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Markers
Mementos, souvenirs, keepsakes, whatever name you may use, they are
objects which we keep as reminders of a place, person, or time that
holds special meaning in our lives. It could be a photo of family or
friends, a postcard of a visited place, a shell found on a shore, a rock
picked up on a mountain trail. What they all share is a link to a point
in our lives and our memories – a marker.
Churches have markers also. They may indicate the growth of the church
itself – from cornerstone, to expansions, to renovations. But most are
in the form of gifts, memorials, and thank offerings. Objects given to
the church to remember or commemorate a person or event that has meaning
to its members.
Visual artists sometimes invoke these markers by changing their style,
creating a series of work with a common theme, or maybe just one work of
art that holds a special meaning – a representation of a place or event
in their lives. Perhaps artists, because of their created ability, are
more conscious of markers, but we all have them. And as we grow older,
we find we have a greater need for them.
A potter once told me that you should always keep the first piece you
make. Because no matter how far you journey or how much your work
changes, it will always remind you of where you began. On a shelf in my
home is a vase, wheel thrown by this man who became a friend and would
later die from AIDS. Art has a way of reaching out to us and touching us
– sometimes in unexpected ways.
When recording artist Jeff Johnson was struggling with the grief
following the death of a close friend he wrote, "I'm not sure why it had
to be this way, but I trust the process as my friend did too, and I'm
grateful for the 'markers'."
Dan Hardison
Editor, The Episcopal Church and Visual Arts
editor@ecva.org |
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Mother Of God
By Maura Lynch
From the ECVA exhibition
Icons and Prayer |
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Current Exhibition
Art and Faith:
A Spiritual Journey
A new exhibition that allows the artist to express how art and faith
are intertwined in their lives by including personal (and
sometimes intimate) stories along with their art. As one observer
described it, "a feast for the eyes and the heart".
More . . . |
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Born Again
By Ioana Datcu |
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The
mission of The Episcopal Church and Visual Arts
(ECVA) is to encourage artists, individuals,
congregations, and scholars to engage the visual arts in
the spiritual life of the church. ECVA values the
significance of visual imagery in spiritual formation
and the development of faith, and creates programs to
support those who are engaged in using the visual arts
in spiritual life.
To learn more about ECVA, please visit
www.ecva.org. |
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