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HOME ARTISTS EXHIBITS NEWS ABOUT US CONTACT HOME Contemporary Religious Arts Gallery or CRA [Final Name TBD], represents living American artists who create exceptional paintings, sculpture, photography and textiles previously only available on the East and West coasts. CRA's body of artwork includes abstract, expressionism and figurative styles representing today's diverse contemporary reactions to religious influence. We are now open in historic downtown Greenwood, Indiana -- a suburb of Indianapolis. CRA Gallery 2606 Madison Road Greenwood, IN 46143 313-555-1865           Copyright | Home | Facebook  ARTISTS - Ben Smith - Gilbert Young - Susan Nuxoll - [List remaining 17 artists] EXHIBITS - Current Exhibits - Upcoming Exhibits - Previous Exhibits NEWS - Press Releases ABOUT US Ernest and Greg Disney-Britton have nearly 50 years combines experience in arts marketing and communications. In 2...

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ARTINFO   - Glenn Brown’s 1992 kitschy and large-scaled appropriation painting, Dali-Christ (after Soft Construction with Boiled Bears: Premonition of Civil War 1936 by Salvador Dali ), estimated at $1.05–1.50 million, sold to a telephone bidder for an artist record $2,167,640.

A heated debate has broken out over whether the Jewish, Ben Uri Gallery in London should have mounted an exhibition of pictures of the crucifixion. I first posted about this on June 23rd. The show includes artists Tracey Emin , Graham Sutherland, Stanley Spencer , Eric Gill, Maggi Hambling and Lee Miller. It traces the way the visual representation of the crucifixion has changed over time — from solely religious and Christian to a more generic expression of suffering. ( Read All )

Kings College London is announcing a new Master of Arts degree in Christianity & The Arts . The college's website describes the program as "In association with the National Gallery. Investigate how Christian scripture, beliefs and practices have found expression in art over 2,000 years; trace the idea of beauty in Western theological tradition; make use of examples in London. Leads to further research or careers in teaching, journalism or the church." ( Read All )

AOA BLOG By Tahlib One of the most exciting parts of my job as a religious arts blogger is following art criticism, but especially religious arts prize controversies (CBC News). Australia's Blake Prize is one of those that always seems to generate controversey. The latest is "Only Women Bleed" by Adam Cullen . The Blake Prize is Australia’s top prize for religious art. The controversial painting has the line "only women bleed", engraved on the Cross with Christ. The line is inspired from an Alice Cooper song. One of the Blake Prize judges even quit the panel, strongly condemning this painting.

Offset Lithograph by Saul Steinberg, The New Yorker , unsigned. Steinberg's most famous composition, A View of the World from Ninth Avenue , which appeared on the cover of The New Yorker on March 29, 1976. Artist: Steinberg, Saul Medium: Offset Lithograph, edition of 10,000 Dimensions: 42" x 29.5" Year: 1976

PBS: RELIGION & ETHICS -  The poet Stanley Kunitz once told artist Mark Rothko he was “the last rabbi in Western art.” Critic Robert Hughes described Rothko as belonging to the “theological” wing of the New York School of abstract artists in mid-twentieth-century America, while the headline of a New York Times review by Hilton Kramer of a major Rothko retrospective in 1978 read “Rothko: Art as Religious Faith.” As curator and editor Glenn Phillips notes in Seeing Rothko , a collection of essays on the artist and the act of seeing, “Rothko’s work has variously been described as transcendental, tragic, mystical, violent, or serene; as representative of the void; as opening onto the experience of the sublime; as exhilaratingly intellectual; or as profoundly spiritual—to mention just a few examples.” ( Read All )

ARTDAILY  - The cross two perpendicular lines – is a simple geometric design yet an arrangement which for many is a symbol with enormous power. Although the moment of resurrection is more important spiritually, it is the cross as a representation of the crucifixion that has become the symbol for the Christian church. As Sister Wendy Beckett explains, “Death, even as horrible a death as crucifixion, is something we can understand, whereas resurrection is not. We know that Christ rose, but we cannot imagine how.” This exhibition at Ben Uri examines how and why artists of different religions, or of none, use the crucifixion as a central motif in modern and contemporary practice. ( Read All )

Google has over 300,000 images on record associated with Rothko. ( Click to view )

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest  Disney-Britton INDIANA---Another Columbus, Indiana gem is the Saint Bartholomew Roman Catholic Church , completed in 2002, and designed by RATIO Architects of Indianapolis. Located  across the street from the park-like grounds of Eero Saarinen's North Christian Church, this open and inviting place more than stands on its own. It is a striking combination of a square kasota stone narthex wrapped in a roof the shape of a nautilus shell. Custom designed stained glass, flooding the sanctuary with colored light and a large crucifix on kasota stone are features of the west wall in the worship space (See photo). During my visit, my tour guide was the affable pastor Fr. Clement T. Davis who joked that the nautilus design is the same as the firm's own logo. He said, "And why not? It works so well!" He loves the place and so did I.

AOA NEWS By Ernest Britton INDIANA - Another Columbus, Indiana gem is the Saint Bartholomew Roman Catholic Church , completed in 2002, and designed by RATIO Architects of Indianapolis. Located  across the street from the park-like grounds of Eero Saarinen's North Christian Church, this open and inviting place more than stands on its own. It is a striking combination of a square kasota stone narthex wrapped in a roof the shape of a nautilus shell. Custom designed stained glass, flooding the sanctuary with colored light and a large crucifix on kasota stone are features of the west wall in the worship space (See photo). During my visit, my tour guide was the affable pastor Fr. Clement T. Davis who joked that the nautilus design is the same as the firm's own logo. He said, "And why not? It works so well!" He loves the place and so did I.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest  Disney-Britton INDIANA---As you enter the Disciple Center in downtown Indy, the first thing that greets you is the 6' 11" bronze sculpture, "Victory of Faith" by Wisconsin artist Suzanne Derzon. Next to the sculpture is her artist statement: "This sculpture is about faith, the strongest bond that binds us in that special relationship with God. It is my hope that every viewer would attach their own meaning to the piece and find satisfaction in its existence." This is the world headquarters for the  700,000  member Christian Church ( Disciples of Christ ).

AOA NEWS By Ernest Britton INDIANA - As you enter the Disciple Center in downtown Indy, the first thing that greets you is the 6' 11" bronze sculpture, "Victory of Faith" by Wisconsin artist Suzanne Derzon. Next to the sculpture is her artist statement: "This sculpture is about faith, the strongest bond that binds us in that special relationship with God. It is my hope that every viewer would attach their own meaning to the piece and find satisfaction in its existence." This is the world headquarters for the  700,000  member Christian Church ( Disciples of Christ ).

Tickets go on sale late this summer for a new Vatican exhibition at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. The exhibition, “Vatican Splendors: A Journey Through Faith and Art” opens Oct. 2 and will feature over 200 objects that bring to life the 2,000 years of history of the Roman Catholic Church including originals by Michelangelo. Nearly 69-percent of city residents are Catholic, and to spread the word, the history center will also display regional artifacts and documents from local churches.

In 1987, F. Thomas Trotter wrote the essay, " What is Religious Art? " Trotter is a graduate of Occidental College (AB) and Boston University (STB, Ph.D). He was also Dean and Professor of Theology at the Claremont School of Theology. Later he was General Secretary of the Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church and President of Alaska Pacific University. His special interests are in religion and the arts and religion in higher education. The essay originally appeared in Loving God With One’s Mind , by F. Thomas Trotter, copyright 1987 by the Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church.

Stirring works on display in Indianapolis : "Soul Searching" by Tom Willhoite Acrylic paint on watercolor board "Untitled" [3 crosses] by DeWayne Patterson Tempera paint, recycled paper on recycled carboard

The Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas  (formerly named "Biblical Arts Center") was destroyed by fire in 2005 and had a partial reopening this past Easter Weekend. According to CityBuzz_Dallas it reopen this year ( it's homepage reads it "will" reopened in 2009). This featured work is by Texas artist Henri Bartscht .

Sacred art is an expression of the paschal mystery, an incarnate rendering of the biblical Word that always proclaims and points to Christ. As such, it emerges from the formative dialogue that takes place between the faith of the individual artists and the identity of the particular Christian community in which the art is created. Title: Contemporary Sacred Art— Life Sources and Spiritualities Length: A one-day symposium Date: Florence , Italy , October 18, 2011 Sponsor: Community of Jesus, Orleans, Massachusetts At the invitation of the Office of Sacred Art of the Archdiocese of Florence

I/WSA provides for the physical and educational needs of both amateur and professional athletes in  figure skating ,  hockey  and speed skating . The facility is one of the finest in the world for the training and development of ice sports. I/WSA is a twin rink facility, located at the Pan American Plaza in downtown Indianapolis. I/WSA, has two standard 85' x 200' American Rink (NHL size). Besides the rinks themselves, I/WSA has  national and world-class figure skating coaches  and a phenomenal off-ice program.  The facility equips and programs weight training, aerobics, jazz, ballet, drama, jumping, choreography and a sports science testing program that has had National, Olympic and World champions/medalists take part.  The facility is in the same building with the Indiana Sports Corporation and headquarters of several National Governing Bodies for amateur athletics (USA/Olympics).  It is another reason why Indianapolis is truly the amateur sport...

VOICES FROM RUSSIA - On 18 June, an exhibition entitled The Glory of the Ukraine: The Holy Image from the 11th to the 19th Centuries opened at the Museum of Biblical Art (MOBIA) in New York City, featuring icons from the collection of the Kievo-Pechersk Lavra. His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir Sabodan of Kiev and all the Ukraine blessed this event as a part of an international exhibition project, “The Ukraine: The World”. It will take place from June 2010 until May 2011 in three American museums: the Museum of Biblical Art in New York, Meridian International Center in Washington, and the Museum of Art in Omaha. ( Read All )

Religious Dispatches  - Two of Galileo's fingers (three, actually) are to be placed on public display, along with one of his teeth, in the newly refurbished Museum of the History of Science in Florence ( Read Post )

NYTIMES - When the Moldavian prince Stephen the Great won his first decisive victory against the Turks five and a quarter centuries ago, he decided to mark the occasion with a grand monastery and adorn its walls with the colorful work of artisans of the day. With his second victory came another monastery. With the third, yet another. ( Read All )

Pastor Jeff preached. St. Paul reminds us that sin is a universal problem and so many turn to conventional religion. However religion often turns people toward greater sin (harm to others). "Where are the churches" when it comes to fighting sin? What if we considered "Religionless Christianity"? St. Paul offered a model of Christ's model for religionless Christianity beginning with the story of Abraham, the father of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Most of us live by mindlessly copying what others do but In Roman 3 and 4, Abraham sensed that there was more to life than copying. Something "awakened inside" Abraham and he began an ongoing conversation with God. In James 2:23, "Abraham was called the friend of God." One day, God said "come with me" and he left his homeland to follow Godn and to travel God's path. He "fell in love with God" said Pastor Jeff and in God's promise. Genesis 15:6 "And Abraham believed...

On June 17 at 12:00 p.m., over 150 churches and faith-based outlets debuted the first trailer for the newest tale from Narnia, " The Voyage of the Dawn Treader ." It's the latest film based on the C.S. Lewis book series, "The Chronicles of Narnia." The movie will be in communities nationwide on December 10th. According to Hollywood Jesus.com , "In this new installment of the blockbuster The Chronicles of Narnia motion picture franchise, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their cousin Eustace and their royal friend King Caspian, find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to the Dawn Treader. As they embark on an incredible adventure of destiny and discovery, they confront obstacles beyond imagination."

An exhibition on angels runs through September 5, at the Vincennes castle in Paris this fall. Visitors will learn how The Church changed how angels could be portrayed in the 16th century, and how Christians, Jews and also Muslims share the tradition of angels. "Musician Angels", which runs till September 5, draws together paintings, sculptures, marbles and instruments associated with angels, gathered in the small but light-flooded chapel within the castle's vast courtyard. It is "a unifying theme" castle administrator Jenny Lebard told AFP, angels are important in Christianity as the show highlights, but "they are also present in Islam and Judaism... and it is good to show what we have in common." ( Read All )

To be totally honest, I did want this job. I liked the people and the focus. Will I never be the right fit for someone  in Indianapolis? I am bummed but maybe God trying to keep me focused? At least the turn-down note was genuinely nice. from Jim Poyser   to Ernest Disney-Britton cc Laura McPhee date Fri, Jun 11, 2010 at 5:00 PM subject our interview.... mailed-by nuvo.net Ernest... our interview was a complete delight, but we're going to go w/ another applicant. I want to reiterate that we had a lot of talented applicants (as you can imagine in this economy!) and that we only invited into the office the very best. We ended up choosing an applicant who's had years of ground level experience in the arts scene. But we were very impressed by you and are grateful we were able to meet. If you wouldn't mind, how about we get together when I return from vacation. Sometime in mid-to-late July let's get together for lunch, the three of us, and get to know each other better. We d...

There is a real estate developed named Whit Hanks who is also well known for rescuing churches. In this past week's auction central news , the reporter describes how Hanks rescued man of Vietnam's 19th-century religious relics play two churches, including one called "Camp Lucy": The Camp Lucy story started in 2007. Hanks had developed an interest in Vietnamese antiques after visiting Hanoi with his son, Ian. Hanks had the opportunity to buy the entire contents of one store for $55,000 and took it. When the shipment arrived, he found a lot of saint statues and other religious icons. ( Read All )

ARTDAILY.COM - Archaeologists and art restorers using new laser technology have discovered what they believe are the oldest paintings of the faces of Jesus Christ's apostles. The images in a branch of the catacombs of St Tecla near St Paul's Basilica, just outside the walls of ancient Rome, were painted at the end of the 4th century or the start of the 5th century. Archaeologists believe these images may have been among those that most influenced later artists' depictions of the faces of Christ's most important early followers.  ( Read All )

Lincoln Center will be an "altar of spiritual music" this fall. The Lincoln Center will host it's first, "White Light Festival" featuring rich music from a diverse mixture of religious arts traditions. It will run from Oct. 27 to Nov. 18 and according to Daniel Wakin (NYT), it will feature, "an eclectic and at times esoteric lineup of works, including Brahms's "German Requiem," a dance piece performed by 17 monks from China and melodies from 16th-century Croatia, choral music by Estonian composer Arvo Part and a mix of folk and classical music from northern India." It's marked on my calendar.

Would it make you more comfortable if I was to file bankruptcy to end ownership of the house? If so, I'd like to pick a Cincinnati attorney who specializes in bankruptcy. Additionally, I want to make sure we have 90-days of savings on-hand before filing from the home rental. If you are in agreement, I'll begin looking for a Cincinnati attorney asap.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By tahlib OKLAHOMA---Time is running out to view the Mabee-Gerrer Museum's of Art's exhibiton of religious art entitled, " Objects of Devotion ." The museum, which is located on the campus of St. Gregory's University in Shawnee, Oklahoma was founded in 1919. The theme is Mission Art in the Americas: 1650-1950 through June 13, 2010. Named after Father Gregory Gerrer, a Benedictine monk of considerable artistic talent the museum is one of the oldest museums in Oklahoma. During Father Gerrer's travels to Europe, Africa and South America, he collected objects of artistic and ethnological value. The current exhibition examines 300 years of Spanish friars in New Mexico importing religious sculptures and paintings from Europe and Mexico to adorn newly built mission churches. By the second half of the eighteenth century, several New Mexican artists were transforming native woods and other materials into bultos, retablos, hide paintings and more in ...

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest Disney-Britton Standing in the shadow of the Saint Louis Gateway Arch is the historic “Old Cathedral.” Formally known as the  Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France , it is the fourth structure since 1770. Inside is a large copy of Valasquez’s famed “ Crucifixion ,” as well as statues of Saint Louis and Saint Joan of Arc.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest  Disney-Britton INDIANA --- The Orthodox Catholic Church divided from my Roman Catholic Church in the year 1056 because of its desire to remain unchanged in ideas, in ritual, and in dress. It's called the Great Schism . Indiana has more Orthodox churches than any other state (double that of NY). Fr. Stevan Bauman's Joy of All Who Sorrow Orthodox Church is in Indianapolis. Surrounded by 100s of saintly gold-leafed icons; the elderly, grey bearded and black robed rector gave us a tour of the great mystery and ritual of his Orthodoxy, unchanged after 2,000 years. I hung on every word. Greg and Quinton smiled, and then went to the cafeteria for cokes.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest Disney-Britton INDIANA - The Orthodox Catholic Church divided from my Roman Catholic Church in the year 1056 because of its desire to remain unchanged in ideas, in ritual, and in dress. The moment of the "divide" is called the Great Schism , and according to Fr. Stevan Bauman, the elderly rector of Joy of All Who Sorrow's Orthodox Church in Indianapolis; the state of Indiana has more Orthodox churches than any other (double that of NY). Surrounded by 100s of saintly gold-leafed icons; grey bearded, black robed but inspired and enthusiastic, the rector gave us a tour of the great mystery and ritual of his Orthodoxy, unchanged after 2,000 years. I hung on every word while my companions Greg and Quinton smiled and drifted back, and then eventually went to the cafeteria for cokes.

Rueter's news reports that Religious themes will dominate Christie's mid-season auction of Old Masters, ranging from Greek gods to Fairies and Angels. Works previously owned by Sylvestor Stallone and others will be on sale for the rich and the rich. including works by Peter Paul Rubens and William Adolphe Bourguereau. Below are a few estimates ranging from $200,000 to $500,000 for these works.

The 7 deadly sins of PR (2010 edition) RAGAN.COM By Michael Snyder In a lightning-fast, 24-hour information cycle, organizations must avoid these common pitfalls A few months ago, a prominent executive—someone who should have known better—asked me: “What is it exactly that you do?” Having been asked this question hundreds of times over the past quarter century, I replied: “Just like a company’s brand and reputation, every corporation has public relations, whether they want it or not. The only question is whether they want to strategically direct it or let it drift on to the rocks.”  ( Read Entire Post )

Time Magazine's " Short List " picks of the week include: "The belated New York debut (in a Brooklyn church) of Sarah Ruhl's provocative look at the tale of Jesus' trials as staged in three eras--Elizabethan England, Nazi German and modern-day American--makes a good case for this 2005 epic as a new American classic." Sounds like it's more than worth the dime to get to Brooklyn and see it.

Jupiter's entrance into Aries this month casts a new light on your collecting, and you may end up taking off in a new direction. The universe of options is wide open and you might not have clue what's down the road. Just enjoy the ride. It may be the start of a new cycle of collecting.

AOA NEWS By Tahlib Wadlington INDIANA - The logo of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a red chalice with St. Andrew's Cross . The chalice represents the centrality of Communion to the life of the church. The cross of Saint Andrew is a reminder of the ministry of each person and the importance of evangelism, and recalls the denomination's Scottish Presbyterian ancestry. The denomination's stately  archives are in Nashville, TN while the administrative headquarters for this congregation of about 1 million is in Indianapolis where one of their eight seminaries, Christian Theological Seminary is also located. The denomination history goes back to the Second Great Awakening in the 19th Century.