Christopher-Williams_Queen-of-SheebaQueen-Esther-resized.jpg Loading Video . . . Visual artist, Christopher Adam Williams (AKA "The Black DaVinci") celebrates the enduring beauty of women of character in this meditation on Proverbs 11:16. Proverbs 11:16 The Modern Day Queen of Sheba & Queen Esther By Christopher Williams ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Rebecca Testrake 2020 84 x 49.5 inches Oil on canvas and copper leaf ​ Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ "The Modern Day Queen of Sheba & Queen Esther" seeks to contribute to my emergent dialogue and expression of black joy. This body of work is dedicated to the joyous, resilient black women in my life. The use of the color purple invites a conversation about the color of our skin. Often our skin is associated with oil, darkness or dinginess. Darker skin, throughout history, has been considered ugly. However, the choice of the color purple is rooted not only in its beauty and luster, but also its royal ancestry. Colonial kings and queens decreed only royalty and the sophisticated were allowed to wear purple. Purple dye was considered more valuable than gold. My work depicts that African Americans wear their royal ancestry on their skin everyday. I then look back to early modern art history from the Byzantine art period, the gold, copper and silver leaf used in the background highlights my subjects as being blessed by God or as an object of veneration. The relationship of purple and gold allows for each portrait to project a majestic, heavenly glow. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Christopher Williams’ art practice focuses on Black Joy — a spiritual feeling that has uplifted the African Diaspora through countless trials and tribulations in the quest for freedom and equality. It defies a simplistic explanation. He explains its experience: Black Joy is like a heartbeat. Never bitter, it is sweeter than the blackest of cherries or the richest of chocolates. It’s like a steady climb or an out-of-frame kiss. It is a moment that is magical and void of being Black, judged and discriminated against. My joy, my Black Joy may not be the same as the next. It is my vehicle for connection, educating others and sharing my experience as a Black man. What makes the journey of my work unique is my ability to develop authentic empathy for my subject matter. I have found this process is like walking to the edge of darkness and then summoning the courage to take one more step to understand what lies beyond our differences. These steps are necessary to overcome bigotry, hatred and indifference, to embrace the pursuit of joy. Website Christopher Williams About the Artist Honor Thy Father Christopher Williams Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Composer Doug Detrick explores the account of Jonah (from Jonah 1-2 ) as it relates to the great American novel, Moby Dick, with his captivating work for jazz ensemble and narrator. Jonah 1:1-2 Ishmael and the Whale By Douglas Detrick ​ Credits: Performers: Ren Jackson, Narrator; Anywhere Ensemble Venue: Neighborhood Church of Greenwich Village, NYC Artist Location: Portland, Oregon Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2014 ​ ​ ​ Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ I was reading Moby Dick for the first time in 2013. As a joke, I started “live tweeting” my reading of the book, pretending as if it was one of the mass audience events that people usually treat in this way. My Moby Dick tweets started out snarky. “Ok, fine, I’ll call you Ishmael,” I said. But, as I got further into the book, and I started to realize that I was actually processing this book, understanding the details of the writing and getting to know the characters much better than I’m usually able to, especially for such a long work. In Chapter Nine, where Ishmael sits in a chapel on Nantucket and hears Melville’s retelling of the Jonah and the Whale story, I found the bringing together of these two stories really caused a profound collision of values. Jonah’s great humility makes Ahab’s hubris look all the more like naked aggression. Its an amazing foreshadowing of what’s to come in the novel. When I wrote my text, I wanted to bring out the background of both stories, and talk about why they seem to oppose each other so completely using a blend of journalistic techniques and theatrical character development. The narrator walks a fine line between commenting on the story as an investigator, and as a character from the story. The music works almost like another character, sometimes supporting the narrator, sometimes contradicting him, always amplifying the speaker’s wonder at the depth of intersecting meanings in this collision of stories. I want to offer sincere thanks to Spark and Echo for this opportunity, for their help in producing the premier performance, and for welcoming a non-Christian artist like me to participate in their project; to Ren Jackson for his great work with the text; to the musicians of AnyWhen Ensemble for their continued assistance in executing my diabolic plots; to Keith Biesack of ITGLOWSNYC for donating that amazing wine at the performance; and to Kirk Van der Swaagh of the Neighborhood Church of Greenwich Village for offering the use of their wonderful space in Greenwich Village. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Douglas Detrick is a Portland, Oregon-based composer, trumpet player, and arts consultant whose work in these diverse areas is distinguished by its quiet thoughtfulness and its embrace of good ideas from unconventional sources. He was awarded the 2011 Chamber Music America New Jazz Works and Presenting Jazz grants for his work with his chamber-jazz quintet Douglas Detrick’s AnyWhen Ensemble, and the commissioned work “The Bright and Rushing World” was premiered at New York’s Jazz Gallery in 2012 and performed throughout the United States. He is currently the Executive Director of the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, and performs in Oregon as well as touring nationally with AnyWhen Ensemble. As an arts consultant to individual artists and arts organizations, he helps to clarify goals and define strategies for achieving them through fundraising, program design, marketing, WordPress websites, and career coaching. douglasdetrick.com anywhenensemble.com Website Douglas Detrick About the Artist Douglas Detrick Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . In this collaborative project, visual artist Nicora Gangi, composer Jonathon Roberts, and vocalist Emily Clare Zempel teamed up to produce a multi-sensory response to Psalm 13. Psalms 13 Pain Pathway By Nicora Gangi + Jonathon Roberts ​ Credits: Collage by Nicora Gangi Composed by Jonathon Roberts Vox by Emily Clare Zempel Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2016 ​ ​ Collaborative Project Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ Nicora Gangi Meditations on Psalm 13- Pain – The Pathway to God’s Glory When I suffered with intense loneliness, my former pastor encouraged me to use my artistic gifts to visually express my feelings of rejection, anger, sorrow, regret, unattractiveness, physical needs, isolation, grief, and fear of what may be ahead. These feelings are most of the ingredients that I recognize as part of loneliness’ assault against the soul. Throughout the creation of these collages I called on the Lord to restore my soul. With groanings that I could not articulate, I appealed to the Holy Spirit to intercede for me before the Throne of Grace. I found that these artistic meditations helped me in the midst of my struggles. The collages in this series were all created from paper magazine images. Some were scratched into and some drawn upon. The main objective of these collages was to see God as He was actually revealing Himself to me: through this psalm. Timothy Keller has stated that the Book of Psalms is one of the books that Jesus quotes more than any other in the Bible. “The psalms were not simply sung by Jesus, they are also about Jesus.” This is a truth that has continued to keep me in the rich study of His WORD. Timothy Keller, Songs of Jesus (New York: Viking Press, 2015) 42. Jonathon Roberts Ever since Nicora Gangi told me about me her process of actively meditating on the Psalms through collages and color, it has lingered as an ideal and natural way grow in one’s faith and creative life. I’ve always longed for simple ways to infuse the Bible and creative activities into daily life, and I can’t think of a better example than Nicora’s. Creating a musical response to her series of meditations on Psalm 13 gave me an opportunity to “sit” in Psalm 13 and contemplate the psalmist’s words and Nicora’s response. At the same time, perhaps not coincidentally, I was playing music with my toddler Walter and started to sing “Just Am I”, open on the hymnal on our piano, playing around with a more introspective style. Next to the hymnal on the stand were Nicora’s images. Over the next few week, the stories of Psalm 13, Nicora’s meditation, and “Just as I Am” wove together and felt like a natural extension of one another. I imagine the singer working through all of this at once, singing, speaking, meditating, and listening through the span of this song. This beautiful performance by Emily Clare Zempel captures the emotion of Psalm 13. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Nicora Gangi was educated at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA (BFA 1974 and MFA 1976). She was a Professor of Art at Syracuse University for 29 years. Gangi has been awarded many Grand Prize and First Place awards and grants including the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award. She has been and continues to be published in numerous artist books on pastel paintings. She has lectured regionally and nationally as a visiting artist at universities and artist’s guilds. She is represented by: MME Fine Art, New York,NY, Bender Gallery, Asheville, NC, LM Gallery, Saratoga, WY. Jonathon Roberts is a composer and performer from Wisconsin living in Beacon, NY. By day he writes music for slot machines, by night, the Bible. With his wife, Emily Clare Zempel, he collaborates on music and theatre projects, and founded the arts non-profit Spark and Echo Arts. His style was shaped by studying at Lawrence University, touring the country in an RV as the Apostle Paul, performing in an absurdist downtown NYC music/theatre ensemble, and being father to Walter and Alvin. Website Nicora Gangi + Jonathon Roberts About the Artist Nicora Gangi + Jonathon Roberts Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Artist Evelyn C. Lewis created this meditative video in response to Joshua 4:1-7. Joshua 4:1-7 Memorial Stone By Evelyn Lewis ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2015 ​ ​ Film, Meditative Art Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ The mystical relationship between the earth and a spiritual kingdom are like that between every human and his or her resurrected nature. This symbolism is investigated through rituals enacted using devotional objects. My work aims to contextualize American Christianity in a critical way, encouraging consideration for our unique historical perspective on what is to be worshiped and how. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Evelyn C. Lewis is an artist and curator living in Brooklyn, New York. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Pratt Institute in 2008 and a Master of Fine Arts in 2014 from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. Website Evelyn Lewis About the Artist Evelyn Lewis Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Continuing with the son of heaven, son of earth themes, we’re showing how they get magic here and introducing The Good Lord as a character who, instead of using the word prayer, simply dialogs with characters in the books. In this section, we tee up some ideas that will come into play later and give some call backs to the previous book. Find the complete progression of the work linked below. Galatians 4:21-5:1 Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 2 By Lancelot Schaubert These stories contain strong language and may not be suitable for all audiences. Credits: ​ Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2019 2019 ​ ​ Fantasy Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ July 1, 2019 Continuing with the son of heaven, son of earth themes, we’re showing how they get magic here and introducing The Good Lord as a character who, instead of using the word prayer , simply dialogs with characters in the books. In this section, we tee up some ideas that will come into play later and give some call backs to the previous book. Hopefully by the time we do the fourth part of the commission, I can tie it all together neatly as a self-contained unit for the commission itself. For now, it’s functioning as what it is: a piece of a novel at the end of a trilogy. But it’s self-contained, I think, in its own charming way. The important part is the sort of biblical mythology as a magic system for these characters and how that will shape their journeys to come, specifically with how they will use their powers for good and evil a la the verse. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Lancelot has sold work to The New Haven Review (The Institute Library), The Anglican Theological Review, TOR (MacMillan), McSweeney's, The Poet's Market, Writer's Digest, and many, many similar markets. (His favorite, a rather risqué piece, illuminated bankroll management by prison inmates in the World Series Edition of Poker Pro). Publisher's Weekly called his debut novel BELL HAMMERS "a hoot." He has lectured on these at academic conferences, graduate classes, and nerd conventions in Nashville, Portland, Baltimore, Tarrytown, NYC, Joplin, and elsewhere. The Missouri Tourism Bureau, WRKR, Flying Treasure, 9art, The Brooklyn Film Festival, NYC Indie Film Fest, Spiva Center for the Arts, The Institute of the North in Alaska, and the Chicago Museum of Photography have all worked with him as a film producer and director in various capacities. Website Lancelot Schaubert About the Artist Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 3 Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 1 Posh Girls As Waters Cover Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert Dragonsmaw Daily | 1 Dragonsmaw Daily | 2 Dragonsmaw Daily | 3 Watchtower Stripped to the Bonemeal Metaphysical Insurance Claim 0075A: The Delphic Oracle Philadelphia Bloodlines Lancelot Schaubert Other Works By You can read his prior short stories (and chapters within his overarching story) in his first , third and final phases. Related Information View More Art Make More Art "Glittering Eyes" View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . "Glittering Eyes" Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Writer Laura Eve Engel brings us a piece in response Psalm 107:4-9. Psalms 107:4-9​ I AM SMALL By Laura Eve Engel ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Kent Shaw 2015 ​ ​ Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ I’m drawn, something like spiritually, to the vast landscapes–oceans, deserts–that seem to have the capacity, just by existing, just because we know they’re out there, to recall for us our smallness. One need not have been lost in the actual desert–though I have been, sort of–to come upon that feeling of relative size. In stuff-I-read-in-childhood terms, it’s Douglas Adams’ Total Perspective Vortex that is raised by the Biblical images of the desert wanderer: a reminder, among the galaxies, that YOU ARE HERE, and that “HERE” is imperceptible is an understatement. But this passage is, it seems to me, about expressions of gratitude, and when it comes to expressions of gratitude I’m a wanderer in the desert. I’m pummeled by a big wave. As a Jew when I offer a traditional prayer it’s often not in my native language and I feel relief at not always knowing what it is I’m saying. Where expressions of real spiritual depth are concerned I’m most comfortable when I’m a little bit confused, not able to catch all the language, and I can approach even my own ignorance with something like awe. I like feeling small in that way, I think. It’s a way of feeling part of a bigger and not always understandable arrangement, which has always seemed to me something like fact. But I also like feeling like a person, and sometimes boundless exaltation like the kind expressed in this psalm seems to me so much like the vastness of the desert, so calibrated to illustrate my individual human smallness, that it threatens to obliterate the self. That feels dangerous and, in the wrong hands, exploitable. I think I may be temperamentally averse to the pure exaltation this psalm and others prescribe. But it also strikes me that making a meaningful expression of gratitude is distinctly and necessarily not always about my own comfort. Reading and responding to these verses was an opportunity for me to consider smallness and the temptations and aversions that accompany one’s being faced with it, as well as how insisting on the boundaries and bigness of a self inside the infinite is an act that’s circumscribed by unclarity, and failure, and beauty. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Laura Eve Engel is the author of Things That Go (Octopus Books). The recipient of fellowships from the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing and the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, her work can be found in The Awl , Best American Poetry , Boston Review , The Nation , PEN America , Tin House and elsewhere. She's in a band called The Old Year. Website Laura Eve ​Engel About the Artist WISHBONE Laura Eve ​Engel Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art And still unclear is the quality of my lostness View Full Written Work I AM SMALL by Laura Eve Engel And still unclear is the quality of my lostness to the visible stars more visible in the desert great literature love places its wanderers under a slow tongue where fear grows plantwild the dark makes forms unknowable I give thanks for not in this dry moment having to answer for myself forage for wheat beneath the sky 's great bravery I must be a nettle or else a tiny trophy bound by sand these feet from time to time displaced gathered up where I was found traversing my actual steps a length of its own brief name Close Loading Video . . . And still unclear is the quality of my lostness Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Curator Emily Ruth Hazel responds to the theme of "Water" from Isaiah 55:1-13 in this poem. Isaiah 55:1-13 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 Hosea 6:1-4 Isaiah 29:13 Isaiah 41:17-20 Jeremiah 29:12-14 Word of Mouth By Emily Ruth Hazel ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Jonathon + Emily 2012 ​ ​ Poetry Primary Scripture “Hey! Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in richness. Turn your ear, and come to me. Hear, and your soul will live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you don’t know; and a nation that didn’t know you shall run to you, because of Yahweh your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.” Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do. For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace. The mountains and the hills will break out before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn the cypress tree will come up; and instead of the brier the myrtle tree will come up: and it will make a name for Yahweh, for an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:1-13 Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ “Word of Mouth” is a spoken word piece that echoes and expands upon the words of the Old Testament poet-prophet Isaiah, remixing with a contemporary spin the language and themes in the book of Isaiah. I focused primarily on Chapter 55, a passage that brims over with an exuberant sense of hope and possibility as well as an intimate sense of reassurance. Countering the scarcity mentality that is so contagious today, this passage reads as an invitation to engage with God and to live full lives that aren’t defined by our pasts or by our human limitations. Responding to this in poetic form, my aim was to reimagine how that invitation might translate in contemporary images and colloquial language, and how it could be filtered through the lens of the American cultural context to be understood in fresh ways. I wanted to capture the experiences of everyday people working in a tough economic climate. And I wanted to convey a sense of God coming alongside us—recognizing the contributions of those who may be undervalued, acknowledging the struggles we face, and affirming that change is possible, that we can live with a sense of trust and abundance regardless of our circumstances. While my work as a poet is often closely tied to my personal experiences as an individual, one of my goals with this piece was to explore a wider range of perspectives—including but also reaching beyond my own—to reflect our shared human experience. At the same time, I tried to envision God’s perspective on relationships with people. The creative risk in writing a piece that would essentially put words in God’s mouth felt weighty at times, as did deciding how to translate the tone, but I enjoyed the challenge of pushing past some of the traditional assumptions about God’s interactions with and attitude toward people. I wrote this piece with the hope that listeners would be able to find at least a part of themselves in it. Yet it is also a reflection of the speaker: as a person’s character is revealed through his or her own words, this is meant to be heard as a series of verbal paintings, a collective portrait of a surprisingly approachable, deeply relational, and radically generous God. Following the themes of Isaiah 55, I have kept the imagery of different forms of water flowing throughout the piece—although I have incorporated many other images as well. Water speaks of refreshment and restoration, which tie into the themes of thirst and hunger (physical, emotional, and spiritual) and transformation of landscapes (both natural and internal). The process of writing this piece was a little bit like reupholstering a chair: trying to preserve the beautiful, old frame (i.e., the essential concepts in Isaiah and the feeling of the language in certain places) but also taking some liberties in updating it with a contemporary color and pattern. I didn’t want the fabric of the new piece to completely clash with the preexisting parts. My hope is that the infusion of the new may encourage more people to sit in these words awhile and to appreciate the continuing relevance of the original text. “Word of Mouth” was inspired primarily by Isaiah 55, but Ms. Hazel also drew from other passages in the Old Testament with similar themes. Primary Passage: *Isaiah 55:1-13 Other Passages Incorporated: 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 Hosea 6:1-4 Isaiah 29:13 *Isaiah 41:17-20 Jeremiah 29:12-14 [Words and phrases were borrowed from a few different versions of the passage: the New International Version, New King James version, and The Message, (contemporary paraphrase, in colloquial language).] Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Emily Ruth Hazel is a poet, writer, and cross-pollinator who is passionate about diversifying the audience for poetry and giving voice to people who have been marginalized. Selected as the Honorary Poet for the 25th Annual Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading in Providence, Rhode Island, she presented a commissioned tribute to the Poet Laureate of Harlem in February of 2020. She is a two-time recipient of national Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Prizes and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for a residency at The Hambidge Center in 2014. Her chapbook, Body & Soul (Finishing Line Press, 2005) , was a New Women’s Voices finalist. Emily’s work has appeared in numerous anthologies, magazines, literary journals, and digital projects, including Kinfolks: A Journal of Black Expression and Magnolia: A Journal of Women’s Socially Engaged Literature. Her poetry has also been featured on music albums, in a hair salon art installation, and in a science museum exhibition. Emily has written more than twenty commissioned works for organizations, arts productions, social justice projects, and private clients. Currently, she is developing several poetry book manuscripts and writing lyrics for an original musical inspired by the life of the extraordinary singer and Civil Rights icon Marian Anderson. A graduate of Oberlin College’s Creative Writing Program and a former New Yorker, she is now based in the Los Angeles area. EmilyRuthHazel.com Instagram: @EmilyRuthHazel Facebook.com/EmilyRuthHazel Website Emily Ruth Hazel About the Artist Artist in Residence 2013, Emily Ruth Hazel In the Wake of the Storm Circling the Waist of Wisdom Give Me a Name Homecoming Runaway Give Us This Day Undressing Prayer Emily Ruth Hazel Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Then God leans over the cubicle wall and says, Anyone thirsty? All you nine-to-fivers, View Full Written Work Word of Mouth by Emily Ruth Hazel Then God leans over the cubicle wall and says, Anyone thirsty? All you nine-to-fivers, you coffee-carrying assistants holding together corporate empires— come to the water cooler. I’ll give you something to talk about, more to take home than a paycheck. All you hardworking construction crews standing by the roadside in the shimmer of the noonday heat— come out tonight. Drinks on me! All you underpaid nannies pushing strollers in the park, sweet-talking toddlers into napping so you can gather your thoughts like laundry flung about a bedroom; and all you parents at the water fountain hoisting your children to reach that cool stream, stop and take a sip yourself. All you drought-weary farmers, you who have invested everything tending crops that refuse to grow— come outside, the clouds are hanging heavy. When what you’ve prayed for finally falls, you’ll stand in the fields with your mouths open, echoing the earth’s own sigh of relief as the soil absorbs the long-awaited rain. Come, all you teachers tying knots at the ends of your ropes, all of you buried under lesson plans and papers to correct and ruled by the rosy assumption that catching up grade levels is a simple game of hopscotch, the pressure on you like that which makes diamonds out of coal— And all you college students living on Ramen noodles and PBR, surfing the waves of adrenaline as you cram for exams, struggling to stay upright and wondering if it’s worth it— All you truck drivers saying goodbye to your families again, your headlights pushing back the dark, the radio keeping you company as you watch another midnight disappear in your rearview mirror— All of you deserve a rest. So come, put your work aside, and be refreshed: come with your glasses raised, and I will revive your spirits. I will open the spigot in the cask of the sky. Come on, all you marathon runners at the back of the pack, legs rippling as you limp up Heartbreak Hill, panting, spent, wiping the sting of sweat from your eyes— I’m over here, cheering you on, handing you water and oranges. You who depend on coffee to wake you up and cigarettes to calm you down; you who can’t afford to need favors because of your bad credit; you who are tired of standing on buses, who are on your feet eight hours a day ringing up other people’s groceries and have no budget left for food until next Friday—let your children buy milk without lunch money. Then come, pile your shopping carts high at no charge! Bring home enough to make dinner for friends. * Why labor for what doesn’t satisfy, squandering your energy on what cannot nourish or sustain you? Why waste your hard-earned cash on cotton candy—a momentary pleasure, too sweet, that dissolves on your tongue, leaving you hungrier than you were before? Why do you spend precious dough on what is not bread? I’ve seen you staring into your brightly lit refrigerators, surveying their contents as if they hold your future. I know where you stash the chocolate and the bourbon, self-prescribed remedies for stress, insecurity, exhaustion. I know what you reach for when you’re hungry for approval and something resembling intimacy; when you ache to be coupled, and when you are lost in loneliness even in marriage; when the keen edge of disappointment slices you open; when you can’t seem to wash away the residue of shame under all your failures. You kowtow to the god of your stomach, gorge yourselves and still want more. You fill up on empty calories that spoil your appetite for truth while waiting for the real meal to arrive. I’ve come to offer you something better, to serve you a different kind of comfort food. Come with listening spirits and learn from me how to eat well. Come, enjoy authentic flavors; redefine delicious. I will feed you only the finest ingredients, ripe and in season, organically grown. Come to the wedding banquet: let your soul delight in the gifts of abundance. Come hungry, and receive a clean plate every time you ask. Come shameless with your Tupperware ready for leftovers. * Listen closely, you whose ears have been clogged, your inner ears inflamed, a tiny, restless ocean trapped inside— and you who have turned on the white noise of the television, pretending not to hear me, so sure that I would hurl a harsh word at you or misjudge who you are. I understand the pain of being misunderstood: you think you know me, but when was our last conversation? How many times have I tried to reach you and you have not answered? You have felt the pulsing in your pocket and ignored it. Sometimes you listen for a second, then hang up quickly, thinking there isn’t a real person on the other end, just some recorded message that’s irrelevant to you. Or you hear a voice, and you assume it’s someone trying to sell you something you don’t want, or a prank call that you’re not about to fall for —the way you prank call heaven when you say, Oh my God— but it’s me on the line. How can you not recognize the voice of one who loves you? Even now, if you call me while the phone is still warm in my hand, I’ll answer on the first ring. If you seek me out, you will find me; I won’t play hard to get. * Come to me, you who are out of gas, you whose lives are on layaway, whose hearts have gone bankrupt, whose faith has run dry— you who have searched for yourselves as if you were lost coins in between couch cushions; and you who have tossed pennies in a fountain of hope, only to see it be drained for the season, its springs uneternal after the first freeze. You whose lights have been shut off, who have boarded up the windows of your souls as if your bodies were deserted houses— you stumble around unseeing; your glasses are useless. You bark your shins and blame me, but it’s you who have closed your eyes. Come, open the curtains over your calloused hearts, and I will pay off your back bills, restore your power, and give you new lenses to look through. * Let the runaways return to me— the parent who waits by the window, heartsick, who catches a glimpse of the child staggering home, rehearsing apologies, and abandons all dignity, sprints to embrace the one whose wandering heart has wounded— the God who goes beyond forgiveness, the God who knows how to throw a party. Come back to me, the God who leaves the light on for you, even when I know you won’t be home tonight. My offer stands even for the cruel and corrupt, the calculating buzzards—let them come and have their criminal records shredded, throw to the curb their crooked ways of getting by, the stained and broken chairs and itch-infested mattresses with which they once furnished their lives. Let them leave behind the stench of their old garbage baking in the sun and travel light as they take a new road. What can I say? If I look like a fool for spreading such a lavish feast of love before those who are bound to crush me again under their retreating heels, it is simply because I am a God who longs, like you, for something more, weak with desire to lean close, to be known. You who sit in the back and stand on the fringes, thinking no one sees you— when you turn toward me, even the slightest shift, I notice. And when you speak to me, be it a yell or a whisper, I will listen. I linger in the hallway, hoping to be let in. You open the door, then close it again, unlock the deadbolt, but won’t take off the chain. I reach for you, and my hand is caught in the hinge of your indecision. Yet I am committed to you, my faithfulness founded on bedrock— a love that is built to endure disaster, not a flimsy model of affection constructed with Popsicle sticks but a love that is high and wide, fortified, strong enough to shelter you. Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. Still, I wring my heart out for you, drench you in a deluge of grace while you dabble in the shallows. You talk a good line, but your words are made of lace. Your fingers are always in some other pie. But if you will acknowledge me with more than the occasional nod in my direction, if you’re ready for honest conversations, if you will humbly offer yourselves as living prayers, and turn from your unfaithful ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive you. I will take you back, gather you into my arms: you will be my people, and I will be your God. If you let me, I will set your broken bones, clean your wounds, smooth healing ointment over all the places you’ve been burned. * I’m calling from the other side of night. If you choose me, I will bring you out of hiding— out of a life of crouching and ducking your head, enslaved by fear and cycles of destruction— out through trap doors, secret gates, alleys, and back roads. No yanking by the collar or twisting of arms. You will go forth in peace, and I will lead you— not into a beige, uninspired life, but into an adventure, the kind that keeps you guessing with every turn of the page. I will make your minds more spacious. When you cross over into free country, you’ll run with your arms wide open, leaping and shouting like children, unselfconscious. Even the wallflowers will bloom— closet dancers, those who save their singing for the shower—people from all walks of life, everyone who has tasted this freedom, joining together in a parade of praise. Mountains and hills and the birds that nest among them will burst into colorful song, all creation celebrating your return, your going forward new. You’ll hear my Spirit rustling through the trees; my breath will fill you as it fills the spaces in between the leaves. * You whose lives are like seltzer gone flat, reduced to an endless, meaningless to-do list, I will surprise you with joy that comes bubbling up from the bottom— the kind of joy that sneaks up on you like a hug from behind while you’re leaning over the sink washing dishes, or responding to a flood of business emails, water to be bailed out of your basement. And when you welcome me into the everyday mess, the peace I give you will not be the kind that sits smugly at an empty desk with its hands serenely folded, but the kind that sidles up unexpectedly in the midst of jackhammers and traffic and your partner’s latest rant and your boss’s overwhelming expectations and the children bickering in the dark when they’re supposed to be asleep and the unknown results from a blood test, the worry that gnaws on the edge of your mind. I will show you how to stand in the middle of it all, in a circle of calm, like the shade of a live oak planted in a busy intersection. * My work is a mystery to you: you can sow seeds, but only I can make them grow. The way a new life forms in the womb of a woman is to you a wonder beyond words. So how could you fully grasp all that I am preparing to birth within the hidden places of your hearts? My thoughts see farther than your thoughts, and my ways diverge from yours. My slowest thoughts drive faster than light, less than a breadth apart on cloverleaf interchanges, and never collide. My ideas fly seamless figure-eights miles above you, the infinity sign my signature in the sky. My dreams for you are far beyond what you have dared to imagine. * For the moment, your mouths are parched; you beg for water, finding none. But I won’t leave you thirsty. I am the one who knows your need before the word is on your tongue. As surely as the sun rises, I will appear; as surely as the spring rains come, after winter, I will come to you. I will open up rivers on the barren hills, the heights of desolation; I will change nature’s course and break the laws of gravity for you. I will make springs flow in the valleys, turn the desert into pools of water. Instead of stumbling into poison ivy, you will find the cooling balm of aloe. Instead of toiling like Adam after exile from Eden, only to force thorns and thistles from the ground— instead of a briar patch of curses to claw your way out of, torn and bleeding— instead, you’ll discover a field of blessing, orchards and vineyards, gardens overflowing with flowers. Where only scraggly desert scrub would grow, myrtle will flourish—each fragrant, white blossom exploding with beauty, pollen-dusted stamens shooting from the center like a spray of light. Myrtle will cure your infections, clear the airways so you can breathe again, protect the lining of your health so easily eaten away by anxiety. In the wilderness through which you’ve walked I will cultivate promise. With my bare hands I will uproot the thorn bushes, and in their place plant strong and stately trees: cypress, to stand as thousand-year testimonies, green through all the seasons; olive and acacia; sweet-smelling juniper and pine; redwoods towering in majesty, drawing your eyes to me. Cedars and sequoias will thrive, evidence of transformation in what was once a wasteland. I will write my name across this new creation just as I have inscribed your hearts, so that everyone may know whose work it is—that I, God, am the one who has accomplished this, who has bent impossibility backwards like a wire coat hanger, reviving the landscapes of your lives. Those who know you will recognize the change. Even strangers will come to you with questions, seeing in you the spark of the Spirit. * As the snow that slowly descends the escalator of the sky and does not ascend again until there is a thaw; and as the rain that showers the earth does not evaporate before it soaks in, trickles down below the surface, and waters the deepest roots; so the words of my mouth go out to the people in every part of the world—winged words sent out like homing pigeons, tiny scrolls tied around their ankles. They cannot land without leaving an impression in the sand, and they will not return to me without delivering the message of hope. My promises are never void; backed by the treasury of heaven, the checks I write will never bounce. And wherever you are, my words will run ahead of you to open the door when you arrive. From my lips to your ears, this is news to quench your soul, an invitation to be passed on. This is grace— not something you can buy bottled, but something to be shared, a cupful at a time. And as a paper cup that holds cold water is passed from hand to hand, these words are for you, the thirsty ones sitting in the back. Close Loading Video . . . Then God leans over the cubicle wall and says, Anyone thirsty? All you nine-to-fivers, Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Prayer, a direct setting of some of Apostle Paul's most beautiful words, also is the final scene in the theatre production Project Paul, by Jonathon Roberts. Ephesians 3:16-19 Prayer By Jonathon Roberts ​ Credits: Vocals: Jonathon Roberts Special Thanks: Scott Hawley Artist Location: New York City Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2010 ​ ​ Composition for Baritone and Tape Primary Scripture that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19 Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ Prayer was originally commissioned by Baritone Scott Hawley for his senior recital at Lawrence University. I then developed it into the version here, as the final scene in Project Paul, the multimedia show I co-wrote about the Apostle Paul. The text is directly from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and was not changed at all. It’s beautiful writing by Paul–passionate and expansive–that comes back to me often in my life, feeling new each time as the demands of life change. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ J onathon Roberts is a composer and sound designer for games, film, theatre, and ensembles. His style grew out of classical and jazz training, and evolved through quality life adventures: touring the country in an RV with a one person theater piece on the Apostle Paul, living in Brooklyn with an improv music ensemble, performing in a downtown NYC absurdist comedy band, and a long stint writing music for the renowned slot machine company, High 5 Games. He has released four albums including the latest, Cities a song cycle personifying biblical cities. He created the popular podcast/web series ComposerDad Vs. Bible , in which ComposerDad accepts intense compositional challenges from a mysterious Bible while out with his kids. He frequently collaborates on music and theater projects with his wife, actor Emily Clare Zempel. They live in Beacon, NY, with their two boys and a tangled box of electrical cords. www.jonathonroberts.com Website Jonathon Roberts About the Artist Loving Arms I Make Tents The Sower Response There Is Room These are My Sons Consider Me a Partner Weakness The Day Is Almost Here Surrogate Babbler Remember Me How Beautiful I Am a Fool The Constant Ecclesiastes Cows Blessing Fools for Christ More Than Rubies Only a Few Years Will Pass Dear Friend Jonathon Roberts Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Composer Jonathon Roberts is inspired by Ezekiel 1 and Chef Aarti Sequiera's "Ezekiel's Wheel Chickpea Salad" to create Wheels, a song that now exists in two versions, one for rock band and one for chickpeas. Ezekiel 1:15-21 The Wheels By The Spark & Echo Band ​ Credits: Musicians: Jonathon Roberts (vocals, piano), Emily Clare Zempel (bassoon), Matt Bauer (harmony vocals), Jay Foote (bass), Mason Neely (drums) Mixed by Alex Foote Mastered by Matt Shane (Masterdisk, NYC) Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2010 ​ ​ ​ Primary Scripture Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. The four of them had one likeness. Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel. When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn when they went. As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around. When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. Then the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Wherever the spirit was to go, they went. The spirit was to go there. The wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. When those went, these went. When those stood, these stood. When those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. Ezekiel 1:15-21 Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ The above rendition of "Wheels" is from the debut album of the Spark & Echo Band. The song, however, has an interesting history. In the first year of Spark+Echo Arts, when it was called Bible Confrontatie, the project emphasized confronting or responding to another artist's response to Scripture. In that vein, this song was originally created as a response to Chef Aarti Sequiera's Ezekiel's Wheel Chickpea Salad , another work in the Spark+Echo project. To create the song, I recorded the great sounds that came up as I made her salad in my kitchen: firing up the gas burner, roasting a red bell pepper over the burner (it whistled and popped), stirring up tahini, pouring chickpeas, chopping shallots, boiling beets, scraping the skin off the bell pepper with a knife, dropping and toasting walnuts in a pan (we were out of pine nuts). Then I sampled Aarti saying two words from her video: "Tahini" and "Chickpea." I used the tah, iin, and chi sounds. In the spirit of a Food Network style challenge, I limited myself to only the recorded sounds from the salad prep and Aarti's three syllables (tah, iin, chi) when making the composition. I cut the sounds up, pitched them at different octaves, and added delay and reverb. The text is adapted directly from the story of Ezekiel's Vision of God in Ezekiel 1. There are so many fascinating parts of this story, but since Aarti focuses on the mysterious wheels that Ezekiel saw, I thought I would also make this the focus of the song. I imagine the narrator emphatically telling the story of what he just saw to the first person he sees. When we see something incredible, barely believable, sometimes we focus on just one component of what we saw, the only part we can wrap our head around. Imagine a couple telling their grandkids about an extreme storm they just witnessed. The storm had tornados, torrential rains, and affected thousands of lives, yet the part of the story they tell over and over is that there was a mailbox in perfect condition yet up in a tree. The rest of the tale was unfathomable so they keep coming back to that mailbox. That reminds me of Ezekiel a little bit when he spends so much time focusing on the wheels‚-how many, how they intersect, that they move but don't turn. Perhaps of all the wild things he saw, the wheels were something that he could wrap his head around and communicate so he really focused on them. So those are the parts of Aarti's Recipe and Ezekiel's story I am confronting with this "Chickpea Edition" of the Wheels. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ The Spark & Echo Band is a family outfit of songwriting-storytellers led by husband and wife duo Jonathon Roberts and Emily Clare Zempel. Their music brings forgotten poetry and wild stories from the Bible to life: visions of sparkling wheels in the sky, hunger and thirst, and legends of love as strong as death weave with memorable melodies and captivating rhythms. Drawing from a classical background, influenced by the pianism of Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds, and emulating Paul Simon’s narratival techniques, Spark & Echo sings epic tales of love and adventure. The duo has collaborated on three full lengths albums (Spark&Echo, Inheritance, Cities Project), one video album (In the Clocktower), in addition to many theatrical collaborations, this very nonprofit, and two children. They live in beautiful Beacon, New York, with all of the above. Website The Spark & Echo Band About the Artist White Robe What a Day Deep Calls to Deep Yo Sé Do You Love Me? Where Can I Go? How to Be Free Flesh Lifeblood Artist in Residence 2015: Spark & Echo Band Take to Heart Frogs Ruined Inheritance The Spark & Echo Band Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . We are pleased to feature images of three stunning pastels from a series by Nicora Gangi entitled Sound of Their Wings. These works were created to capture sounds from the book of Revelation, focusing specifically on Revelation 9:7-9. Revelation 9:7-9 Sound of Their Wings By Nicora Gangi ​ Credits: Artist Location: New York City Curated by: Janna Aliese (Dyk) 2011 ​ Pastel on Canvas ​ Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ “My aim in this series of drawings was to capture sound. My reference for this idea came from the paintings by Diego Velázquez ‘Jesus with Martha and Mary’ and ‘Tavern Scene with Christ at Emmaus’. In these two paintings there is evidence of someone listening, in the background and in the foreground. “I wanted to experiment with capturing sound from the book of Revelation particularly Revelation 9:7-9. In this passage there is mention of the sound of locusts and the sound of the horses. Instead of using locusts I decided to use bees and a beetle. The bees represent diligence and faithful industry while the beetle crawling into the book (or on the fruit) represents evil, always eager to destroy the fruits (apple slices) of the righteous. It represents the silent enemy. “In the background of the still life is an engraving of an oil painting by Rosa Bonheur called ‘The Horse Fair’ to represent the sound of horses. The books of knowledge, stacked, opened as well as closed, represent God’s letters to us, the means for us to know God, along with the music and two musical instruments, which are the means for worshiping God. The white cloth, continually unrolled in this series, is like the white robe of our righteous LORD, which covers His people.” -Nicora Gangi Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Nicora Gangi was educated at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA (BFA 1974 and MFA 1976). She was a Professor of Art at Syracuse University for 29 years. Gangi has been awarded many Grand Prize and First Place awards and grants. She has been and continues to be published in numerous artist’s books on pastel paintings. She has lectured regionally and nationally as a visiting artist at universities and artist’s guilds. She is represented by: Edgewood Gallery (Syracuse, NY), and Gangi Studio (Winter Garden, FL ). Website Nicora Gangi About the Artist The Mountain of the House of The Lord I See Him but Not Now So Shall Your Descendants Be This One The Body without the Spirit | 1 The Body without the Spirit | 2 The Body without the Spirit | 3 The Sealed Ones Peace with God The Everlasting Protective Love of God Our Father When the Lord Gives Us The Land I See Him but Not Now The Mountain of the House of The Lord Paneled and Ruins Series The Harvest Spirit of God-The Spirit Hovering Memories Lies Fool Dance Your Truth from the Great Congregation Psalm 18 Psalm 16 Kiss the Son EAST, WEST, NORTH & SOUTH AT HIS TABLE Nicora Gangi Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Rev5 1 4 Lknights Main Image Lily Knights, For Reaching and Holding (detail) Lily Knights, For Reaching and Holding (detail) Loading Video . . . Artist Lily Knights transfers her love of murals onto canvas as she responds to Revelation 5:1-4. Revelation 5:1-4 For Reaching and Holding By Lily Knights ​ Credits: ​ Curated by: Lauren Ferebee 2016 88 x 64 inches ​ paint and ink on canvas Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ My piece is inspired by the idea of unexpected community. What a vivid image the text provides: all hands on deck, trying and equally failing. We put so much energy into proving we are worthy — to ourselves and each other. We want to be loved and heard and to do something with our time that matters. We spend our lives attempting impossible tasks and feeling a familiar sense of futility. But that is the essence of our humanity; our foibles and our failings unify us. When I read this passage, I want all those hands collectively coming up short to know that we are in this together and that we are leveled by our insufficiency, our inadequacy, our imperfection. When we recognize that, we can realize our connections to each other. The hands represent humanity and individuality, striving and art. The gold represents the divine, surrounding us and tying us to each other. I put this idea into practice while creating my piece. It was a process that took a few weeks, a lot of space and a great deal of patience. I spent some time with my anxiety, fearing I wouldn't be able to realize my vision, before I reached out to my friends and let them step in to lend a hand. Thanks to Valerie, Luke, Lucy, Jonathan, Jake, Bill and Andy. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Lily Knights is a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer. In addition to her creative drive to make art, she has a passion for working with local organizations involved in the arts and dedicated to community building. Lily lives in South Carolina with her children, Bebe and Amby. lily-knights.com etsy.com/shop/RaisetheProof Website Lily Knights About the Artist Lily Knights Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art ​ View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . ​ Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . In this final post, completing a poetry collection responding to every theme from the year, 2013 Artist in Residence Emily Ruth Hazel brings us a beautiful poem in reflection of the theme of "Memory" and Jonah 2:5-7 as a 2013 Spark+Echo Artist in Residence. Jonah 2:5-7 Undressing Prayer By Emily Ruth Hazel ​ Credits: Photo Credit: Justin T. Shockley Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts, 2013 Artist in Residence 2013 ​ ​ Poetry/Spoken Word Primary Scripture The waters surrounded me, even to the soul. The deep was around me. The weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains. The earth barred me in forever: yet have you brought up my life from the pit, Yahweh my God. “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Yahweh. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple. Jonah 2:5-7 Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link ​ It's been a privilege to journey through 2013 with Spark and Echo Arts, responding to each of this year's six themes as a Resident Artist. For this last piece on Memory, I was inspired by the biblical story of Jonah: specifically, his prayer from inside the whale that swallowed him (and became the vehicle of a second chance to fulfill his calling). I drew from my own memories as well—my experiences as an editor and as a college student before that, as someone on a continual quest for quiet who likes sitting in empty churches, and as a New Yorker fascinated by the daily mix of clothing styles worn by people from all walks of life. I'm interested in how what we wear reveals something about who we are, and in how frequently we connect with people (or don't) on that basis. Likewise, I wanted to explore how dressing God "in our own [human] image" can lead us to dangerously inaccurate perceptions of human/divine relationships, and on the flip side, how humanizing God can give us fresh perspectives that bring the spiritual within reach. (Of course, that kind of exploration requires acknowledging the gap—or chasm—between our limited understanding and who God actually is.) One of the images that came to me is from the publishing world. Back when editors' offices had narrow windows over the doors (often left open for air), writers sometimes submitted unsolicited manuscripts by tossing them "over the transom"—hence the phrase still used today. I've heard of a similar practice among musicians and would-be DJs eager for airtime on college radio stations. Artistically and spiritually, I can identify with the hopefuls looking to break in. As I was thinking about ways in and ways of reframing tradition, I was reminded of my occasional encounters with the Book of Common Prayer, which is used in Anglican church services. I also recalled a term I hadn't heard of until recently: Ordinary Time, which in the Christian liturgical calendar refers to all the months between Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. While certain seasons point us toward remembrance in more obvious ways, as a poet, I'm most interested in what we hold onto in the ordinary in-betweens. To remember is to return internally to a place we've been, to an image or idea, to an impression of or relationship with someone. Jonah's prayer inside the belly of the whale—"When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord"—is an expression of returning. And at its essence, every prayer is a return: to ourselves and to God, to a belief, or simply to a sense of gratitude. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection ​ Emily Ruth Hazel is a poet, writer, and cross-pollinator who is passionate about diversifying the audience for poetry and giving voice to people who have been marginalized. Selected as the Honorary Poet for the 25th Annual Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading in Providence, Rhode Island, she presented a commissioned tribute to the Poet Laureate of Harlem in February of 2020. She is a two-time recipient of national Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Prizes and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for a residency at The Hambidge Center in 2014. Her chapbook, Body & Soul (Finishing Line Press, 2005) , was a New Women’s Voices finalist. Emily’s work has appeared in numerous anthologies, magazines, literary journals, and digital projects, including Kinfolks: A Journal of Black Expression and Magnolia: A Journal of Women’s Socially Engaged Literature. Her poetry has also been featured on music albums, in a hair salon art installation, and in a science museum exhibition. Emily has written more than twenty commissioned works for organizations, arts productions, social justice projects, and private clients. Currently, she is developing several poetry book manuscripts and writing lyrics for an original musical inspired by the life of the extraordinary singer and Civil Rights icon Marian Anderson. A graduate of Oberlin College’s Creative Writing Program and a former New Yorker, she is now based in the Los Angeles area. EmilyRuthHazel.com Instagram: @EmilyRuthHazel Facebook.com/EmilyRuthHazel Website Emily Ruth Hazel About the Artist Artist in Residence 2013, Emily Ruth Hazel Word of Mouth In the Wake of the Storm Circling the Waist of Wisdom Give Me a Name Homecoming Runaway Give Us This Day Emily Ruth Hazel Other Works By Explore the other works composed throughout the year in Emily's poetry collection, created as a 2013 Artist in Residence . Explore her works created throughout the year: “In the Wake of the Storm” LIGHT AND DARKNESS (JANUARY 21, 2013) “Circling the Waist of Wisdom” FOOLS (APRIL 26, 2013) “Homecoming” DANCING (JUNE 27, 2013) “Runaway” LIES (AUGUST 8, 2013) “Give Us This Day” HARVEST (NOVEMBER 14, 2013) “Undressing Prayer” MEMORY (JANUARY 6, 2013) Artists in Residence Spark+Echo Artists in Residence spend a year developing and creating a major work in response to Scripture. Click on their names to view their projects. Current Artists in Residence Spark+Echo Arts seeks to develop and support communities of artists who engage with and create in response to the Bible. Due to the impacts of COVID-19 and some internal changes, we decided to pause the Artist in Residency for a year so that we could regroup our resources. Our hope is to continue offering this opportunity in 2021. Previous Artists in Residence 2020 Sapient Soul, Marlanda Dekine (Poetry + Spoken Word) 2019 Lancelot Schaubert (Short Story) 2018 Elias Popa (Installation Art) 2017 Aaron Beaumont (Music), Lily Maase (Music) 2016 Ebitenyefa Baralaye (Visual Art), Chris Knight (Film), Lauren Ferebee (Theatre), Stephanie Miracle (Dance) 2015 Benje Daneman (Music), Jason DaSilva (Film), Melissa Beck (Visual Art), Don Nguyen (Theatre), Christine Suarez (Dance), The Spark & Echo Band (Music) 2013 Nicora Gangi (Visual Art), Emily Ruth Hazel (Poetry) Related Information View More Art Make More Art As the one who turns the wheels inside our minds, behind the sky—the shifter and shaker of galaxies—is upstairs getting dressed in our own image View Full Written Work Undressing Prayer by Emily Ruth Hazel As the one who turns the wheels inside our minds, behind the sky—the shifter and shaker of galaxies—is upstairs getting dressed in our own image, God becomes a brand name proudly worn by a loud, forgetful people, though it clashes with their actions. A label others can’t afford to own, or dismiss as someone else’s style. And what is the founder changing into? Just another suit stiff from the hanger, second skin of a CEO who flies home to a mansion on a mountain of clouds, barely glancing through gleaming glass floors between prime time shows? What if God came down in everyday jeans and a t-shirt, at work invisible to us, like a radio DJ, a speaker of the air whom everyone and no one knows? Would God wear corduroy, a blazer with elbow patches, large feet propped up on a desk containing continents mapped with coffee stains, pushing papers off the back edge—another accidental avalanche? What if God is digging through the geologic strata of waiting pages, an editor who sees the sun-spark in our layers of schist, opens our hearts with a red pen of dynamite, then helps us in laying new foundations and moves us into the stories we are meant to inhabit? Thirsty for purpose, the brave ask for interviews, pitch their manuscripts and mixtapes over the transom, hoping someone will read their thoughts, listen to their midnight music. As for me, I worry that I’ll burn through some unspoken quota, wear out my welcome with the magnanimous powers that be. Rarely do I send an SOS, unless the bluff on which I’ve built my life is eaten away by the waves’ relentless hunger—stalling till I am poised to plunge into the ocean. One college semester, I drifted miles from shore, breath spent treading water, before I finally raised my arms, ready to be thrown a rescue ring from any passing boat. Washed up on the doorstep of an Econ professor, seaweed tangled in my throat, I stood outside mustering my nerve, scripting an appeal for an extension I knew I didn’t deserve. Minutes later, I walked back to my dorm bowled over by his Yes. And so it is during God’s infinite office hours in the four-chambered chapel of the heart. While thumbing through the days of Common Prayer, the book of Ordinary Time, a conversation picks up where it left off. The undressed approach: simply confessing a need, a lack of answers, a yearning to kneel on a cushion of grace instead of the bare stone floor. As I prepare to enter in, to strip down to the struggle, to unclasp all my anxieties, sometimes still I hesitate, knuckles to the wood. But even before I knock, from somewhere deep within, I hear a voice as solid as black walnut benches, luminous like turning pages, calling, as if not for the first time, Come in—the door’s unlocked. Close Loading Video . . . As the one who turns the wheels inside our minds, behind the sky—the shifter and shaker of galaxies—is upstairs getting dressed in our own image Download Full Written Work