Category: Arts

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Arts Forest Church Lent 2022

Forest Church, Easter Sunday

This is a bit overdue! Here is a wee film to reflect on from our Easter Sunday Gathering.

Several aspects of the new Wordsmith Crafts C.I.C. overlapped this Easter Sunday.

Quartz was the lead project (#SensingSpirituality). We have been meeting as Forest Church for over a year now.

Cluaran (living breathing heritage) skills were used to tell the story of Jesus meeting his disciples on the beach and eating some fish with them, after he had risen from the dead. There was something special about informally gathering where the water meets the earth, smelling the fire, eating the food together, and retelling the old stories.

The Studio (Heritage crafts) held all the equipment and skills we needed to make it happen. Look out for more interesting things this year – although we need a dedicated film crew to catch all the action!

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Arts Creative Worship Thought of the Day

Happy Easter!

Making Easter Eggs in the Wordsmithcrafts Workshop

Have you decorated any eggs this year?

With supermarkets and global supply chains it is easy to forget that for thousands of years eggs were only available when the sun returned and daylight hours lengthened.

As well as looking like the stone which could be rolled away from the tomb for Jesus to walk out, these eggs are a symbol of potential ready to be revealed.

Do you expect that which comes out of an egg to look like an egg though? Continuity of identity is a mysterious thing. The egg shares something in it’s nature with the chicken that is before and after it, but it is healthy and normal for even one particular animal to change dramatically. All followers of Christ’s way share something – can we embrace diversity and remain in unity, continue in a sense of shared identity?

Enjoy the day – and eggs if you are eating them – whatever style you have them in. We will be meeting on the beech opposite Lincluden abbey if you would like to join us

An egg in the process of being decorated using beeswax and dye
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Arts Thought of the Day

Subversion

If you are truly searching for reality, do you need to tear down the structures that frame reality?

To find the house of God does the curtain need to rip, and the temple be destroyed, so that it can be rebuilt three days later?

Strong language, but perhaps art can provide the means to to this in non violent, consensual, ways.

We don’t expect a tree to look like the seed it grows from. If we can free our minds from expectations laid upon us, then perhaps we will be better able to recognise God at work. The task then becomes one of recognising God at work and joining in with the growth, rather than planning and imposing a predetermined form.

https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/features/find-your-surreal

Post picture, wiki commons. Here

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Arts Creative Worship Fresh Expressions

Hear me, Smith of the Heavens

This beauty has been created by a band called Árstíðir

It’s title is “Heyr himna smiður” Which can be translated as “Hear me Smith of the Heavens”. More info on it can be found here.

I’m posting it here in order to use it as part of a discussion about pioneer ministry on Saturday. In some moments I am reminded that if humans were silent the stones would sing the good news of their creation – smithing.

Listening to this is one of those moments.

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Angel Cloud Forest Church Outerweave

Forest Church at Allanton

We held the March Forest Church meeting at Allanton Peace Sanctuary. This was part of one of the eight seasonal festivals they are planning for this year. These festivals recognise the changing seasons in what is sometimes called the wheel of the year.

We had a particular focus on peace in Ukraine and Russia, but also were very aware of all the conflict taking place worldwide. We pray for peace in all continents and between all people.

Angel Cloud

You can find out more about Allanton here

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Angel Cloud

Practical Help

“I, by my works, will show you my Faith…”

The act of making art can visualise some very complicated emotions. Art in public can be an action that ‘moves’ many people. If you are a dancer, then dancing can be protest as well as performance, and we who are crafters have folded angels.

We can also help in other more direct ways too and here is a list of agencies and individuals who can help get that aid to where it is needed in Ukraine.

OrganisationLink
MOOL (Massive Outpouring of Love)Things that will be helpful
Station House Cook SchoolHelp someone on the ground help refugees.
Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC)15 UK Charities working together. They can use your donation effectively to help out where it is needed.
Providing foodWorld Central Kitchen
Hostile or hospitable environment?Take action and contact your (UK) MP to make your opinion about refugees known. Info from Refugee Action
Scottish Episcopal Church ResponseFrom the college of bishops
If links are broken or you think something is missing, let us know!
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Arts Lent 2022 Thought of the Day

Unlocking

Have a read of the introduction to this song and video.

Then as you sit back and enjoy it, contemplate the many possible real life stories that have formed this experience.

What does “release for captives” mean?

What invisible chains bind our minds, inherited, unexamined, frustrating the potential God has placed within creation?

What crazy ideas are actually good ones – clearing the ‘temple’ out, and not just washing the outside, but drinking the best new wine?

https://realworldrecords.com/features/blogs/track-of-the-day-kurunba-by-rokia-kone-jacknife-lee/

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Angel Cloud

Ragnarock

A longer post today, inspired by thoughts of war which once again fill my social media feed, and mind.

…When I tell the story of Ragnarock I grieve. It follows Loki telling too much truth, harshly. It is the breaking of oaths, conflict between those who should be family. It is the twighlight that follows from the grinding down of hope and loss of integrity. The cause

… Love of gold? Warped erotic desire for power over others?

An apple which should be the sweet kiss of summer, but poisoned with cyanide?

But as I hang my mind on the world tree and prepare to travel, I follow the path of my great hero. Who, disrobing, stepped up upon the rood. Commanding it not to bend. There the work planted in the womb of time was brought to fruition. Struck down to rise up stronger than imaginable. A light in dark places and the opening of  a Way that can transform.

A light which helps us see who we are and where we are going. For some this will appear to come from outside them, other will find it within. What is important is that when you ‘look’, you are able to see. When you can see, you can act.

So I pray for peace, and for all those caught up in the horror of war. May we all see truly, find release from that which binds us, and eat apples which bring life beyond death.

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Angel Cloud

Crafters, keep on crafting.

Comments made by Etsy crafters responding to the war

I can scarcely imagine what it must be like to have your country invaded and your home subjected to rocket attacks. How can you work when it is too dangerous to leave your house? How can you buy food when you can’t work?

I will have sat round a campfire, after a days work, singing songs and telling stories with some of these people. Outside the international market season we use the internet to keep in touch, and our community spans many land masses and language groups. Now some of them are selling digital downloads since they can’t make or export the things they make. Some have posted other ways people can show their support. Some are simply venting outrage. Others have posted that they will continue to stand their ground and continue to fulfil their orders.

With the help of artists in Kyiv I present this list of artists and traders, especially in the re-enactment community. Perhaps it is a way you can help, despite the state sponsored violence. Obviously, there are many things that could go wrong with any purchases you make, but I like the idea that new technology could beat barriers that break up communities.

Is continuing to make, and to shop, a non violent act of defiance? What about maintaining communication despite attempts to isolate people?

You could send messages to these shop owners and communicate until the networks go down, or data wall is built up.


This list will grow as I discover more.

Not all of the makers have been able to set up digital downloads, and in a war like this where the boundaries between civilian and soldier are not respected then no transactions are guaranteed.

PoleGlassShop www.etsy.com/shop/PoleglassShop*

Fern ceramics www.etsy.com/shop/FernCeramics*

Falcon house Jewellery https://www.etsy.com/shop/FALCONHOUSEjewellery

RogdaysCraftYarTur https://www.etsy.com/shop/RogdaysCraftYarTur

Aviceya www.etsy.com/shop/aviceya*

Historic Textile https://www.etsy.com/shop/HistoricalTextile

Roslynka www.etsy.com/shop/Roslynka*

Pagan store www.paganstore.net*

FALCONHOUSEjewellery www.etsy.com/shop/falconhousejewellery*

TanukDolotovaJewellery www.etsy.com/shop/tanukdolotova*

TopusCraft https://www.etsy.com/shop/TopusCraft

TriquetrumArt https://www.etsy.com/shop/TriquetrumArt

GooseberryCraftsUA www.etsy.com/shop/GooseberryCraftsUA*

Gibsongirldress https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Gibsongirldress

MomPug https://www.etsy.com/shop/MomPug

IronWoodsShop www.etsy.com/shop/IronwoodsShop*

Berloga workshop berloga-workshop.com/*

Joyssance www.etsy.com/shop/Joyssance

Ursula Jewelley https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/UrsulaJewelry

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Angel Cloud Arts Creative Worship prayers

Folding a prayer

 If anyone else is stuck with their mind frozen trying to make sense of the war – Here are some steps based on how being involved in this installation helped me.

Step 1

Is recognising all the souls caught up in this – however they got there.

Step 2

Is recognising the outrage you may feel that this is taking place. Or perhaps the courage shown in a story, or the horror in something you have seen.

Step 3

Is to fold, and while you fold be mindful of what is happening.

Some, like me, might choose to carry the emotions to God in prayer, to ask why? Or to ask the Holy Spirit to hover round their souls. Or use written prayers or speak as inspired. I know others will have their own ways, and for some even the thought of religion will be a distraction. These steps are an offering from my art, not instructions I’m trying to impose.

Hopefully the installation communicates and is accessible to most people with integrity, whatever their politics or beliefs.

Step 4

Having taken time out to reflect, hopefully you will be in a better place to choose how to act positively, or refrain from reacting negatively. The folded Angels are a visualisation of the process.

Repeat as required…Please copy the idea if you are inspired, send angels to add to our installation if that will help you. Talk to those you trust, and help each other by listening. Look out for other artistic responses…

UkraineAngelsFoldingxDownload

View A cloud of Angels Installation