Happiness seems made to be shared.
I am a little behind with my happy thoughts because it was such a busy weekend. But it was glorious! I am happy that C.cada’s first annual outdoor art show went off without a hitch. It was raining at eight but by 10 the sun was burning its way through the clouds! Here is artists Wendy Brouillet who took best of show and second place overall with her painting of Cornerstone Church.
Today I am happy about the progress our artists are making through C.cada. One of our artists created the mural you see below out of chalkboard paint for our church’s coffee shop. We heard today that a project we are working on with a local hospital is once again a go (we thought sure it had stalled out) …AND… I finished my painting for next week’s art show! Now to frame it!
True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.
C.cada Artists
C.cada (Cornerstone Christian artist’s day apart) was begun in an effort to give artists from every genre an opportunity to come together to discover, develop, and deploy their talents in ways that will better the church and the community.
Last month you will remember our group project was a writing challenge using the Bop form of poetry. A few months before we were challenged to write a piece of flash fiction from a prompt. Here are some of the results.
Deb Maciorowski
C.cada writing exercise in Poetry
The Bop
That Light
The end of the month is coming
If time could stand still
All could be accomplished.
I could earn more money
Maybe an oil change
Would smooth things out
Focus, focus, distracted by the light!
Hopeful that the light goes out
Call Bob to schedule
Next Wednesday at 6pm
Drive in, light still on
How long will it take?
Where will the money come from?
Keep on praying!
Focus, focus, distracted by the light!
Disconnected the wire
Light finally out!
Picked up, turn lights on and off
Left turn signal now the right
Failed inspection again- Drive out
Turn corner at stop sign—Nooooo! Not again!
Focus, focus, distracted by the light!
Sandy Freeman
CCADA writing prompt
“Ben’s Crossing”
“Poppy, just one more story, PLEASE!!!” Eliza pleaded.
“Alright, then it’s off to bed, agreed?” Poppy sternly stated masking his grin.
“Tell me the one about Christoff,” Eliza burst out, barely controlling her excitement.
“Let see, how does it go? Oh, yes,” Poppy closed his eyes as he stroked his goatee. “School was out promptly at 2p.m., Christoff sauntered off towards “Big-Ben”. It was October; the leaves were explosive with color as if splattered across a woody canvas. Christoff loved autumn; the air was breathable, not sticky with humidity but soothing scarcely requiring a sweatshirt. He adorned one about his waist; it helped hold up his weary jeans, frayed by the treading of his red canvas sneakers, one inevitably needing to be tied. This day particularly stood out for Christoff as he grew older, his heart would be perpetually changed; though he would not acquaint the transformation till years later at a once close friend’s funeral, Pastor Quinn.
Christoff and Sean became immediate friends upon their first meeting at church. They typically met at “Ben’s Crossing” after school. Now “Ben’s Crossing” was situated deep in the woods, a place where the explosive painting became somewhat smudged due to the obvious lack of sunrays. Here is where “Big-Ben” stood.
“Do you remember “Big-Ben” Eliza?” Poppy inquired.
“It’s only the biggest, gigantic old oak tree ever made by God!” Eliza exclaimed.
“Well I guess you have been listening to your old Pops after all,” Poppy grinned with a twinkle in his eyes. “Now where was I? Oh yes, “the race”.”
Usually they would spy each other from a distance; and then “the race” was on to see who could reach “Big-Ben” first. For some reason Christoff reached “Big-Ben” ahead of Sean.
Sean usually edged Christoff out by one-hundredth of a second. But this day Christoff had victory, he outran Sean for the first time ever. Christoff pranced around Sean like a proud peacock, unable to see the lack of expression on Sean’s face.
“CHRISTOFF, PLEASE STOP!” Sean squeaked.
Christoff immediately halted, “WHAT! Can’t a guy enjoy such a historic event?”
“My parents are getting a divorce!” Sean snapped out fighting back the tears welling up in his eyes.
Christoff stood dumbfounded not really knowing what to say or how to comfort his friend. Then Christoff remembered the theme at VBS last year, “Pray for a friend in need”.
“Let me pray for you?” Christoff said softly placing his hand delicately on Sean’s shoulder.
Sean nodded with an unspoken yes, as a tear streamed down his cheek.
Christoff spoke softly with his hand still upon Sean’s shoulder, “Dear Jesus, please help my friend and his parents, let them see you in each other and in their son, Sean. Oh, Jesus they need you! Amen!” Christoff raised his head, his jaw dropped.
“What?” Sean said puzzled by his friend’s expression. He heard the crunch of autumn leaves behind him. He turned…there stood Mr. Quinn, Sean’s father tears streaming from his eyes with outstretched arms.
Our next C.cada meeting is coming up on May 24th. If you would like more information about our organization check us out at
artistdayapart.com
We had 24 artists at this month’s collaborative meeting! Praise God!
If you are new to the C.cada scene here is our mission statement:
C.cada (Cornerstone Christian artist’s day apart) was begun in an effort to give artists from every genre an opportunity to come together to discover, develop, and deploy their talents in ways that will better the church and the community.
Yesterday we met, had breakfast then painted, wrote, played and carved away the morning. After lunch we met for a collaborative Bop session….That is we learned and practiced writing bop poetry. Here are some of our submissions:
Best Intentions
by Jill Poland
used by permission
Oh Glorious garden of beauty and peace
Suddenly decimated by an invasion of hungry pests.
All I wanted was to enjoy the fragrance.
All I needed was some rest.
Why does this always happen?
Why, oh why, did I allow those locusts in?
Never answer the phone on a Friday afternoon
I know God’s Garden is eternal,
But the destruction looks so real.
Oh I hate those lying vermin
Destroying my refuge.
Where did my pretty flowers go?
I must find the way out,
Out of the darkness and the lies.
I know my hope is true.
Never answer the phone on a Friday afternoon
I stop staring at the broken flowers
Mangled and left to die.
I sprinkle that dark shadowy place
With faith and hope and love.
With the lying shadows dispelled, my garden reappears!
My lovely peaceful garden that was always truly there!
Never answer the phone on a Friday afternoon.
Tares & Wheat
by Charlotte Dorais
used by permission
Green spikey leaves
Yellow flowers explode into puffs
Grass connected by roots
Flowerless but determined
Spreading beyond boarders
Over shadow petals of color
Uproot teardown destroy and overthrow
Brown tinged flowerless spikes
Erupt and march across
Tender young greens
Sweet succulent fodder
Encourage visitation
Tall slender stocks invade
Red white blue yellow and purple
Peak through
Uproot teardown destroy and overthrow
Kneeling digging bending
Pulling careless of stains
Black crescent nails
Breaking and splitting
Covering that which
Remains hidden
Uproot teardown destroy and overthrow
C.cada is our church’s artist collaborative. Our mission is
to give artists from every genre an opportunity to come together to discover, develop, and deploy their talents in ways that will better the church and the community.
About a year ago we realized we needed God’s plan to begin to widen our influence from the church to the community. We prayed.
It is a wondrously dangerous thing to ask God for things like that. In response God has given us a plan and projects to go along with it.
In September I was invited to join a committee called the Robinson Broadhurst Winchendon Enhancement Committee. Our directive was to come up with a project that would benefit the whole town. What we ended up with was a plan to acquire a 43 acre piece of waterfront property in the center of town and to build a town Makerspace.
C.cada has been asked to supply mentors for the Makerspace project and to begin Makerspace programs in advance of the acquisition that will be eventually be housed on the property. How is that for widening influence?
One of our local hospitals has invited a group of our artists to come and paint their pediatric play room ( a makerspace project). These pictures are promotional mock-ups done by one of our artists for the play room project.
We were also welcomed to host a 250th anniversary art show in town On June 14th which is Charter Day for Winchendon (another makerspace project). So far response seems good. We have two musical groups coming and my goal is to hang 100 pieces out doors.
http://artistdayapart.com/winchendon-250th-anniversary-art-contest/
Meanwhile two of our writers are working on pieces for a contest with Rose Hall Media.
What I am discovering is that God has no shortage of things for us to do to help in the building of His kingdom. If we will just seek Him for the opportunities they will come in His time in His way.
What is God leading you into just now?
For those of you who may not be familiar with it, C. cada is the artists community of Cornerstone Church our mission is to: give artists from every genre an opportunity to come together to discover, develop, and deploy their talents in ways that will better the church and the community.
The C.cada Cross. One of our collaborative projects
I haven’t written much about our doings because we have been so busy doing them but God has been good! We are currently working on several projects as a group:
1. A group of our artists is in the planning stages of redoing the pediatrics play room at our local hospital.
2. One of our artists just finished collaborating with a local elementary school on the show, Aristocats. In fact, I have to unload our portable sound system, which they used, after I am done here.
3. We are in the midst of preparing for an outdoor art show in honor of our town’s 250th anniversary. Here is our link if anyone out there is interested
http://artistdayapart.com/winchendon-250th-anniversary-art-contest/
4. Plans are underway for C.cada to be a collaborator with many other town committees on a town Makerspace project.
5. One of our artists is preparing to lead worship for a Frontiersmen Camping Fraternity Fellowship in May
6. One Desire, our church youth band is cutting its first album.
7. Clayton Phelps, one of our artists is playing out several times a week reaching people with the gospel through his guitar. In fact yesterday he played at GALA another art association’s art show.
That is just a taste of the exciting stuff going on. Books are being written. Music is being played. choirs are singing. Paintings are being prepared for shows and galleries around the area. GOD IS GOOD.
A few months ago our group project was a short story writing prompt. I have already shared Deb Maciorowski’s offering with you and mine but here is another from our very own Charlotte Dorais
First Day
The flashing school bus lights warned me how late I was. My first day teaching Junior High was causing me enough anxiety without being the last one to arrive in my class room. I had planned on time to pray and make final preparations for the day before the first students arrived, this day would only be blessed if I depended on God to lead me. I prayed God this is your day and I need you more now than ever. Thank you for your peace.
Last nights dream was playing like an old silent film in my mind. Still shots of the class room and each student flashed one by one. I knew a few of the kinds personally from church, but so many of the faces were strangers and the fact that this class was special needs excited me. God see potential where no one else does. He would lead me to the best plan for each student.
The parking lot was filled and late comers like me were left to the back 40. Shouldering my heavy bag I trotted the length of the parking lot. First bell rang as I entered the class room door and most of the students were paired up and talking excitedly to one another. As the final bell rang I turned to close the door Jeff rushed past and slide into an empty seat. Jeff was one of my church kids and I counted on him for support. My greeting to him was ignored and he kept his head down and eyes averted.
These students would spend the day with me, one by one we would get acquainted and develop an individual teaching plan. I looked forward to the challenge.
Marie stood in the front by my desk and introduced herself to me, she knew all the students and offered to assist me in any way I needed. I knew God had sent her. As I turned to get material to pass out I saw Jeff slip out the door. Rule number one broken the first hour of the day, no one leaves the room without permission. I decided to step out and look for him and he was right outside the door with his face to the wall praying, God make it stop.
My quick pray was give me words, and I ask Jeff to tell me what had to stop. His said a line from a book:
He heard the crunch of leaves behind him, he turned……
was playing nonstop in his mind and he couldn’t turn it off. I suggested he finish the thought, when he turned what did he see? All fear left him as he replaced the lie with Jesus. God’s power is always work and He never fails us when we cry out to him. I was where He meant me to be.
Charlotte L Dorais
I can honestly say what we are doing is hard work but it is so exciting! I am convinced that God is in this because the results are beyond us. We are offering what we have. We know it is not enough and yet He is multiplying us even as He multiplied the fish and loaves.
As many of you have asked for a peek at what happened during our art show last weekend I thought I would bring you a post displaying some of the music and moments of the show:
Clayton Phelps is a brother in the Lord who helps me out with a monthly communion service I do for the disabled community. He opened our show musically on Friday night.
The Lingala Landscape
This acrylic painting created in a two hour session by Pastor Don Evans from Trumbull CT was part of an auction geared to raise $45,000.00 for the translation of the Lingala Fire Bible. It was auctioned to me as part of the display for our Arts In Action segment. And yes the $45,000.00 was raised (though my bid was one very small part of it).
The following pieces were part of our main gallery. Many of the 150 pieces which hung in our main gallery can be seen at http://www.artistdayapart.com
Here are some candids of people caught during the show
Charlotte Dorais, painter and worshipper
Our Cafe
Chris Muzzey was a guest soloist on Saturday afternoon.
Doug Stevens led a wood carving demonstration for us on Saturday
Dear Readers,
I am writing you from the quiet of the church sanctuary where I am sipping the first of what I expect will be many cups of Hawaiian coffee. The weekend of our annual C.cada art show has finally arrived. This is the first year we have done a full weekend of display. The show has also doubled in size since last year. Hanging and setting up displays for over 150 works of art is a larger undertaking than I expected. I am so glad I opted to start setting up after service on Wednesday night!
The work you see above is a multimedia wax and wood piece entitled “The C.cada Cross”. The cross is the collaborative effort of 13 artists from C.cada and has been donated by our group to the Christian Healing Center of New England. It will hang in the center’s guest hall for their open house scheduled next week. We presented “The C.cada Cross” to the Christian Healing Center’s board of directors last night in a public prayer segment of the show.
If you are in the area today, stop by. The show is on until 6 P.M. and if you miss that come to church for a visit tomorrow! The artwork will still be on display through our morning and evening services.
Cornerstone Church
Rt. 140
Winchendon MA
For a schedule of events go to http://www.artistdayapart.com
Well last week I was at a distance from my computer and could not take part in the weekly travel theme. This week I have once again drawn close to the comforting click of the keyboard and so I can participate in this week’s theme from Ailsa which is: DISTANCE. If you would like to read more posts from a distance go to http://wheresmybackpack.com/2013/08/30/travel-theme-distance/
Here is my photographic take on the matter:
We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have traveled from the point where they started.
Henry Ward Beecher
Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it but can describe it only from the vantage point of distance.
Charles Lindbergh
I took these photos while visiting the Fruitlands Museum in Ayer MA with our artist’s group.
We talk about heaven being so far away. It is within speaking distance to those who belong there. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.
Dwight L. Moody
This photograph was taken in the Oude Kerk in Delft, The Netherlands.
Independence
by JE Lillie
Innocent
Native son
Driving back lethargy
Engaging the world about
Prevailing darkness wearing carnival masks,
Ensnaring hapless men. “Everything’s just fine,”
Nattering poppin-jays proclaim.Without knowledge lies reign.
Duplicity doesn’t dupe truly free slaves of righteousness.
Every step they take frees the land from bondage.
Native sons and daughters rising up. With truth ignoring through
Charity the carnal call to embrace an existence proclaiming freedom yet
Ending in nothing but a pop of smoky fire. This is independence!
Lillie-Put 