Artists Residencies Weblog
annually from last Advent Sunday through feast of Transfiguration December through August
“Helen L Burke, (artist-in-residence) lived her faith through Union of American Hebrew Congregations Camp Swig for Living Judaism for two decades. Helen was mentor, guide, teacher, journeyman/professional artist—partly staretz (spiritual mentor and encourager), also embodying the qualities of a “lamed-vavnik” (one of the thirty-six tzadikkim, [righteous souls] on whose shoulders the world rests in holiness) in her wisdom given to those she helped form into artists, liturgical and lay instructors, architects, musicians, rabbis and cantors. Much of her work was collaborative. As an artist she loved process and materials: mosaic tile, sheet copper and copper wire, bent, shaped and hammered–welded with oxyacetylene torch.
HELEN L. BURKE artists residency fellowships
The Helen L. Burke Virtual Artist Residency program is designed to sponsor (collaborative) Abrahamically faith-based projects, providing online exposure to established and emerging artists whose work is informed by faith, tradition, scripture, and the witness of the Holy Spirit. The Burke Artists Residency programs gathers three artists in the Abrahamic faiths (Jewish, Muslim and Christian) encouraging concurrent work within a thread or common theme. Theological, Pastoral or Humanitarian themes are set each year by interfaith Seminarian, Deborah Risa Mrantz who will work directly with all three artists to empower each individually and within their community of the Burke fellowship–helping these artists enter into dialogue and clear, cogent conversation with each other as they begin their artistic journeys and fellowship tenure. Encouraging and enabling artists in the Abrahamic faith traditions is an essential part of the GUILDWORKS nourishing communities of faith while attending to the universal language of art, empowering generative embrace through new religious and spiritual dialogues. Stipend annual award of $1000 to each artist allows artists to work collaboratively, and provides seed money toward offering pieces created through the residency, to various faith communities for devotion, worship, and arts programs.
Artworks created under this program explore faith/spiritual-formation through arts venues for religious communities, and may also include creating concrete objects (prayer mats or liturgical vessels for use in religious rituals or services, musical studies or longer symphonic or liturgical pieces, and other projects in Pastoral ministry) offered to specific faith communities. Aspects of the Fellowships include teaching, exploring and articulating lived faith, and providing means of facilitating pastoral care through art-enriching communities.
