Abundance and Decay

Artist Statement:

Abundance & Decay explores the delicate balance between growth and deterioration primarily through fiber art. This collection, created by Dea Jenkins during her residency at Intersect Arts Center, delves into the natural cycles of life using organic materials.

Each piece in this exhibition is crafted from natural materials, such as wool and cotton. The raw and dyed materials reflect the tension between the beauty and the fragility of both nature and our everyday lives. The textures and forms invite viewers to contemplate the inevitable processes of flourishing and fading that occur in our world.

Abundance & Decay challenges us to consider our relationships with time and nature, urging us to appreciate the richness of life while acknowledging the impermanence that accompanies it. Through these works, viewers are reminded of the continuous dance between creation and decay.

This exhibition invites viewers to immerse themselves in this exploration of continuous transformation, and to reflect on the cycles that shape our existence.

Running from September 3, 2024 - November 2, 2024, Abundance & Decay was curated by Dea Jenkins and Megan Kenyon, and features work created by Dea Jenkins during her summer 2024 residency with Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

Website: deajenkins.com | Instagram: @deajenkins_

The Work:

The Exhibition:

MEZZO GALLERY

UNBLOCK

God creates in 7 days.

God creates humans; He creates us to create with Him.Each of us images God in being His creation and in creating using the gifts He gave us. Some of us engineer complex systems. Some of us formulate scientific advances. Some of us teach and open worlds of knowledge to students. Some of us bring new life into the world. Some of us plant, cultivate, and harvest, bringing beauty and nourishment to those around us. Some of us follow the Good Shepherd in watching over and leading His flock.

And some of us make art.

Callie Mechelke makes art; during her time as Holy Cross’s first resident artist, she chose to make art about making art. Specifically, she made art about the creative process, breaking it down into 7 stages, moving from initial spark and desire to actually beginning the work, and then to a unique thing that happens to human creators: block.

What do we do when the good we try to bring into the world gets stuck? How do we navigate out of failure, un-inspiration, frustration, even defeat? How do we unblock ourselves and bring good things into our world? The only way out, it seems, requires us to press on. Good art might try to resist being made, but that resistance invites us to go deeper, to find ourselves relying not only on our wisdom and expertise but to reach toward the Spirit to guide us through.

Callie’s work draws us deeper, past creative block into selah, into liberation, and into release. By allowing what she creates to germinate in us, her audience, her work seems to call us to create, using the gifts God gives to each of us, where He placed us. We learn from her images the freedom that comes when we rely on Christ as we persevere in moments of resistance; like Callie, we might find our hard work growing good things.

Using collage, embroidery, and poetry, Callie walks us through the creative process. Each piece proves complexly layered, offering moments of delight and wonder to those who lean in and look closely. Her words guide the viewer into meditations on each stage, not judging, but offering hope for the journey.

I invite you to take this journey; to walk alongside Callie’s work, to learn from it, and to allow it to inspire your own creative process in whatever ways that manifests.

Welcome to UNBLOCK.

Artist Statement:

Art, in essence, operates autobiographically, expressing itself in an amalgamation of realities (internal, external, divine) which manifest through the artist in abstract and literal iterations. Though I find this true in most of my artistic endeavors, this project, UNBLOCK, reaches a new level of autobiographical substance.

As a multi-disciplinary artist, I know the daunting subject, creative block, intimately. In my venture to discover some form of remedy, I resolve to create through it – detail the journey, the emotion, the continuity like a field journal – and express my insights through the creations themselves. This pursuit birthed the concept for this meta-project, UNBLOCK.

The 14 pieces in this installation explore what I see as the 7 stages of the creative process: desire, ideation, creation, block, selah: vision, liberation, and release. The time spent on each stage varies depending on the piece. Strangely enough, the phase of the arc at which I lingered while creating almost always matched the phase I was expressing (hence why I used the term “meta-project” above). I call that a “God wink”.

The stages in UNBLOCK arose through contemplation and divine revelation. I believe their structure reflects that of a literary narrative arc, with the climax of the narrative being “Stage 4: THE BLOCK” and the resolution, “Stage 7: RELEASE”. I find it humorous and fitting that the number of stages naturally came out to 7 specifically, which mirrors the creation story of the Bible.

The varied materials used in these collages result from both spontaneous and intentional selection, reflecting the interplay of my equally intuitive and visionary creative style.

Collaging broke me out of a landmark creative block with music, so it feels befitting to lean into the medium to explore even further the depths and mystery of the creative journey.

Website | Instagram | Spotify

The Work:

The Exhibition:

MEZZO GALLERY

OBSERVED: A Short Show about Long Looking

Observe.

A simple command that contains untold possibility; a risky act of intentionality; an intimate connection that goes beyond words.

Originally, the word observe denoted care; to hold something close, to look after it, to guard or keep safe. This idea is present in the works by these four artists, who through slow and close looking show us beauty in unexpected places and the mystery of God’s creating hand at work still in our world.

Sarah Bernhardt’s works ask us to persevere in observation, to look past what might seem obvious to find the beauty of what is. Using mirrors and light, she draws us deeply into her collages. In looking down, we find familiar things we rarely contemplate; dirt, rocks, water, leaves. Getting close to the earth, Sarah invites us into the paradox of life on earth; the now and not yet, the beauty and the brokenness, and the promise that ties it all together, that one day we’ll observe face to face.

Katherine Gastler’s photographs also invite us to observe through a mirror, using a playful gesture of focusing on the reflected image. She draws our attention to the things we might miss when our gaze finds itself distracted by the expected. In this way, she mirrors Jesus, who often flips our expectations around, drawing our attention to what we might otherwise miss in our desire to see, to have, what everyone else does. 

April Parviz’s images also play with our expectations; when we hear the word dumpster, most of us probably think of refuse, of smelly bins full of things we no longer want or need. But, through slow, close looking, April draws into the unexpected abstract beauty of these rusting behemoths. Her images look like landscapes; jewell toned and expressive. It takes our eyes a moment to realize the decay in what we see. These images call us to contemplate our own humanity; on Ash Wednesday we say “from dust we came and to dust we shall return”, but on Easter Sunday, we cry out “Christ is Risen indeed, hallelujah!” We face decay, yet we find ourselves made beautiful through the power of Christ and his redeeming work. Like these dumpsters, we image the beauty present even in the midst of brokenness because of Jesus and His resurrection that set us free.

Ash Wednesday, Easter Sunday, and many other moments find their expression, their observation in churches. Many of us grew up in churches and we think we know them well, but Kati Gaschler’s images prove our vision of church may lack something yet! Peering through cross shaped holes, looking back through mirrors, dropping low under pews and looking high up to Christ on his cross, Kati’s images show us beauty of built space in new and refreshing ways, calling us into wonder and even child-like play.

As you observe these works, I invite you to think about ways you can engage in long-looking in your own life; to think of the places, the people, even the objects that prove so familiar you almost don’t see them anymore. How might these works draw you into love, into care, into observation in your own life?

Welcome to Observed.

Curated by Megan Kenyon, Observed ran from March 17, 2024 - April 1, 2024

Sarah Bernhardt

Artist Statement

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 

Upon first glance, these display cases appear empty, void, an unfinished installation. With closer attention this encapsulated negative space compels you to look down, then to look up in wonder.  

You gaze down at frozen halos adorning the grass, dried leaves, and stones.You can almost hear the mundane Missouri ground singing, "Holy, holy, holy."  But you find their voices are reflections of mysteries above. 

Gaze down at the translucent line of water suspended in time  that traces the path laid when changing state. Like the line that was drawn when you were changed, no longer mere sinner, but saint. See below the reflection above.  

Gaze down into this beauty, reflections of water, soil, and seed, simple yet wondrous elements that nourish our bodies and souls daily by God's grace, like Manna in this wilderness.  

Gaze up at these images of the ground aglow, illuminated with a light beyond. This space between heaven and earth is not empty, but full of the hope first seen when women gazed down into a space that was empty. An empty space that compelled them to look up and see face to Face.   This hope is holy ground, for though we see in a mirror dimly, we can trace the lines and care with closer attention, until at last we are compelled to look up and find that Face coming down, filling and fully renewing the space between heaven and earth. 

Katherine Gastler

Artist Statement:

I was fortunate to have the chance to study abroad in Salamanca, Spain in 2007 for several months. While traveling, I became frustrated on group tours when everyone would stand in the same place and take the same conventional picture, when buying a postcard would likely better capture the view. So I began turning around to see what faced the stunning monuments or vistas that the average tourist overlooks. 

Out of this process, I began noticing reflections of the monuments we came to see, as well as looking for reflections in everyday moments walking to class. These photos capture the fleeting reflections of my travel in surfaces such as windows, mirrors, telescopes, and water. You see what my camera lens captured without any significant edits after the fact. 

As I consider these photos again, it feels appropriate that they will be displayed during Lent. These images were born of a physical process of turning around, the same image we use for repentance during this reflective season. 

April Parviz

Artist Statement:

I’ve been taking photos of dumpsters since 2011. I love the beautiful designs that rust and decay create. So often we think of decay and age as negative things. But when I look at the eloquent designs on dumpsters, it reminds me that growth, especially through pain and change, is beautiful. I’m also regularly reflecting on how, when we communicate our pain authentically, and it is received with genuine care, it’s a very beautiful experience, for all of the individuals involved. It’s like Jesus is painting rust designs on our dumpster moments.

Kati Gaschler

Artist Statement:

I enter the church with my bag slung over my shoulder. The door creaks and echos on all the hard surfaces. I scan the narthex and the sanctuary. I appear to be alone. That's good. That's how I prefer this. My footsteps echo as I leave the narthex's thick carpet and step onto the nave's tile floor. I begin my process; I set all my things down and take a few calming breaths, taking time to recognize how thankful I am for beautiful spaces like this one, and for God who inspires them. I open my Pandora app and select John Rutter radio. I prop my phone up in a pew so that the music reverberates on the wood. It fills the entire space, despite not being very loud. I take my camera and slowly walk around. I look up, down, underneath things. I climb the church's stairs, sit in her pews, stare up at her reredos with its beautiful carvings. What do I notice? What views do I take note of? Is there a shadow being cast from a statue? A reflection in a baptismal font? Do any splashes of color fall on the walls from a stained-glass window? I meditate on the organic process of photographing this stunning house of worship. I think about the lives she has touched. I thank God that she has touched mine and that I am able to show the world how beautiful she is. 

MEZZO GALLERY

 More Than One

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

    because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

    to proclaim freedom for the captives  and release from darkness for the prisoners…

to comfort all who mourn…

    to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,

the oil of joy instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Isaiah 61:1-3

Paradox. That word describes the work in More than One aptly, as the various pieces wrestle through the reality of grief, the surprise of joy, and the unshakable hope that both surrenders itself and clings on in faith.

Allena Marie Brazier’s work can be challenging at first; the folds, knots, and elemental nature of her abstract forms seem to elude easy reading. They call us into mystery, into a space where pain and peace, joy and mourning, love and loss coexist. Her burlap works draw us toward Biblical images of lament or even repentance; weeping prophets draped in burlap spring to mind. They roil, wrestle, even dance across the wall, sometimes weighted, sometimes floating free. Molded and shaped into complex beings, they hint at our own experiences of struggle, pain, even loss in this world. And, they guide with a silent beauty, reminding us that the Prince of Peace gives us His shalom.

The ink works pick up that silent beauty; gentle brush strokes and warm colors float into vision. They evoke the chaos of creation in the moment before God spoke; reminding us that even now God can speak into our chaos and make something good come from it, that He can draw beauty out of the darkest places.

We see that echoed in the photographs. They seem to call out the promise in Isaiah 61, that God will give a crown of beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. The photographs of street lights come from around the artist’s home, and laid in front of them charcoal ashes rest delicately, almost waiting for an exhale to blow them away. In simple materials, the artist draws us further into the mystery of surrender and faith; to the paradox of following the light where sometimes things get burned away. But, in that loss comes new life, a new chance for beauty, for victory, for hope. 

The wonder of abstraction finds its way into our vision, speaking to us; More than One brings us close to the paradox of life, and makes space for us to explore the beauty and hope present in the midst of grief. The multiplicity of the form, and the repeating titles also hint at another reality; that we are not alone. More than One reminds us that there is hope found in the beauty and love of Christ and in sitting with one another, beholding the mystery of such love and peace in the face of chaos. 

Curated by Megan Kenyon and Allena Marie Brazier, More Than One featured work by Allena Marie Brazier, and ran from December 3, 2023 - February 4, 2024

ARTIST STATEMENT

More than One is an art exhibition inspired by scripture and rooted in personal experiences. Three groups of work are on display: Burlap Series, Ink Paintings, and Photography Installation. Each focuses on grief, surrendering, growth, acceptance, and faith. 

Burlap Series 

Pillars of the Past - The hardship of grief and letting go; the harsh reality of looking back and learning from the past to move forward; a warning that looking in the past is to become hardened like cement and unable to move forward. Shaping and Molding - bare burlap the emotions and identity of life, good and bad; terracotta pigment- represents clay and earthenware always moving, shifting, and changing, molded by faith and belief. Embrace - being still, quiet, resting in newfound peace from pain. Pruned - is the removal of things that are no longer of service, losing parts of what was thought to be true, feeling a void, an emptiness, and stagnation, but the pruning is for new life and growth. Sorrow - putting grief on display. (bible references Genesis 19:26; Philippians 3:12-14) 

Ink Paintings 

Hovering Over | in my sleep 

(bible references Genesis 1:2, Mark 4:35-40) 

Photography Installation 

Light - This work captures the street light in my neighborhood - poetically, my north star of home purposefully placed where the roots of my beliefs began. Charcoal ash represents life, evidence of growth, and a poetic take on embracing and being consumed by the Light. 

Allena is a guest Curator at Maryville University in St.Louis, Missouri. She is also the consultant and collaborator with Middle Waters Field School, an organization that focuses on the sociocultural aspects of the Mississippi River and surrounding communities. 

While continuing her creative practice, Allena is a budding author. She has published an online paper titled "Land|Lineage" and recently published her first book, "God's Harvest Bible Study." Allena continues her book-writing career centered on faith, creativity, and wellness.

The Work:

The Exhibition:

MEZZO GALLERY

 IN THIS WORLD

“I attend church every Sunday, and I draw during the sermon. All of these pages were done in a pew....  Simultaneous drawing and listening transforms familiar language into something new- a feedback loop of symbols, theology and wonder.” John Hendrix

When you hear a phrase like, “Christian artist” or “Christian art” what sorts of images does that conjure up? 

Perhaps stain-glass cathedral windows, Thomas Kinkade paintings, Sunday School illustrations, crucifixes?

Artist and Illustrator John Hendrix’s work doesn’t seem to fit any of those categories, and instead, we find little blue ghost cartoons, one-eyed monsters, bespeckled theologian spies and a faith full of depth and imagination pondered out by tiny squirrels with big questions.

The sketchbook images you see flow directly from the listening ears to the skillful hands of the artist; taking in sermons and sketching  to integrate hearing with seeing, Hendrix gives us a glimpse into the another way  we can interpret and inhabit scripture beyond just spoken words. The written text comes alive through the innovative use of design, helping us to ponder anew the beauty, richness, and strangeness of God’s words shared in community. 

The Holy Ghost comics engage life’s biggest and smallest questions with humor and grace. Visualizing the Holy Spirit as a little blue ghost and us who are trying to navigate faith as a skeptical squirrel or (God forbid) a self-righteous badger, Hendrix illuminates the joys and frustrations of listening to the Spirit. 

In a selection of images from Hendrix’s graphic novel, The Faithful Spy, we see the life, work, and eventually martyrdom of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This work illustrates the difficulties and the beauty of being a Christian in this world, especially in times that are dark and seem without hope. 

In this world, pursuing art as a Christian often proves full of challenges, yet in doing so, artists of faith can set our imaginations on fire, deepening our discipleship, and providing a space for wonder that might draw others in to come and see. John Hendrix's work perfectly illustrates this invitation, little blue ghosts and all.

The Works:

The Exhibit:

MEZZO GALLERY