Images from the Cathedral collected by artist and designer Andy Jerabek in his rebranding leading to the watermark and monogram seen below.
A MISSION OF THE CATHEDRAL OF ALL SAINTS
A note from Brynna Carpenter-Nardone, Director of the Cathedral Arts mission
June 29, 2020
What can you make out of a desire for God and for beauty?
“Praying is like facing a blank canvas. You try to say something that means something, or paint a few brush strokes that mean something, and wonder what will happen next because of it. Praying or art-making is a risky process. You do not know exactly what you will get in return for what you offer. The risk involves faith. It was a creative process born of faith and a desire for beauty that led The Cathedral of All Saints to take the risk of developing its mission through art.”
I wrote the above for a speech for our garden party last September, one year after I came to the Cathedral as its first Missioner in the Arts. Times were different, then. As you will read below, we primarily explored our mission while physically at the Cathedral of All Saints— a devastatingly beautiful construction of art and desire over time—a monument to our desire for God.
But during the shutdown due to the novel coronavirus, through online writing and poetry classes and the Cathedral Arts Blog and its writing, video, and audio content, we have continued to enjoy God, art and each other, and to imagine the future. Of course this has not been easy. But, as seeking God from a humble place must be, our seeking is blessed.
Whatever Cathedral Arts becomes, it will continue to provide opportunity for contemplation through art and faith. Cathedral Arts programs support us as we risk asking the question: What can I make out of my desire for God and for beauty? And, What, as a community, can we make of these things?
Thoughts? Interested in getting involved? Write to us by clicking HERE.
Musicians performing at the Albany City Schools First Friday Concert and Art Show
Artists working during Open Studio Saturday at Cathedral in Bloom 2020
At The Cathedral of All Saints, our mission is to help people fall in love with God. We communicate Christian faith in and through the arts. We also support and encourage artists. In August of 2018, we formed a new initiative to support our mission: Cathedral Arts.
In September, 2018, we hired a part-time missioner to develop new arts programming. Here is some of what has been done and what is currently in the works:
In November, 2018, Cathedral Arts hosted a round table discussion,"Britten's War Requiem and the New Coventry Cathedral," in conjunction with the Albany Symphony Orchestra’s and the boy choristers of the Cathedral Choir’s performance at Proctor’s Theater.
Cathedral Arts received a donation and contracted a virtual tour of The Cathedral of All Saints. See it by clicking HERE.
Cathedral Arts offered support for a rebranding of The Cathedral of All Saints and all of its operations, released on September 15, 2019.
Cathedral Arts welcomes Albany City Schools children at their annual concert and art show on the first Friday of December.
Cathedral Arts provides promotional support for Cathedral in Bloom, Albany’s new annual premier flower show.
Cathedral Arts brought Dr. Jeremy Begbie from Duke University Initiative in Theology and the Arts for a performance-lecture on healing, music, and the gospel in April of 2019.
Cathedral Arts welcomed and displayed The St. John’s Bible, the first illuminated manuscript commissioned by a Benedictine monastery in 500 years, courtesy of St. Peter’s Hospital, Albany, and Trinity Health Partners.
Cathedral Arts sent its missioner to teach at the Capital City Rescue Mission and at Koinonia, which serve the homeless and children (respectively), in the city of Albany.
Cathedral Arts began a blog to hold a space for making things out of a desire for God and for beauty. Read it HERE.
Cathedral Arts began “Open Studio 1st Saturdays” a personally sacred silent time of sketching, writing, reading, and contemplation.
Cathedral Arts welcomed author and columnist Diane Cameron who led “Writing From Your Heart: Get Started on Your Writing Project.”
Cathedral Arts visionaries Eugene K. Garber and Evan Craig Reardon led “T.S. Eliot: From Absence to Fullness,” a monthly contemplative group discussion of the poet’s work. Evan will be leading us through W. H. Auden in Oct-May, 2020-21 and in poetry reading this summer—find the workshops HERE.
“Blessing of the Animals,” at 3 PM with charcoal animal portraits available starting at 2 PM is held the first Sunday in October. There will be charcoal and paper so young artists can also draw.
Cathedral Arts assisted with the annual diocesan Bible symposium in Oct 2019 by welcoming Dr. Michael Ward and his talk “The Bible and the Imagination of C.S. Lewis.”
Cathedral Arts is working on a series of original videos that combine visual art and the telling of biblical themes called The Story of Love. See it HERE.
Cathedral Arts welcomes Sister Katherine Hanley, CSJ, PhD for a retreat in the poetry of George Herbert in September. Find it HERE.
Cathedral Arts is planning the Hidden Cathedral Poetry Festival for April 24 of 2021.
Cathedral Arts supports A Space for Pastors, a new outreach offering spiritual direction for pastors during this time of Covid 19.
You can go to our EVENTS and our CALENDAR pages for more information.
The St. John’s illuminated Bible at The Cathedral of All Saints, courtesy St. Peter’s Health Partners
Portraits of the Cathedral Arts missioner. Charcoal. By artists at the Capital City Rescue Mission.
Dr. Jeremy Begbie remarks on The Cathedral of All Saints