“They don’t tell you what to think or how to feel.”
Faith-Inspired Art Exhibitions
Westhill Endowment are primarily a grant-giving Trust, accepting applications from projects with Christian values which seek to see communities thriving, individual lives fulfilled, and which foster education, empathy and dialogue. Westhill have particular interests in religious education, community transformation, interfaith dialogue and the arts.
Westhill’s interest in the arts has led to the development of their touring exhibition scheme, CreateTalk, which includes 8 stunning faith-inspired collections of art. The exhibitions aim to encourage conversations, enable reflections and inspire action. They have the potential to enrich community engagement in real and meaningful ways, covering a variety of themes and using different forms of art.
“The beauty of these collections of art,” says Westhill’s Exhibitions Coordinator, “Is that they have the ability to meet people where they are in their own life journey. They don’t make presumptions about the viewer. They don’t tell you what to think or how to feel. They give you space to ponder and reflect. They provoke thoughts and conversations. They have the potential to inspire new thinking and positive action.”
Westhill’s exhibitions are available to venues within the UK, free of charge, and while Westhill provide practical ideas and materials to be used alongside the exhibition they do not prescribe how they are used, that is up to the hosts to choose how to best tailor the experience to their own community. Each exhibition lends itself to many practical, artistic and reflective activities.
“For me each of these exhibitions culminate in the sense that we are complex and amazing beings, living in a complex and amazing world. We are not made up of one moment or one experience in our lives, but we are multi-faceted, and sometimes a bit messy! We are an ever-changing culmination of our own experiences; and how we respond to things outside of ourselves, to people, to God, and to change, reflects that. These exhibitions, each in their own way, show me that we can move forwards positively embracing the life around us. We can use our experiences, even in the midst of them, to know God more fully, to take better care of ourselves, of others, and of the world we live in.”
Westhill would love to hear from you if you are interested in hosting any of their exhibitions. For more information look at their website http://www.westhillendowment.org/faith-exhibits.
Details of the exhibitions:
The exhibitions currently available from Westhill Endowment are:
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- Bald Statements by Jean Parker: A collection of eight large alabaster sculptures reflecting on personal loss and the grieving process. They are accompanied by 8 smaller hand-held bronze-resin sculpture which are perfect for small group work. These sculptures have been used in churches, hospitals and hospices and connect deeply with those who have experienced any type of loss.
- Bald Statements by Jean Parker: A collection of eight large alabaster sculptures reflecting on personal loss and the grieving process. They are accompanied by 8 smaller hand-held bronze-resin sculpture which are perfect for small group work. These sculptures have been used in churches, hospitals and hospices and connect deeply with those who have experienced any type of loss.
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- Meaningful Textiles by Pamela Pavitt: Two collections, each of 19 frames of embroideries titled: Creation and the Environment and Peace and Reconciliation. Two thought-provoking exhibitions facilitating consideration of how we live our lives and how we impact on the world and other people.
- Meaningful Textiles by Pamela Pavitt: Two collections, each of 19 frames of embroideries titled: Creation and the Environment and Peace and Reconciliation. Two thought-provoking exhibitions facilitating consideration of how we live our lives and how we impact on the world and other people.
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- Gethsemane Garments by Peter Privett: These 4 free standing sculptural textiles use colour, words, and texture to convey the feelings of pain, suffering, hope and renewal. The exhibition helps to reflect on how we move through these times in our lives and how through them we can find renewal for ourselves and develop better understanding in order to help others.
- Holy Writ, Lichfield Diocese Community Project: This solo freestanding sculptural textile uses words common to the Abrahamic faiths to convey positive similarities. This textile is effective when working with multi-faith schools and communities, and some lovely pieces of work have been produced by visitors in response to this textile.
- Gethsemane Garments by Peter Privett: These 4 free standing sculptural textiles use colour, words, and texture to convey the feelings of pain, suffering, hope and renewal. The exhibition helps to reflect on how we move through these times in our lives and how through them we can find renewal for ourselves and develop better understanding in order to help others.
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- Living Life by Ruth Goodheir: This collection of 19 paintings, with a book of accompanying poetry, is about coming through hard times to a new future and with a new sense of purpose.
- The Journey by Peter Clare: A collection of 42 paintings illustrating the search for ‘the real’, the search for truth, and how we might find spiritual aspects in everyday life.
- Living Life by Ruth Goodheir: This collection of 19 paintings, with a book of accompanying poetry, is about coming through hard times to a new future and with a new sense of purpose.
- Octave by Elizabeth Gray-King: 8 small canvases displayed on easels. The paintings titled Hear, Wait, Watch, Fly, Call, Chill, Leap and Be, allow space for reflection and invite viewers to pause and ponder on how they see themselves in relation to what is happening around them and how they their place in the world.