What does art have to do with reconciliation anyway?

FROM OUR JOURNAL PAGES:

It has been a time of both sacrifice and learning over the last couple of years. My study at Luther Seminary has taken me deeper into the questions for which I don’t have any answers. Perhaps asking and wrestling with sacred questions is what it is suppose to be about. How do you answer the questions of suffering in the world. How do we hold one another up when the weight of the questions press to crush us with despair? Where is God in our suffering? The Book of Job seeks the questions and while not answered directly Job seems to be satisfied with the depths of mystery. When all we seem to want is answers we are given more questions. Questions that make us look deeper into each other and into ourselves. Art helps me bring that internal eternal mystery to the surface and gives me hope.

Let's continue the conversation for peace

FROM OUR STUDIO:

We hope that if you have spent some time being with our art, either at our Genesis+Art Studio, gallery or on line, that you have reflected on what it might say to you. Our thoughts might be very different from your own or you may have a very point of view from either one of us. We hope that our art has evoked something in you, and that you will become a participant in a dialogue with us.

We would like to hear from you. Let's together start the conversation that can inpsire our imaginations and creativity for a peaceful world. If you are inspired or just want to express your thoughts either in word or image send them to us on email and we will share our responses with all of you. Email us at studio@genesisartstudio.com. Peace be with you. Hope to see you!

Chuck + Peg

Works of Reconciliation at St. Anthony

FROM OUR JOURNAL PAGES:

chuck: A wall can be defined as a thing perceived as a protective or restrictive barrier either physical or as in a wall of silence. Our experience in Northern Ireland brought us in contact with physical walls that both protected and divided. If you have not experienced this sort of setting, it can be a challenge and a threat to achieving a sense of community. I can't really judge the short-term merits of building a wall, but I know at some point you really can't build them high enough. There is a perception that building walls will either keep others out or keep them in, depending on who controls the power. Perhaps we can learn that listening and creative dialogue can build mutual bridges of trust and hope.

peg: Walls, whether they are built to protect or divide, bring a constant reminder to fear what's on the other side. The walls in Northern Ireland were meant to mitigate violence between the Catholics and the Protestants but the net result is to maintain division. Chuck and I have been working to bring down the walls in Belfast as we watch them being built between Israel and Palestine. This painting was a reminder that the oppressed nearly always become the oppressors.

Our show titled Works of Reconciliation will be up thru November at St. Anthony Lutheran, St. Paul, MN

The New Jerusalem Series at Saint Andrew's

FROM OUR JOURNAL PAGES:

Black and white, left, right, good, evil, conservative, liberal, I have it right, you have it wrong, faith divided by ideologies, systems of power and privilege and dynamics of domination and hostility by which we seek to judge and control others…

How can we move toward one another? How can we begin to see God in the colors that reside in both the black and the white? What could happen? Would life be richer in celebrating our differences with understanding? Could we have a sudden outbreak of hope? Can changing our lens transform us to new truth? Can our imaginations and creativity lead us to the grace margins and a compassionate faith-filled way forward? Could it help lead us back to our humanity for the love of Christ?

For those who dare the possibility to become transparent and to interact with each other we think that we not only connect with a new creation, but also find out who we are in it, and our relationship to others.

Our new series of work titled The New Jerusalem will be up through November at
St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi, MN

Reflections of China

FROM OUR TRAVELS:

We were inspired by the people, culture, architecture and art of China. Our travels took us to Shanghai, Wenjo, the landscape we saw from the bullet train between Shanghai and Beijing which took us to the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace.

Images © 2010 Genesis+Art Studio