By Jerry Hames

Episcopal artists and musicians are invited to submit work that reflects “Praying the Hours,” the title of a new online exhibition by the Episcopal Church & Visual Arts to be launched this autumn. Deadline for entries is Sept. 27.

Artists and musicians are encouraged to share works that reflect one of the hours of prayer – Morning, Midday, Vespers, and Compline. Each submission should include a single word that can be used as a “verbal cue” for meditation, such as revelation, silence, surrender, bless, epiphany, mystery, still point, mercy, or worship.

“With this special exhibition, ECVA creates a gift of inspirational art, poetry, scripture and music for private devotion, for Centering Prayer, for parish groups and guilds, as well as personal and group meditation,” said Joy Jennings, ECVA president.

Up to three works from each artist will be accepted with a $20 entry fee. The exhibition will be launched for viewing in October at www.ecva.org. Additional guidelines for submission can be found on the organization’s website. 

ECVA’s current exhibition, “Everywhere I Look,” is its third show of the year and its first ever all-photography exhibition. It was curated by Catherine D. Kerr, photographer, writer, preacher, Episcopal priest, wife, mother, grandmother, and music lover , who writes, “The impulse to experience both beauty and mystery through Creation seems inherent to our human nature.” She said that she finds these in all 22 images from the 13 photographers in the exhibition. Its title derives from a statement by the author, artist, and storyteller Jan Phillips: “Everywhere I look, there God is, looking back, looking straight back.”