HopeArts

The community at HopeArts, this coming school calendar year, will be focusing its efforts and energies on fostering deeper community. The Arts Hope Group will meet twice a month, on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month (exact location TBD; but likely someone’s home). The meeting will begin at 6:30 P.M., will be potluck style, no childcare is provided but children are welcomed. The first meeting will be Saturday, September 7th. 

And as several previous posts have brought up, we will be exploring the Hope Chapel Mission Statement, and what that looks like for us as artists, and as a community of artists. Likewise, we will be exploring these topics relative to (and in concert with) our continuing study of Madeleine L’Engle’s “Walking on Water”.

The Studio Art Group and Open Creation Time will recommence with Hope’s Family Night on Wednesday, September 11th, at 6:30 P.M. in the studio at Hope Chapel. Childcare is provided through Hope Chapel.

Our first Gallery Opening of the school calendar year will occur Thursday, September 26th, from 7:00-9:00 pm, in the Hope Chapel Sanctuary (no childcare provided). This catered gallery reception hosts the work of artist Donnie Boyd, of Prayer Collective Ministries. Boyd’s photographic work (which focuses entirely on the homeless and disenfranchised of Georgetown) is married to the effort of living out the hope of the Gospel message, and in so doing,  demonstrates the call to rise up and make the sacrifice required to meet the spiritual and practical needs of those within the community. The reception will feature an immersive installation component, and musical performance, along with a brief Q&A session with the artist. Contact Kevin Daniel with questions.

Now for our weekly arts discussion…

As has been mentioned above and in previous posts, we are exploring the Hope Chapel Mission Statement, and what that looks like for us as artists, and as a community of artists.

I find that this morning, in contemplating that statement, I am revisiting the perennial question: “Just what does it mean to be an Arts Community, and how do we have community / a community as artists”. It is most certain to me that I have only the vaguest notion of “community,” and for every notion of “community” available there is a host of correlative ethnic, socio-economic, and historical contextualization factors to consider — begging the further questions of if one notion is sufficient for all, or how does one communicate any notion of community effectively to all potential hearers. 

For an old Philosophy Major like myself those questions are fun. More to the point, those questions are essential, no matter how uninteresting they are to others, or how unproductive to still others with the project of actually forming community. But there’s the rub, so to speak: you can’t form that for which you have no vision, and to have a vision for something you have to understand that the host of correlative contextualization factors  are always at play.  

If I were to get up on my soapbox (on this issue) I would likely launch into some rambling polemic about the stain of Jamesian Pragmatism throughout our Gen “X” (and older) thought processes, and about the pollution of Millenial (and younger) thought processes of hyper-Objectivism and Post-Post Modern (post)Ethicalism; I would launch into how, in too task-oriented fashion, pursue the project, utterly forgetting the Humanity such a community is built around (or simply reduce the Humanity to its psychological management). I doubt you would listen to it, if you’re even listening still.

I think I am just going to put it to you, the community: how do we form a community? What elements must absolutely exist for community to cohere and to grow together? How do we, in at least 2 meetings a month lasting 2-2 ½ hours apiece form community itself, between us? Now, and this is an aside, but, can such be formed if you don’t answer the question(s), if at least only to yourself, and potentially for others to read/hear — relationships don’t work if any existing expectations aren’t voiced.

Thursday, September 26th, from 7:00-9:00 pm, in the Hope Chapel Sanctuary Gallery. This catered gallery reception hosts the work of artist Donnie Boyd, of Prayer Collective. Boyd’s photographic work (which focuses entirely on the homeless and disenfranchised of Georgetown) is married to the effort of living out the hope of the Gospel message, and in so doing,  demonstrates the call to rise up and make the sacrifice required to meet the spiritual and practical needs of those within the community. The reception  will feature an immersive installation component, and musical performance, along with a brief Q&A session with the artist. Contact Art Ministry Director with questions. (No childcare provided.)

So We will be meeting this Wednesday, for our last family night meeting of the semester, HOWEVER (and this is the FIRST BIG ASK), we need all art hands on deck to help move the supplies from the Studio to the Attic. This is the first step in our big studio remodel, and needs being done. This is light work,

Just come to Family Dinner night at 5:30 pm Wednesday, and then meet at studio at 6:30 to move paints and brushes and so forth to the attic.

SECOND BIG ASK:

Folks, I need artists willing to be artists-for-others at our tent for the Violet Crown Festival.

It is THIS SATURDAY. MAY 4th. Park across from Hope Chapel. 9am-5pm. (2 1/2 hour shifts preferred but you do what you can)

What does that mean? It means you sit in the tent, being willing to write/draw/paint on the spot, praying on the spot, or displaying artwork. It means being prepared to discuss art and faith on the spot.

There will be NO ABSOLUTELY NO selling of art at this event.

This is an open call for artwork for the upcoming themed gallery show entitled “Desire & Design”.

This show seeks to explore the the interplay of the elements of desire and design, ultimately suggesting God’s desire(s) through His design and grand meta-narrative.

Submission protocols — which must be adhered to — can be found on our Gallery section of HopeArts.org.

Written and Digital Photographic Submissions (poetry, flash-fiction, essay/reflection) for our in-house art magazine (i.e. not as part of the hung gallery show) must still fill out the form before sending — the form provides / enables contact options.

FORM DEADLINE: MAY 21ST, NOON. (Pieces must be delivered to Hope Chapel’s pastor office/Debbie Bjork by Noon, May 28th.)

ll artists are encouraged to attend the catered gallery reception, Saturday June 1st, from 6:30 P.M. until 9:00 P.M.

Show Details : These “desires” may include (but aren’t limited to): those desires for His Son, to see Jesus exalted; Our desire(s) for security, safety, freedom, connection, rest, community, being heard and seen; God’s desire to see Humanity redeemed (or what redemption may “look like”); His and / or our desires for social justice; for fruit of the Spirit to be made manifest (fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control); desires for the meek to inherit the earth, for the merciful to be shown mercy; His desires for the hearts of fathers and sons to be turned towards one another; desires for Holiness and a Holy People of every tongue, tribe, nation; His desires for complete unity of faith, hope, love.

The design(s) can include (but aren’t limited to) : examples from biology, science, linguistics, mathematics, geometry; graphic and computer design; architecture.

A good source text from scripture to consider would be the New Testament book of Hebrews, for instance.

Entry form – Fill out the form below, scroll to the bottom and click “Submit”

The Wednesday Night Arts Group is meeting in the studio this week, 04/24. Dinner in Family Room at Hope Chapel @ 5:30 P.M., Group time @ 6:30 P.M.

HopeArts NEEDS VOLUNTEERS for the HopeArts Booth @ Violet Crown Festival, May 4th in the Brentwood Park — next to Brentwood Elementary and across the street from Hope Chapel. Contact Art Ministry Director for more information, or / and watch the HopeArts Blog. The current plan is display(only, not sell) our art, to perform spontaneous pieces when requested, and to “Pray Art” over all who come by. A mash-up between the open house ministry presentation and what I call an “Art-Bless(ing) of others.

Lastly, and since there will be no Art Salon until June, I would encourage all artists / performers to sign-up for the May Gifts Night (hosted by Hope Chapel as part of its Community Life Ministry, and not a HopeArts event). Details can be found in the Community Updates section of Hope.Org.

Hey Art Cats, this week of Holy Week we are NOT meeting on Wednesday Night. There is however a Good Friday service at Hope at 7PM.

Regular Wednesday Night meetings will resume on the 24th.