Wild Goose West Draws Progressive Christians to Intersection of Faith, Art and Justice

THE OREGONIAN
By Nancy Haught

OREGON---In the Bible and in many Christian circles, the Holy Spirit is portrayed as a dove, swooping down from heaven, bearing a message from God. But in Celtic Christianity and some progressive circles, the Holy Spirit is a wild goose, one worth chasing not only as it flies but when it struts and squawks, too. Organizers of the first Wild Goose Festival in the western United States hope to attract fans of the latter to the Benton County Fairgrounds Aug. 31-Sept. 2  for a weekend devoted to what they see as the unpredictable movement of the Holy Spirit. "Wild Goose is a festival at the intersection of justice, spirituality and art," says one of its organizers, Gareth Higgins.  "We're mostly trying to provide an alternative to some of the louder voices that sometimes claim ownership of religion and spirituality – especially Christianity." [live]

Christian vs. Muslim Chess Sets: A New Method of Conflict Resolution

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS

OREGON - This theme chess set is based on Christian Europe's military battles to take the Holy Land from Islamic rule. There were nine major crusades spanning from the 11th through the 13th centuries in which the Christian and Muslim armies fought for control of the Holy Land. This chess set, is available through The Chess Store, Inc. in Oregon, and each chess piece is made of Polystone (stone-like material, very hard and durable but will break if dropped on a hard surface). The King Height is 3.25" with a base of 1.125" (priced $70 - $260). The company is located in Hillsboro, Oregon, just a few miles outside of Portland, or visit their website at thechessstore.com.

Another Major Islamic Art Exhibit Heads to US Museums in 2013

THE OREGONIAN
By D.K. Row

Qurâan Manuscript Endowed as Waqf

OREGON - The Portland Art Museum will be one of four museums to host a major exhibition on Islamic art over the next two years. The exhibit, "Beauty and Belief: Crossing Bridges With the Arts of Islamic Culture," is being organized by the Brigham Young University Museum of Art in Provo, Utah, and spans Islamic culture from the seventh century to the present. More than 250 artworks and artifacts from 40 collections in nine countries, including Kuwait, Morocco, Great Britain and the United States, will be featured in the show. Besides Brigham Young and the Portland museum, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the Newark Museum are the other venues, so far, who've signed on to present the exhibit. The show will run in Portland from June 15, 2013, to Sept. 8, 2013. [link]

Cutting Arts in Schools is Unacceptable in Portland

CHRISTIANITY TODAY | This is Our City



OREGON - Creativity is essential to the human experience. So what happens when arts and music become a victim of budget cuts? For Laura Streib this was a reality that was unacceptable. For Streib, cuts to arts programs meant getting involved in Portland public schools. [link]

King James Bible Exhibit Traveling Across the Nation

THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE
By Greg Bolt, The Register-Guard

Bible section, courtesy of Scatmania

OREGON — Over the past four centuries the King James Bible has influenced everyone from Shakespeare to Charles Schulz, has found its way into symphonies and rock and roll, and has circled both the Earth and the moon. Now, Northwest Christian University is marking the 400th anniversary of what is often called the most influential book ever printed in the English language with a special, monthlong display. The traveling exhibit chronicles the history of the Bible from the first English translations to the creation of the King James version to its huge influence on art, culture, language, music and literature. Much of that history is told in the 14 panels that make up the traveling exhibit, which is organized by the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. and the American Library Association. It will be seen in 40 cities across the country as part of the yearlong commemoration of the anniversary. The traveling exhibit will be on display at NCU through Oct. 28. [link]

"Annunciation of the 'Earth Christ'" in Oregon Art Gallery

COAST WEEKEND

OREGON - T.Anjuli Salon and Gallery presents original canvases by artists B. Lutz and Lisa Scigliano. Lutz's Annunciation of the ‘Earth Christ' series uses Christian dogmatic themes to usher in the Redeification of Mother Earth. Scigliano's work explores domestic themes in bold and colorful naif style. Both artists will be on hand to discuss their provocative work, with wine and snacks aplenty. [link]

NEA Grant Aims to Bridge Religious Differences With Art

THE PORTLAND DAILY SUN
By Casey Conley

OREGON - The city’s Art at Work program has won a $100,000 federal grant designed to use the arts to build community and strengthen neighborhoods. The one-year grant from National Endowment for the Arts will be used to fund a new initiative from Art at Work called “Meeting Place,” which will use “multidisciplinary arts projects” to tackle religious, ethnic and political divisions that exist in some city neighborhoods. Improving diversity within the city’s neighborhood associations is another key aim, said Marty Pottenger, director of Art at Work. [link]

Religious Relics Embody Belief and Still Make the Rounds

THE OREGONIAN
By Nancy Haught

Stole of John Paul ll

OREGON - Religious relics -- bits of bone, strands of hair, drops of blood -- are back in the news. For some believers, relics are a connection to saints, those men and women who endured often difficult lives without losing faith. [link]

Peter Shelton's "Body" of Work in Oregon

THE OREGONIAN

Current installation at Portland Museum of Art

OREGON - Since the late 1970s, sculptor Peter Shelton has made work primarily about the body. Most obviously, his objects and installations invoke the body in formal terms, as he mimics the supple curvature of flesh or employs familiar structures as anatomical stand-ins, such as pipes for veins. But Shelton, who lives and works in Los Angeles, also conceives of his sculptures as objects to be interacted with, calibrated to produce a precise relationship to the bodies of viewers.  [link]

Animalines

Religious Art Gallery Moves Next Door to Strip Club in Oregon

KEZI 9 NEWS
By Susan Gagar

OREGON - A public art display is sparking controversy. Patrons of the Silver Lace Strip Club are now faced with holy crosses and the words "redemption" and "salvation" on a walk into the night club. The Eugene Storefront Art Project hopes to attract new life into Springfield's downtown with a unique set of recycled crosses left over from a Riverside Church display. [Video]

Ethiopian Christian Art on View in Oregon

THE OREGONIAN
By Nany Haught

Ethiopian Christian manuscript

OREGON -The Hallie Ford Museum of Art has created an exhibit titled "Glory of Kings: Ethiopian Christian Art From Oregon Collections." It continues at the museum, 700 State St. in Salem, through June 12. Ethiopia, clinging to the rugged highlands of sub-Saharan Africa, has been home to a unique strand of Christianity that traces its history back to the Queen of Sheba and ancient Israel's King Solomon. The museum exhibit gathers examples of Ethiopian art and crafts, including murals, iconic images painted on wood, elaborate crosses made of metal and carved in wood and illuminated manuscripts that are different from European examples but vibrantly colorful in their own way. A few magic scrolls also are on display, each made to protect a particular person with images of guardian angels and watchful eyes. [link]

Portland-based Cuba AyUUda fosters Cuban-U.S. relations.

UUWORLD NEWS
February 28, 2011

OREGON -- Cuba AyUUda groups—the name implies “mutual service to one another,” in Spanish—have helped with AIDS clinics, painted nursing homes, shared the work of construction and gardening, and made art and music with Cubans. They have also taken tons of medical and other supplies to Cuba over the years. A key project is one that the group took over from the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee—providing cloth and other materials to a Cuban women’s group that makes baby clothes in an effort to encourage young mothers to seek prenatal care. [link]

Redesigning Presbyterian Youth Group Room

News Register
February 10, 2011

OREGON - Candice Cameron's redesign of the Presbyterian Church youth room — a project carried out by volunteers - was named winner of the Interior Design Society Designer of the Year Awards "Specialty Room — Judges' Choice" category. "Her winning entry completely transformed a church basement youth room from drab and uninspired to dynamic and spectacular," noted judges for the nationwide contest. [link]

Holy Hometowns (Top 10 & 100)

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

Just in time for the holidays, Mens Health Magazine compiled a listing of America's Most Religious Cities. Can you find your city on the list of America's most religious hometowns? My own NYC is near bottom at #84...shocking?

1. Colorado Springs, CO
2. Greensboro, NC
3. Oklahoma City, OK
4. Wichita, KS
5. Indianapolis, IN
6. Jacksonville, FL
7. Portland, OR
8. Birmingham, AL
9. Charlotte, NC
10. Little Rock, AR