“How other future worlds will ripen to God I do not know, but for us art is the way.”
Rainer Maria Rilke
© Melissa Strickler, Christ of the Frontier, 2021, Mixed media on wood, 24 x 30 inches
ArtSpirit is the arts initiative of the Episcopal Church in Wyoming. Believing creativity profoundly expresses and illustrates the nature of our Creator, ArtSpirit explores and nurtures the relationship between spirituality and the arts, by developing, curating, coordinating and hosting artistic initiatives (visual art, music, dance, drama, film, literature, poetry and more) to stimulate discussion, dialogue and education, as well as spiritual exploration, toward enhancing our experience and understanding of both the Transcendent and of each other.
Artistic Initiatives
Through ArtSpirit we develop, curate, coordinate and host artistic initiatives to stimulate discussion, dialogue and education, as well as spiritual exploration - such as exhibitions, festivals, concerts, screenings, readings, dances and numerous associated art events including symposiums, forums and talks.
GROUNDED: Restoring our world through a Sacred Harmony with the earth and each other
Learn about our multi-year global touring art exhibition titled GROUNDED featuring 15 contemporary artists from Indigenous American tribes traditionally based in and around the Great Plains:
WHITE ROBE The Story of the Sacred Journey of the Rev. John Roberts among Native Americans
Learn about our multi-year global touring art exhibition titled WHITE ROBE A touring contemporary art exhibition by celebrated Irish artist Brian Whelan on the life and work of the Rev. Dr. John Roberts on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, USA
Art and Our Churches
As aesthetically beautiful sacred spaces, our churches are filled with art that leads the viewer into a deeper dimension with our Creator. Many of our churches are known for their distinct stained-glass windows, paintings and sculptures. Our churches also strategically employ the creative arts to enhance spiritual discovery and growth.
Native American Art
Our historic presence on the Wind River Reservation seeks to serve the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes in sharing their sacred culture and heritage with the world. This entails supporting their creative expressions, such as their arts and crafts, to their sacred drumming and dance, to their contemporary visual art.
We also seek to support the sharing of their culture through their historic artifacts. The Episcopal Church in Wyoming stewards what is known as the “Edith May Adams Collection,” a large collection of Northern Arapaho tribal cultural artifacts, and intends to develop a museum on the Wind River Reservation for their permanent display.
Our Art Partner
CARAVAN, an international arts NGO/non-profit, is recognized as a global leader in using the arts to further our global quest for a more harmonious future, both with each other and with the earth. Founded by Bishop Paul-Gordon Chandler, CARAVAN's mission is based on the belief that the arts can be one of the most effective mediums to heal our world and to creatively foster peace, harmony, wholeness and health in all its forms. For more information on CARAVAN, see: www.oncaravan.org