RELIGIOUS ART | NEWS OF WEEK

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Tahlib

"DEVAS" a new show of watercolors by illustrator Kelly Spencer is the NEWS OF WEEK. Spencer's inspiring collection of Hindu Devas and Avatars opened this week in Wellington, New Zealand, and will soon go on display at the Mint Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. Information on "Energy, Paralysed" (above) and other works is available at Spencer's website, kellyspencer.co.nz.

INTERFAITH MIX-UP:

• The $7,500 Needham Religious Art Prize competition announced it is seeking entries for 2012.
• Eighty Mexican masterworks from the 8,000 work Andrés Blaisten Collection to go on display at the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.

BUDDHISM IN ART:

• Artist, Loeum Lorn’s paints "ice" to explore the Buddhist concept of the impermanence of life.
• The sacred syllable, "SA," the Sanskrit seed syllable of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion breathes life into Canadian Bill Goer's artwork.
• The world took note this week as a major donation propeled London into becoming a world center for the study of Buddhist art.
• In advance of Buddha Day on May 6, 2012, PBS invites audiences to review an online collection of Buddhist art created for David Grubin's animated documentary, "The Buddha."

HINDUISM IN ART:

• New Zealand illustrator Kelly Spencer is bringing her evocative Hinduism inspired watercolors to Atlanta's Mint Gallery.

ISLAM IN ART:

• Brigham Young University's Museum of Art explores connection between Mormonism and Islam by mounting traveling exhibition of Islamic Art.

JUDAISM IN ART:

• The 8-day festival of the Jewish "Passover" ended yesterday, Saturday, April 14, 2012.
• Jewish scholar, Matthew Baigell article examining the potency of Jewish artists in healing social ills has been published in Ars Judaica.

CHRISTIANITY IN ART:

• NYC born artist, Tony Melendez to be the featured artist on Sunday, May 6 for the next A&O Meetup in Indianapolis.
• Tahlib's Holy Week experience told through Resurrection Week Art for 2012. 
• Jazz musician Tim Horner surprises Indianapolis audience with composition triggered by a medieval painting titled "Christ of Thorns."
• Scientist reports that his research proves that the Shroud of Turin is real, but that's it's also no miracle.
• Art Critic, Brian Sherman strikes back at anti-Christian bias in the elite artworld, and proves you can get paid for it too.
• Florida artist, Shauna Lange creates beautifully complex Christian-themed collages, but she doesn't display them because she wants to avoid controversies with the arts elite.
• Lavish new book of Church art released by Cincinnati photographer Robert Flischel.
• Dayton, Ohio artist, Matt Burgy is using his artwork to evangelize in southern Ohio.
• New stories popped up daily this week following the death of Thomas Kinkade, but the biggest story was that an autopsy was completed and the exact cause won't be known for weeks.
• Bishop TD Jakes' latest film, "Woman Thou Art Loosed On the 7th Day" will hit theaters soon.

WANT MORE? Get your daily dose of Alpha Omega Arts on Facebook and/or Twitter, or just come back each day. We also urge you to join the Indianapolis Religious Arts Project online at Meetup.com, and invite a friend to join too! It costs nothing but is another great way to keep up with gatherings of like-minded folks around the country who share your interest in the interfaith religious art news we cover here each week. After all, who is Religious Art for? It's for Believers, and Skeptics too!