Commissioning changes include c4m

commission4mission features in an a current Church Times article entitled 'Keeping Art & Soul Together' where Pat Ashworth finds that the art of commissioning works for churches has changed a great deal since the swashbuckling days of Walter Hussey.

The reference in the article to commission4mission is as follows:

"There is also Commission for Mission, run by the Revd Jonathan Evens, under the patronage of the Bishop of Barking, the Rt Revd David Hawkins, with a brief to encourage churches with smaller budgets. A proportion of the artist's fee goes to charity. It was launched 18 months ago, and Mr Evens has been surprised and delighted at the range and number of artists keen to work with churches."

The announcement that, to mark the centenary of the birth of Dean Walter Hussey, Chichester Cathedral has commissioned Jaume Plensa’s sculpture Together for its main aerial space is the catalyst for the article. Also in the Church Times Anthony Cane’s diary tells the inside story of the commissioning process and Catalan sculptor Plensa talks about his winning submission.

Club Urban's 'Genesis' Exhibition

Club Urban is a forum for Arts and the Bible providing the opportunity, over informal breakfast and supper gatherings, for engaging with other artists to advance Christian-based thinking and action. Their latest exhibition is currently at the Westferry Studios and last night they held an evening of artist talks and music in the exhibition space.

The exhibition featured work by Colin Burns (who also performed several of his guitar instrumentals) and Viki Isherwood-Metzler. Colin said, "In the Genesis exhibition I have explored the theme of the garden. I use the garden as a point of entry into another type of world and also to convey a sense of light and vibrancy reflecting something of the nature of God." Viki, commenting on her animation strip 'Eve' and cartoons 'The Big Bang' and 'Dinosaurs', said "In contrast to Stephen Hawking I do believe in God or a creator of all things, even if they didn't happen as I depict in my cartoons. I guess I am showing how things could have - and in the 'Eve' piece - how it should have happened."

This was a very interesting and engaging exhibition with a wide range of different media and styles on show. Among other works which particularly took the eye were: Jon Britten's Possibilities of new horizons with its abstract mark making suggesting the dynamism of creative activity; John Gledhill's Jacob's Dream and Jacob wrestling the angel with their Kossoff-like use of thick impasto echoing the drama inherent in these narratives; David Healey's The Word exploring the emergence of the Word of God through multiple images of John 1 from a screwed up to revealed state; Noel Isherwood's Stadt Babylon and Stadt Nineva paintings with their God's eye view of cityscapes anticipating the New Jerusalem; and Reto Scheiber's Jesus video animation based on light in darkness and inspired by his conversion experience.

c4m artist's update (8)

Colin Burns and Viki Isherwood-Metzler belong to a group of artists called ClubUrban who are holding an exhibition of paintings on the theme of Genesis from Monday 8th -Saturday 13th November. There is a particular invite to the Thursday evening exhibition event (11th November) when there will be artists talks and live music - including Colin Burns on guitar. This event is from 6.30pm onwards.

There is also the opening night on Monday 8th from 5.30pm - 9.00 pm. The other exhibition times are Tuesday - Saturday 11.00 am - 4.30pm. Colin Burns will be at the exhibition on the Monday and Thursday evenings and daytime Saturday. There are some 15 artists exhibiting. Directions can be found here: http://www.cluburban.org.uk/about.html. The exhibition address is 98 & 128 Westferry Studios, Milligan Street, London E14 8AS (Next to 'Westferry' DLR Station, on the way to Canary Wharf).
 
Faith and Image is a forum for all who are interested in art and spirituality. Their next event is Apects of Medieval Art - illustrated talks by artists Mark Lewis and Peter Webb on Medieval Stained Glass and Metalwork - on Tuesday, November 16th 2010 at 8.00pm. Venue: The Gwinnell Room, St Mary’s Church, High Road, South Woodford, E18. Visitors welcome Donations are invited Refreshments available

The talks will inform a visit to the Medieval Galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum on Sunday, November 21st at 3.00pm. Meet inside the Main Entrance, Cromwell Road. Visitors welcome No charge for this event. Details of both events from Mark Lewis: Telephone 020 8504 5840 or Email: pharos@sketchbook.wanadoo.co.uk.

The Winter Selling Exhibition by members of Anglian Potters will feature the work of c4m artists, Harvey Bradley and Richard Baxter. The exhibition is from Saturday 13 November to Sunday 12 December 2010,
10am to 4pm, every day, including Sunday. All welcome. All Saints' Church, Jesus Lane, Cambridge.

Anglian Potters return to their usual winter venue for a selling exhibition of work by our members. A perfect opportunity for Christmas shoppers to buy something unique and special. All Saints' Church is owned by the Churches Conservation Trust, which has restored the interior and its extraordinary Pre-Raphaelite wall decorations over the last few years. These make a unique setting for the varied selection of ceramics, ranging from teapots, mugs and vases to sculpture, animals, jewellery or pots for the garden.

Directions: The church is opposite Jesus College, on Jesus Lane, Cambridge. The closest parking is either at a parking meter on the street outside, in Park Street multi-storey, or in the Newmarket Road Grafton Centre car park. Alternatively, try Cambridge Park and Ride.

Update: commissions and projects

'The Baptism of Jesus' by Rosalind Hore has been installed at St Edmund Tyseley and a date is being sought for the dedication of the painting which has been donated to the church by Jonathan Evens in memory of his father, Rev. Phil Evens, a former Vicar of the Parish.

Caroline Richardson has begun work on the windows which she has designed for St Peter Harold Wood. Her two windows show complementary images containing John 10.10 (I have come that they may have life and have it to the full) and in the other, John 8.12 (I am the light of the world).

The faculty has been obtained for the etched glass windows designed by Henry Shelton for All Saints Hutton. Each window will celebrate a different saint using Shelton's trademark minimal but flowing lines to form symbols of each saint.

A faculty is being sought for a sculpture in the new community garden at St John Seven Kings. This sculpture which has been designed in discussion with the community garden planning group incorporates a mosaic which will be created by Viki Isherwood-Metzler.

Mark Lewis has had an initial design for a holy water stoup approved by St Margaret Great Ilford and is also undertaking research for the Art Trail which commission4mission is creating for the Barking Episcopal Area. Mark has identified 40 churches in the Episcopal Area with artworks which may feature in the Trail. These include work by artists such as Hans Feibusch, Eric Gill, John Hutton and John Piper.

Submissions are being sought for Run with the fire, an Olympics-themed art project instigated by CANA, commission4mission and Veritasse. The project will create a virtual exhibition of international artwork for presention alongside Olympics-themed arts events or exhibitions organized by local churches in 2012. The closing date for submissions is 19th November and each submission will be considered by a jury/selection committee invited by the steering group which includes Dianne B. Collard (Director of Ministries - Europe for Artists in Christian Testimony International), Martin Crampin (Artist, researcher and designer), and Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker (Editor-in-Chief of ArtWay).

Run with the fire (2)

Run with the fire, the Olympics-themed project on which we are collaborating with CANA and Veritasse, is featured in the current edition of Mosaic, the e-zine from StoneWorks. Click here for a link to their piece highlighting our call for submissions.

The closing date for Run with the fire submissions is 19th November. 

Alan Hitching

Trinity

Hands

Alan Hitching is a poet and potter. He says that poetry and pottery are like two languages for him. Words he has used all his life in poetry to express feelings and faith, the other language of clay he has only over the last 15 years since he was challenged to learn. Joy has come when the two languages speak on the same topic at the same time, expressing together his thoughts and feelings on subjects. Alan is available to speak about these two languages, show examples of his work, share related poems and introduce the spirituality that underpins and informs his work.

New work by Joel

Here are the new life sized Dove Bronzes by the Sculptress Joel which are available in classic bronze, bright gold bronze and white patina bronze and as single, pair, trio or … your own flock.