by Padmayogini

The artist Padmayogini during her talk

Paintings by Padmayogini

The latest meeting of the Faith & Image group was held last night at St Marys Woodford. Buddhist artist Padmayogini spoke about the interaction between her faith and art.

Beginning by explaining her Buddhist name, Padmayogini told us a little of her personal journey as an artist, a Buddhist and a Buddhist artist, illustrating her talk with slides of paintings and photographs. She spoke firstly about her artistic responses to nature before outlining the ways in which meditation and visualisation had enhanced her art. She has a regular practice of retreat during which many of the photographs she showed had been composed. Her paintings now combine natural images with figures of significance within Buddhism.

The second stage of this Faith & Image meeting involves a visit on Friday 2nd October to the London Buddhist Centre at Bethnal Green. Please let Jean Wyber (wyberfamily@aol.com) or Jane Cooper (jcant29@aol.com) know if you are intending to come on the visit. The visit will conclude (for wishing to stay) with a vegetarian lunch on 2 October at the Buddhist restaurant next door to the London Buddhist Centre.

Forthcoming Faith & Image meetings/visits will cover Armenian Art in November and Hindu Art in February.

A Spiritual Home

Interior of St Barnabas

Station 1

Station 7 and INRI

Station 7

INRI

Madonna and Child in the Lady Chapel

Do This and Crucifixion

Station 8 and Organ corbel

Organ corbel and Station 9

1902 foundation stone by Eric Gill, then articled to W. D. Caroe.

The information sheet for the E17 Art Trail exhibition at St Barnabas Walthamstow states that the church is delighted to have borrowed art works by Henry Shelton. Around the church are his Stations of the Cross, previously displayed in York Minster and currently in search of a permanent home in another church setting.

In addition to the Stations of the Cross, we are displaying five other recent paintings by Henry Shelton. These are in the Lady Chapel and are as follows:

• INRI (2007) - showing the letters hung above Jesus on the cross and meaning 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews'.
• Suffer the Children (2009) - painted with Amy Penfold (8 yrs), Henry's granddaughter. This refers to Jesus telling his disciples to put up with children and "let them come to me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
• Madonna and Child (2008) - an interpretation of the baby Jesus with his mother Mary.
• Do This (2008) - referring to Jesus' command that his followers eat bread and drink wine to remember his body and blood.
• Crucifixion (2008) - recalling Jesus' death on the cross.

St Barnabas Walthamstow is itself a work of art, an architectural gem. It is a Grade II listed building designed by W.D. Caroe and completed in 1903. Among the art treasures contained in the church are:

• a carving of Christ the Good Shepherd (c. 1890) by Peter Brunner and originally part of the Children's Shrine at St Martin's-in-the-Fields.
• reredos from Children's Chapel of St John's, Red Lion Square (c. 1925) by Christopher Webb.
• Veni Creator Spiritus, lettercutting on slate behind the font (1994) by Charles Smith.
• East window stained glass (1903) by Clayton and Bell.
• Foundation stone (1902) by Eric Gill, then articled to W. D. Caroe.
• Statues of St Michael and two angels (1910) by Alec Miller.
• Organ corbels (2000) by Charles Gurrey.
• Green reredos designed by Julian Litten (1989) and incorporating panels of the four evangelists (painted c. 1860).