'Run with the Fire' exhibition - full details

Lilies by Miriam Kendrick

Refreshing by Rachel Watson

Christ over Creation by Ken James Ashby

Strange Flower by Christopher Clack





The final line-up of commission4mission and invited artists showing in the Run with the Fire exhibition at the Strand Gallery (32 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6BP) from 22nd - 27th May (11.00am - 6.00pm, Sunday 11.00am - 2.00pm), as part of the Pentecost Festival, includes Ken James Ashby, Harvey Bradley, Colin Burns, Christopher Clack, Jonathan Evens, Christine Garwood, Jim Insole, Miriam Kendrick, Glenn Lowcock, Bradley Lucas, Henry Shelton, Sergiy Shkanov, Joy Rousell Stone, Esther Tidy, Mike Thomas, Rachel Watson and Peter Webb.

Original work by the above artists will complement the Run with the Fire digital exhibition (featuring the work of 25 international artists) to create a stimulating and exciting show with an eclectic mix of styles and media and exploring the broad theme of running life's race with passion and spirit.

Run with the Fire is an arts project for churches in the 2012 Olympics year 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. Run with the Fire aims to celebrate creativity, cultural exchange and hope for the future by providing a virtual exhibition of international artwork for use in Olympics-themed events organised by churches in 2012.

Run with the Fire provides a virtual exhibition of international artwork available on DVD, for display on large scale HD TV or monitor, or for projection using a digital projector. This digital exhibition can be presented as part of Olympics-themed events organised by churches in 2012 plus arts events or exhibitions organized by local churches. 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/.

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 20th 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.

The event listing for the exhibition and launch night can be found at: http://www.pentecostfestival.co.uk/ai1ec_event/run-with-the-fire-exhibition/?instance_id=873. Directions to the gallery are at: https://www.proudonline.co.uk/contact.aspx. The programme for art talks and demonstrations on Saturday 26th May is at: http://commissionformission.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/pentecost-festival-exhibition-saturday.html.

Hard copies of programmes for the Pentecost Festival can be ordered from: http://www.pentecostfestival.co.uk/contact/order-programmes/. The promo for the Festival can be viewed at: http://www.pentecostfestival.co.uk/promo/.

Two exhibitions

“LOOKING INTO GLORY” is an exhibition of paintings, drawings and poems by

Andrew Vessey from 30^th May – 17^th June, 2012 at Gallery Two, Wingfield Barns, Church Road, Wingfield, IP21 5RA (Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 am  –  5.00 pm, Sunday 10.00 am  –  4.00 pm). This solo exhibition includes an illustrated lecture by Andrew, a retired priest who previously trained in and taught fine art and art history. Entitled “Art, Imagination and God”,.

the Lecture will take place in the Gallery on Thursday 31^st May starting at 7.30pm.

2012BC is the next exhibition at the Tokarska Gallery (10 - 19 May 2012). The Private View is
10 May 2012 from 6pm - 9pm. 2012BC features work by Sophie Bancroft, Hannah Humphrys, Daniel Salisbury, Polly Saunders and Matt Webb.

 

Sophie Bancroft is an artist based in the West Midlands who is currently focused within the combined disciplines of painting and sculpture. Having recently made the move from all space consuming canvases stretched directly onto walls, Bancroft is currently investigating the idea of painting in relation to the creation of sculptures. Concerned with colour, mark making and structure, she loads mdf forms with excesses of over watered acrylics. As a parallel exploration to this, Bancroft is also focused upon the idea of her audience 'exploring' her work through physical interaction.
http://www.sophie-bancroft.com/
http://www.colourwillfall.tumblr.com/

Hannah Humphreys is an artist based in the West Midlands she produces abstract paintings which are inspired by a personal automatic narrative, which becomes descriptive, yet allusive. This narrative is used as part of the process in making the work. It is not her aim to reveal her subconscious mind nor to direct meaning, but to transport the viewer imaginatively in to a unique visual world; escaping from reality, crossing the boundaries from the outer to inner world.

From politics and newspaper headlines to history and social matters, Daniel Salisbury is an artist who tries to find humour where-ever he can. Never constrained by any one medium or method of working Daniel uses humour as an element of surprise, a release of tension built up through a narrative or often a lack of. Humour is one of the more powerful ways to get a message or point across; people are 60% more likely to remember information that is humouress. Laughter is a powerful tool.

As an artist Polly Saunders is concerned with problems of representation. Through large -scale charcoal drawings she investigates the problem of likeness and recognition in figurative art. Currently her drawings focus on representation in the Aristotelian term of ‘making present.’ In her drawings she seeks to distort the visual experience of recognition through cross-referencing multiple images simultaneously mirroring the experience of perception itself.
http://www.pollysaunders.co.uk/

Matt Webb is a visual narrative artist based in Birmingham, Uk. His practice focuses predominantly on the comic medium and how this can be explored formally and conceptually within the art environment. He looks to broaden and enhance the comic's growing reputation as a medium through which we can create art by presenting narratives that are both ambiguous and open to interpretation.
http://www.webbart.co.uk/

Faith & Image 2012-2013 Programme

Here is the proposed 'Faith and Image' programme of evening presentations (at St Mary's Woodford) and weekend visits to galleries, churches or historic places. All are welcome to these events. An entrance fee of £4.00 is charged for evening talks, which includes refreshments. Details from Mark Lewis 020 8504 5840 or Jane Cooper 020 8504 1272.

Tuesday May 8th / Saturday visit to be arranged, at the time of Evensong
"The Re-building of Coventry Cathedral after the war"

A reflection on the power of art, architecture and poetry to create healing and forgiveness in the context of the bombing devastation of Coventry

Saturday June 30th Burghclere Chapel: The paintings of Stanley Spencer"

Lectures, and a discussion of Spencer's work during a visit to the Chapel

Saturday July 21st "Art Trail" visits, with lectures and guided tour of art work at St Edmunds Chingford, St Barnabas Walthamstow and St Andrews Leytonstone (with excellent café!)

Thursday September 20/Saturday 22 September visit to Chichester Cathedral

"The Art and Architecture of Chichester Cathedral"

Tuesday October 16th "Roger Wagner: Religious poet and illustrator"

Author and illustrator of "The Oxford Book of Psalms" and "The Fire Sonnets"

Wednesday November 7/ Saturday November 10th Visit to the Imperial War Museum
"Poets and Artists of the Wars"

The Visitor and Reaching Beyond

The Visitor, by Smith and Moore, is a small, sturdy sculpture which draws its inspiration from the ancient Jewish story of the Burning Bush. This tells of a trigger moment when a device (the Burning Bush – see Exodus chapter 3, verse 2) led to liberation from slavery. This device, The Visitor, seeks to stimulate people to reach beyond existing expectations, boundaries and relationships.

Some people find contemporary art remote. The Visitor was made to be touched, handled, moved around and photographed. It is not exactly a flame, a leaf, or an eye. That is the point; what you see or think or feel is what The Visitor is for you.

From early 2012 The Visitor has been on an uncharted journey via churches and other organisations through five London boroughs (Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest)  with photographs, videos, poems or notes of what happens being posted at http://www.reachingbeyond.co.uk/ and due to be used in the Reaching Beyond exhibition along with the Visitor, if it survives the journey!

The Reaching Beyond exhibition at Bow Road Methodist Church (2 Merchant Street, London E3 4LY) will include the work of about twenty artists, with works in various forms including paintings, icons, sculptures, mosaics, cartoons and fabrics. The works will be augmented week-by-week with the winning works of the young people’s art competitions and the poetry competitions. Admission free. Normal opening hours 12 noon to 6.00 pm Monday to Saturday. 23 July to 1 September 2012.

Reaching Beyond is coordinated by Colloquy, an art and theology project which is part of the Methodist Church. The group has an inclusive remit, and welcome involvement from people of all faiths and none. We are very pleased to be able to provide information about this exciting project as a result of recent contact with Colloquy.

Colin Burns - Debut Album ‘Emerald&Gold’

Colin Burns’ debut album Emerald&Gold will be available in May. Its 14 tracks comprise 5 instrumental acoustic guitar pieces, 7 songs and 2 performance poetry pieces by Peter Nevland (www.spokengroove.com), backed by Colin on guitar. Guitar parts & songs written and performed by Colin. An 8 page booklet is enclosed containing Colin’s artwork and lyrics. Recorded and produced in Sheffield by Andy Baker (www.resoundmedia.co.uk).

Cost of CD £10 (add £2.50 p&p UK, £3 Europe, £4 ROW). It will also be available on digital download; more information to follow. To order please contact Colin at Arts Centre Group, c/o Paintings In Hospitals, 51 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU. Tel: 020 7407 1881 or 0845 458 1881. Email: info@artscentregroup.org.uk.

Colin will be performing at the commission4mission Run With The Fire exhibition launch, Monday 21st May, Strand Gallery, 32 Robert Adam Street, London, WC2N 6BP and June 9th at ‘Fun In the Park’, Redbridge, Essex.

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.

New portrait by Henry Shelton

A portrait by Henry Shelton of Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Patron of the National Kidney Federation (NKF), was presented to the NKF last week and will be displayed at their Head Office in Worksop.