Artistic Expressions

Being in the midst of nature or seeing other artist’s work can be very inspiring for me. Who could argue with having both at the same venue? Therefore, last week we ducked out of the studio for a day to go visit Phipps Conservatory. The gardens are currently filled with larger-than-life glass sculptures and bowls by Dale Chihuly and his glassmaking team. These abstract natural forms with their exquisite, energetic colors added unbelievable beauty to the gardens.

Phipps describes this exhibit…“Right here in our lush and inspiring gardens, Chihuly has planted an exhibit of his wild and wonderful creations -- and the result is simply breathtaking. Known for his flamboyant colors, monumental sculptures and outdoor displays, Chihuly is also famous for his creative collaborations. Inspired by our Victorian glasshouse – one of the oldest in North America, this pioneer in the use of glass has joined with our horticulturalists and landscape designers to create a dazzling fusion of art and nature.” The show lives up to this description and much more.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a presentation of art touch me the way this show did. One of the thoughts that continually ran through my head was how Chihuly was able to use his glass art to supplement the already superb environment of the gardens. Even with the exquisite coloring of the glass the art always seemed to mingle happily with the environment. The art did not scream for attention. The plants were not shouting out because they were being ignored. The surrounding architecture was like the perfect packaging. This concept relates to our worship spaces. When wearing stoles, hanging worship banners, or even adding a flower arrangement to the chancel I believe it should only be done to enhance the worship that will occur in the space. These artistic expressions are best when they awaken us to God’s presence and not call attention to themselves. I appreciate how the Presbyterian Church phrases this concept in their Book of Order; “artistic expressions should evoke, edify, enhance, and expand worshipers’ consciousness of the reality and the grace of God.”

If you are in the Pittsburgh, PA area prior to this exhibit closing on November 11, 2007 you would be amiss not to treat yourself to the experience of a visit to the Chihuly exhibit at Phipps. In the meantime think about the space you worship in and encourage artists in their offerings. Lastly, see if you recognize some lines and shapes that echo the work of Chihuly at Phipps in new stoles designs at Carrot Top Studio!

You can learn more about Phipps at http://www.phipps.conservatory.org .

Support a Womens Small Business in Haiti

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. The average yearly income per family is about $250. Haiti is plagued with unclean water, no medical care, no public transportation, no public education and unemployment.

Our faith community, Westminster Presbyterian (http://www.westminster-church.org) in Pittsburgh, PA has a relationship with the LaCroix New Testament Mission in Haiti. Recently, friends visited Haiti and taught a small group of young women from the mission to hand-paint silk. The group is known as La Femme de LaCroix (The Women of the Cross). They have now learned how to paint, process, package, and keep records for the project. The goal is to provide training for the girls, who also get tuition credit for the silk they produce. The mission receives the entire profit from the sale of the scarves made from this silk. We have purchased some of the exciting hand dyed silk to encourage the women of LaCroix in their small business and to include it in the design of a series of stoles for purchase through the Carrot Top Studio website.

Fifty percent of the sale of each stole will be given to support the ministry to this Haitian community to help it continue to grow to become healthy and strong. You may purchase one at CarrotTopStudio.com (http://http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeoro2y/id72.html)

To learn more about the ministry to the LaCroix New Testament Mission go to http://http://www.thomaschurch.org/index_files/Page987.htm

Something's Underfoot

When we think of textiles in our worship spaces we probably first think of pastor’s stoles, vestments, paraments for the Communion Table or worship banners. However, you can’t neglect that we often garnish our sanctuaries underfoot also. For example, Native Americans had special animal skins on which they prayed. Another illustration is the Muslim tradition of using prayer carpets to create an isolated space to concentrate in prayer. Additionally medieval Christians in the colder climates of northern Europe began dressing the floors of cold stone churches with vegetable fiber mats as well as fabric rugs. Instead of monotonous, wall-to-wall carpeting, a well-chosen, strategically placed carpet can add color, texture, and liturgical symbols to the room as it honors and defines a place for devotion in a holy place.

I have been thinking about these types of textiles while savoring the novel The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani. The story takes place in 17th-century Persia where a 14-year-old woman believes she will be married within the year. But when her beloved father dies, she and her mother find themselves alone and without a dowry. With nowhere else to go, they are forced to sell the brilliant turquoise rug the young woman has woven to pay for their journey to Isfahan, where they will work as servants for her uncle, a rich rug designer in the court of the legendary Shah Abbas the Great. She learns the carpet trade, blossoming as a clever designer and talented knotter. This captivating tale is interwoven with traditional Iranian folktales, as well as fascinating details of the art of the Persian rug.

Amirrezvani’s piece of literature, based on historical fact, is rich in detail of symbols and colors important to the religion of her characters. Time and time again in history we see examples of how the visual components of our faith are important. Another example is the photo in this blog that shows details of a rather unusual "Daghestan" prayer rug. It’s interesting to note that the cross shapes (as familiar to Christians) abound in this piece - even in the border. I am not an expert but one researcher of this rug wonders if it had been woven by Armenian Christians. It is not difficult to imagine the entire piece as a work of Christian faith.

The visual in the church today continues to be important. Based upon their dependence upon the internet, game systems, and the TV our youth are being raised to respond to the visual. We should take a lesson from history and from what the young today are thriving upon and not ignore the space underfoot...even in worship!

Why Wear A Stole?

After worship this morning, my research and development team (that’s my family!) was brainstorming ideas for a new line of stoles and vestments. The ideas ranged from the silly to the sublime. Pastor’s stoles with miniature sparkling LED lights, a stole with a flashing “applause now” sign, stoles remembering saints such as Mother Theresa, and stoles respecting the earth's resources because they were made out of recycled fibers were among the suggestions.

All this fun brainstorming may find you asking yourself why pastors even wear stoles. We’ve learned several stories. Stoles first might have originated as a practicality. It’s believed they were something upon which to wipe one’s hands after receiving the offerings of the people at a time in the early church when offerings of produce, other food stuffs and various animal products as well as financial offerings were given.

Secondly, in the 10th century, priests were commanded to wear stoles as a badge of their calling, especially when traveling. They may even have had little bells on the ends so people would know when they were approaching.

Lastly, we think symbolically of a stole as a yoke. This reminds us of Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy and My burden in light”.

What do you think? Does any of this history of pastor's stoles or brainstorming of new ideas grab you? If you’d like to share any ideas send us an email or better yet share the idea when you enter to win the free "Mystery Stole" at Carrot Top Studio. Go to

www.CarrotTopStudio.com and follow the directions on the Specials link.

Pueblo Style Cross

The cross is the most familiar religious symbol of Christianity. During the first two centuries of Christianity, the cross was rare in Christian iconography as it depicts a purposely painful and gruesome method of public execution. The Ichthys, or fish symbol, was used by early Christians. The Chi-Rho monogram, which was adopted by Constantine I in the fourth century as his banner was another Early Christian symbol of wide use.

In Christendom the cross reminds Christians of God's act of love and atonement in Christ's sacrifice at Calvary - "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." The cross also reminds Christians of Jesus' victory over sin and death, since it is believed that through His death and resurrection He conquered death itself.

The cross is often depicted in different shapes and sizes and in many different styles. The Pueblo style cross as seen on the pictured stole is based on one that was found among the Pueblo people, groups of Native Americans living in the Southwest. The crosses usually have a plain design and are made of silver. When Spaniards arrived in the Southwest and encountered the native peoples in the early sixtennth century, they erected tall crosses at each village. The Franciscan missionaries taught the Native Americans to revere the crosses. The priests traded or gave ornamental crosses to the people, believing that if the Native Americans wore the crosses, they were accepting the new religon. In most cases the Pueblo peoples had accepted the crosses only as ornaments and not as symbols of the religon associated with them. Over time, many Pueblo people were converted to Christianity, and they personalized the cross design with their own cultural interpretation.

*Like the stole in this photo? It can be found at http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeoro2y/id70.html

Creativity

Looking for a words to help you prepare for creativity to be appreciated or unearthed? We like the following and invite you to try it also...

Praise the Lord, I tell myself;

O Lord my God, how great you are!

You are robed with honor and with majesty;

you are dressed in a robe of light.

You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;

you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds.

You placed the world on its foundation

so it would never be moved.

Mountains rose and valleys sank

to the levels you decreed.

Then you set a firm boundry for the seas,

so they would never again cover the earth.

(Psalm 104:1-3,5,8-9 NLT)

Thirsty for more? This Ordinary Time would be a time to work your way through the book The Creative Life, by Alice Bass. Find it on Amazon, here-- http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Life-Unearthing-Christian-Imagination/dp/0830811877/ref=sr_1_1/002-4613655-6949669?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183941583&sr=8-1

Discover the creativity that God has for you!

*photo is a detail of a stole that can be viewed in it's entirety at (http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeoro2y/id45.html )

Recalling Patriotic Hymns

Tomorrow, in the United States, we will celebrate our country’s independence. I absolutely love celebrations and am particularly fond of the Fourth of July. Fireworks and relaxing time spent with good friends are highlights of this day for me. I usually conjure up visual images such as banners and stoles for special days within the year, but for the Fourth of July I hear the music of patriotic hymns dancing in my mind.

A favorite, “O Beautiful for Spacious Skies” by Katharine Lee Bates was written when her soul was stirred by the expansive earth below and the spacious skies above while hiking Pikes Peak in Colorado. She wrote, “It was there as I was looking out over the amber skies, that the opening lines of this text formed themselves in my mind.” Reportedly she immediately set to writing the hymn while in Colorado Springs.

I adore hiking the mountains and have had the pleasure of traveling to the top of Pikes Peak so I can relate to Ms. Bates reaction to her experience. There are many other places in this grand world that can provide those “mountain top moments”. I’m proud to be an American but after reading the history of this hymn I also think the wonderfully descriptive words it contains can be supplied for many places on this wonderful planet. Thanks be to the Creator.