ArtWay - Nicola Ravenscroft: The silent language of art

My latest interview for ArtWay is with the sculptor Nicola Ravenscroft and focuses on her bronze sculpture at the Royal Free Hospital which stands as a lasting tribute to the courage, compassion, and dedication of NHS staff:

'As a quiet peacemaker, a sculptor, a songwriter and a mother/grandmother, I seek out the universal languages that connect, and bring us together.

‍Agape – the pure, unconditional love a parent has for their child – is one of those languages. In their acts of self-sacrifice, the “peaceful warriors” of the NHS, and indeed all health workers across the world, were fighting for the lives of others.

Children represent the future. They have an innocent perspective that, if we allow it, can tenderly inform our adult vision.

Heaven belongs to little children: they are especially loved by God.'

For more on Nicola, click here for my Artlyst interview with Nicola, and here for an ArtWay Visual Meditation on her work. Click here for a poem published by Stride Magazine that was inspired by Nicola's series of 'in the language of angels' images. I have also written short stories about Nicola's mudcub sculptures (now called EarthAngels), which we exhibited at St Andrew's Wickford. The first story in the series is 'The Mudcubs and the O Zone holes.' The second is 'The Mudcubs and the Clean-Up King'. The third is 'The mudcubs and the Wall'.

My other writing for ArtWay can be found at https://www.artway.eu/authors/jonathan-evens. This includes church reports, interviews, reviews and visual meditations.

ArtWay.eu has been hailed "a jewel in the crown of work in Christianity and the arts," and having come under the custodianship of the Kirby Laing Centre, the much-loved publication has entered an exciting new chapter in its story following the launch of a new website in September 2024.

Since its founding, ArtWay has published a rich library of materials and resources for scholars, artists, art enthusiasts and congregations concerned about linking art and faith. Founded by Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker in 2009, ArtWay's significance is reflected in its designation as UNESCO digital heritage material in the Netherlands.

In 2018, I interviewed ArtWay founder Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker for Artlyst on the legacy of ArtWay itself.

In the video above, the ArtWay team recounts the history of this much-loved resource and looks ahead
to an exciting future for ArtWay.

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Raphael Ravenscroft - ...and a little child shall lead...