Loading Video . . . Musician Aaron Kruziki brings us this beautiful and intricate song in response to the theme of "Lies" from Ephesians 4:25. Ephesians 4:25 When We Lie By Aaron Kruziki Credits: Lyrics and music by Aaron Kruziki; Engineered and produced by Aaron Kruziki, Long Island City, NY; Mastered by Tyler Duncan, Ann Arbor, MI Curated by: 2013 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link "When We Lie" is a piece based on Ephesians 4:25: "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body." Because we are all part of one body, we are part of one another. Humans are all part of a collective consciousness that bends and folds, opens and closes, much the same as a lotus flower. As a lotus flower opens at dawn, it's neighbor opens as well. At dusk, when the flower starts to close, its neighbor follows suit. Much in this manner, humans open and close, often simultaneously with our neighbors, friends, lovers and strangers. When we close off, we don't see others closing, and often assume we're the only ones that are closing. This closing is the lie. This lie, whether it comes from family, friends, or ourselves, is this act of closing. We are dishonest and go about our lives in a state of denial, making these lies sound true and be true. With this new false-truth, we start to close, often not realizing how the lie affects those around us. When we face the righteous truth within us, we start to open, and often find others open around us. Like the lotus flower opening with the sun and closing with the moon, we are all connected. The lies we tell neighbors and ourselves connect us, just as the inner-truth connects us. We have to make a choice: to choose the inner truth or the false-truth. We make the choice to either face our demons or to avoid them. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Born and bred in Wisconsin, Aaron Kruziki is a dynamic musician and composer, educator and producer. Currently employed by Steinway & Sons, as part of the Steinway Hall sales team, Manhattan, Aaron’s artistic output includes jazz, rock, pop, and the avant-garde. As a saxophonist and clarinetist, Aaron has received consecutive degrees in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory and Western Michigan University, studying with George Garzone and Trent Kynaston respectively. Aaron is a member of “Dapp Theory”, Andy Milne’s M-base ensemble, and is an active member of the Brooklyn and Queens DIY rock, pop and jazz scenes, performing at venues such as Rockwood Music Hall, Glasslands and The Blue Note. His voice moves fluidly from woodwinds to synths and vocoder, performing in genres ranging from synth-pop to world beat. In 2012 Aaron was commissioned by the Chelsea Music Festival to compose music based on John Cage’s “Lectures on Nothing” and is proud to be twice commissioned by “Spark and Echo Arts”. Website Aaron Kruziki About the Artist Ezekiel's Bread Aaron Kruziki Other Works By Lyrics Now you are no longer strangers to us Or no longer foreigners to heaven You are all members of our own family Citizens of our country You belong in our household With every other soul For we are all human Making choices some say are mistakes… We learn these lies to be self-evident And teach ourselves that our truth is now fake Stop lying to each other Tell the truth For we are apart of one another And when we lie to each other We hurt our own Momentary truth replaced by lies I’m wondering through this life And keep on striving Wake up every morning with sun in my eyes And soon enough clouds roll by I keep on trying Over and over I ask myself When it started in my life All this lying Stop lying to each other Tell the truth For we are apart of one another And when we lie to each other We hurt our own Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Daughter Rachel Friedlander Loading Video . . . This triptych by photographer Rachel Friedlander responds to Mark 5:25-34 and the theme of "Joy." Mark 5:25-34 Daughter By Rachel Friedlander Credits: Curated by: Ebitenyefa Baralaye 2012 6 x 12 inches Photography, Digital Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link The passage of the bleeding woman in the gospel of Mark has always had an affect on me. For some inexplicable reason, this story has left me with goosebumps on my arms and tears in my eyes nearly every time I've poured over its verses. There's just something about it. It's a juxtaposition of such power and such gentleness. When this story is told, many simply assume that the woman reached for the hem of Jesus' cloak. But the word hem is the actually the word for "fringes," referring to the tzitzit, or tassels, of Jesus' prayer shawl. This woman, who was completely ostracized and secluded by society, reached out expectantly to the holy, symbolic garment of the Messiah. And she was instantaneously healed, both physically and emotionally. In this triptych, the story is told in a modern light from the viewpoint of the bleeding woman. It follows her undoubtedly potent emotional arc, culminating in wholehearted joy and completion. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Rachel Friedlander is a photographer, writer, designer, fashion lover, and avid fan of art in it’s many forms. Her life was filled with film cameras, typewriters, paints, record players, and encouragement from an early age. Every day since has been an adventure in developing her skills and finding ways to glorify her Creator through them. Through her lens, Rachel endeavors to capture that moment one savors in their subconscious—that emotional pinnacle an observer replays in their mind: a grandmother mid-laugh, the delicacy of that girl’s eyelashes, a man with his arms out in the expanse of an open field. Life is a series of moments, and Rachel would like to live them all and preserve the best. She currently resides in New York City, where she owns her own photography business and works with Jews for Jesus, using creative mediums to reach fellow Jewish people with the truth about their Messiah. You can see more of her work at www.rachelfriedlander.com and stay updated by hitting “Like” at www.facebook.com/rachelfriedlanderphotography . Website Rachel Friedlander About the Artist Rachel Friedlander Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

sound-of-the-prophet-transparent-png.png Loading Video . . . The Sound of the Prophet by international artist Duda Penteado is a response to the wild conversation between God and the Prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19:9-18. 1 Kings 19:9-18 The Sound of the Prophet By Duda Penteado Credits: Artist Location: Jersey City, New Jersey Curated by: Barret 2011 31 inches diameter Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link The real question for me today is: how can an artist working in the twenty-first century continue to create original works of art after the overwhelming presence of remarkable twentieth century art movements like Cubism , Dada, Surrealism, Bauhaus and Cobra? When I go to museums, I look at art from two different perspectives. One is from a historical point of view and the other is from the perspective of an artist. I will never paint like Jackson Pollock or Francisco de Goya but I profoundly admire the challenges they both brought to the aesthetics of art. The last two years have been significant for me in terms reflecting on art, history, and war. Dada was one of the most significant avant–garde art movements, born in the heart of Europe in the midst of World War I. This war remains the most brutal conflict ever seen in history and the artists of the period challenged tradition. Art as it was known would never be the same: industrialization, the photo-illustrated press, radio broadcasting, and commercial cinema. They created new strategies of art–making, including collage, montage, assemblage, readymades, and media pranks. My art installation Beauty for Ashes Project is a response to the history of modernism and functions as a twenty-first century parallel that reflects on the consequences of our times. The real challenge is to know when an artist stops quoting someone else and begins to quote himself. Great art comes from within, it is the true language of the soul. To create art is an act of faith in itself. In my case my faith in Christ Jesus is an endless source of inspiration and empowerment in the areas of creativity, love and hope. —Duda Penteado Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Duda Penteado was born in São Paulo in 1968, and studied at FIAM – SP. Throughout the 1990s, he exhibited in Brazil, then moved to New York City where he obtained a position at Muriel Studio in Soho, NYC, as an assistant to Sheila Marbain, the inventor of a new "silk monotype" technique, which was employed by many leading contemporary artists. Active in Brazil and the USA, as well as in Europe throughout the late-1990s and the early 21st Century, he showed in The Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, N.J.; Biennale Internazionale Dell'Arte Contemporanea, Florence, Italy, 2009; Monique Goldstrom Gallery, NYC; The Museum of Art and Origins, Harlem, NYC (NY); BACI-The Brazilian American Cultural Institute, Washington, DC; Museo de Las Americas, Denver, CO; CITYarts 272nd Mural, "Nature is Love on Earth", New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, The St. John's Recreation Center, Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NYC, 2008, 2009; Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ, Kean University, Union, NJ; Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ; Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ; Drew University, Madison, NJ; Middlebury College, Vermont; UFES- Universidade Estadual do Espírito Santo, Vitoria, ES; UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista, SP, and SESC – SP. He was President of the Artist Certification Board, Jersey City, NJ, until 2010. His awards and recognition from various institutions in the United States include: Urban Artist Fellowship Award, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT; Goldman Sachs Student Art Project Grant, Jersey City, NJ (2006, 2007, 2008); Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation; The Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, Claremont, CA; Special Guest for Artistic Achievement & Commitment to YMCA Greater, NY-Youth, NYC; American Graphic Design Award, Interactive Multimedia Installation, NYC; Humanitarian Award from the Hudson County Chapter of the American Conference on Diversity, Jersey City, NJ, and received a Kappa Pi International Honorary Art Fraternity Award, Eta Rho Chapter, New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ. Along with Mario Tapia and Dr. Carlos Hernandez, he has been at the helm of the We Are You Project since 2005. Website Duda Penteado About the Artist Crislaba Duda Penteado Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

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Loading Video . . . Musician Lucas Kwong brings out an edgy approach to interpreting Jude 1:8-13 in his new work. Jude 1:8-13 Florid-A By Lucas Kwong Credits: Written and Composed By Lucas Kwong, 2017 Guitar/bass/vox by Lucas Kwong Drums by David Cornejo Mastered by Dan Coutant Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2017 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I wanted to see if I could write a song about false teachers that had a bit of joy in it – funk, really. Joy certainly seems to be the last thing on Jude’s mind, never mind funkiness. We don’t know what exactly these teachers were actually teaching, but we know Jude was mad about it. A few characteristics of their cheatin’ ways stood out as song fodder. They “rely on their dreams,” grandiose visions of the future that, apparently, authorize them to do whatever they want. After all, they alone carry the spark of spiritual greatness! With them alone can true justice be found, the sword sundering sheep from goat! But if you confront them with the violence and greed implicit in their words, suddenly they bat their eyes and do their best John Lennon impersonation: “ You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one… ” (Not calling The Clever One a false teacher, although anyone who holds up “Imagine” as John’s best work is peddling heresy.) They’re just dreamers, you see. Can’t you let a fella dream in peace, and maybe make a few bucks in the process? They’re perfectionists. My wife and I are fans of Anne Lamott’s thoughts on the subject: “ Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. ” Perfectionism means thinking of oneself as artificial intelligence, cleansed of the messiness known as “human nature.” In this case, it’s not enough for these false teachers to be common recipients of grace. They have to be spiritual elites, insulated from the dreary business of learning from their mistakes like everyone else. Mistakes are for plebes. They resemble extreme weather. Roving clouds, wild waves, stars being sucked into cosmic whirlpools. Bring your rain jacket, is all Jude is saying. (This third feature inspired both the lyrics and the musical structure, which aspires to the unpredictability of climate chaos). Enterprising dreamers, spiritual one-percenters drunk on power, avatars of unthinking instinct: suddenly the false teachers don’t sound so ancient after all, nor do we moderns sound so immune to their charms. And yet the best remedy for Satanic wiles isn’t matching gloom for gloom, curse for curse (see archangel Michael’s example). As another flawed recipient of grace, Thomas More, said, “ The devil, the proud spirit, cannot endure to be mocked. ” If being under the thumb of a false teacher is a drag, getting out from that thumb must be a thrill. Writing this song, I couldn’t help but think of the thrill radiating from the music of the podcast Sinner’s Crossroads , a program devoted to the no-frills brilliance of bootleg gospel recordings from the mid-20th century onward. It seemed like the right idiom for calling out self-importance and pretension. As for the central metaphor, there’s a Biblical precedent of Israel using place names to rebuke oppressors, literally putting them in their place: Babylon , Tyre , Rome . For me, this converged with a storied tradition of breakup songs that substitute place names for ex-lovers: Georgia , Memphis , Los Angeles . I have nothing against Florida, but in light of its importance to one of my favorite short stories , its use here was basically inevitable. Get with the flaw! Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Lucas Kwong is a literature professor and musician. When not grading papers and researching Victorian popular fiction, he writes songs and performs around Brooklyn as part of the garage-rock two piece THE BROTHER K MELEE ( www.brotherkmusic.com ). THE BROTHER K MELEE’s releases include the compilation Seek Assembly , the music videos for tracks “ The Brink ” and “ Vengeance ” (compiled from Prelinger Archive footage ), and the single “ Stranger From the Country ,” which was commissioned for Resurrection Park Slope’s 2017 Via Dolorosa exhibition. Lucas’ writing has been published in Religion and Literature , Victorian Literature and Culture , and on Image Journal ’s blog. He lives with his wife in Brooklyn. Website Lucas Kwong About the Artist Lucas Kwong Other Works By Read the lyrics to Florid-A . Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Poet CM Davidson struggles with the theme of "poverty" and Isaiah 58:6-11 in his work for Spark+Echo, Yoked. Isaiah 58:6-11 Yoked By CM Davidson Credits: Artist Location: Southern California Curated by: Chris Davidson 2013 Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link The passage from what's called "Third Isaiah" suggested a process as natural as photosynthesis: Fast by action, in this case, free the oppressed and give what you (as a people) have to those among you who need it. The result will be God's favor, restoration, and greater abundance than you already enjoy. Walter Brueggemann provide conceptual grist for the poem. He writes, of this passage, It turned out that the "facts on the ground" in restored Jerusalem were modest and shabby when contrasted with the lyrical anticipations of Second Isaiah.1 This helped me think of the narrator as someone who, in the midst of his comfort and security, feels ill at ease, dislocated. This is a common theme for literature of the last couple hundred years, but it was new to me to think that the source of that dislocation is that the privileged are the invisible ones, not the poor (verse 7). The existence of poverty and injustice doesn't divide us from "the other" but from our brothers and sisters, from‚ it seems banal to write it so directly‚ ourselves. It should be said that what attracted me to these verses is not equivalent to what the poem expresses. As all poems do, this one found its own path. 1 Walter Brueggemann, An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection CM Davidson’s work has appeared in Zyzzyva, Green Mountains Review, Zocalo Public Square, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. He lives in Southern California with his wife and sons. He sporadically keeps up a blog, 52songs.blogspot.com . Website CM Davidson About the Artist CM Davidson Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Woke this morning two snoozes past the alarm 's first call. Showered. Dressed. Breakfasted on a bowl of puffed rice and milk and three cups of coffee. View Full Written Work Yoked by CM Davidson Isaiah 58:6-11 Woke this morning two snoozes past the alarm’s first call. Showered. Dressed. Breakfasted on a bowl of puffed rice and milk and three cups of coffee. Asked my wife for Kaiser’s number, since my shoulder aches. Gathered things in my bag and drove in my car my son to school, myself to work, where I wasted time online, talked on the phone with a colleague, entered a budget by deadline. From those who live under the overpass I pass daily, I’m told I’m concealed, and from the imprisoned and hungry with nothing to wear I’d wear myself, I’m concealed. My body I’m told is distorted by nourishment, my shirt, shoes and pants hide me from my kin. I’m told the sadness I feel everyday will be a light by which to see, if I act, that our sadness, people, I’m convinced it’s more than just me, is a latent garden, a spring of water, a continual, renewing spring of water, light and water bringing, through action in leaves described and unlearned, food for the table. This is the promise, dejection the goad. Our parents in exile sang to each other songs of a land like this— their hope was in it, and we have it. Close Loading Video . . . Woke this morning two snoozes past the alarm 's first call. Showered. Dressed. Breakfasted on a bowl of puffed rice and milk and three cups of coffee. Download Full Written Work

jimmy-miracle_corinthians-1.jpg Jimmy Miracle, Kitchen View at Dusk, 9" x 12" Jimmy Miracle, Behind My Apartment, 6" x 9" Jimmy Miracle, Soccer Stadium, 6" x 9" Jimmy Miracle, Van in a Parking Lot, 9" x 12" Loading Video . . . In his four works, Jimmy Miracle contemplates the 'ordinary' glory of God as inspired by 1 Corinthians 14:2. 1 Corinthians 14:2 Immanent Glory By Jimmy Miracle Credits: Curated by: Rebecca Testrake 2017 Four works of various sizes Oil on Panel Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Jimmy Miracle was born in Ohio in 1982, grew up in Florida, and received a B.A. in painting from Belhaven College in 2004 in Jackson, MS. The past 10 years he has lived and worked in New York, Washington DC, Essen, Germany, and now he currently resides in Santa Barbara, CA where he is pursuing an MFA in studio art. He has had solo and group shows in New York, Berlin, London, and Washington, DC. He has exhibited with Outlet, HKJB, the Islip Art Museum, Castle Gallery, and Flashpoint Gallery. While in New York, he worked as a studio assistant for Jeff Koons and studied classical drawing at the Art Student’s League of New York. He has received the Cultural DC Creative Communities Fund grant, the Maryland State Art Council Individual Artists grant, and has lectured at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art. Website Jimmy Miracle About the Artist Jimmy Miracle Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Dancer Elizabeth Dishman's rich performance reflects on the exchange between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon as recorded in 1 Kings 10:1-10. 1 Kings 10:1-10 Visitation By Elizabeth Dishman Credits: Directed, filmed and edited by Elizabeth Dishman Collaboratively choreographed by Elizabeth Dishman and the performers: Julie Seal, with Larissa Asebedo and Corinne Shearer Music by Giuseppe Sammartini, recorded by Camerata Köln Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Self-Submitted 2016 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I’ve always been fascinated by this passage…a big time queen decides to play tourist and ends up getting the wind knocked out of her. She had heard rumors but was totally unprepared for the wisdom, beauty and richness she would experience in Jerusalem. She came to test Solomon with hard questions, but instead she can’t even breathe for wonder. I know the feeling. I was born with my arms crossed. I make up my mind about life’s hard edges, but I am more often than I’d like to admit humbled by its greatness, its kindness, the purity of delight that is available to me, but which I doubt or resist. In this work I meditated on that moment of confusion when a belief is tested and found to be shifty. When a deeper truth asks to sit down at the table. The conversation is awkward and glorious. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Elizabeth Dishman is the Artistic Director of Dishman + Co. Choreography, a Brooklyn-based experimental dance company founded in 2001. Originally from Colorado, she studied Voice Performance at Emory University, and Choreography at The Ohio State University. In pursuit of ineffable junctures between the abstract and theatrical, the universal and deeply personal, Elizabeth and her collaborators devote themselves to scrupulous exploration and ardent play, probing the elusiveness of live performance in search of lasting things. Over 15 years and 40+ original works, Dishman + Co.’s choreography has been described by critics as “complex skeins and cerebral dreams”, “bodies in rigorous concentration”, and “playful and provocative…raw humanity seeps in”. www.DishmanAndCo.org Website Elizabeth Dishman About the Artist Tide dance in the dances Terra Firma Stranger Name Elizabeth Dishman Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

stephanie-barenz_house-is-built.jpg Loading Video . . . Responding to Proverbs 24 and the metaphor of the home, artist Stephanie Barenz explores the story of wisdom within her work. Proverbs 24 A House is Built By Stephanie Barenz Credits: Curated by: Charis J. Carmichael Braun 2016 12 x 16 inches Acrylic, ink, pencil on panel Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This painting is completed on a 12″x16″ wood panel with acrylics, ink, and pencil. I began by laying down a drawing in pencil and working back into it with a neutral palette of acrylics. I used water to dilute the paint to the point where it worked more like watercolor rather than acrylic. The pencil is laid on top of the acrylics, in order to bring out various details. As you can see, my process is a merging of drafting, drawing, and painting. The piece was then sprayed with an archival, kamar varnish in order to seal it. I chose Proverbs 24 as a catalyst for this mixed-media painting. I loved what verses 3 and 4 had to say, “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” I built the narrative of my painting around these verses. The image I worked from is of a neighborhood in Milwaukee, which is where I currently live and have my home. The extension lines that are coming off of the houses, highlight Proverbs 24’s message of applying the wisdom that is grown at home to the communities that we are a part of. As the chapter outlines our home is where our characters are formed. Our characters will either have a positive or negative impact on our communities. As Proverbs 24:28-29 states, “Do not testify against your neighbor without cause— would you use your lips to mislead? Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.” This is the wisdom that I want to fill the rooms of my home with. It is my belief that this kind of wisdom will help to form more vibrant and healthy shared collective spaces. I am grateful for the opportunity to have created a painting for Spark and Echo Arts that will forever remind me of this message. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Stephanie Barenz is an artist who makes mixed media work about place, sojourning, and storytelling. She received her MFA in Visual Arts from the Samfox School of Art of Design at Washington University in St. Louis and her B.A. in Art from Bethany Lutheran College in Minnesota. Her work is informed by her own experiences with sojourning which have included living abroad in Florence, Italy and Hangzhou, China. She grew up in Texas, Nebraska, and Wisconsin and has enjoyed living in several other midwestern cities. She currently lives with her husband, Zach, in Milwaukee, WI. Barenz has completed artist residencies through the Students Artist League of New York, the Pfister Hotel AiR program in Milwaukee, and at the Chicago Printmakers’ Collaborative. Her work has been acquired by notable public collectors, such as Northwestern Mutual and Alverno College and has private collectors across the United States and in Europe. Her paintings have been exhibited at the Milwaukee Art Museum, Museum of Wisconsin Art, Dean Jensen Gallery, the John Michael Kohler Art Center, Expo 72 in Chicago, and more. Barenz’s work has been featured in The Artist’s Magazine, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, MPTV, Milwaukee Magazine, the Huffington Post, among others. Learn more by visiting her website www.stephaniebarenz.com Website Stephanie Barenz About the Artist Stephanie Barenz Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

genesis1_3highres_1-smaller.jpg Loading Video . . . Actor/Photographer/Filmmaker Michael Markham has brought us a series of photographs in response to the theme of "Light and Darkness" from Genesis 1:3. Genesis 1:3 Genesis 1:3 By Michael Markham Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2013 Photography Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link In this passage I was struck by the ease with which God brought about light. He simply spoke it into existence. Then I thought about our modern scientific understanding of the origins of the universe. When God spoke light into existence it was the giant event that not only brought forth light, but every particle of matter in the Universe. And it is still expanding. Then I consider man's attempts to provide light for himself. I am intrigued by the moment of God's speaking and by the power with which that word is given creation. These images explore the beginning and extended moments of man-made light from the first spark of a match, to the phenomenon of a photographic flash, almost literally lightning caught in a glass bottle, and finally God's enduring creation of light, our sun. We struggle so hard to imitate in an incredibly finite way what God whispered into existence with such power and glory. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Michael Markham is an Actor/Filmmaker based out of New York City. His favorite roles in New York include Platonov in The Spectacular Demise of Platonov at Shapiro Theater; Frizer in christopher marlowe’s chloroform dreams at The Red Room with Lunar Energy; Giant in Giants at HERE; and The Singing Soldier in Mother Courage and Her Children at The New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park. Film and television include Law & Order; When Things Fall Apart; Home Office; Fumes; Lies; Unearthed; Game Theory; and Blind Date. Though his production company KiteMonkey Productions Michael has created over 10 short films in the past 5 years. His currently project The Decades of Mason Carroll is currently in final stage of post production. Look for it on the festival circuit in 2018. Michael graduated from The Juilliard School Drama Division, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Acting from Washington University in St. Louis. He currently lives in Manhattan with his wife and two children. Website Michael Markham About the Artist The Call Michael Markham Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

benje_daneman_featured.jpg Loading Video . . . Benje Daneman here with my second update as a 2015 Resident Artist for Spark & Echo Arts… as I mentioned in my last update, my project this year is writing a full length jazz suite based around the concept of Light in scripture. This yearlong endeavor is extremely interesting as I’m able to see long term how the project is being formed and changing over time. Even after only five months it’s evolved and morphed from what I thought it’d be to something slightly different! Find the complete progression of the work linked below. John 3:19-21 John 1:1-5 John 1:14 John 12:34-36 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11 Artist in Residence 2015 | Benje Daneman 2 By Benje Daneman Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2015 Live Music, Jazz Suite Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link June 8, 2015 Benje Daneman here with my second update as a 2015 Resident Artist for Spark & Echo Arts… as I mentioned in my last update, my project this year is writing a full length jazz suite based around the concept of Light in scripture. This yearlong endeavor is extremely interesting as I’m able to see long term how the project is being formed and changing over time. Even after only five months it’s evolved and morphed from what I thought it’d be to something slightly different! A few updates… This is a great time for an update as one of my bands, SearchParty, met for the first to do an initial reading session of my music for this commission. I was able to bring four parts of the suite to the guys and they played them beautifully. Check out the video to hear the clips! I was hoping to stay only in the Book of John, but it seems as though as I’ve been finding my way out of that book and into the book of Thessalonians … and potentially one in Job still in the works. So far four songs have come to fruition… they are: “(Our Fear of) Exposure” – John 3:19-21 “Light in the Darkness” – John 1:1-5, 14 “Just a Little While Longer” – John 12:34-36 “Children of the Light” – 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11 My most recent band, SearchParty, is taking this music on and our debut performance in NYC will be at Saint Peter’s Church (619 Lexington Avenue (& 54th St.) at 5pm on August 9th at their Sunday Jazz Vespers series. We’d love to see you there as we’ll be unveiling pieces some of the suite for the first time to the public there. My hope is to debut the full suite in a live recording performance in early November here in New York City. I’m in the works of securing the venue and should know very soon. Please stay tuned and we’ll let you know more info as soon as we can! I envision this being a pretty special night and would truly love you being a part of it. It’s pretty exciting seeing how the scripture has been speaking to me as I’m composing over the past few months. I find it to be my meditation/prayer time where I can dig deep into the context of the text and see how it shines a light in my own life. I can’t wait to see where the next steps bring me and this composition! Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection About Benje Daneman A sought after musician for his personal approach, creative musicality and strong versatility, Daneman got his start professionally in 2007 on a national tour with with Doc Severinsen’s Big Band. Since then he has performed with the world renowned Jose Limon Dance Ensemble, recorded for the Grammy nominated album “Elevation” (HMI Big Band) and has appeared as both a leader and sideman at prestigious venues across the country including The Kennedy Center, Baryshnikov Arts Center, FONT (Festival of New Trumpet) Music Festival and The Iridium. As a composer/arranger, he has received commissions from the United States Air Force Band (in Europe), Dr. Steve Zegree, Spark and Echo Arts and Lutheran Music Missions. His 2015 Artist in Residence for Spark and Echo Arts, is the catalyst for one of his newest projects called Search Party which approaches faith topics through original music, with a band including some of the top musicians on the jazz scene today, including Ike Sturm, Jon Cowherd, Jaimeo Brown and Ashley Daneman. Another new project of Daneman’s, Life Stories, calls upon his deep interest and history in musical storytelling by musically creating a personal and unique experience for the audience by aurally recreating true stories of people places and events. Daneman’s 2013 EP release Estelle’s Farewell Gift features all original compositions featuring Jeremy Siskind, Ashley Daneman and Andrew Rathbun and has been described as “Simple songs that open doors to complex reactions” (David Sumner, Bird Is The Worm). A Teaching Artist for the New York Pops, Daneman is a passionate educator and has led clinics and workshops throughout the country at such institutions as McNally Smith College, Western Michigan University, Concordia University and for the Michigan State Band and Orchestra Association. He is also the co-director of the Jazz & Creative Institute (http://www.jcinstitute.org), which has a mission to inspire artistic development and cultivate creative entrepreneurship for all levels of creative musicians. Benje has attended and holds degrees from Western Michigan University, The Henry Mancini Institute (Los Angeles, CA), and Manhattan School of Music (New York, NY). Benje lives in New York City with his wife, jazz singer-songwriter, Ashley Daneman and daughters, Rivi and Elise. Website Benje Daneman About the Artist Artist in Residence 2015 | Benje Daneman 1 Artist in Residence 2015 | Benje Daneman 3 To Lay Down One's Life Artist in Residence 2015: Benje Daneman Benje Daneman Other Works By Follow the development of Benje's project by reading this in addition to his first , third and final posts as a 2015 Artist in Residence. Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Taking the voice of an outsider looking in, and with a sound reminiscent of Patsy Cline, Taryn Randall's song of longing and mystery explores the community and supernatural events found in Acts 4:31-37. Acts 4:31-37 House Shudder By Taryn Randall Credits: Composed and Performed by Taryn Randall Curated by: Sarah Gregory 2016 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link When I first read this verse, I had a really difficult time relating to it. Giving up everything you own for the good of those around you is very counter-cultural, especially when living in a city like NYC, where so much meaning is placed in your career and possessions. Writing from the perspective of someone inside of this lifestyle didn't sit right with me, so I decided to turn it around and write from the view of a person looking in. As an outsider, the two things that stood out to me the most in this passage were the supernatural event of the meeting place shaking and the deep sense of community. The house shuddering is a physical event, something tangible that can be seen and felt. The community speaks to all of our need for love and companionship; it's a gateway to the greater story of God's ultimate redemption of the world. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Taryn Randall is a native Californian who has lived in Brooklyn, NY the last 4 years. She recently finished recording her first full length album under the name COTE and is releasing the first single at the end of July. When she’s not working on music, Taryn is a jewelry designer for a number of companies, including her own, Jefferson NYC. www.jefferson-nyc.com Website Taryn Randall About the Artist Taryn Randall Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work