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Sunday, 2 June 2019

Artlyst - John Bellany, Alan Davie: Spiritual Joy and Magic

My latest piece for Artlyst takes Cradle of Magic at Newport Street Gallery - which sets Alan Davie and John Bellany, Scotland’s best-known post-war artists, alongside each other, as a starting point to examine the spirituality of Scotland's Expressionists:

'Davie, one of the first British artists to win international acclaim after World War II, was an influence on Bellany, Alisdair Gray, Craigie Aitchison, Christopher Wood and Lorraine G Huber. Bellany would later be a significant influence on the New Glasgow Boys, in particular, Peter Howson and Ken Currie.

While their work differs, in that Davie’s work is primarily abstract deriving from use of automatism and Bellany’s mostly figurative and mythic, they share a significant point of connection in their love and purpose of Expressionism. Within Scottish art, the pair follow artists such as William McTaggart and William Johnstone through their interest in and use of Expressionism. Both achieve rich painterly effects through the excessive use of thick layers of oil paint. An abundance of black is used to amplify the brilliance of other colours and enhance the drama of works which surface our deepest emotions.

The work of Davie and Bellany also shares an interest in and engagement with religion; this being an interest shared, too, with some of those influenced by them.'

My other Artlyst articles and interviews are:

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Steve Scott - Different Kind Of Light.

HeartEdge Mailer | May 2019

HeartEdge Mailer | May 2019

HeartEdge is an international ecumenical movement.
We are churches and other organisations developing mission.
We focus on 4 areas - commercial activity, congregations, cultural engagement and compassion.
Join us! Details here.

Each month we collect and email stories, web links, news related to our focus: commercial activity, congregations, cultural engagement and compassion. Useful, inspiring, practical - it's a resource.

This month:

Mari Andrew on grief, Lucy Winkett on homelessness, Sally Hitchiner on hosting refugees and Bill McKibben on climate.
Match Trading, growing your own vegetables plus the technicalities of poetry nights and setting up as a music venue.
Video shorts special - including 'One breath Around the World'.
Remembering Jean Vanier and Rachel Held-Evens.
Finally, Paula Gooder and an extract from her new book - 'Phoebe'.

Read the May Mailer here - "A monthly smorgasbord of ideas, focused around HeartEdge 4C's."

HeartEdge has two Introductory Days coming up which will explore approaches to mission, do theology, develop ideas and help build on the community of practice. We'll do this by referring to:

Congregation: Liturgy, worship & new congregations
Commerce: Being entrepreneurial, growing income via enterprise
Compassion: Grow participation to address social need
Culture: Art, music connecting with communities

We'll start with refreshments from 10am and a programme from 10.30am.

All our contributors are practitioners - a community learning by experience.
Programme will include panel discussion and practical ‘how to’ session.
Lots of opportunity to build networks, make connections, with time to meet over lunch and refreshments.

Practical, inspiring with lots to celebrate and take away - we hope you can join us:

11 June 'Newcastle HeartEdge Day' with Sam Wells and guests. A unique programme of theological reflection and local contributors. HeartEdge days focus around our HeartEdge 4 Cs with an emphasis on practical insight and ideas to take away. Book in here.
27 June 'Derby HeartEdge Day' with Sam Wells and guests - working across Derby and the surrounding area? Urban, suburban or rural? We would love you to join this practical one-day intensive introduction to HeartEdge with Sam Wells and guests. We're ecumenical and open to all. The day will explore approaches to mission, do theology, develop ideas and help build on the community of practice in Derby. Book in here.
The HeartEdge annual conference 'On Earth as it is in Heaven' will happen from 2 - 3 October in Edinburgh. The conference is a practical, two-day intensive of ideas, theology and connecting. It includes workshops on enterprise and commerce, launching cultural projects, developing congregations and sustaining community response. This year contributors include Winnie Varghese, Sally Hitchiner, Sam Wells, Mark Strange, Colin Sinclair, Sheena McDonald, Deborah Lewer, ID Campbell, Cormac Russell and many others. 2 & 3 October 2019 - Day 1 at The Parish Church of St Cuthbert, 5 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH1 2EP and Day 2 at St John's Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ. Further information from Revd Jonathan Evens, Associate Vicar HeartEdge, St Martin-in-the-Fields - Tel: 020 7766 1127, Email: jonathan.evens@smitf.org. To book in early-bird visit here.

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Buddy & Julie Miller - Orphans Of God.

Windows on the world (448)

Chelmsford, 2019

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Justin Townes Earle - The Saint Of Lost Causes.

Monday, 27 May 2019

The Gospel according to ...

I Can't Cry Hard Enough

RHS Garden Hyde Hall

RHS Garden Hyde Hall is surely one of the finest gardens in the East of England, its location among rolling hills and fantastic panoramic views can often surprise the visitor to Essex. This 145-hectare (360-acre) estate is constantly evolving, as the gardening team strive to retain the original intimacy and charm of this horticultural gem, while at the same time aiming to restore much of the estate to its former rural glory, including its historic hedgerows and woodland.

Biodiversity has been embraced by the team, which is evident in the brown hare population that inhabits the site, along with the butterflies and birds that are abundant at Hyde Hall.

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Van Morrison - In The Garden.

Sunday, 26 May 2019

St Martin-in-the-Fields: Confirmation, Ascension, Chinese Art, Pentecost, Climate Change, Architecture

There are lots of significant events and services happening in the coming weeks either at St Martin-in-the-Fields or where we are playing a part. These include:

Confirmation
Wednesday 29 May, 6.30pm

We are delighted that the Bishop of London, Rt Revd and Rt Hon Sarah Mullally, will be with us to confirm members of our English-speaking and Chinese-speaking congregations.

BBC Radio 4 Ascension Day Eucharist
Thursday 30 May, 8pm, BBC Radio 4

We are delighted to welcome as our preacher the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford. The music includes the premiere of Bob Chilcott's Samba Mass, and is sung by the BBC Radio 4 Daily Service Singers and St Martin's Voices, directed by Bob Chilcott. The service will be led by Revd Dr Sam Wells. Congregational admission is by ticket available from the vergers after services or from the Box Office. Please arrive in plenty of time for the service (doors open 7.00pm) and be seated in church by 7.40pm or tune into BBC Radio 4 at 8pm.

Pots and thrones: ritual bronze vessels of the Shang and Zhou dynasties
Thursday 6 June 2019 6.30pm
St Martin’s Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JH

Talk (in English) followed by drinks reception. Yi Chen will speak on ‘Pots and thrones: ritual bronze vessels of the Shang and Zhou dynasties’. Free tickets here or phone Jonathan Evens on 020-7766-1127 and leave your name and phone number.

This is the fourth lecture in our occasional series of art talks focusing on aspects of Chinese Art. Yi Chen is Curator: Early Chinese Collections at the British Museum.

Thy Kingdom Come
Sunday 9 June, Trafalgar Square

After the very first Ascension Day the disciples gathered with Mary, constantly devoting themselves to prayer while they waited for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. During the 11 days of Thy Kingdom Come.Through events including 24-7 prayer rooms, prayer days, prayer walks and half nights of prayer it is hoped that everyone who takes part will deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ, pray for God’s spirit to work in the lives of those they know and come to realise that every aspect of their life is the stuff of prayer. Thy Kingdom Come will culminate in a special Beacon Event in Trafalgar Square on Pentecost Sunday. This free, fun, family festival and Service is an event for Christians of all denominations. Be sure to register your interest now.

12noon to 3.30pm: At the top of the square there will be marquees in which different groups will be offering a rolling programme of prayer. In the main square there will be a gospel choir, an escapologist, a dance troop, steel band, Salvation Army band and other activities to join in with from jugglers, face painters, magicians and artists. Can I encourage you to come along to celebrate the gift of prayer in the joy of the Holy Spirit.
3.30pm to 4.00pm: The Kingdom Choir will take to the stage.
4.00pm to 6.00pm: The Pentecost Service will be hosted by Dan Walker and Lady T. Matt Redman is leading worship and there will be contributors including Pastor Agu, Archbishop Angaelos, Cardinal Nichols, Jonathan Bryan, Bishop Sarah Mullally and Archbishop Justin will be preaching.

Then, at St Martin’s, we will hold a service at 6.30pm with the Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir and the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields reflecting on Pentecost through traditional choral, and gospel, music.

The Time Is Now
26th June, Westminster

In Westminster on 26th June, as part of TCC (The Climate Coalition), Christian Aid is organising The Time Is Now, a huge event where we can celebrate our faith in action, lobby our political representatives, pray together and energise one another for the challenges to come. It’s an opportunity to tell MPs that it’s time to act on climate change and to put a net zero greenhouse gases target by 2045 into law, now.

To take part you need to sign up at www.thetimeisnowfaithevents.eventbrite.com for workshops held at St Martin’s and a speaker event at Church House, plus sign up for the lobby at https://www.thetimeisnowmap.co.uk. There is a lobby guide available which includes FAQs. When you sign up your MP will be e-mailed directly inviting her/him to meet you on the day. The MP may give a specific time but expect to be waiting around as the lobby is between 1-4pm.

London Festival of Architecture panel and building tour
St Martin’s Hall on 26th June, 6.30- 8.00pm

Today the more transient nature of cities and how we are now occupying public space and buildings, is allowing places to be inhabited more fluidly, creatively and imaginatively – the boundary between spaces and places is being released. How are public places evolving and responding to the changing nature of how people are inhabiting them?

A talk and panel discussion in St Martin’s Hall on 26th June, 6.30- 8.00pm, around the important of releasing these boundaries through considered, creative and imaginative design will be presented with the following participants:

Revd Jonathan Evens (SMITF)
Christopher Burton and Robert Kennett (EPA)
Kathryn Harris (PCC)
Vicky Wagner (Publica)
Ruchi Chakravarty (Westminster)
Chair – Andrew Caspari

A building and walking tour after the panel discussion, will focus on St Martin-in-the Fields and could expand to include the Strand, Aldywch and St Mary le Strand (the two James Gibbs churches within one parish). Free tickets/booking: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/st-martin-in-the-fields-10-years-on-releasing-of-boundaries-tickets-62046989215?aff=ebdssbdestsearch.

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Al Green - People Get Ready.