Not Worthy So Much by Henry Shelton
Worth Abbey by Jonathan Evens
Bishop David with landscape
The Garden Door by Celia Ward
Pieta by Rosalind HoreA new arts organisation formed by artists and clergy within the Chelmsford Diocese is to be launched in March 2009. commission4mission aims to encourage the commissioning and placing of contemporary Christian Art in churches, as a means of fundraising for charities and as a mission opportunity for the churches involved.
commission4mission is the brainchild of the artist Henry Shelton, a member of All Saints Goodmayes, and has Bishop David as its Patron. The organisation will be launched on Saturday 7th March with an event at St Albans Romford beginning at 2.00pm. Bishop David will give a keynote address and Fr. Roderick Hingley will give an art tour of the many recent commissions installed at St Albans. A brief AGM will be followed by refreshments and the event is open to all who wish to find out more about this exciting new venture.
For more information about the launch event, joining commission4mission, commissioning work or hosting an exhibition, please contact me on 020 8599 2170 or jonathan.evens@btinternet.com.
commission4mission is the brainchild of the artist Henry Shelton, a member of All Saints Goodmayes, and has Bishop David as its Patron. The organisation will be launched on Saturday 7th March with an event at St Albans Romford beginning at 2.00pm. Bishop David will give a keynote address and Fr. Roderick Hingley will give an art tour of the many recent commissions installed at St Albans. A brief AGM will be followed by refreshments and the event is open to all who wish to find out more about this exciting new venture.
The idea for commission4mission was developed after Bishop David dedicated a set of memorial etched glass windows by Henry Shelton at All Saints Goodmayes. Bishop David says:
“I think there is a big need to re-engage with the Arts. The Church has had a lengthy and happy marriage with the Arts in the past but this has eroded in recent times. I agree with Rowan Williams that the Church needs more artists and “that artists are special people but every person is a special kind of artist.” I think that there is great scope in the Church encouraging creative expression in everyone as this is a way of helping us to be fully human. Where appropriate that flowering of artistic expression can be expressed in Church as, for example, an outflow of worship. We are fellow-creators with God and need to remember that he is creator as well as redeemer.”
Henry Shelton agrees and explains that:
“the purpose of the Society will be to promote modern Christian Art in all its forms (i.e. painting, sculpture, music etc.) and by doing so to raise money for charity, particularly children’s charities. I want us to be offering quality work and craftsmanship, rather than mass-produced work, to continue the legacy of the Church as a great commissioner of art. The Church has, in fact, commissioned some of the greatest works of art ever produced.”
St Albans Romford has been chosen as the venue for the launch of commission4mission on account of more than 20 separate commissions leading to twelve Diocesan Advisory Committee Design Awards. Among the most significant of these are fifteen Stations of the Cross by Charles Gurrey, a Christus Rex by Peter Eugene Ball, seven stained glass windows by Patrick Reyntiens and a chancel ceiling mural by Mark Cazalet.
Fr. Roderick Hingley is the Parish Priest who has led the transformation of St Alban, Protomartyr, Romford from being a modest suburban church into a place of beauty and excellence that can be seen as a centre for significant works of Ecclesiastical Art. He believes the Visual Arts are “a great vehicle for communicating the Christian Gospel,” thinks that we are living through an exciting period in Ecclesiastical Art and, therefore, encourages others to be bold, creative and adventurous in the commissioning of original art.
Membership of commission4mission is open to any Christian artist (of any discipline) or supporter of Christian Art. commission4mission promotes the purchase of artworks by churches through donations given in memory of loved ones, with these people being commemorated in plaques placed (wherever possible) on or near the artwork itself. All commissions undertaken by commission4mission involve a significant proportion of the overall cost being donated to charity.
Interest in commission4mission prior to its launch has been considerable with artists joining the organisation, potential commissions being explored, and plans developed for future exhibitions and events, including a showcase exhibition and study day at Chelmsford Cathedral in November 2009.
“I think there is a big need to re-engage with the Arts. The Church has had a lengthy and happy marriage with the Arts in the past but this has eroded in recent times. I agree with Rowan Williams that the Church needs more artists and “that artists are special people but every person is a special kind of artist.” I think that there is great scope in the Church encouraging creative expression in everyone as this is a way of helping us to be fully human. Where appropriate that flowering of artistic expression can be expressed in Church as, for example, an outflow of worship. We are fellow-creators with God and need to remember that he is creator as well as redeemer.”
Henry Shelton agrees and explains that:
“the purpose of the Society will be to promote modern Christian Art in all its forms (i.e. painting, sculpture, music etc.) and by doing so to raise money for charity, particularly children’s charities. I want us to be offering quality work and craftsmanship, rather than mass-produced work, to continue the legacy of the Church as a great commissioner of art. The Church has, in fact, commissioned some of the greatest works of art ever produced.”
St Albans Romford has been chosen as the venue for the launch of commission4mission on account of more than 20 separate commissions leading to twelve Diocesan Advisory Committee Design Awards. Among the most significant of these are fifteen Stations of the Cross by Charles Gurrey, a Christus Rex by Peter Eugene Ball, seven stained glass windows by Patrick Reyntiens and a chancel ceiling mural by Mark Cazalet.
Fr. Roderick Hingley is the Parish Priest who has led the transformation of St Alban, Protomartyr, Romford from being a modest suburban church into a place of beauty and excellence that can be seen as a centre for significant works of Ecclesiastical Art. He believes the Visual Arts are “a great vehicle for communicating the Christian Gospel,” thinks that we are living through an exciting period in Ecclesiastical Art and, therefore, encourages others to be bold, creative and adventurous in the commissioning of original art.
Membership of commission4mission is open to any Christian artist (of any discipline) or supporter of Christian Art. commission4mission promotes the purchase of artworks by churches through donations given in memory of loved ones, with these people being commemorated in plaques placed (wherever possible) on or near the artwork itself. All commissions undertaken by commission4mission involve a significant proportion of the overall cost being donated to charity.
Interest in commission4mission prior to its launch has been considerable with artists joining the organisation, potential commissions being explored, and plans developed for future exhibitions and events, including a showcase exhibition and study day at Chelmsford Cathedral in November 2009.
For more information about the launch event, joining commission4mission, commissioning work or hosting an exhibition, please contact me on 020 8599 2170 or jonathan.evens@btinternet.com.
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Lone Justice - Shelter.
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