Art Credo
I believe in art

2009

Now in its 33^rd year, Art Credo is pleased to welcome you to this inspiring collection of art works as an expression of spirituality and faith. The first show, in 1977, was held when this Church of St. John the Evangelist acquired a new tracker organ. To celebrate the installation, the Church organized a festival of the arts featuring music, drama and the visual arts. The visual arts exhibit was very successful and has become a well-established spring event coinciding with the Ottawa Tulip Festival.

Pat Davies and Audrée Davison organized the original show which featured eight artists whose works were later shown in Toronto at the Patmos Gallery. During the following years Art Credo expanded until now we have about 130 works, representing 60 artists on display. You will find oils, water colours, acrylics, pen and ink drawings, sculptures and fabric creations in a variety of formats and all of a high standard.

The show came to embrace a broader community widening its diversity of themes and visions and providing opportunity for new artists - young or old - to participate. Some artists find Art Credo to be a springboard for recognition of their talent while others are pleased to simply share the joy of their creations within the context of their faith.

Some works have remained in the church such as the banner over the main entrance and the wooden cross used in regular processions. Many others now hang in both nearby Ottawa homes and far distant lands.

During the first three centuries of the Christian era, two elements determined the position of Christianity: that it evolved a new faith, and that it did so primarily within the social, cultural and religious framework of the Late Roman Empire. Within the sphere of Late Antique saviour religions, Christianity grew almost unnoticed for at least a generation after Christ's death, and mainly through St. Paul's work was planted the seeds of a world religion The finds underneath St. Peter's in Rome have unearthed the oldest known martyrium, and two chambers prepared before 207 for the common burial of Roman bishops are found there in the Callisto Catacomb.

With the Edict of Milan in 313 at the beginning of his reign, Emperor Constantine recognised Christianity with open favour and granted it official standing. From its secretive beginning, all ecclesiastical architecture now had to be differentiated from and raised above ordinary buildings. However, the Christian architectural arts dwindle into repetitiousness (until very recently) after the Byzantine culture, and after the fall of Constantinople, the interest of patrons and the talent of artists (c 1400) turned to painting and sculpture.

Art Credo, begun by Pat Davies and Audrée Davison, is now in its 30th season. It is one of the rare venues in the world devoted to annually displaying contemporary sacred art. The invitation from St. John's is open to artists in our community who want to display work "of a devotional, spiritual or contemplative nature."

After a drop in visitors and sales in 2007, we have bounced back to our historical norms!

Last years's weather may have had a part to play in this. Excluding vernissage, concerts, choirs practicing, weddings, funerals and service congregations, Art Credo received close to 1,000 recorded visitors over the 2 weeks of the show with over 30 sales from the collection of 110 works of art. Thanks go to everyone who helped in anyway to make all this happen!

Special thanks go to all the sitters who kept the doors open, the vernissage organizers (Albert Klein and Ross Hammond) who provided refreshments, all the hangers led by Alex Bissett and the sitting coordinator (Devon Baxter) and all who were able to find a place for our poster and who distributed the bookmarks. Our identifiable expenses were more than covered to provide St John's with a contribution to defray the hidden but real expenses for running the Church.

While it is satisfying and easy to focus on statistics, Art Credo is very much an opportunity for those who may be at the "dabbling" stage in their artistic interests. They may be young or not so young but parishioners, their friends and acquaintances are encouraged to submit their work to add to the wide variety of styles and techniques displayed in Art Credo every year.

This is the time for new people to get on the invitation list for next year's show which is fast approaching! Telephone or email Jack Fisher 613-745-5705 or jackefisher@sympatico.ca