Art & Faith Conversations

Guest host, Joy Ike, joins the podcast with an episode about sound and how it affects the clarity of our vision. She states, "The noisier things get, the harder it is to see." She shares her thoughts and questions about the power of sound, including music, and how the things we hear can either distract us or re-orient our focus.  Joy is a music artist from Philadelphia. NPR's All Things Considered describes her work as poetic and perfectly complemented by a unique blend of neo-soul, with just the right dash of pop. Joy is also an artist consultant and coach and helps others develop their unique voice in their craft and career.  Visit her website to view her work. https://www.joyike.com Connect with her: Instagram: @joyikemusic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyikemusic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/joyikemusic Spotify: https://spoti.fi/34WhzXK email: joyikemusic@gmail.com   Join the podcast community: https://www.patreon.com/artandfaithpodcast

Visual artist, Merna Liddawi, started out as an educator in math and science but turned to painting in her adult life. Now a full time artist, she describes her work as creating a contemplative space of stillness and beauty through sacred geometry, symbolism, and the use of pure elements and materials. Born in the Middle East in Jordan, she draws on her Orthodox roots to connect her work and her faith as she continues to explore the divine mysteries of life. https://www.mernaliddawi.com The podcast is an independent, listener supported production. Join the community and help continue these conversations: https://www.patreon.com/artandfaithpodcast

Hannah Anderson is the author of several books with Turning of Days: Lessons of Nature, Seasons and Spirit being her fourth release. It's a collection of devotional essays and illustrations described as a respite for our restless, disoriented, and fatigued world. Hannah's poetic way with words paired with her husband, Nathan's detailed illustrations, readers are invited into the natural world to slow down and reflect on nature's testimony about who God is.  You can pre-order the book through the link: https://www.moodypublishers.com/turning-of-days/ Learn more about Hannah's work: https://www.sometimesalight.com  

Maria Fee is a painter who works with paper, canvas and paint to create work that explores fragmentation, cultural mixing referred to as mestizo, alienation and hospitality. She is the director of the national artist residency program at Brehm Cascadia which is part of the Brehm Center of Fuller Seminary. We talk about the residency and the need artists have for the church but also the  need churches have for artists and why. Find out more about Maria's work at: https://www.mariafee.net Music provided for this episode by Greg LaFollette.  

Caroline Cobb is a singer/songwriter who's music has been compared to the likes of Rich Mullins, Andrew Peterson and Sandra McCracken. Her newest album release, A Seed, A Sunrise, is full of songs that shape the upcoming season of Advent. Through imagination, artistry and poetic language, Caroline tells biblical narratives through her storytelling style of writing. Although these songs were recorded before the upheaval of 2020, we talk about how they seem to be a timely piece of art that pushes back the darkness. We talk about the creative process behind her writing, how stories through songs shape us and the life goal she set in 2011 that served as a catalyst for her future in music and the albums that would follow.  https://www.carolinecobb.com To connect with the podcast follow on Instagram or Facebook @artandfaithpodcast To give a financial gift to support this independent work: https://www.patreon.com/artandfaithpodcast      

Author, Diana Oestreich, is a Iraq War veteran who served as a combat medic in the Army National Guard. She's an activist, sexual assault nurse and the key relationships officer at Preemtive Love, a global relief organization working to end war. Her new book, Waging Peace, is her story of going from soldier to peacemaker when she heard God's call for her to love her enemies in the most unlikely place: the battlefield of Iraq. We talk about how the art of writing and story telling has helped her heal from war trauma. Her stories have also been able to serve as a bridge to connect others across their political, ethnic or religious divides. Diana is available to speak at your group or visit your book club. Learn more by visiting her website: https://www.dianaoestreich.com To order her book https://www.amazon.com/Waging-Peace-Soldiers-Story-Putting/dp/1506463703/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=waging+peace&qid=1604070156&s=amazon-devices&sr=1-1    

Kathleen Hudson is an oil painter based in Lexington, KY who creates landscapes in her studio and en plein air. Her style is influenced by close observation of fleeting and beautiful moments  in nature which she hopes to capture in her paintings and leave the viewer with a sense of longing. To pre-order Revelations of the Artist book https://www.artserveint.org/rota Visit Kathleen's website https://www.kathleenbhudson.com  

Karisa Keasey is a studio artist who aspires to bring about change through her work. She is most known for her recent book, "When You Can't Go Home", the story of 10 refugees and their families along with 30 portraits. For every book sold, 50% of the profits goes to World Relief to help the efforts with refugees.  To pre-order Revelations of the Artist book https://www.artserveint.org/rota To visit Karisa's website https://karisakeasey.com  

Matthew Bird is is an award winning watercolor artist, illustrator, designer and teacher. Matthew has five children's books published and his paintings have been used as greeting cards for The Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic, the National Audubon Society, and the National Wildlife Federation. He paints still life and seeks to find beauty in the ordinary through his work. To pre-order the book https://www.artserveint.org/rota Visit Matthew's site https://matthewbird.com

Jennie Kimbrough is a visual artist who works in acrylics and encaustic with mixed medium elements. Through her work she dives into questions about communication with God, living in a broken world and the contrast of our temporal nature of our bodies to the eternal nature of the soul. Through layering of transparent materials she suggests space, the passage of time and the fragility and ephemeral quality of her subject matter.  To pre-order the book https://www.artserveint.org/rota Visit Jennie's website https://www.jenniekimbrough.com

Lori Putnam is a Contemporary American Impressionist who sees harmony, rhythms, patterns, color and shapes as her subject matter. She has served as an Artist Faculty Demonstrator for the Annual Plein Air Convention for six years and has been a keynote speaker and guest lecturer at many notable events. Lori teaches to sold out workshops and has received numerous awards and accolades for her work.  To pre-order the book https://www.artserveint.org/rota Visit Lori's website https://loriputnam.com

Lauren Midgley is a conceptual fine art photographer who creates evocative and thought provoking imagery. Her photographs blur the line between reality and a dream scape and provide a safe space for conversations about faith, doubt, trauma and healing. To pre-order the book https://www.artserveint.org/rota Visit Lauren's website https://www.iamwonderandlight.com 

Mat Barber Kennedy is a painter who uses primarily watercolour. He represents daily life through depictions of aging machines, tools, and buildings that are constructed in layers, adapting over generations and decaying in pieces. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours and of The American Impressionists Society. In 2008 he was awarded the Turner Medal in London. To pre-order the book https://www.artserveint.org/rota Visit Mat's website http://www.matbarberkennedy.com

Tram Colwin is an artist and designer of custom prints, art work and stationary goods. Tram creates out of a desire to capture beauty in nature and everyday life. Born in Vietnam, her family immigrated in 1996 and found their home in Bentonville, Arkansas where she grew up. With a love for art, Tram got her degree in Fine Art and eventually launched her now full-time business, Tram Colwin Art. Her work has been featured on WeddingChicks.com, in FLUX Hawaii and At Home Arkansas. To pre-order the book  https://www.artserveint.org/rota Visit Tram's website https://www.tramcolwinart.com  

Allison Streett is a sculptor who works with the human figure. She describes in her bio that she hopes to provoke insights into ourselves and those around us, challenge us to acknowledge our true relationship to each other, and invite us to imagine a more just future. To pre-order the book https://www.artserveint.org/rota To connect with Allison https://www.allisonstreettstudios.com    

Freedom Rodriguez is a visual artist who along with his wife, Nancy, run ArtServe International which serves under resourced populations through art and empowers youth to dream beyond poverty and find hope for the future. Freedom joins me to tell us about his vision for his newest project, Revelations of the Artist. It's a collaborative book of over 20 artists works and statements about their faith and artistic journey. Through the proceeds of the book, the vision is to fund a creative arts center in Ecuador. The Rodriguez's have many experiences from their global travels with working across cultural and economic divides to develop relationships through art. You can pre-order your own copy of the Revelations of the Artist and be a part of their incredible vision by visiting: https://www.artserveint.org/rota  

I give a wrap up summary of season 5 highlights and reveal an exciting announcement about a current creative endeavor.  As I look ahead to Season 6, I talk about the powerful impact creativity can have as a mediator in these divisive times in our world. Art serves as a bridge to connect people and places that would otherwise remain divided. Listen and share the episode! Connect with the podcast  https://www.instagram.com/artandfaithpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/artandfaithpodcast

Singer/songwriter, Melanie Penn, has experience in various realms of music from classic voice training to Broadway musicals to independent recording artist. Compelled to write her own songs, she overcame her own lack of confidence and challenges and recorded her first album in 2010 which received critical acclaim. She has since released several albums and singles including her Immanuel project in 2017 which rose to #1 on Amazon's Christian worship and holiday charts. Melanie shares about the various aspects of shaping her artistic voice, mentors, spiritual practices and the message of clarity she hopes to bring through her music.  https://www.melaniepenn.com To support the podcast visit:  https://www.patreon.com/artandfaithpodcast

Kris Camealy talks about her newest book, Everything is Yours, an intimate and honest journey of how the art of letting go led her to the depths of God's love. As well as a writer, Kris is founder of Refine(the retreat) and the Refinery artists guild. She hosts an annual retreat for women and curates space for creative and spiritual practices.  Click the links to out more about her work or to order her books https://refineretreat.com https://www.amazon.com/Kris-Camealy/e/B00B3LLNEC%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Artist, Hannah Rose Thomas, began a journey of healing when she was asked to organize an art project for Syrian refugees in 2014. She went on to continue this humanitarian work of art and empathy and had the privilege to hear the stories of women in Northern Iraq and Nigeria who had survived incredible trauma and violence. She taught them to paint their own portraits which became a process of healing in restoring their own personhood, something they said was of their highest value. Many of the women painted themselves with tears of gold coming down their face and Hannah has since began compiling her portraits of the women into a book with that very title, Tears of Gold. She describes her work as giving a voice to the voiceless and uses the paintings as tools of advocacy to bring about change. Her work has been shown in Houses of Parliament, European Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Lambeth Palace, The Saatchi Gallery and Durham Cathedral.  Three of Hannah’s paintings of Yezidi women were chosen by HRH The Pri