Artist of the Month: Christina Askounis
Reading Christina Askounis is like watching an Olympic figure skater. What you notice first is the delicate, polished, graceful outward form: the energy, the movement, the invented world as bright and solid as a sheet of ice. What you don’t see, often until you’ve finished the story and are mulling it over and trying to understand how she pulled it off, is the forceful, disciplined athleticism that propels it. Askounis is a master illusionist: she writes fiction so seamless, so confident in its voice, so finished, that it looks effortless. With energy and precision, she wields each element of story craft without drawing attention to what she’s doing. In two lines of dialogue, she can mark a change in the trajectory of a relationship with clarity and force. In a few sentences’ description of a room, she can create an entire emotional history. This is a world so solid, so sure-footed, that one melts into it. Her sense of human behavior is finely tuned, perceptive, and surprising, and she treats her usually noble, morally anguished characters with tenderness but without sentimentality. She is also the author of The Dream of the Stone, a walloping, smart fantasy thriller for young readers. All kids should be reading prose this good.

Click here for more.

Auralia’s Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet
In his first fantasy novel, Auralia’s Colors, author and film critic Jeffrey Overstreet renders a world robbed of color. House Abascar is ruled by a jealous queen and an ambitious king who have confiscated from the common people everything that’s colorful and beautiful in order to adorn the palace. Dubbed the “Wintering of Abascar,” the colorless season is touted as a way to elevate the kingdom above the rest of the houses in the world of the Expanse. But inside Abascar’s walls, a growing discontent gnaws at the people who wait for their promised spring season. Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the kingdom, exiled thieves and other breakers of Abascar’s laws work as Gatherers, hoping to gain enough merit to one day earn a place within the protection of Abascar’s walls. There, a young girl captivates the Gatherers with a mysterious gift that she neither asked for nor quite understands. Weaving colors out of leaves and feathers and threads, Auralia ignores the decree of the Wintering. Without fear, she works with colors that the people of Abascar vaguely remember, sometimes even colors they’ve never seen. Making vivid garments and other objects of gratuitous beauty, Auralia gives her colorful gifts to the Gatherers and anyone else who wants them. When her creations manifest more power than she can explain, she faces the choice of running from her gift or finding out what it might mean for her world. To a kingdom poisoned by greed and a thirst for power, Auralia’s colors pose a threat to the way of life that has been enforced. But to Abascar’s yearning people, subdued by fear but gifted with dreams that promise more than black, brown, grey, and white, Auralia’s colors offer new possibilities for beauty. The telling of this tale mimics Auralia's delight in beauty: Overstreet’s sentences are such skillful romps through language that the prose itself seems imbued with color, best when savored slowly. Scenes are woven together like a magnificent and colorful garment. And Overstreet has created touching and complicated characters who refuse to be written off. Like Auralia, perhaps Overstreet sees possibilities for all of them, even for the bloodthirsty Beastmen who haunt the forest and terrorize the people of Abascar, even for the people of Abascar that Auralia once called blind.

For more on Auralia’s Colors, click here. To buy the book, click here.

Hope: An Invitational Show
To celebrate the completion of their new library, public plaza, and building renovations, Regent College invited artists from past Lookout Gallery exhibits to submit work relating to the theme of hope. Featuring the works of fifteen artists, Hope: An Invitational Show offers gallery patrons a variety of aesthetic pleasures. The show begins with Carmen Tomé’s warmly lit photograph of Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon, Portugal—a place, she says in the exhibit’s brochure, where the “sense of awe and presence is palpable.” Wayne Eastcott and Michiko Suzuki offer “Interconnection 2 (Yobitsugi 1),” a print filled with greens and grays that depicts the tension between movement and stillness. Continuing her interest in embodiment and liminality, Erica Grimm Vance offers “Fragments of Your Ancient Name: Fire.” The five-sectioned encaustic piece, which includes a map of the Athabasca River region and thermographic images of the human body, investigates “issues of being and how meaning is negotiated in the 21st century.” The exhibit’s final work is a pair of small pillars by David Robinson, entitled “Antipodal Ablutions 2006.” About four feet in height, the pillars are each topped by a human figure half risen from the surface—one seemingly pushing upward, the other gazing into what might be a mirror. “These sculptures,” Robinson says, “are the working outcomes of waking dreams.” Also included are works by Dan Steeves, Gerald Folkerts, Squire Broel, Brooke Anderson, Robert Young, Maria Gabankova, Friedrich Peter, Chris Anderson, Richard Jesse Watson, and Sara Lige. From the direct to the indirect, from sculpture and painting to printmaking, the exhibit provides the viewer with a thought-provoking meditation on hope. The Lookout Gallery is located in Vancouver, BC, on the campus of Regent College. The exhibit will continue through October 31, 2007.

Find more about the exhibit here.

Faith in the Halls of Power by D. Michael Lindsay
Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite is not the sort of book title you might expect in this art-oriented newsletter, but bear with us for a moment—you’ll be glad you did. The grandiosity of the title and the photos on the cover (the White House, Hollywood sign, etc.) might lead you to think this book is a slick, hyper-political tale. But, as the saying goes, a book’s cover isn’t the best basis for judgment. Michael Lindsay is, in fact, a meticulous sociologist, and the book is a thoroughly researched, articulate, and incisive treatment of a sea-change in North American religious culture (published by Oxford University Press). Based on nearly 400 interviews with a variety of leaders (including Image editor Gregory Wolfe), this volume chronicles a shift from “populist” evangelicalism, which tends to have an antagonistic relationship to mainstream culture and its institutions, to “cosmopolitan” evangelicalism, which is both critical of various religious subcultures and committed to engagement with the larger public sphere. (Lindsay acknowledges that many of the individuals and institutions he is writing about aren’t evangelical in the strict historical-theological sense of the term.) Unlike many scholars of religion in public life, Lindsay does not place too much stress on politics and academia—a full quarter of his book is devoted to the crucial role of popular and high art. We’re happy to say that Image is cited as one of the leading organizations moving many believers “from protest to patronage.” Get past this book’s cover to delve into its rich, highly relevant content.

To learn more about Faith in the Halls of Power, click here.

Sarah Hall: True North Wind Tower
We recently featured stained glass artist Sarah Hall in ImageUpdate #116. Now, combining state of the art technology with the stained glass art of Sarah Hall, Regent College in Vancouver, B.C. recently unveiled the True North wind tower with Lux Nova art glass. It is the first stained glass installation in North America to utilize solar cells. The tower stands atop the newly completed $10 million, 28,000 square foot theological library that opened this past February. Designed by architect Clive Grout, the wind tower provides ventilation for the underground library while symbolizing the school’s commitment to sustainability. The stained glass by Sarah Hall includes twelve dichroic crosses, the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic, and solar cells that will store energy to light the public plaza at night. Sarah Hall, RCA, is an architectural glass artist acclaimed for her imaginative projects.

For more about the Lux Nova Wind Tower project, click here.

The Art of Forgiveness: Images of the Prodigal Son
The Museum of Biblical Art in New York City announces a new exhibit, “The Art of Forgiveness,” which draws together wide-ranging works depicting the biblical story of the prodigal son. More than 70 prints, sculptures, and paintings by artists from the Renaissance to the present day (including Rembrandt, Pietro Testa, James Tissot, Mary McCleary, and Maurice Langaskens) will provide an overview of the impact this theme has had on the history of art. As a compliment to the exhibition, MOBIA will host a series of other events throughout the fall and winter that tie into the Prodigal theme. Events include a concert series featuring music, from folk hymnody to opera, that explores Prodigal themes, a lecture series, including a talk by Tobias Wolff on how the story of the Prodigal Son has influenced his writing, and a gallery talk by Jerry Evenrud, whose personal collection of art relating to the Prodigal Son will be included in the exhibition. The gallery talk and opening reception will be held Wednesday, October 3, at 6:00 p.m. Call (212) 408-1251 to R.S.V.P. The exhibit will run October 4, 2007 – February 17, 2008.

For more information on the exhibit, click here. To find dates and times of other related events, click here.

If you have information other ImageUpdate readers might find interesting, share it here! Do you have a question that you hope a member of the ImageUpdate community might have the answer to? Ask it here. Have your messages posted by sending an email to gwolfe@spu.edu.

L.A. Film Studies Center application deadline: October 15, 2007
Founded in 1991, the Los Angeles Film Studies Center is designed to train students to serve in various aspects of the film industry with both professional skill and Christian integrity.  Each semester, students live, learn, and work in L.A. Located in one of the primary film and television production centers in L.A. and utilizing state of the art camera and editing equipment, LAFSC is designed to integrate a Christian world view with an introductory exploration of the work and workings of mainstream Hollywood entertainment. The deadline to apply for the Spring 2007 semester is October 15, 2007. For more information, click here.

Called to Create: A Lutheran Festival of Writing at Luther College
Whether you're a writer of fiction, non-fiction, or poetry, please mark your calendar now for the first ever gathering of Lutheran-affiliated creative writers. "Called to Create: A Lutheran Festival of Writing at Luther College" will bring together creative writers who have been shaped by the Lutheran tradition. Through readings, lectures, panel discussions, and open-mike events, the festival aims to support and encourage serious writing and to cultivate a community of writers in the Lutheran world. "Called to Create" will take place November 2-4, 2007, at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The 19 confirmed writers include keynote speakers National Book Award winner Walt Wangerin and Marilyn Nelson, Poet Laureate of Connecticut. Other participants include Paul Shepherd, writer in residence at Florida State University and winner of the 2004 Mary McCarthy Prize; poets Joyce Sutphen and Gracia Grindal; and writer-pastor Heidi Neumark, who will preach at the closing service. Come help the conference achieve its goal: cultivating a spirit of community among Lutheran writers and to learn from each other's walks of faith and writing experiences!

For more information about the festival, participants, and how to register, visit http://programming.luther.edu/lutheranwriters. If you have questions, please e-mail lutheranwriters@luther.edu.

This section lists ongoing exhibits and events that have been featured in previous issues of ImageUpdate. Click on the links for more information.

The Soft Edge of Reason. Kimberly Alexander explores the malleable edges between scientific knowledge and artistic expression in her new exhibition, on display at Studio 832 in Dallas, September 21 – October 20, 2007. For more information click here or call (214) 827-0605.

Jonathan Millet’s mixed media panels, textured and subtle explorations in color, will be on display through October 15, 2007 at the Cerulean Gallery in Dallas. For more information, go to the artist’s website or the Cerulean Gallery.

Image is Coming to Canada. Mark Your Calendars!
This fall Image editor Gregory Wolfe will be traveling to four Canadian cities—Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Winnipeg—to spread the word about the journal and to strengthen ties with Canadian artists, writers, and those who are working for cultural transformation. In Winnipeg on October 25, Image will host a special evening at the Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery where Gregory Wolfe will give a talk on the power of beauty to nourish our common life, communicate faith, and renew our culture. Wolfe will also be giving a presentation in Calgary (date to be announced). In Vancouver and Toronto Wolfe will be appearing at two special book launch events that Image is co-sponsoring. These events, featuring Kathleen Norris as keynote speaker, will celebrate the publication of God With Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas, a beautifully illustrated collection of daily meditations for the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, written by Norris, Luci Shaw, Eugene Peterson, Scott Cairns and others. Image will co-sponsor the book launch events, held in Toronto on November 13 and Vancouver on November 14. We are grateful to several Canadian donors for making these appearances possible and are looking forward to getting more Canadian readers—and more Canadian contributors to our pages.

For information about Gregory Wolfe’s appearances in Calgary and Winnipeg, contact Julie Mullins at (206) 281-2988 or jmullins@imagejournal.org.

For details of the God With Us book launch events in Vancouver and Toronto, call 778-995-9424 or e-mail greg.pennoyer@incarnation.ca.

GregoryWolfe.com is Live and Kicking
Claiming that “I am not sure I have the wherewithal to launch a blog,” Image editor Gregory Wolfe has nevertheless just hung his shingle out in cyberspace with a brand new website: www.gregorywolfe.com. Handsomely designed by Joel Ertsgaard and featuring visual art from artists who have been featured in the pages of Image (including Alfonse Borysewicz, Mako Fujimura, Erica Grimm-Vance, Wayne Forte, and Jim Morphesis), the site contains a whacking great amount of Wolfeana. The “Life” section includes a bio, CV, news page, and photos (dignified and undignified). The “Works” area includes excerpts from and reviews of Wolfe’s books, plus online essays, interviews, and audio clips. In “Talks” he lists a number of his lecture topics, sets out his speaking schedule, and provides details on how to book him to speak for your event. Under the heading of “Passions,” Wolfe has taken some time to write about his interests: the “Art” section provides links to Image and the MFA program at Seattle Pacific University, while “Faith” relates his involvement in the international Catholic lay movement known as Communion and Liberation, and under “Incarnation” he shares links and thoughts about the tradition of Christian Humanism. We’re biased (of course we have to be... we work for him) but we think it’s pretty cool. Greg wants to offer special thanks not only to Joel and the contributing artists, but also to Dominic Williamson who built the site and to Rachel Ellis and Sara Arrigoni, who helped him put it together. Check it out when you get a chance.

Go to GregoryWolfe.com.

Image's Glen Workshop Featured on Public Television
Image and the Glen Workshop are featured on a new broadcast of Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, a national public television program produced by WNET Television in New York. The segment was recorded at our recent Glen Workshop, which was centered on the theme—“God of the Desert: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam through the Prism of Art.” Featuring speakers from all three traditions, this year's Glen evoked intense discussion and, for many, new horizons. Its purpose was to challenge Christian artists to discover how beauty and art might enable us to better understand the other religious traditions that trace their lineage back to Abraham. The Religion and Ethics Newsweekly crew, led by senior correspondent (and poet) Judy Valente, filmed extensively in workshops and plenary sessions over a two-day period. At a time when ideological politics and celebrity dysfunctionality dominate the airwaves, we're proud that a national television program sees Image's mission and programs as newsworthy.

View the segment here.