Arts and Music at Redeemer

“Red Sky in Morning”, watercolor on paper, ©Denis Wogan

Denis is an artist living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He say this about his work:

I was raised in Gloucester, Massachusetts, on the rocky New England coast. I know that much of my inspiration to paint comes from the vast ocean that, as a boy, I saw almost every day. I no longer live there but it is still a delight for me to look out over the water, to imagine the continents that exist on the other side, to see that big sky. This is a place where I truly feel the presence of God.

“Red Sky in Morning” is one of a series of abstract horizon paintings. The title comes from the sailor’s adage: Red sky in morning, sailors take warning; Red sky at night, sailors delight. For me this painting represents calm while facing the unknown.

In my paintings I take the simple, essential forms of a landscape, a sky, a storm, and translate my observation to paper or canvas. But, honestly; I have no agenda, no story to tell, I have no drive to steer the viewer to see something in a certain way, no reason to paint other than a deep passion for my own creative process.

You can see more of Denis’ work at www.wogan.us and he can be contacted at deniswogan@yahoo.com

“Still, Small Voice”, mixed media mosaic, 22″x16″ ©Kathy Thaden

Kathy Thaden is a mosaic artist from Colorardo who has sent us this mixed media mosaic made of a variety of recycled materials including mirror and frame, beach glass, ceramic tile, vitreous glass tile and stained glass.  She says this about this piece:

Contemplating silence I was drawn to the image of Elijah, and the progression of tremendous noise through wind, earthquake and fire. Finally, it is within the dramatic quiet of the aftermath that the Lord speaks to Elijah in the “sound of sheer silence.”

You can see more of her work by visiting her website.

“Misty Cove, San Juan Islands”, color photograph, ©Joe Crookes

Joe Crookes is a Northwest photographer who has traveled the world for the past 25 years taking beautiful photographs, two of which will be in our exhibit. His collection includes photos from Italy, Turkey, Mexico, Burma, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Laos. He says this about his work:

I feel grateful for the vantage point that photography has given me through the years. It has enhanced my life. When I ook for pictures, I usually study places for a composition angle. If I see a possibility, I then look for lighting. It’s all about the light.

You can contact Joe by calling 206-632-1224.

“Silence”, mixed media sculpture (welded stand, dictionary, viewer contemplation), ©Marco Rosichelli

This sculpture comes to us from sculptor Marco Rosichelli’s studio in Arizona. It is also the first piece of sculpture that we’ve exhibited in the gallery. Marco says this about this piece:

This work deals with the reverence of books, and the written word. It is my intention to get the viewer to come to a contemplative place where they can consider art and language in a quiet space.

Marco can be contacted by writing to marco@rosichelli.com.

“Twilight Silence”, acrylic/collage on canvas, 36″x36″, ©Angela Wales Rockett 2007

This is, well, me. :) I am the artist-in-residence here at Redeemer, and I also curate the shows for the gallery.

This painting is inspired by a quote from Thomas Merton, which I also used in the call to artists for this exhibit. “(Since) nothing that can be seen can be God…then to find God we must pass beyond everything that can be seen and enter into darkness. Since nothing that can be heard is God, to find Him we must enter into silence.” —Thomas Merton

You can see more of my work on my website, and on my blog.

“Flutter”, acrylic/collage on canvas, 12″x14″, ©Andrea Pratt

Andrea’s artwork comes to us from her studio in Vancouver, BC Canada. One of her paintings was in our Visions of the Cross exhibit this spring, and we’re fortunate to have two of her paintings in “Silence”. She says this about “Flutter”: A tribute to the noisy silence of autumn when leaves and cones are falling. The leaves are cut from images of the Sistine Chapel.

You can learn more about Andrea and her work by visiting her website, and her blog.

“Detatchment”, oil on canvas, 36″x48″, ©Bridgette Guerzon Mills

Bridgette is a Seattle artist, and she has this to say about her work and the theme of “silence”:

I feel that in order to connect to God, to be
present and hear His voice and His plan for us,
we must be willing to absent ourselves- absent
ourselves from our daily worries and fears or
from our own egos.  In this absence, we can be present to hear His will.

You can see more of Bridgette’s work on her website, and on her blog.

“Campsite Path”, pastel, 15″x19″(framed),©Mary J. McInnis

You can see more of this Northwest artist’s contemporary landscapes in pastel and oil on her website.

“Heart of Winter”, color photographic print, ©Dayton K. Knipher 2007

Northwest photographer Dayton K. Knipher returns to our gallery and will have two prints in this exhibit. She wrote the following poem to accompany “Heart of Winter”:

Winter’s Song
Into darkness fades the light
of winter’s sweetest hour.
Stark and clean the forest pierce
til hearth reduce its power.
We have but once to turn our heart
and once to learn true grace.
We have but once to know His love.
Just once; we must make haste.
We have but once to speak the truth
set gladly at our door.
We have but once to force the lock
of myth and mist and lore.
Just once we gather mix and churn
each winter’s wisdom tale.
Just once we pierce the darkened pain
within our forest wail.
Through hope and joy and humble tread
left open by our plea.
We seek, we grasp, we barely crack
the seed of Abram’s key.
How once, just once are we to sift
such rich and fertile soil?
How once cast down to climb beyond
set free from earthly bonds.
Our souls have leapt at Merlin’s web
and grasped at magic wands.
“Don’t be deceived by worldly mirth.”
Christ’s voice cries clean and clear.
“I know the way through thicket growth
wrapped gossamer and fair.”
Yes once, just once is all we have
come bargaining or plead
To listen awkward, chests torn bare
before God’s law decreed.
Yet once, just once is time enough
with swiftness toward the mark
To dance the dance of winter’s song
and pierce the forest’s dark.
-Dayton K. Knipher

You can see more of Dayton’s work on her website, and you can e-mail her at daytonkknipher@aol.com.

“Particle and Wave”, textile, 25.5″x34″, ©Deborah Gregory

Northwest textile artist Deborah Gregory contributes two pieces to our exhibit. She says this about “Particle and Wave”:

This is an abstraction of the particle and wave theory of physics that seeks to understand how matter exists and behaves. My thought is that this theory tries to explain God, and to me silence is God and is the great mystery of our lives.

You can see more of Deborah’s work on her website , and you can e-mail her at DebKGreg@aol.com.