Wednesday Nights, March 4 – April 8, 6:30-8:30 pm
6:30 pm – Potluck. 7:15-8:30 pm – Conversation. Childcare provided.
A gathering of artist centered living room style conversations, in the tradition of the Harlem Renaissance. This salon series of artist led conversations uses a mix of art, music, poetry, dance, essays, film, current events, and/or spiritual texts as springboards for dialogue and community. During these salons we focus on the artist, rather than solely their artwork, engaging in conversations that artists want to discuss, such as imagination, creating during hard times, survival, rejection, criticism, racism, oppression, the creative process, artistic expression, developing new work, spirituality, the church, and more.
Wednesday, March 4, Salon: Conversations with Inonge Khabele, Mixed media artist
Insights and techniques Inonge employs include acrylic on canvas, wood and artboard, watercolors and india inks on paper, and collage. For her, art is meditation, peace and renewal. It helps her to document her thoughts, tell stories, and sometimes even sort out problems and answer questions. As the granddaughter of Bertha Means, the last surviving founder of the sixteen original members of St. James’ Episcopal Church, Austin, Inonge has a deep rooted connection to this community.
Wednesday, March 11: The Lenten Hymn Sing
6:30 pm – Potluck. 7-8:30 pm SING. Childcare provided.
A Hymn Sing is an opportunity to sing hope and new community into being together. Hymn sings at St. James’ begin with prayer and a bit of silence, and then someone will stand up from the congregation to introduce a hymn. In introducing the hymn, that person does not simply let us know the hymnal from whence it comes. Instead, they are invited to briefly tell the story of the hymn and where it meets their own story. We then stand (as able) and sing together.
In a multicultural, multigenerational community, this is a way in which we can hear each others voices, tell our stories, and learn from each other. People of all ages are welcome to join and to bring their offering of story and song.
You can bring a hymn from outside of our two primary hymnals. This works best when you send the hymn request ahead of time to rector@stjamesaustin.org. However, if you bring 2 copies with accompaniment to the potluck, we can get those ready for the sing.
Wednesday, March 18, Salon: Conversations with Arleen Polite, Printmaker
Frequently depicting figures from both the artist’s life and dreams, Polite’s detailed renderings in the woodcut medium give insight into her experiences growing up in rural Palatka, Florida and into her tales of life in Austin. Masterful in their technique and rich in their telling of visual stories, her works depict highlights of cultural and architectural landscapes. Her woodcut print Stations of the Cross are on permanent view in the St James’ Episcopal Church sanctuary. Arleen is also a CSA nurse and holds a black belt in karate.
Wednesday, March 25, Salon: Conversations with Francisco Chavez, Musician
Francisco is a musician, composer, musical director, and band leader. Francisco’s work is intergenerational, interfaith, and multicultural. His compositions and arrangements often draw on the rich artistic and cultural traditions of Mexico, and well as pay homage to the cultural richness that migrants and immigrants have brought to the United States. Francisco serves as a music leader for Proyecto Santiago/St. James’ Episcopal Church, and as the music leader for Hispanic Services at the Seminary of the Southwest. He is also on staff at the University of Texas, San Antonio as a piano technician.
Wednesday, April 1, Salon: Conversations with Kurt Armstrong, Musician
http://hansgruberandthediehards.com
http://www.loskurados.com
Kurt Armstrong is a multi-instrumentalist song writing machine who enjoys researching fortian concepts and reading books with magical realism in his spare time. He is currently touring the as a trombonist in Latin Ska/Reggae Los Kurados and as a bassist in punk band Hans Gruber & the Die Hards. Kurt’s Campfire is an annual Lenten artists’ salon tradition of community storytelling filled with magical realism, inspiration, personal histories, memories, synchronicity, and connection.
Wednesday, April 8, Sankofa Dinner: The Good Friday Project, Past and Present
7pm, Orange Building Room A. A light dinner will be provided.
Sankofa, an Akan word which translates to “it is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind,” reminds of the importance of looking back to prepare for the future. As we prepare to enter our 29th annual Good Friday Project, past performers gather to exchange memories of Good Friday Project performances held over the past 28 years while upcoming 2020 GFP performers have the opportunity to discuss their work in-progress. Invitation is open to all current and past GFP performers. Past GFP audience members with poignant memories of the GFP are also welcome.
