Visual Dialogue 2

Visual Dialogue 2 is a group art exhibition at St John’s Seven Kings arranged for the church's Patronal Festival from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th October 2008. The exhibition includes established and local artists including Henry Shelton, Alan Stewart, Rodney Bailey, Bob, Dennis & Liz Keenan, Jonathan Evens, Doreen Gullett, Peggy Hull and others.

Henry Shelton has had a successful career as a designer and fine artist. He has received commissions to design for clients such as the Science Museum, Borough Councils, private and corporate bodies. In more recent years Henry has worked designing in studios across the world, including Hong Kong and the USA. His commissions include a large oil painting of the Ascension installed as an Altar piece in the Church of the Saviour, Chell Heath; the Millennium Christian clock tower in Goodmayes and, most recently, the memorial etched glass windows in All Saints Goodmayes, depicting events in the life of Jesus. In Visual Dialogue 2 Henry will exhibit several of his most recent works and a Stations of the Cross that was exhibited in 2007 at York Minster.

Alan Stewart is a Church of England minister and a fine artist. Following his BA (Hons) in Fashion Design & Textiles at the Central St Martins School of Art, Alan has produced work in a variety of media (including charcoal, collage, pastel and emulsion) and exhibited at London Bible College, London Institute of Contemporary Christianity, and Intermission. In 2005 his painting Early one morning was dedicated by the Bishop of Barking in the Youth Chapel of St Margaret's Barking. His most recent project was Hertford stns: A stations of the cross for Hertford which was the subject of a feature article in the Church Times.

Rodney Bailey studied Design and Public Art at Chelsea College. His work is concerned with identity, communication, and having a visual dialogue with nature. He responds to the difficulties that we may face as people in communicating our identity and nature to each other in a respectful and sincere way. He uses a variety of styles to execute his work and draws on his family background and childhood memories for ideas as well as his Buddhist practice for inspiration and guidance. Last year Rodney exhibited in Eye Play at the Bankside Gallery and the inaugural Visual Dialogue exhibition at St John's Seven Kings. He currently has an exhibition at the Orsini Restaurant.

Visual Dialogue 2 begins with an opening night reception from 7.30pm on Friday 3rd October to which all are welcome. In addition to viewing the exhibition and refreshments, the evening with feature a public conversation between myself and several of the exhibiting artists. The exhibition will continue on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th October from 10.00am to 4.00pm. An art workshop will be held on Saturday 4th October from 11.00am to 3.00pm. Details can be found by clicking here.

As part of Visual Dialogue 2 we also hope to be able to exhibit for the first time the art installation that will tour Redbridge churches during Advent 2008.

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Paul Weller - Broken Stones.