Loading Video . . . Aaron Beaumont's new song explores the psychedelic nature of Peter's vision in connection to his introduction to Cornelius as described in Acts 10. Acts 10 Narwhal and Ocelot (Dietary Restrictions) By Aaron Beaumont Credits: Written, Performed, and Produced By Aaron Beaumont. 2016 Backup Vocals: Amanda Wallace Curated by: Sarah Gregory 2016 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Acts 10 is an incredible – and incredibly wacky – story. Intense heat, a meditation sesh on a seaside rooftop, culminating in a trance in which exotic animals appear out of thin air THREE times. It might be raving mad or psychedelic – either way, Peter definitely looks kind of like a person who, I confess, I would take pains not to sit by on the subway. This made me wonder, “What WOULD this story look like if it happened today? What would I have done in Peter’s shoes?” That’s the basis of Narwhal and Ocelot… that, plus, the irresistible opportunity to (as a theater writer and all around word-play dork) come up with a bunch of rhymes for “ocelot,” which I’ve never had an excuse to work into a lyric (and it was still a stretch) #lifegoals . Here, Joppa becomes L.A., my beloved former home and a place not especially scared of a little casual afternoon rooftop meditation (possibly paired with hot yoga). Also, Peter’s dietary restrictions – so L.A.! Having grown up a vegetarian, I get it, and still dabble. For instance, I too would abstain from eating narwhal and ocelot, probably even if I thought it was the Lord’s bidding? And therein lies the crux of this story for me: it isn’t simply that Peter gets this zany vision, but rather, that he also acts on it, traveling to a whole new city to rendezvous with an officer from foreign occupying forces. Highly taboo. And from what I understand, the outcome of all these absurd, weird decisions was (likely) the first non-Jewish Christian community. I, for one, as a healthy skeptic, given to perhaps excessive rationalization, would probably have dismissed this vision out of hand (perhaps even as a byproduct of the “shellfish that I ate”). But then, as an artist, and moreover, as a human, I’m constantly challenged to act on a tenuous vision – to organize my life around a conception of reality that is frequently at odds with the actual reality I’m confronted with. In a recent interview, Todd Rundgren says something to the effect that he’s an idealist, and boldly believes in a bright future for humanity – and as a result, he often finds himself kind of angry at humanity for regularly challenging this organizing principle. To me, the Acts 10 story illustrates the conundrum perfectly: the problems of perception and apprehension, and the elusive, complicated, sometimes absurd, and often frustrating nature of chasing a vision. This time, it works out for Peter. But what do we do with all the days when the crazy, transcendent rooftop vision isn’t accompanied, and affirmed, by an ensuing knock at the door? Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Aaron Beaumont has toured the U.S. and Europe as a pianist and songwriter and been invited to share his work in wide-ranging venues from the Sziget Festival in Budapest to KCRW Santa Monica to the Tribeca Film Festival to off-Broadway Theatre 80 in the East Village to the main stage of the West Hollywood Carnaval. L.A. Weekly wrote that Aaron's music brings "a new life to the ancient music-hall/pop piano-man tradition, with clear-headed songs of genuinely witty lyrical oomph and, most of all, a historically informed musical depth – all delivered with style, grace, wit and elan, of course." Aaron wrote one song, arranged two others, and served as a piano performance coach for the feature Permission (Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Jason Sudeikis, 2017 Tribeca Film Festival), which premieres worldwide February 2018. He also contributed two songs to the forthcoming series Dan is Dead (Drake Bell, Maker Studios) and two songs to the indie feature film Alex & Jaime (2017 Roxbury International Film Festival). Aaron contributed an original co-write (“17”) and several arrangements to Gil McKinney’s 2017 debut album, How Was I to Know, which reached #1 on the iTunes jazz chart and #8 on the Billboard jazz chart. He also co-wrote “Good Love” for Briana Buckmaster’s 2018 debut album (#1 iTunes blues, #3 Billboard blues). Other recent TV and film placements include original songs written for Cedar Cove (Andie McDowell) and Where Hope Grows (Billy Zabka, Danica McKellar; Dallas Film Festival, Roadside Attractions). Aaron has composed original scores for films and theatrical productions, including All the Lovely Wayside Things; Tall, Dark, and Handsome; Heart; Until We Have Faces; Shrew; The Fire Room; the Breakfast Show with Adam O; Companion; and Beyond Imagination, winning best score and sound design at the Hollywood Fringe Festival for his work on Fugitive Kind’s production of The Fire Room by Ovation Award-winning playwright Meghan Brown. In 2016, Aaron wrote a commissioned work for the Spark & Echo Arts project, and in 2017 Aaron created a larger scale work as an Artist in Residence. Aaron also works as an in-house arranger, producer, composer, and mix engineer for the Gregory Brothers / Schmoyoho, whose original music has earned them a gold and platinum record and nearly one billion views on YouTube, along with myriad collaborations on other platforms. Recent Gregory Brothers collabs include the Justice League film (ft. Gary Clark Jr.), Weird Al Yankovic, Debbie Harry and Chris Stein of Blondie, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bassnectar, Alex Wassabi, LaurDIY, Markiplier, Slow Mo Guys, Todrick Hall, J. Fla, The Resident (Fox Network), and the International Olympic Channel. Songs Aaron has worked on with the Gregory Brothers have received over 175 million plays on YouTube. In 2015, Aaron participated in the Ultraviolet Music and Arts Festival in Los Angeles as a featured artist and presenter, and performed with his band The Mots Nouveaux for the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 Rockwood Music Festival in Frankfurt, Germany. Aaron wrote the music and lyrics to the original musical, Behind Closed Doors, which sold out every performance at the historic Hayworth Theater, received multiple Broadway World L.A. Award nominations, and played for thousands of festival goers on the main stage of the West Hollywood Carnaval. Behind Closed Doors was selected to participate in the New York International Fringe Festival as a national show, enjoying a mostly oversold run at off-Broadway Theatre 80 in the East Village. Aaron was selected as a finalist as a composer and lyricist for the Fred Ebb Foundation / Roundabout Theatre Company Fred Ebb Award for musical theater songwriters, and received the Hal Gaba Scholarship for Excellence in Lyrics from UCLA/Concord Records. Aaron is currently developing new musicals with playwrights Meghan Brown, Andrew Crabtree, Peter Berube, and Cassandra Christensen, and a one-woman show with soprano Lorelei Zarifian. Lorelei and Aaron’s first musical triptych, Midtown Antoinette, was featured on NPR-affiliate WFIT in March 2016 and debuted as part of the Florida Tech / Foosaner Museum French Film Festival. Aaron also occasionally helps produce the outrageous bingo raves phenomenon, Rebel Bingo, in New York and Los Angeles, as featured in the L.A. Times, Guardian, and BBC , and recently played a run of five capacity shows in the downtown L.A.’s Globe Theatre as part of 2016 Night on Broadway. Aaron has collaborated as pianist, musical director, and/or co-writer with a panoply of music buddies, including Jason Manns, Gil McKinney, Sara Niemietz, Tim Omundsen, Dave Yaden, Nicholas Zork, Aaron Roche, Nick Bearden, Emma Fitzpatrick, Amanda Wallace, Shane Alexander, Ben Jaffe, Brett Young, Courtney Bassett, Eden Malyn, Luis Selgas, Aly French, Sam Heldt, Karma Jenkins, Emily Iaquinta, Lynette Williams, Meshach Jackson, Roy Mitchell-Cardenas, Kamasi Washington, Chad Doreck, J.T. Spangler, and Katrina Parker. He claimed several distinctions as a young classical pianist, including two-time Wisconsin Academy Musician of the Year, Andrews University Concerto Competition Finalist, and the British Royal Conservatory of Music Award of Highest Distinction for Piano Performance at the Newbold Creative Arts Festival. He currently serves as co-chair of the Carnegie Hill Concert Series in New York, featuring leading interpreters of classical and New Music from around the globe. In 2015, Aaron founded SongLab, an online songwriting community for emerging songwriters. The inaugural SongLab Series welcomed GRAMMY-winner Dave Yaden as special guest. In addition to working with other artists, Aaron performs as one-third of the pop trio, The Mots Nouveaux, alongside vocalists Emma Fitzpatrick and Amanda Wallace. The band celebrated their latest album release with a residency at Hotel Café, a six-month residency at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, and residencies at Rockwood Music Hall and Sidewalk Café in New York. They were invited to join the lineup for the Broke L.A. Music Festival in downtown Los Angeles, where Lyynks music hailed their set as the “greatest revelation” of the festival, one that “really thrilled the crowd” of thousands at the Lounge Stage (GroundSounds.com). The Mots Nouveaux recorded a new EP in Spring 2017 with co-producer Peter Barbee / Among Savages, with forthcoming tracks slated for 2018 release. Aaron released his debut solo project, Nothing's Forever (Not Even Goodbye), featuring the first ten songs he wrote, on Milan Records (Warner-Ryko) in 2008. In his spare time, Aaron enjoys playing the piano, traveling, eating, writing songs, making coffee, drinking coffee, collecting records, going for brisk walks, being near coffee, and composing extensive autobiographical sketches in the third person. Website Aaron Beaumont About the Artist Artist in Residence 2017: Aaron Beaumont - Part 3 Artist in Residence 2017: Aaron Beaumont - Part 2 Artist in Residence 2017: Aaron Beaumont - Part 1 Lightness of the Pines Artist in Residence 2017: Aaron Beaumont Aaron Beaumont Other Works By Read: Narwhal and Ocelot (Dietary Restrictions) lyrics Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Two, Oil on Canvas, 10 x 20 inches Lifted, Charcoal on Paper, 14 x 17 inches Loading Video . . . Abigail Barr explores the theme of "Community" from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 through two different works of oil and charcoal. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two and Lifted By Abby Barr Credits: Curated by: Matt Talmage and Renee Bergen, Pop-Up Curator 2012 Two: 10 x 20 inches. Lifted:14 x 17 inches. Two: Oil on Canvas. Lifted: Charcoal. Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Growing up in a strong evangelical family, my faith and art are deeply intertwined. I think of spiritual concepts in terms of visual images, and often the inspiration for my art comes from what I am learning or meditating on in my walk with the Lord. This project was no exception. I keenly felt my own insufficiency for the task and wrestled with the image throughout my time working on it, but ultimately I found my faith strengthened as I experienced the Lord inspiring and guiding me faithfully through the process. I have always loved creating illustrative work that suggests story, as well as using people as subject matter. For me, figures are a powerful way to tell a story and show emotion in my work. The passage I chose to illuminate (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) speaks deeply about the importance of relationships and community, of keeping yourself woven into the fabric of lives around you. Correspondingly, I wanted the two figures I drew to be joined inextricably as one whole unit, and yet distinguishable as separate entities, pushing and pulling on each other and displaying dynamic unity. I hope the image illustrates the power of bearing one another's burdens and carrying one another through hard times, even though this may be difficult and messy. We can only succeed by looking to the One who bore all our burdens perfectly, and continues to lift us up when we fall. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Abby Barr grew up in Hampton Roads, Virginia as part of a large, artistic family. She has been drawing and creating artwork as long as she can remember. Since her early teenage years, she has shown and sold her work, as well as fulfilled commissions. After graduating from high school, where she recieved four years of private classical art instruction, she went on to study Theology and Philosophy at Grove City College (2007), where she also consistently pursued art classes outside her major. Her mediums of choice include pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, watercolors, ceramics and collage. Abby has travelled and lived around the world, for both work and pleasure, and moved to Manhattan in 2011. She currently doodles and sketches in Harlem or at a shared studio near Columbia University. Website Abby Barr About the Artist Abby Barr Other Works By Abigail was chosen by our Pop-Up Curators, Matt Talmage and Renée Renata Bergan during a Spark & Echo concert at Pete’s Candy Store . Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be." This love song is inspired by the Bible's writings on eternal life, true lasting love, and the beautiful night time sounds of spring peeper frogs near the house I grew up in in Wisconsin. The Bible passage that appears directly in the song is Matthew 6:19-21, and the concept of dying to ourselves from Paul (1 Corinthians 15:31) is also prominent. Other biblical concepts include the influence of nature and spiritual forces on our lives, the lies we believe, and the hope of eternal life (see Psalm 136:1, 1 John 2:25, Jude 1:21). Matthew 6:19-21 Frogs By The Spark & Echo Band Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2010 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be." This love song is inspired by the Bible's writings on eternal life, true lasting love, and the beautiful night time sounds of spring peeper frogs near the house I grew up in in Wisconsin. The Bible passage that appears directly in the song is Matthew 6:19-21, and the concept of dying to ourselves from Paul (1 Corinthians 15:31) is also prominent. Other biblical concepts include the influence of nature and spiritual forces on our lives, the lies we believe, and the hope of eternal life (see Psalm 136:1, 1 John 2:25, Jude 1:21). This song was written at my childhood home after a break-up with a long-time girlfriend, Emily Clare Zempel. Year later, Emily and I reunited in NYC and got married. I sang this song at our wedding reception, and later, we recorded it as the Spark+Echo Band and toured it around the country. It used to be a sad song for me, but now it's a love song between us. -Jonathon Roberts 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 The Wheels 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 . . . Multidisciplinary artist Lauren Ferebee responds to Psalm 137 through her theatrical film. Psalms 137 while in a foreign land By Lauren Ferebee Credits: Curated by: Emily Clare Zempel 2013 Theatrical Film Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link In thinking about Psalm 137, I was struck by the phrase “daughter Babylon” – the female personification of land, which is a theme that recurs in history and in literature – the female body as a space to be mapped, conquered, and known. I thought about this in relationship to the psalm's overall discussion of self-silencing – the act of not wanting to sing for those that keep you captive, and yet knowing that if you don’t sing for long enough, if you are silent for long enough, you will forget your song. “while in a foreign land” explores what silence does to memory: how the real violence in the act of conquering and destruction is an act of forgetting. I deconstructed this narrative to look at small pieces of it from different points in time, overlaid with video highlighting different aspects of the female body in space and how we respond to it. In particular, I examined the narrative of sex slavery in our culture, and how we distance ourselves from its brutal reality. I struggled with that even in researching it. Learning about young – very young, impossibly young – girls being tortured, drugged, and kidnapped all over the world (even in our country) was a wake-up call for me. Women distanced from their bodies even as they are defined by their bodies. This piece is only the beginning of a long examination of everything I found when I started digging – the beginning of my artistic confrontation with the subjugation of women’s bodies, and the way that global patriarchy systematically condones the separation of women from their deepest selves, through violence, through language, through culture, ultimately resulting in their decision to silence themselves, as the speakers of Psalm 137 choose to silence themselves, even as they fear forgetting the roots of their songs. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Lauren Ferebee is a Texan native and a multidisciplinary artist whose primary mediums are playwriting and installation/video art. Most recently, her play The Reckless Season was selected for Stage West’s Southwest Playwriting Competition Festival of New Works, and her alternative screwball comedy Sexual Geography was a finalist for the Reva Shiner Comedy Award at the Bloomington Playwrights’ Project. In 2014, she was a juried fellow at Saltonstall Arts Colony, a semifinalist for the Shakespeare’s Sister fellowship and the first theatre-artist-in-residence at HUB-BUB in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where in addition to writing, she did community-based theatre work. Her most recent work includes Sexual Geography (developed at HUB-BUB), The Reckless Season (The Spartanburg Little Theatre/HUB-BUB), Somewhere Safer (FringeNYC 2013, Inkwell finalist), and Blood Quantum (At Hand Theatre & WET Productions). Three of her short plays, jericho, jericho , Bob Baker’s End of the World and The Pirate King are published online at indietheaternow.com , where Somewhere Safer is also published as part of the 2013 Fringe Collection. She is a member of playwriting collective Lather, Rinse, Repeat, and studied playwriting, screenwriting and television writing at Primary Stages/ESPA. Lauren also has regional and NYC credits as an actress on stage and in film, and from 2007-2010 was co-artistic director of a site-specific classical theatre company, Rebellious Subjects Theatre. She especially enjoys acting in and teaching Shakespeare and working on new plays. She holds a BFA in drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Website Lauren Ferebee About the Artist Artist in Residence 2016: Lauren Ferebee Part 1 Artist in Residence 2016: Lauren Ferebee Part 2 Artist in Residence 2016: Lauren Ferebee Part 3 Wonders of the Deep Artist in Residence 2016: Lauren Ferebee Lauren Ferebee Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Damien Johnson Alma No 5 Loading Video . . . Multi-disciplinary artist Damien Johnson (also known by his artist name "Kid Moon Slayer"), explores his personal identity in connection to the passage of 1 Timothy 6. 1 Timothy 6:1-21 ALMA No 5 By Damien Johnson Credits: Photo Credits: Luis Gonzalez Curated by: Laurel Justice 2018 12 x 24 inches Spray paint, Acrylics, Glitter and Markers Mixed Media on Wood Board Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Alma No 5 explorers the hidden Concepts and direct instructions stated in 1st Timothy, Chapter 6. The human soul Traverses to a higher spiritual self. Royal purple and a lime green background represent a kaleidoscope of emotion and a calming resolve. The kaleidoscope of feelings includes how I felt while making this piece and the color combinations that I Incorporated in this work. While the purples and greens representative royalty; black symbolizes negativity and sin; gold is linked to Holiness and the white shimmer represents purity. The gold and diamond white shimmer cast and protect against the negative space, invoking a sense of peace and elevation. Red represents Pride and strength without being high-minded and the orange compliments that red. The subtle green that is in the drawing around the eyes of the man are to compliment and hint at that Royalty possessed within himself. The lion symbolizes the unwavering pride from the spiritual realm and the melanin-rich brotha entails his loyalty connection to that family. Lions do not question who or what they are: they simply know. The lion also refers to the tribe of Judah who Yashua belonged to as well as many others mentioned in the Bible. Since Timothy's mother was Jewish , she may have come that tribe. I had to do some reading of the books around this passage to get clarity on my choice of the lion as a symbol when I was making this piece. I believe selecting the lion as the representation of spiritual strength was the best choice because whenever a lion is talked about — inside or outside of the Bible — it is depicted as a strong and Ferocious Beast. A lions knows what it is: does not imitate being something else or downplay its being. I really tried to tie that into this passage of the Bible where it's talking about having your faith and truly pursuing Christ. When Lions speak, you hear it clearly. The message here is also clear: Not allowing yourself to be defeated or overtaken by adversities that are presented in the Bible; not giving into temptations that are presented before you; and the result of what happens when you do go astray from the clear instructions that Scripture tells you to follow. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Damien (KMS — Kid Moon Slayer ) is a 23 year-old, Afro-Hebrew, Colorado-based self taught multidisciplinary artist who loves exploring the wide array of offerings across the spectrum of expression. In addition to owning a family catering and entertainment company, he explores all mediums from paint to dance — hip hop, salsa, contemporary, modern and freeform — and music-making to flying through the sky — tricking and acrobatics. Tricking is the stunt and flashy style of body movement taken from commonly, but not limited to: Fighting disciplines, dance forms, gymnastics, cheerleading, etc. Originally meant to add some "spicy" flare to martial arts and display sportsmanship as well as distinguish you from other contestants or make your arts flow better eventually developed over the last generation into its own sport and since has only grown all around the world. Although the community is relatively large, it is still new and unheard of to the general public. "Art is an Expression of the soul and power beyond measure and this artist believes that with this life you get a chance to change, say or do anything. What will you do and how will you make every moment count? Inspiration springs to life when you see what everyone sees and are captivated by the unknown." — Damien Website Damien Johnson About the Artist Damien Johnson Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . This thought-provoking poem written by Lancelot Schaubert challenges readers to imagine the world after capitalism has fallen, which is in response to Amos 6: 1-14. Amos 6:1-14 Stripped to the Bonemeal By Lancelot Schaubert Credits: Illumination Representation Image by Lancelot Shaubert with Ai on Midjourney Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2022 Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I focused on the alliterative meter for this piece to give a sort of Old English Beowulf or Nordic ire. Most of the Hebrew ire is lost on us. I hoped an epic meter would round this out. 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 2 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 Metaphysical Insurance Claim 0075A: The Delphic Oracle Philadelphia Bloodlines Lancelot Schaubert Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Time will come when the tyrants wane, When Cape Cod will be encased in ice Frozen like the final fires of hell View Full Written Work STRIPPED TO THE BONEMEAL By Lancelot Schaubert Time will come when the tyrants wane, When Cape Cod will be encased in ice Frozen like the final fires of hell Where the tears of the taker confine. To these Bible Belt complacent we say WOE — To Lexington’s healthy horse breeders, To Houston’s oil oligarchs and their wives, To St. Louis’s stealers of farms (The corn mutants of Monsanto fiefs), To Indy’s hoarders of insulin patents, And redlining real-estate Brokers spread like a patina of SPAM — We say woe to you wicked Christians. You feel secure in the coastless heights. For Saudi and Iraq, for the Soviets and China. For Mexico City and Singapore. For Japan and Uganda, for Polynesia and Sweden. Are they so much worse for wear to insult? Are you so better off than these beautiful places? And there will be time for The End to anguish greed. When your lapis lazuli La-Z-Boys® Fold inward in a fractured heap, When the mojitos you inhale dockside Slip in your sweat and shatter on deck, When your Golden Globes gilded in Peru mines Tarnish by your misinvoiced trade policies, When your Powers That Be lose your power in three Carefully placed hurricanes, When your poor will be seen, empowered and whole. Enjoy your tours of juniper spirits, Foodie reviews and festivals of music. Enjoy your Costco wine and calves. Your people — your poor — lie in ruin. And because of that: America ain’t great. "If the civility of a society’s what you want to size, Take a deeper look at its prisons.” —Dostoevsky The meal will get stripped to the bonemeal. The lounge will stiffen, so languishes the sex, And the market crashes making you the poor And not merely the poor in meek spirit. When your pride is ended, you will ask this: How did the meek shall inherit the earth? Close Loading Video . . . Time will come when the tyrants wane, When Cape Cod will be encased in ice Frozen like the final fires of hell Download Full Written Work

Maria Fee Panegyric2 Loading Video . . . We are pleased to share this brilliant and beautiful work by painter Maria Fee, based on 1 Corinthians 12:26. 1 Corinthians 12:26 Panegyric By Maria Fee Credits: Artist Location: New York City Curated by: Janna Aliese (Dyk) 2009 9 x 12 inches Oil on wood Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link My work has always been process driven. Works evolve, mutate, meander, and grow. Images come, go, stretch, disappear. The end of a painting is just the close of a chapter, the preparation and introduction to the next work. Working in such an organic manner the images tend to reflect personal ruminations‚ an ongoing conversation with the medium and the questions of daily living. I tend to grapple with themes of acceptance and belonging: life lived in the tension between individuality and community;the struggle for unity and union without demolishing the personal and particular. In all my art-play whether it be with paint, collage, or fabric, I've learn that making art is a faith journey; living in the tension can be good and beautiful; and, art making aids our exploration of the mechanized, consumerist, and fractured world we live in. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Maria Fee previously served as an arts ministry coordinator in the Center For Faith & Work (CFW), Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Maria was the visual coordinator for various Redeemer projects and facilitated collaborative programs such as the in-house literary magazine, creative showcase night, the writers vocation group, and an annual juried exhibition. Maria’s work as a painter reflects her own theological queries regarding being and becoming within a communal body. She holds a B.F.A. and M.F.A. in Painting from Queens College, C.U.N.Y. and a M.A. in Theological Studies from New Brunswick Seminary. Maria is a native New Yorker and married to Brian Fee, also an artist. They have three grown children. Maria has been published by a variety of visual arts journals. Most recently, she was featured in the journal of the Society for the Arts in Religious and Theological Studies writing about the work of Russian artist Natalia Goncharova. Website Maria Fee About the Artist Maria Fee Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . The Sower is a song and group collaboration in response to Jesus' "Parable of the Sower" as told in Mark 4:1-20. Spark and Echo Arts led an audience of brave adventures in the Massachusetts Berkshires to create mini-soundscapes in response to the parable. Mark 4:1-20 The Sower By Jonathon Roberts Credits: Concept and music by Jonathon Roberts Artist location: New York City Curated by: Jonathon Roberts 2011 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This piece was created at the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod North Atlantic District 2011 Labor Day Retreat in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Audience members were recorded as they pondered and improvised sounds in response to the different scenarios in Jesus' Parable of the Sower. The audience explored the farmer throwing seeds on rocky places, among thorns, where birds can snatch it, and finally on good soil. We're always excited to create new work with other people, so we're thankful to the retreat organizers and audiences members for including us in this very fun weekend in the mountains. 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 Response There Is Room These are My Sons Consider Me a Partner Weakness The Day Is Almost Here Surrogate Babbler Remember Me Prayer 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

Gideon Loading Video . . . Artist Maida Jasperson responds to Gideon's Trust of God in Judges 6:19-40 through her piece titled, Gideon's Trust. Judges 6:19-40 Gideon's Trust By Maida Jaspersen Credits: Curated by: Matthew Moore 2023 Paper Illustration Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Part of Gideon must have been terrified when God commanded him to destroy his own father's altar to Baal. He waited until the middle of the night to tear it down, safe from the judgments of the townspeople and his family. Despite his fear, Gideon displayed incredible faith and did as God instructed. This illustration is meant to capture his determination and conviction as he takes action. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Maida Jaspersen is a studying illustrator and painter at Bethany Lutheran College. Her intense sketchbook-filling tendencies along with her classes have equipped her to communicate effectively on paper. Her first published work was a picture book about Queen Esther for Branches Band. Since then she has continued illustrating Biblical accounts with WELS Multi-Lingual productions. Website Maida Jaspersen About the Artist John the Baptist Maida Jaspersen Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Poet Lauren Berry brings us two beautiful poems that explore the theme of eavesdropping in 1 Corinthians 14:33, Luke 12:3, and Ephesians 4:31-32 in a very intimate way. 1 Corinthians 14:33 Ephesians 4:31-32 Luke 12:3 A Husband Eavesdrops as His Wife Confides in a Box of Matches By Lauren Berry Credits: Artist Location: Houston, Texas Curated by: Hayan Charara 2014 Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Of the three Bible verses that have inspired these poems, the most compelling for me is, “For God is not the author of confusion…” from 1 Corinthians 14:33. I am currently teaching Truman Capote’s 1965 non-fiction masterpiece, In Cold Blood , which vividly connects to notions of eavesdropping. In the book, Capote observes a small-town Kansas community whose innocence is shattered when a family of four is mysteriously murdered in their modest country home. No evidence. No apparent motive. When Capote first discovered the tragedy in the newspaper, he telephoned his New York editor and demanded that he board a late-night train across the country so that he could immerse himself in the community’s reaction to the tragedy. In the years that followed, he became embroiled in the act of listening to other’s conversations and quickly became an expert on the townspeople who “found fantasy” in recreating the events of the murder (pg. 5). He studied the electricity of their speculation; how abuzz they were with the churn of the hypothetical, how hungry they were for hearsay. In short, Capote crafted art out of the practice of placing his ear to the hive. To eavesdrop is to seek the truth— but not in a way that God would condone. We know this, and yet are tempted by the guilty pleasure of overhearing private conversations. I wonder: why are we so desperate? Why do we concern ourselves with the business of others as Capote and the townspeople did in In Cold Blood? The most generous answer that I have is this: human beings are hard-wired for making sense of chaos. We desire the possibility of comfort brought by any semblance of the truth— even if this search for truth results in the proliferation of misperception and boundary breaking. The poems that I offer here engage in this question about the bittersweet pleasure of voyeurism—the choice to transform an act from the private to the public. In “A Husband Eavesdrops As His Wife Confides In A Box of Matches,” a husband craves the “truth” gained from observing his wife’s dialogue with an inanimate object. When writing, I sought to disrupt the traditional eavesdropping structure by placing an inanimate object where a female friend or relative might appear. In “What I Want The Neighborhood Wives To Say About Me The Next Time I Lose Another Baby,” the disruption of the traditional structure offers not pleasure, but healing for the speaker, as she is able to play the role of puppeteer; she finds power in creating the very dialogue that she wants her community to have about her. In reading both poems, I hope that readers will consider: What are the consequences of this type of voyeurism? What would we gain if we could rip the curtain? Should we? Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Lauren Berry received a BA in creative writing from Florida State University and an MFA from the University of Houston, where she won the Inprint Verlaine Prize and served as poetry editor for Gulf Coast. From 2009 to 2010 she held the Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellowship at the Wisconsin Institute. Her first collection of poems, The Lifting Dress, was selected by Terrance Hayes to win the National Poetry Series and was released by Penguin in 2011. She currently lives in Houston where she teaches AP English Language for YES Prep Public Schools, a charter school whose mission is to transform the low-income communities of Houston through college preparatory education and community service. Website Lauren Berry About the Artist Lauren Berry Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Some nights I cannot remember what I 've promised him. Some nights I cannot speak at all. How long will it take to convince him that View Full Written Work A HUSBAND EAVESDROPS AS HIS WIFE CONFIDES IN A BOX OF MATCHES For God is not the author of confusion… 1 Corinthians 14:33 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light. Luke 12:3 Some nights I cannot remember what I’ve promised him. Some nights I cannot speak at all. How long will it take to convince him that my mouth contains no open dictionary? Some nights I cannot speak at all; I cannot go more than three full days with a dictionary of prayer in my open mouth. He will need to build me a room where I can be alone. I cannot go more than three full days without longing for my father, the fire wrangler. Maybe he could build me a room where I can be alone with the memory of my mother, who sold diamonds while she longed for my father and for fire and for danger. The light in the store made her look younger. I don’t have memories of the diamonds my mother sold before their farm house burned to the ground. Did the light of that fire make her look younger? I oil my forehead and cheeks before I sleep. Who burned their farm house to the ground? Will my husband be wise enough to hide his matches? I anoint my forehead and cheeks before I sleep. There are things I doubt my God will forgive. Will my husband be wise enough to hide his matches? He will need to find a way to bring my Florida back. There are things I doubt my God will forgive. What is the remedy for escaping a small enclosed space? I will need to find a way to bring my Florida back. I will become the perfect wife. I can make dull things bright. WHAT I WANT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WIVES TO SAY ABOUT ME THE NEXT TIME I LOSE ANOTHER BABY Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32 1. June Gillespie should say, If you placed a sheet of white paper into a bathtub of scald, and from the marble edge you sang the length of the alphabet twice before slipping the paper out and expecting it to beat a man in an arm wrestling match, the result would be this woman, here. 2. Marguerite Elliot should say, It’s simple. She is tired from shifting between each of the wives she is supposed to become: the grief counselor, the washer of others’ hands, the translator of dictionaries, the voice of reason, the knife through every apple, the blade sharpened always, her glare too beautiful when its drowned in a juice that sets the hearts of men racing when she winces. 3. Claire Donnaway should say, We drink black coffee every morning. We drive down to her house with the perfect lipstick, casseroles. And yet— 4. Anna Marvin should say, What is anyone supposed to do with her story? Why won’t this town just let her lie down in a bed of white sheets, coverlets pulled up around her neck by a decent doctor now. A good pillow under her head would let her dreams alone. 5. Rebecca Halifax should say, Who was this woman before her song became a tangle of everyone else’s wishes? In my fantasy for her, she can’t even read. We can’t trust her to hold so much as a glass of water. We have to tell her if she’ll need a jacket to go outside. Let her never empire, never white silk, never moonstruck, let her never leap year, never one-way. Let every theater she enters have the spotlights switched off. Let the bulbs break in all our hands. 6. Elizabeth Vaughn should say, Has she slept since he broke her bedroom door down and found her on the floor with blood in her nightgown? That cracked door leaned on the garage for a week before it was taken away. Who knows now where that gold doorknob turns? To what does that door open now that she can never close? Close Loading Video . . . Some nights I cannot remember what I 've promised him. Some nights I cannot speak at all. How long will it take to convince him that Download Full Written Work

He Wept Katherine Marley 1 Katherine Marley, Lament, 36 x 36 inches Katherine Marley, The Space Between, 36 x 48 inches Loading Video . . . Artist Katherine Marley explores the liminality of space, existence, and Jesus' tears in this set of paintings responding to John 11:35. John 11:35 He Wept By Katherine Marley Credits: Artist Headshot by Lynn Scheuermann Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2020 Two works of differing sizes Mixed media, acrylic and oil pastel on canvas Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link My art is a raw, real time expression of the living gospel and my personal relationship with the Lord. I began thinking about the man in which Jesus was — the emotion He felt — and I became overwhelmed with the notion that this man-who-is-fully-God weeps for us, His friends and family. I began to see Him grieve and shed tears, just like us, caught in emotion of lament. When painting, I am often taken through a journey in my mind. It is more than art to me: it is a healing process and is an expression to always lead me to deeper wonder and connection with the Lord in an intimate level. I find that in my process of creating, I lose touch with thinking. It becomes more about the movements in each emotion that comes over me, the flow between healing and release — the movements between unaware and revelation — the concept of liminal space between heaven and earth and Jesus' tears. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Michigan-based artist Katherine Marley makes abstract paintings comprised of scraped, smeared, scribbled, and pools of pigment that interprets healing through the thoughts between what is known and the truth of how it is felt. Graduating from Kendall College of Art and Design, Katherine paints intuitively and spontaneously at her home studio and in live performance speed-painting with perceptive, powerful, and often abstract prophetic images in vibrant expressions of color and emotion. Katherine is dedicated to releasing spiritually powerful art into our communities and culture. Katherine also runs an art therapeutic ministry called Hello My Heart where she focuses on healing deep rooted emotional trauma with her students and is now in the process of partnering with a state certified nonprofit to build its own program dedicated to helping victims of trauma. Katherine has partnered with The Hope Project which specializes in human trafficking recovery, Fresh Coast Alliance for recovery therapy with former prison inmates, where it allowed anyone willing to come and gain emotional healing ranging from ages 13 and older. Website Katherine Marley About the Artist Katherine Marley Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Installation artist Elias Popa presents his last post as Spark+Echo Art's 2018 Artist in Residence and showcases the completion of his gorgeous work responding to Job 38-41. Job 38:1-24 Job 38:29-41:34 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa By Elias Popa Credits: Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2018 2018 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Often, like all my work, the laborious repetition of action creates a space for meditation. The individual placement of each blade of dried grass, the meticulous angling of the mirrors, and endless visual repetition of the grass itself in the mirror — these all created a space for me to think of Job. It is perhaps easy to think of the passage in Job where he comes under the fiery arguments of God to be a scene of overwhelming fear, awe and trembling. Those aspects are definitely found there. However, I wanted to capture a deeper meaning in the story. Despite the jarring vocabulary used in this passage, I believe God was being kind to Job, allowing him to see a mere glimpse of the overwhelming presence of God. Like a small crack in time, or a narrow gateway, like Moses, Job gets to see a fragment of God. A glimpse of eternity. An unending field in the midst of temporal circumstances. I wanted to capture this small breath, this myopic moment, where Job sees God. A narrow gate which when passed through reveals unending creation. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Elias Popa was born April 7, 1987 to Romanian immigrants in California. After traveling between his home in Romania and throughout the United States, he continued his travels into his adulthood by moving to China, traveling Southeast Asia, South America and working with refugees. During his travels around the world, his worldview in art was deeply impacted. “My art expresses the struggle of identity and hope, worship and expressions of life. It explores common world views and challenges them. My work shines a light on the temporal solutions we put in place to replace what we really need deep inside”. As an installation artist, Elias uses conventional materials such as paper, wire, thread, and clothing to evoke a deeper understanding about social structures. His aim is to solidify abstract ideas about the nuances that make up sociological structures. By doing so, he retrains the eye to build a visual literacy again and treats the art as a fundamental language. He also studied dark room photography for 10 years, as well as writes poetry. Through his art, Elias started The Human Rights Network, a non for profit organization aimed at “telling stories that change lives.” The organization aims to build narratives through art that can impact social issues and generate activism. He currently works as a curator and manager of the esteemed Waterfall Mansion and Gallery on the Upper East Side, as well as the founder of the Human Rights Network. He resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan where he works out of his home. He was the recipient of CFW’s artist vocational intensive, held at Princeton University. He also was selected on an Interfaith and Arts Panel at Columbia University, as well as regular participates in speaking engagements. Website Elias Popa About the Artist Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 1 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 2 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 3 The Art of Kintsugi and Sacrifices in Sidewalks Elias Popa Other Works By Follow the development of Elias' project by reading his first , second , and third posts written as 2018 Artist in Residence. Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work