The Words of the Davies Family
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The Words of the Davies Family |
Christopher
V. Davies, chairman of the European Arts Workshop, opens the
conference.
The Second European Arts Workshop, held at Huize Glory, North Holland, from January 29 to February 1, 1987, attracted 51 participants from nine countries. Its theme was "The Role of Art and the Artist in Building the Kingdom of Heaven:'
The workshop had two goals: (1) to clarify and plan how we, as church artists using our art, can help the providence; and (2) to decide how to continue our activities as a group so that we might be able to support each other. The joy felt by all participants at the end may well have been because both these goals were accomplished, at least to a significant degree.
The workshop was very much a "grass roots" initiative. To involve everyone in a commitment to the workshop, we spent the whole of the first day with contributions from anyone who had something to say. The song "Happy Heart" was a much requested favorite, and the atmosphere from the very start was warm and embracing.
Sepp Wandl, leader of Go World Band 3, recapped the events of the first arts workshop, held in Camberg, West Germany, in 1986 [see Today's World, April '86], and then we heard from our Austrian brothers. Sepp Blassnig is a woodcarver who employs others in a successful business. His explanations of how he combines art and business were philosophically and practically of great value to all. Albert Heizinger, a French horn player, told of how he had been a fanatical musician who shocked his colleagues when he gave up music to join the Unification Church. But after many sacrifices he is a musician again, and he has fulfilled his dream of playing with a major orchestra in Austria.
From France, Daniel Gaucher spoke of the need to develop an understanding of art based on the Principle. He discussed how artists can be "very good at expressing the four aspects of fallen nature' Many social problems arise from artists being too individualistic in their creativity, he said. Commenting on the importance of a good family life for an artist, he cited the example of numerous composers who did turn in their later years to chamber music, a style of music that is internal and profound and is often played by families.
The largest contingent came from Germany. Wolfgange Runge is a professional art critic, and he spoke of how art is descended from magic and that we should never underestimate its power. Christian Sedlemeier, a painter, graphic artist, and picture restorer, reported on his involvement in a new arts center. We also heard about the exciting activities of Go World Band 3 and the CARP band Blue Tuna.
We had hoped that President Won Pil Kim would address us, but at the last moment the pressure of work kept him away. However, we were fortunate to be visited by Karl Leonhartsberger, the national leader of Germany, who brought with him President Kim's blessing for our workshop and his encouragement to us that our art might help fulfill the European goal of tripling membership in 1987. He said we need to help others visualize Canaan, and for that we should have a good strategy. Father has said that everything in this world has a mysterious quality, and that art deals with this mystery, said President Kim. To create joy through art needs time and effort.
Karl commented how President Kim is himself an artist -- a painter -- and how much he enjoys visiting art galleries and museums. Karl is also a painter and a published poet. Karl spoke of how art can connect the spirit world with the physical world, of how art is the substantiation of love, and how the greater our love, more universal the impact of our creativity will be. The power of the heart is greater than the power of the intellect, he said. Art has the ability to transport people to a new, higher realm of consciousness. Karl finished his presentation with some of his own poetry.
A major portion of Saturday was devoted to a report by Peter May on the World CARP Convention to be held in Berlin this summer. Peter is the secretary-general of the convention, and he captivated us all with his plans, in which the performing arts as well as the visual arts are featured very prominently. We could see how artists can, through contributing to the CARP Convention, directly help the dispensation on an international level.
We also agreed to form an association, provisionally entitled the European Artists Association, that would produce a quarterly magazine and an information service for members. We expect the membership fee will be 40 Dutch guilders ($25 to subscribers outside Europe).
The workshop committee, assisted by several national representatives, then made plans for the next arts workshop. It will be held, subject to unforeseen circumstances, in September of this year, probably in Austria, to coincide with the Austrian church's Cultural Week at Gaflenz.
After first agreeing on how we could help the providence, we had also organized how to help ourselves. What joy we felt through this accomplishment!
The entertainment on Saturday night was extraordinary, culminating in a gospel finale and prayer led by Barbara Burrowes van Praag. Everyone was still fresh at Sunday pledge service. The theme of the sermon was: In order to help the world, an artist, and indeed every person, must gracefully accept the difficulties involved in personal restoration. Like Jacob working for Laban, we must all go through our path of indemnity in order that we might see the face of God in our brother Esau, and have him see the face of God in us.
To join the European Artists Association, or for more information, write to Christopher V. Davies, Gooioord 273, NL-1103 CR Amsterdam, The Netherlands.