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Wednesday, 12 April 2023

Artlyst: The Art Diary April 2023

My April Art Diary for Artlyst features Mark Dean's ‘Process/Rehearsal/Performance’, ‘Where Our Paths Meet – Articles of Faith Exhibition’ and ‘Death to Life: Image, Expression & Symbolism’, ‘ADORE’ at the Arnolfini, ‘This Fragile Earth: How pioneer Scottish Artists anticipated the climate crisis’ at Coventry Cathedral, 2023 Chaiya Art Awards Exhibition at OXO and Bargehouse galleries, ‘Richard Kenton Webb Vol. 5, Drawings from the Albers Series and Paintings from the Ongoing Manifesto Series’ at Benjamin Rhodes Arts, and ‘Alexej von Jawlensky in Ascona "… The three most interesting years on my life …”' at Museo D’Arte Della Svizzera Italiana:

'In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I remember visiting the Benjamin Rhodes Gallery to see work by Richard Kenton Webb, who was a pioneer in connecting art and spirituality. Kenton Webb recalls that Benjamin Rhodes first walked into his life at an exhibition at The Royal Overseas League when he was in his second year MA at the Royal College of Art in 1985. He says he “was extremely fortunate to have a London dealer, and Benjamin is amongst the best”, so is grateful to be exhibiting with Rhodes again for ‘Richard Kenton Webb Vol.5 – Drawings from the Albers Series & Paintings from the ongoing Manifesto Series’.

The show covers ten drawings from the ‘Manifesto of Painting’ series made on his recent Albers Foundation residency, and six recent paintings – two of these are triptychs, all made in Kenton Webb’s new studio in Plymouth. In the 50 days of residency at the Albers Foundation, Kenton Webb made 72 drawings, a body of work about his teaching philosophy. He has a concern “that painting, drawing, and printmaking are misunderstood and greatly under-valued.” He views these embodied activities as being “so essential for our wellbeing, and yet they are frequently contested at the highest levels of education in favour of the digital and word-based outcomes.”'

See also my Artlyst interview with Mark Dean and other articles (here and here), 'Reconciliation', the exhibition I organised at Coventry Cathedral, my Artlyst interview with Chaiya Art Awards founder Katrina Moss and other pieces on the Chaiya Art Awards (here, here, here and here), and other mentions of David Miller (here, here and here).

My other pieces for Artlyst are:

Interviews -

Monthly diary articles -

Articles/Reviews -

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J. Lind - The Potter And The Clay.

Wednesday, 17 November 2021

The Visitors

Dan Howard-Birt - Rosalind Davis - Mark Dean - Justin Hibbs - Fabian Peake - Barbara Nicholls - Anne Ryan - Susan Sluglett - Erika Winstone

The exhibition title speaks of outsiders, those who have journeyed from far or near to come into a space that isn’t their own. It is unclear whether these visitors are welcome or something far more unsettling. The title conjures film and TV associations that include horrific, extra-terrestrial, even paranormal visitations. Equally it shares its name with the last album by a certain palindromic Swedish pop group – until that is, 2021 brought the unexpected return of ABBA.

Visitors bring joy and energy to our homes and dining tables. Some visitors know when to leave, and some habitually overstay. Visits from an interfering relative, a pair of cultish religious door- knockers or a mob of officers of the law are to be endured and hastily curtailed, while the visit of a migrating kettle of swallows or drift of swifts carry only delight that one hopes becomes frequent.

The artists in this exhibition at the newly re-opened Morley Gallery are visitors on the Morley Fine Art Mentoring Course. It is unimportant which artist visits carried which of the above associations for which mentees. The value of a healthy visitors’ book is that conversations are unexpected, idiosyncratic and (ideally) challenging. Mentoring is not a one-way imposition of knowledge and experience. Mentoring is a live and active two-way discussion about how artists (mentees and mentors) think, make and evaluate art works.

This exhibition further extends the role and engagement of the mentors to include a third party. Gallery visitors are welcomed in to engage with, consider and critically evaluate the paintings, sculpture, video, drawings, installations that represent the polyglot voices and disparate studio practices of the artist-mentors.

You are invited to visit the gallery to experience the dialogues, exchanges and spin-offs that occur when these nine artists’ works are gathered together.

Morley Gallery, 61 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7HT

18 November – 4 December 2021

Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 1-5pm

Artist Talks: Saturday 27 November 3-4pm

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David Bowie - Changes.

Saturday, 2 February 2019

commission4mission's Spring 2019 newsletter

commission4mission's Spring 2019 newsletter is now available.

We begin the New Year with exciting news of our next exhibition - at Coventry Cathedral in Lent. We also introduce our new members and have news of activities and exhibitions from several existing members. As ever, there's much to share and much to enjoy!

Finally, one of our members - Valerie Dean - has an excellent new website at https://valeriedean.artweb.com/ which we encourage you to visit.

Read the Spring 2019 newsletter by clicking here.

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Will Todd - Passion Music.

Sunday, 1 July 2018

New Roots Artist in Residence.- Valerie Dean

commission4mission's Valerie Dean is the first New Roots Artist in Residence. Valerie’s series of pictures as Artist in Residence on the New Roots website will feature angels. “I think it possible that angels really exist, as messengers of God. In any case they represent the moment when we feel touched by the transcendent and perhaps feel called to respond to God.

I have a print of Fra Angelico’s “Paradise” on my wall. It shows happy angels welcoming people into heaven and it was a great comfort to me at a time of sorrow and loss. Jesus tells us of the rejoicing among the angels over the conversion of a sinner so there is hope for us all!”

Valerie’s first picture as Artist in Residence is available from today.

New Roots seeks to meet the needs of those who ‘believe but don’t belong’, nurturing a place of support, resource and encouragement. Find them here.

New Roots is excited that from July 2018 they will feature an ‘Artist in Residence’ each month and have initially teamed up with commission4mission to begin working with a number of artists. The New Roots Artist in Residence will be invited to profile a number of different works for a month with the first artists featured being from commission4mission.

New Roots are keen to work with artists using different visual mediums – so if you are interested in becoming a ‘New Roots Artist in Residence’ get in touch: bob@newroots.online.

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The Band with Bob Dylan - When I Paint My Masterpiece.

Thursday, 29 March 2018

Meditations, images, poems & prayers

Palm Sunday at St Martin-in-the-Fields included a powerful Passion drama in our morning service. Read more about the way in which members of the Sunday International Group, Nazareth Community and St Martin’s Congregation took part, by clicking here. In the evening I led From Creation to Salvation, a powerful service of readings and music as we entered into Holy Week, telling the story of salvation, with the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields. We began the service using my poem 'Designer of Creation' as a responsive prayer and later heard Passion monologues written by my good friend Alan Stewart.

On Monday of Holy Week I led Alternative Stations of the Cross, a time of contemplation on the Stations of the Cross using images, meditations, music and prayers. For this service I used meditations and images from ‘Mark of the Cross’, my collaboration with Henry Shelton, as well as showing the Stations of the Cross created by Valerie Dean.

These images by commission4mission artists are available for download via theworshipcloud.com. 'Mark of the Cross' features 20 poetic meditations on Christ’s journey to the cross and reactions to his resurrection and ascension (images by Henry Shelton and words by myself). 'Stations of the Cross' by Valerie Dean are available as a powerpoint presentationand as a pdf file. Her 'Stations of the Cross' have a very clear and intense focus on details which are evocative of the whole. Individual images, pdfs and powerpoints for these collections are all available for download from The Worship Cloud.

Each month at St Martin's a different member of the artists and craftspeoples group shows an example of their work. In April it is my turn to do so. The paintings I am showing are reflections on 1 Corinthians 1:18 - 'For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God'. In 1 Corinthians 1, St Paul writes that Christ’s sacrifice of himself on the cross appears foolish to Gentiles. In this chapter, Paul contrasts the foolishness of God’s self-sacrificing love with the self-preservation that characterises what many think of as human wisdom. This aspect of Paul’s teaching has sometimes been linked to the literary tradition of the Fool, who speaks truth to power. My paintings are reflections on both these strands from the Christian tradition.

Tonight, we held a moving Maundy Thursday Eucharist with foot washing followed by the silent vigil of the watch. Katherine Hedderly preached an excellent sermon and I contributed the following intercessions (pulled together from a variety of sources):

Comforting God, on this night your Son knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to be with you. We pray for those whose loved ones have died and for all those who know themselves to be facing death. Do not let grief overwhelm your children, or turn them against you. When grief seems never-ending, take them one step at a time along your road of death and resurrection in Jesus Christ our Lord. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Affirming God, on this night your Son knew that you had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from you and was going to you. We pray for those of us who are uncertain of ourselves and unsure of the love of others for us. May we know ourselves to be your much loved children and, through that knowledge, become free of worries about status and hierarchy in order to look beyond ourselves and live for others, being with and giving time, care and comfort to others who are in need. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Serving God, on this night your Son washed his disciples' feet. We commit ourselves to follow his example of love and service. Open our hearts and let your Spirit live in us that we, though a motley band of muddled and broken humanity, may be your present and future disciples. May we be ‘salt’ and ‘light’ in our world as we bless our communities by serving them as you have served us. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Subverting God, on this night your Son turned upside down the hierarchies and human patterns of authority that we think are normal. We commit ourselves to make your Church a community at the heart of your kingdom alongside those on the edge of society, that each day we may seek your glory, and embody your grace. Enable us to receive the gifts you send in the unexpected people who turn out to populate your kingdom. Enable us to see that you are giving the Church everything it needs for the renewal of its life in those who find themselves to be on the edge. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Loving God, on this night your Son commanded his disciples to love, but suffered rejection himself. We pray for the rejected and unloved, those isolated and abandoned, that they may find companions in their distress, those who will be “with” them even when there is nothing that can be done or nothing that can be said. And make us a people of grace, wisdom, and hospitality, who know that our true identity is to be lost, until we find our eternal home in you. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

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Richard Gillard - The Servant Song (Brother, Sister, Let Me Serve You).

Wednesday, 21 March 2018

St Martin-in-the-Fields: Palm Sunday, Holy Week & Easter Day

On Palm Sunday at 5.00pm in St Martin-in-the-Fields I will be leading From Creation to Salvation, a powerful service of readings and music as we enter into Holy Week, telling the story of salvation, with the Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields.

At the beginning of Holy Week I will be leading Alternative Stations of the Cross, a service for Holy Week at St Martin-in-the-Fields, at 6.00pm on Monday 26 March in the Dick Sheppard Chapel. For this service I will use meditations and images from ‘Mark of the Cross’, my collaboration with Henry Shelton, as well as showing the Stations of the Cross created by Valerie Dean. These images by commission4mission artists are available for download via theworshipcloud.com. 'Mark of the Cross' features 20 poetic meditations on Christ’s journey to the cross and reactions to his resurrection and ascension (images by Henry Shelton and words by myself). 'Stations of the Cross' by Valerie Dean are available as a powerpoint presentationand as a pdf file. Her 'Stations of the Cross' have a very clear and intense focus on details which are evocative of the whole. Individual images, pdfs and powerpoints for these collections are all available for download from The Worship Cloud.

Our other Holy Week and Easter services are as follows:

Meditation on the Cross (DSC and Lightwell)
The meditative service for Holy Week.
Tuesday 27 March, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

A Concert for Holy Week: Will Todd Passion Music
Will Todd conducts St Martin's Chorus and the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields in the world première his Passion Music.
Tuesday 27 March, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Bread for the World in Holy Week
A weekly informal Eucharist on Wednesdays to deepen the life of the St Martin’s community, through prayer, music, word and reflection. Followed by fellowship.
Wednesday 28 March, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Great Sacred Music: A Sequence for Holy Week
Revd Dr Sam Wells explores the story and the meaning behind the music of our religious heritage, with St Martin’s Voices (directed by Andrew Earis).
Thursday 29 March, 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm

Maundy Thursday Liturgy
Maundy Thursday Liturgy with foot washing followed by the silent vigil of the watch until 10.00pm.
Thursday 29 March, 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Good Friday Service for All Ages
An all age service for Holy Week.
Friday 30 March, 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Good Friday Three Hours
A Cross in the Heart of God from the Foundation of the World: a service of reflections on the passion of Christ.
Friday 30 March, 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Sound of St Martin’s: Bach St John Passion
Andrew Earis directs St Martin’s Voices and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields in this stunning performance of Bach’s magnificent St John’s Passion.
Friday 30 March, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Easter Day

The Easter Vigil and the First Eucharist of Easter
Sunday 1 April 2018
5:30 am - 6:30 am

Easter Eucharist
Sunday 1 April 2018
10:00 am - 11:00 pm

Choral Evensong – Easter Day
Sunday 1 April 2018
5:00 pm - 5:45 pm

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J.S. Bach - St John's Passion.

Tuesday, 17 October 2017

Private View: central saint martin in the fields

The Private View for central saint martins in the fields, an exhibition of work by recent art and design graduates from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, was held tonight at St Martin-in-the-Fields.

We heard from Sam Wells, Jeremy Till, Head of Central Saint Martins, Angela Sanchez del Campo, who curated the exhibition with Mark Dunhill, and Mark Dean who, as UAL Chaplain, helped organise the show.

In an article for Artlyst, Central St Martins in the Fields Design Then And Now, I noted that:

"Throughout its history, St Martin-in-the-Fields has looked beyond its own doors and played an active role in wider social, humanitarian and international issues. In this way, it has helped to form the world around it. This legacy includes involvement in the founding of many charitable and cultural organisations, including Amnesty International, Shelter, The Big Issue, The Academy of St Martins in the Fields and Central Saint Martins. Of these, the involvement of St Martin’s in the formation of Central Saint Martins is the least known, although the earliest instance of involvement in initiating these significant institutions."

St Martin’s School of Art was established in 1854 by St Martin-in-the-Fields. The Revd Henry Mackenzie and others were concerned that art and design training should be developed alongside the religious and general education already provided by Church schools, to ‘extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’ following the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The art school soon became independent, and over a century later in 1986 merged with Central School of Art and Design to become Central Saint Martins. Today, the College is an internationally recognised centre for art and design education and research, based in King’s Cross.

For this exhibition Central Saint Martins returns to one of its roots, St Martin-in-the-Fields. Over 150 years later, our connection remains the belief in the power of creativity as a catalyst for change in both individuals and the wider community.

Exhibition opening times –

Monday: 8.00am – 8.00pm
Tuesday: 8.00am – 8.00pm
Wednesday: 8.00am – 10.30pm
Thursday: 8.00am – 9.00pm
Friday: 8.00am – 9.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am – 9.00pm
Sunday: 11.00am – 6.00pm

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Arcade Fire featuring Mavis Staples - I Give You Power.

Sunday, 8 October 2017

central saint martins in the fields

Thursday 5 October – Saturday 4 November
central saint martins in the fields

An exhibition of work by recent art and design graduates from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London

St Martin’s School of Art was established in 1854 by St Martin-in-the-Fields. The Revd Henry Mackenzie and others were concerned that art and design training should be developed alongside the religious and general education already provided by Church schools, to ‘extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry’ following the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The art school soon became independent, and over a century later in 1986 merged with Central School of Art and Design to become Central Saint Martins. Today, the College is an internationally recognised centre for art and design education and research, based in King’s Cross.

For this exhibition Central Saint Martins returns to one of its roots, St Martin-in-the-Fields. Over 150 years later, our connection remains the belief in the power of creativity as a catalyst for change in both individuals and the wider community.

Curated by Angela Sanchez del Campo and Mark Dunhill

Organised by Mark Dean, UAL Chaplaincy and Jonathan Evens, St Martin-in-the-Fields

Supported by University of the Arts London and Diocese of London University Chaplaincy

Special thanks to The Vicar and Churchwardens of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Allyson Hargreaves, Paul Haywood, Anne Smith, Andrew Willson

#CSMITF

Opening times –

Monday: 8.00am – 8.00pm
Tuesday: 8.00am – 8.00pm
Wednesday: 8.00am – 10.30pm
Thursday: 8.00am – 9.00pm
Friday: 8.00am – 9.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am – 9.00pm
Sunday: 11.00am – 6.00pm

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The Jam - Art School.

Friday, 14 April 2017

Stations2017: St Stephen Walbrook & St Paul's Cathedral

Testing in readiness for Stations2017

St Stephen Walbrook, designed by Christopher Wren in 1672, accommodates the first classical dome to have been built in England and was his prototype for the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral. Wren designed his churches to be ‘auditories’ in which everyone present could see, hear and feel themselves part of the congregation. For Stations2017 this architectural relationship provides a physical and interpretive context for the premiere of new work by Mark Dean and Lizzi Kew Ross & Co, curated by Lucy Newman Cleeve.
Professor Kerry Downes wrote:

"In 1672 St. Paul’s had occupied Wren’s mind for nine years, first as a matter of restoration and modernisation, and later as one of totally replacing the old cathedral. The first design he presented four years after the Fire, in 1670, was for no more than a large parish church with a nave and side galleries, attached to a large domed vestibule which had as much to do with his enthusiasm for domes as with the needs of ceremonial assembly. The domed churches he had seen in France had excited him – for there were none in England at this time – and must have engaged his emotions as well as appealing to his intellectual appreciation of the geometry of solids and voids. But at this stage he had not yet come to imagine the Cathedral as a building which would differ from parish churches, not merely in size and scale, but also essentially in kind. This realisation came to him in 1672, when he began working on a sequence of designs that culminated in the ‘Great Model’ still preserved at St. Paul’s. These were designs more radical, more European, and more unified than the ultimate one, in which he was made to compromise by incorporating the nave and transepts of a traditional Latin cross plan. Even so, what we see today inside St. Paul’s centres round a large dome carried on eight piers. Both the Great Model and the final solution show a quality of mind, of feeling as well as of intellect, for which St. Stephen’s provided a kind of dress rehearsal in visual terms. The structural problems between the two buildings were quite different, for the dome and vaults of the Cathedral are all of masonry, whereas those of St. Stephen’s are, as in all the parish churches, lath and plaster facings on elaborate carpentry frames. Wren could therefore design the Church with much smaller supports, giving an unparalleled feeling of lightness of weight and brightness of illumination. He was able to make the eight arches equal in span and to introduce light through all of them, whereas in St. Paul’s the requirements of supporting the enormously tall and heavy landmark of the dome meant that the diagonal arches had to be smaller and windowless. Even so, at St. Paul’s a ring of eight equal semicircular arches, coming down to acute points, is marked on the masonry by moulding; it is both a survival and a reminder of the conception Wren had tried out at Walbrook."

Please book free tickets in advance from: www.stationsofthecross2017.eventbrite.co.uk and www.stationsoftheresurrection2017.eventbrite.co.uk.
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Laban Theatre & Lizzi Kew-Ross - Without Warning.

Tuesday, 2 August 2016

commission4mission's Reflection exhibition

Classical, modern and contemporary art and architecture beautifully combine for commission4mission’s fourth group exhibition in the setting of St Stephen Walbrook (39 Walbrook, London EC4N 8BN).

Tuesday 6 – Friday 16 September (Weekdays 10.00am – 4.00pm, Weds 11.00am – 3.00pm). An exhibition reception (6.30pm) and commission4mission’s AGM (5.30pm) will be held on Tuesday 6 September.

The theme of the show will be ‘Reflection’and, as in previous years, will feature a wide variety of work from longstanding and new members. ‘Reflection’ is intended as a broad theme open to wider interpretation. Our artists showcase their individual engagements with this theme and we hope that the range and variety of work, both in terms of content and media, will give pleasure and prompt reflection. Exhibiting artists include: Christopher Clack, Valerie Dean, Jonathan Evens, Tim Harrold, Anthony Hodgson and Peter Webb, among others.

Reflection:

The throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it;
An amount of light, heat, or sound that is reflected by a body or surface;
An image seen in a mirror or shiny surface;
A thing that is a consequence of or arises from something else;
A thing bringing discredit to someone or something;
Serious thought or consideration;
An idea about something, especially one that is written down or expressed;
The conceptual operation of inverting a system or event with respect to a plane, each element being transferred perpendicularly through the plane to a point the same distance the other side of it.

Reflection: consideration; contemplation; idea; impression; meditation; observation; opinion; rumination; view; absorption; cerebration; cogitation; deliberation; imagination; musing; pensiveness; speculation; study; brainwork; pondering.

commission4mission’s Chair, Peter Webb, says: “We are very fortunate to be able to exhibit regularly at St Stephen Walbrook. The exhibition always attracts a great deal of attention in the City. As before, interpretation of the theme is up to individual artists, and no doubt we will have the usual amazing variety and originality in the work submitted.”

A gift of 10 per cent of the proceeds from sales will be donated to the charity Oasis. commission4mission has made Oasis our charity of choice, meaning that charitable giving will be exclusively to Oasis for the time being.

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Bear's Dean - New Jerusalem.

Saturday, 11 June 2016

Services celebrating the Arts

Bread for the World

Wednesday evenings at St Martin-in-the-Fields (Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ) build community through an informal Eucharist with prayer, music, word and reflection. The music for the evening is led by the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields and those present gather around the altar together as the first disciples did to share in the Eucharist together. The time in church is followed by a simple soup supper in the Austen Williams Room, No 6 St Martin’s Place, followed by the opportunity to reflect on and explore the bible together. It’s a great way to find focus during a busy week, to be close to God, make friends, pray and explore faith.

On Wednesday 22nd June, commission4mission artists will be sharing their experiences of inspiration and their thoughts on the place of the Arts in worship. The service begins at 6.30pm and the artists contributing are Irina Bradley, Valerie Dean, Tim Harrold and Henry Shelton. All are welcome.

Service celebrating the Arts

Our annual service celebrating the Arts will be held at All Saints Goodmayes(Goodmayes Lane, Goodmayes, Ilford, London, IG3 9SJ On Sunday 10th July at 3.15pm. All Saints Goodmayes recently commissioned an East Window from Henry Shelton and Richard Paton through commission4mission and the service will celebrate the completion of this commission. Anthony Hodgson will display his painting ‘The Bridge’ and will reflect on its themes using music and poetry. All are welcome.

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The Innocence Mission - You Chase The Light.

Saturday, 12 March 2016

commission4mission and The Worship Cloud

Three collections of images by commission4mission artists are available for download via theworshipcloud.com.

Mark of the Cross features 20 poetic meditations on Christ’s journey to the cross and reactions to his resurrection and ascension (images by Henry Shelton and words by myself).
The Passion: Reflections and Prayers features pictures, poems and prayers by Henry Shelton and I which enable us to follow Jesus on his journey to the cross reflecting both on the significance and the pain of that journey as we do so and published as a double-sided A3 sheet with all the images, haiku-like meditations and prayers laid out in sequence for ease of devotional use.
Stations of the Cross by Valerie Dean are available as a powerpoint presentation and as a pdf file. Her Stations of the Cross have a very clear and intense focus on details which are evocative of the whole.

Individual images, pdfs and powerpoints for these collections are all available for download from The Worship Cloud.

The Worship Cloud brings you over 22,000 resources for you to use in leading worship or for personal devotion. Every resource is available to buy as an individual download, however you can also take out one of The Worship Cloud’s subscription packages. A subscription package tops up your account with credits each Monday morning. These credits can be used to download resources, saving you money and making sure you have the resources to bring your congregation or yourself that bit closer to God. The Worship Cloud Store has a selection of print and digital books available to buy, as well as PowerPoints, movies and music.

commission4mission artists can sell images and presentation of their images through commission4mission’s page on theworshipcloud.com which has all the packages and images currently available from our artists.

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The Voices Of East Harlem - For What It's Worth.

Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Stations of the Cross by Valerie Dean

An exhibition of 'Stations of the Cross' by Valerie Dean is currently at the Diocesan Office for the Chelmsford Diocese (53 New Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1AT). Valerie's 'Stations' will be in the Boardroom at Guy Harlings until Friday 26th June. Visits are by arrangement during normal office hours, as the boardroom is in regular use. Please check access before you visit by ringing 01245 294400. Valerie is keen to discuss ways of making these Stations available for any church that would be interested in having them. For more information see http://commissionformission.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/art-in-boardroom-valerie-dean.html.

Valerie came back to England, in the summer of 2007, after living for 27 years in Belgium. There, she studied art for six years and had various exhibitions, in and around Brussels. On returning to England, she became involved in the Kent arts scene and exhibits, regularly, in the Francis Iles gallery, in Rochester. She work in acrylics and her technique is usually to put materials and colours on canvas or board, to see what emerges. It is a dialogue between the artist and her materials. Because of her background, this often consists of figures around a religious theme. They just appear! Very often, people seem to want to appear in her paintings, a little like the pictures in the fire that she used to see in her childhood. At other times, she finds that buildings and places she knows inspire her.

In addition, commission4mission will be exhibiting at 20 Broadwalk Harlow Town Centre CM20 1HT from 1.00pm tomorrow until 4.00pm on Monday 27th May as part of the Arts Festival for the Barking Episcopal Area (http://commissionformission.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/commission4mission-in-harlow.html). This exhibition which features work by 11 of our artists is a pop-up in a vacant shop giving us a High Street location for work which both explores and celebrates our faith. On Saturday 25th May we are hosting a lunchtime reception at the exhibition to which you would be most welcome. The reception follows on from the morning of Art Talks being held at St Paul's Harlow (http://www.stpaulsharlow.org.uk/) where Bishop Stephen Cottrell and commission4mission member Mark Lewis will speak about the work of Stanley Spencer and John Piper.

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Switchfoot - More Than Fine.

Thursday, 21 July 2011

Art talks at Art Festivals

On Monday I heard a fascinating talk by Peter S. Smith on the history and techniques of engraving. Peter is a painter/printmaker working out of a studio in Clink Street on the Southbank in London who exhibits his paintings and prints in the UK and overseas with work in public and private collections as well as teaching workshops in the visual arts. In September 2006, Piquant Editions published a book about his printmaking called “The way I see it….” with an introductory essay by Calvin Seerveld.

An exhibition of his work, including a newly commissioned print to celebrate the completion of a new church roof, can be seen until 24th July at St John's Leytonstone, where his talk was also given, as part of the Leytonstone Festival and Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival.
Last night two further talks on the arts were also given at Holy Trinity and St Augustine of Hippo Leytonstone as part of the same festivals. Mark Lewis from commission4mission introduced the Art Trail for the Barking Episcopal Area while Dr Graham Gould gave a engaging presentation looking at the commissioning and content of the concrete lintel designed by sculptor Stephen Sykes for the church. Sykes' principal theme was Scenes from the life of St Augustine, although the central panel of the relief is of the Trinity. As well as providing information about Sykes and this commission, Graham took us through the various scenes from the life of St Augustine which Sykes chose to depict before saying that he was unsure about the significance of the final scene. commission4mission member Valerie Dean was able to provide an answer. Having seen other versions of the same scene in Italy, she explained that it related to a legend about Augustine and Jesus in which Christ said that explaining the nature of the Trinity was like trying to empty the ocean with a shell.

Information about the remaining events in the Barking Episcopal Area Arts Festival can be found by clicking here.

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Joan Baez - I Dreamed I Saw St Augustine.