The Unfolding is signed

It seems a good time to keep painting. Here is The Unfolding, with an average quality phone photo, but signed as done. Varnishing scheduled for February 2023, then framing, then available. I personally could sit with this for hours as I keep seeing more in it. The image itself unfolded on the folds of the fabric. As is so often the case with me, the canvas started as something else. Well, pieces of something else. I tied, stretched, stapled and wrapped four or five canvas pieces together back in the winter of 2015/2016 when I was on a half-time sabbatical from my United Reformed Church main work. For the sabbatical, I was looking at how communities were connecting with churches by use of the creative arts. The canvas strips coming together was about that connection. The piece started portrait layout and had hills and people. Frankly, it was not inspiring me, so when the sabbatical was finished, I painted it all out. It’s been calling me back ever since with a variety of colours, but no images. Ond day I turned it landscape just to see and here we are. I saw new things, new colours called from my palette and I began to think about creation itself, let alone the unfolding of ideas and feelings from anyone over anything. They emerge, not fully formed, enough to work with, enough to be going on with to learn and experience more. I guess it’s a painting about process, not completion. I like that.

Just saying (Church...)

I was writing to someone today who felt they had to defend their preference to use the word ministry in preference to Church. I wrote this little tirade.

I said, “I agree with you theologically. The institution was not commissioned by Jesus or Holy Spirit and the times people talk of Pentecost as the birthday of the Church does my head in. Pentecost was the fulfilment of the law which would be written into people's hearts - happening on the festival of the celebration of the Commandments. The institution was the result of the major appropriation of the Jesus Way people for political ends by a Roman Emperor. It was never supposed to be the way it has turned out, but people can be greedy when power slips their way. The number of denominations and colours of Christianity shows how much people have been arguing about what institution best 'holds' God ever since. God can't be held. We were only ever supposed to be communities of Jesus Way people wherever we could gather and care for each other and for the community. Our mission is not to add names to a list for a set of prescribed ways of connection; our mission is to enable Love to change a community for the better (to reduce fear, to bring hope, so much more).”

For me and for the recipient of my tirade, this is our position and we’re not alone. A significant number of us in this one of many faiths are absolutely committed to vision of church without walls. It is critically important in the culture we now live in. It is counter cultural to the conservative 'Christianity' which is dominating many countries' political narrative for narrow ends. Personally, as I have noted in my story sheet for my painting, The Stone Was Rolled Away, I am grateful for the institution because amongst all the ‘not called to be this way’ historical institutional activity, the core story was told and I was able to hear it. Personally, I am deeply grateful to the particular denomination I am in, the United Reformed Church, which is working hard at being inclusive, has ordained women for over 100 years, welcomes LGBTQ people in every part of church structure including it’s highest appointments (for a church with theoretically no hierarchy) and shows a counter cultural mix of cultures in its many congregations. Because the new age of well related peace is not yet here and because most of us exist in the capitalist empire/post empire world, we require the institution. My personal mission inside the institution is to support, wherever I can, the shaping of the institution so that it is pastoral, supportive, transparent, safe and as robust as necessary.

Rant over. For now.

Curious in Lemington Spa's Art in the Park

Curious, my recent completion, is hanging in Ginger the Art of Print's stall at Art in the Park this weekend

Chosen for Ginger's 2023 calendar, the original is at the top, their fabulous art print below and the calendar in my hands. The original Curious's amazing frame is bt Anna Lorimer, my new framer.

Press for Revival

Here's the news page about Revival from the United Reformed Church https://urc.org.uk/urc-gifts-inspirational-painting-to-royal-navy/

Prepping Revival for tomorrow's unveiling

Here I am, adding the gold edges to the panels of Revival, now secured to the bulkhead of the Chapel inside HMS Queen Elizabeth. Tomorrow, many will gather onboard when we unveil the finished piece. Today it was the final varnish and the application of gold wax. I’m delighted!

St Columba's Open Doors Weekend Exhibition

If you can, come join me at St Columba’s this coming weekend. We’re coinciding with Oxford Open Doors weekend and will be open Saturday, 10 to 4 and Sunday 12 to 4. I’ll be there both days from 12. You are of course welcome to join St Columba’s for worship at 10:45 on the Sunday where I’ll be preaching.

If you do come - beware of Oxford parking! The Park and Ride is highly recommended, as the centre can be, well, the centre of Oxford :-) Alfred Street is bang in the centre, just off the High.

https://www.saintcolumbas.org/

Alfred Street

Oxford

OX1 4EH

Open Doors Ad.jpg

Please contact me if you would like prints. The following formats are available. All prints on paper are sold on ivory mounting board. Frames may be ordered. Prints on canvas are stretched on wood.

Art Prints: Art Prints are created with laser printers onto quality wood pulp art paper.

Gallery Poster: Gallery Poster is a typical art gallery format with laser printer on poster paper, supplied rolled in a tube.

Giclee Prints: Giclee Prints are inkjet sprayed onto quality cotton rag paper. They’re known for their vibrant colours, fine details, and archival quality. The term "giclee" comes from the French word meaning "to spray," referring to the precise inkjet spraying process used in their production. They’re guaranteed to last at least 100 years (though no one’s been alive long enough since development to know…)

Embellished Giclee Prints: Embellished Giclee Prints are customised by me adding details, textures, or hand-drawn elements to make each cotton paper print unique. The result is a print that combines the advantages of digital printing with a personal touch.

Giclee Prints on Canvas: Giclee Prints are inkjet sprayed onto artist canvas material. This gives the print a texture and appearance similar to a traditional painting on canvas so that they resemble original paintings.

Embellished Giclee Prints on Canvas: Embellished Giclee Prints on Canvas are customised by me adding details, textures, or hand-painted elements to make each print unique. Embellishments added on top of canvas give the print a more three-dimensional painterly effect.