This Sunday’s anthem is from the 15th century, and like many English carols from that period has a text which alternates between English and Latin. The Latin refrain, “Nova! Nova! Ave fit ex Eva!”, can be translated as “News! News! ‘Ave’ has been made from ‘Eve’!”.
Ave refers to Mary (as in Ave Maria), and the name is especially symbolic in that it is Eve (Eva) spelled backward.
Some views of the exhibit from the altar. For a closer view, and to meet some of the artists, please join us for the artists’ reception tomorrow (November 11th) evening, 6:30–8:30.
Caravaggio, The Calling of Saint Matthew, 1599-1600
Oil on canvas, 10′ 7 1/2″ X 11′ 2″
Contarelli Chapel, Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome
My friend (and poet extraordinaire) Gregory Crosby wrote this wonderful poem in honor of the Out of Darkness (Into Light) exhibit, inspired by this powerful painting by the Baroque painter Caravaggio.
On Caravaggio’s Calling of Saint Matthew
The world is its own shadow.
In the house where everything
is counted, nothing gained,
the afternoon’s gold slips beneath
the pane, & dusk raises something
in hearts that will not otherwise rouse.
Someone is at the door. He lifts
his arm from this quotidian shade,
this everyday dark so rich it cannot
exist anywhere but in this world.
The sun seems to frame his head,
casting his profile into deeper shadow,
but it is his hand that gleams: languid,
simple, assured. His companion’s hand
shadows it, though this man’s gray
head as yet only catches the light
of day. Two sharps in sumptuary
turn toward the strangers; two men,
young & old, at the table’s end, see
nothing to stir them just yet from
silver… & a gold coin glints from
Levi’s black cap, glimmers thanks
to a brushstroke as subtle as Christ’s
halo, as the tax collector points
to himself in soft alarm, as if to say
Who, me? But his softer eyes betray him.
He knows, as if across the chapel’s dim
effulgence he sees himself, Matthew—
sees his martyrdom, & accepts it, like a
sum that cannot be wrong. This is how
it is. This is how the light arrives: without
fanfare, like any, every morning; a light
that reveals all darkness is only absence,
only shadow; the hand of light, paused,
midair, just below the terminus of the
shadow on the wall. The light, here;
the world, here; the world, elsewhere.
Shelly Baur is the calligrapher who lettered the “Out of Darkness (Into Light)” used for the announcement above. She also did the lettering for the Silence exhibit announcement last year. This year we are fortunate enough to have some of her calligraphy in the exhibit.
The Color of Light, watercolor/sumi ink/Micron pen on Arches hot press watercolor paper, approx. 4″x 8″ framed to approx. 6″ x 12″, ©Shelly Baur 2008, $75
“In deciding on how to depict the show’s title with calligraphy, I wanted to go beyond the obvious first solution of just using black and white. It seemed too stark of a contrast for a title that evokes the idea of enlightenment. Therefore, I fractured the word LIGHT as if through stained glass to represent both the idea of enlightenment paths as well as how white light really is a rainbow of colors. The stained glass effect also references the iconic church window.”
Shelly Baur specializes in custom lettering art including: weddings, announcements, logos, book titles, business cards, illuminated letters, and more. Though she doesn’t have an online portfolio yet (trust me, her work is stunning), you can contact Shelly Baur Calligraphy by phone at (206) 910-7811, and by email at shellybaur@comcast.net.
Mapping the Depths, acrylic/collage on canvas, 12″ x 24″, ©2008 Angela Wales Rockett, $500
Oh, and me. I will have three paintings on display in Out of Darkness. You can find more of my art on my website at www.studiotenshi.com and you can email me at angela@studiotenshi.com.
Two of my paintings have also been accepted for ECVA’s (Episcopal Church and Visual Arts) online exhibit “Light of the World” which you can see here.
Shell Drops, oil on canvas, 48″ x 48″, ©Yael Zahavy-Mittelman 2007, $3000
The strength of color, shape, and line is the core of the artist, Yael Zahavy-Mittelman’s artwork. Color, lots of color, deep, thick, forms her images and composes her canvases. Yael Zahavy-Mittelman Is an abstract expressionist artist. “I am a very passionate painter. The canvas, paints, and varies materials dictate my art dance, the process of my work. I love opening my studio in the morning and giving myself up to the art process.”
Originally from Israel, Yael now makes her home in the Seattle area. To see more of her work please visit her website at www.YaelsArt.com and her blog at www.YaelsBlog.com. Her email is yaelsart.com@gmail.com.
untitled (out of darkness), oil on canvas, 18″ x 14″, ©Matthew Whitney 2008
Matthew’s been very busy this year, and his work will also be on display at two other exhibits in Seattle concurrently with Out of Darkness. He has a solo show “Sleep of Faith” at Marni Muir Gallery in Pioneer Square opening tonight (December 3rd), and his work is also part of The Vancouver Project.
More of Seattle artist Matthew Whitney’s work can be seen on his website at www.mattsbasement.com and you can email him at matt@mattsbasement.com.
www.one.org, 6″ x 11″ mosaic, ©Kathy Thaden 2008, $195
Kathy writes:
“One billion people live on less than one dollar a day. Together we can fight to end global poverty, hunger, disease bringing compassion and justice to the poorest people of the world - shedding light in some of the world’s darkest places.
All proceeds of the sale of this mosaic will be donated to The ONE Campaign.”
www.one.org is one of two mosaics from Colorado artist Kathy Thaden that will be on display in Out of Darkness. You can find more of Kathy’s mosaics on her website at www.thadenmosaics.com and you can email her at thadenmosaics@msn.com.
Beyond, photographic print, 10″ x 15″ (framed 20″ x 25″), ©John R. Math, $450
Florida photographer John R. Math will have three photographs exhibited in Out of Darkness. You can find more of John’s work on his website at www.johnrmath.com and you can email him at johnrmath@bellsouth.com.
Out of Depths, acrylic on canvas, approx. 80cm x 70cm, ©Leonie Marklew-Barrett, $575
“This work was created whilst coming out of a personal depression and was the first piece I was able to do at this time. The spiraling in the darkness on the left is the journey out of the depths to reach out and upwards continuing my journey with Christ through my work, Christ takes hold in the right hand picture- symbolised by the red and lifts the journey (my life symbolised in the green) onwards and into the light.”
Based in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire Leonie studied Theatre & Performance Design at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts where she graduated in 2004 with a First Class BA honours degree. She has designed costumes for theatre and Midlands based films. More recently Leonie has been working as a freelance artist in Christian ministry. Her work is an expression of faith & spirituality drawing upon biblical scripture and Christian themes. She aims to explore theological understanding, interpretation and to celebrate this creative and spiritual journey with others; she has staged exhibitions & shared her work throughout the UK. Leonie’s works have been used as projected images within services and have been bought by a number of churches of different denominations.
Most recently Leonie has shared her work as part of the Church of England’s Lambeth Conference 08 and Sheffield’s ‘Contagious Hope’ and ‘Hope in His Presence’ youth events where she led a series of youth art workshops. Leonie’s recent series titled ‘Nine lessons for the Nativity’ will be on display at Kings College Chapel, Cambridge from 11th -21st December
A gallery of Leonie’s work can be seen online at Website: www.leonie.marklew.net
Email: leonie@marklew.net
"We are trying to live out, as best we can, the religion of the heart. You do that with things that aren't very rational, like music, art, prayer, and liturgy - by giving people an opportunity to learn what really matters, which is living in a relationship with God."
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