commission4mission members & news

Peter Shorer

Harvey Bradley

Rosalind Hore

Joy Rousell Stone

Michael Creasey

commission4mission is growing following our launch at the beginning of March. Our artist members who are available for commissions are as follows:

• Harvey Bradley: My creative work includes: Stoneware and Porcelain pottery (domestic with ecclesiastical commissions); Oil Paintings (reflective, figurative subjects that are open to prayerful interpretation); and Designs for banners (carried out by Emmanuel banner group).
• Alexander Chaplin has been appointed Music Director of East London Chorus from April 2009. Educated as a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral, he held the organ scholarships at Lincoln Cathedral and Lincoln College, Oxford, where he read Music, before studying conducting and organ at the Royal College of Music under Neil Thomson, Edwin Roxburgh and Nicholas Danby; he participated in masterclasses with George Hurst, Paul Goodwin and Sir Peter Maxwell-Davies. He graduated from the RCM with distinction and as a major prize-winner. In February 2008 Alexander was invited to participate in a competitive masterclass in St Petersburg with Alexander Polishchuk, from which he emerged as one of the prizewinning conductors.
• Anne Creasey: Textile artist and embroider working in a variety of styles from traditional to abstract and experimental. Also very interested in helping people discover their spirituality through the creative process.
• Michael Creasey: A serious amateur painter who has sold a good amount of work over the years, including a number of commissions. I am not especially a religious painter, as I mainly paint portraits and figure studies, but I do also paint abstract works which tap into emotional and spiritual aspects of my life and reflect my Christianity.
• Jonathan Evens paints in a symbolic expressionist style and has facilitated the involvement of churches in a range of public art projects. His arts journalism has featured in publications including 'Art & Christianity' and 'The Church Times'. He is also a creative writer (meditations, poetry, short stories, and a blog) and is the Vicar of St John the Evangelist Seven Kings. Jonathan is the Secretary for commission4mission.
• David Hawkins: The Bishop of Barking is the Patron of commission4mission and a practising artist in his own right. Predominantly a landscape painter, he has also participated in a collaborative art project with Pippa Hale and Stuart Tarbuck for Situation Leeds. Mene Mene located 13 New Testament texts around Leeds city centre in a variety of formats from high profile banners and adverts on bus shelters, to more intimate plaques on benches and handwritten signs. Some were affirming and instructive, whilst others were more predictive and challenging.
• Rosalind Hore: I am a sculptor and painter of Christian subject – Christ figures, nativity sets, Ecce Homo, Stations of the Cross etc. I work in clay, plaster, concrete (figures can also be bronze cast at the foundry). My paintings are mostly in acrylic of the events in the life of Christ. Rosalind’s Pieta is currently on display at St Laurence’s Upminster.
• Mark Lewis: Mark is an artist, silversmith, Arts Lecturer at London Metropolitan University and Chair of Faith & Image. He has undertaken drawing and painting in a Christian context and has designed and made Church plate.
• Henry Shelton is a noted painter of religious art in a contemporary style. He trained as an apprentice draughtsman in a London studio developing his drawing skills in lettering and fine art. After 15 years he set up his own studio receiving many commissions to design for such clients as the Science Museum, Borough Councils, private and corporate bodies. In recent years he has worked designing in studios across the world, including Hong Kong and the USA. Throughout this time he has painted Christian art and his commissions include an Ascension installed as an Altar piece in the Church of the Saviour, Chell Heath; the Millennium clock tower in Goodmayes and, most recently, the memorial etched glass windows in All Saints Church, Goodmayes, depicting events in the life of Jesus. Henry is the Chair of commission4mission.
• Peter Shorer: Museum trained Conservator and Archeologist commissioned to mould original antiquities for reproduction in bronze, gold, silver and pewter.
• Joy Rousell Stone: Studied under John Nash, Edward Bawden, Stanley Spencer, Edward Ardizzone at Royal College of Art. Many one man shows. Favourite subject matters: The Holy Land, Egypt, Greece, Italy (especially Assisi) and USA. All media. Retired Head of Art & Design at The Plume School, Maldon, Essex.
• Martin Webster: I am interested in promoting Christian Art as a form of engaging with the gospel. I paint (oils and acrylics) particularly 'sacred spaces' usually forest/landscape views.

We are currently planning towards the following events:

• Four commission4mission members will exhibit in the Pentecost Festival Art Exhibition (30th May at Central Hall Westminster).
• An art workshop for the 'Fun in the Park' event being organised by Holy Trinity Barkingside on Saturday 13th June 2009. Workshop participants will be asked to create an artwork that says something about themselves. These will be hung on a large wooden cross which will be displayed at Holy Trinity Barkingside after the event.
• An invitation to exhibit at All Saints West Ham for the West Ham Festival from 20th - 27th June 2009.
• A concert given by the East London Chorus conducted by Alexander Chaplin at All Saints' Goodmayes on 17th October 2009. Artworks by commission4mission members will also be on display.
• exhibition (2nd - 7th November) and Study Day (7th November) featuring the Bishop of Barking, Dean of Chelmsford Cathedral, DAC Chair and commission4mission artists at Chelmsford Cathedral.
  

We have recently been awarded a grant by the London Over The Border Council to produce a catalogue of commission4mission artists and activities to encourage Churches to commission contemporary Christian Art.

We have also been contacted by Wallspace, a gallery based in All Hallows on the Wall, as part of promoting networks and partnerships exploring the relationship between contemporary art and spirituality.

We have recently set up a website for commission4mission which can be viewed by clicking here.

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Maurice Durufle - Requiem, Op. 9, Agnus Dei.