The Church and Art
As Christianity spread across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa after the "conversion" of the Roman Empire, Christian churches reflected earlier temples and other stately buildings in external structure and internal art. The churches were designed to be interior worship spaces rather than exterior (like many of the ancient temples). And in that interior space, art began to be seen. Walls were decorated with frescoes and mosaics, relics of the saints occupied special places, the capitols of many columns depicted Bible stories, and statues began to be brought in. In the East there were icons and a screen of icons (the iconostasis) behind which was the high altar. In many churches the inside of the dome was painted or covered in mosaics (with lots of gold). And by the middle ages there were beautiful stained glass windows devoted to the stories of Jesus, the saints, and the acts of God (like creation).
Because our founding as a nation was after the Protestant Reformation, many of our churches reflect the simplicity which defined the Protestant worship style. We have wonderful cathedrals - like Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and the National Cathedral in Washington - and we have some churches that are graced with beautiful stained glass - like St. Michael's! But many of our Episcopal churches reflect a simpler style - especially in the West - like St. George's and St. John's.
The art of the church is a wonderful way of learning our sacred stories - and reminding us of the world around us - created by God, and of which we are stewards. Our vestments and altar hangings convey the symbols of our faith which causes us to reflect again on many of our most important stories. Our flags and banners remind us of our past - who we are as a people of faith. And one of the most important purposes of art is to speak of God without language - so all may understand.
This year has been a remarkable year at St. Michael's and St. John's for ART!
Earlier in the year, we talked at St. John's about building a path outside on the undeveloped land, for stations of the xxx (cross, resurrection, Cosmic Christ, advent, epiphany, and others). I found a wonderful piece of art (at the time a book cover) and wrote to the author to see if we could use her art. Nita Ng lives in Malaysia and is a spiritual director - and was coming to California for a conference a month after I contacted her. She came to visit the churches, and gave us the right to use her art. So sometime soon, we will be staking out our pathway and putting up signs of the resurrection from her wonderful book.... Picture is attached!
Not long afterwards, I had an unexpected email inquiring as to whether we would be interested in participating in an art exhibit from Sweden, known as "Ikons in Transformation." After a long series of emails, calls to other Episcopal priests who had hosted the exhibit and some calls with the artist, St. John's and St. Michael's decided to go ahead. The artist (Ludmilla) and her husband (Jan) came to visit after the installation in Carmel and LOVED our churches. So when the exhibit begins they will be bringing 139 pieces of art (some as large as 8 feet) to display at St. Michael's and St. John's.
But although both of these artists are from far away, we have also had wonderful conversations with two local artists - Vickie Conde, whose wonderful dove now graces our new newsletter banner, and Mary Lou Correira, whose beautiful watercolors of Mt. Diablo and our own area here have been on bulletins, retreat programs, and the internet periodically, to remind us of the beauty that surrounds us right here!
We look forward to using some of this wonderful art in different forms - Tshirts (always popular), coffee cups, and pictures on the walls of our churches. We have been graced with encounters with wonderful artists in the last few years..... and we look forward to being able to use these gifts to foster our understanding of God, to inform our meditation, and to remind us of the stories that Jesus told.
+Rev. Amanda
Mt. Diablo by Mary Lou Correira
Ikons in Transformation
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