Spirit Touches Art, Art Touches Spirit

October 8, 2014 · 0 Comments

Trinity United Church in Shelburne has a history of reaching out to the community through music and concerts and “Spirit Touches Art, Art Touches Spirit” is an extension of that outreach. The event, which runs from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on October 18th, welcomes the community into the church, free of charge, to enjoy a Concert Hall with local performers and tour the newly renovated Gallery of Visual Art featuring area artists.
The Spirit Touches Art Committee lead Ann McAlpine explains, “Trinity is full of musical and artistic members and adherents. Over the years, we’ve hosted many concerts upstairs in the sanctuary. This church has some of the very best acoustics for music in the region. In speaking with our minister, we wanted to reach out to the larger Shelburne community in a slightly different way than just church on Sundays. A small committee was formed in April and with church council’s blessing “Spirit Touches Art, Art Touches Spirit” has taken off.”
Trinity’s minister David Howes says he makes a distinction between the Church and the Arts and the Arts and Spirit. “They do not necessarily run in parallel lines,” he says, “at the best of times, the Church has supported artists – performing and visual – to set their spirit free and express their deepest convictions. At the worst of times, the Church has exercised control on artists and sought to limit expression. We want to enable local artists to demonstrate where their Spirit touches ART and where ART touches Spirit.”
The event will feature five hours of non-stop entertainment, upstairs on the performance stage. “Visitors are invited to sit down for 10 minutes or stay for the day,” says Ann McAlpine. B.J. Hand, from Hands on Catering, will be offering a “feast of samples” or a more traditional lunch of soup, sandwich and a sweet for seven dollars. Simultaneously, in the lower level gallery, 16 visual artists will be showing, promoting, and selling their work. For those interested in purchasing art at the event, payment will be accepted in cash or cheques only. “We’re expecting visitors to wander in and enjoy as much of it as possible,” McAlpine says.
Susan Verduin and Candescence, a vocal group of four females with an exquisite sound, has high praise for Trinity as a concert hall. She says, “As a singer, Trinity United Church is a favourite place of mine to sing. It is inspiring architecturally as well as acoustically. Its warm, open sanctuary invites one to make music. When you sing, the sound you make, whether big or small, fills the room and travels back to the singer instantly. The acoustics do not distort the raw, natural sound of the voice, but rather carry the sound to every seat in the sanctuary. Add in more voices and some organ or piano and the room fills with swirling sounds of heaven.”
Performances are scheduled to include:
10 a.m.: Murray and Ruth Irwin & the Shelburne Fiddlers
10:30 a.m.: Dick Byford story teller
10:45 a.m.: Gary Heaslip guitar solo
11 a.m.: Bassically Sound bass quartet
11:15 a.m.: Jen Smele & Trinity Choir featuring singer Paul Boon
Noon: Darcey Baker youth singer, dancer, violinist
12:15 p.m.: Ian & Ingrid folk duet
12:30 p.m.: Keiko Yoden- kuepfer organ
1:45 p.m.: Daniel Clark, Cithara Guitars
1 p.m.: Candescence vocal group
1:15 p.m.: Ed Roman acoustic guitar
1: 30 p.m.: Wayne Townsend “History of the Arts in Dufferin County”
2 p.m.: Jennifer Johnson story teller
Ann McAlpine says she was overwhelmed with the response from performers and artists from all over Dufferin County. “It’s unbelievable, but we’ve had to turn artists away.”
Artists showing and selling their work include: Ken Topping abstract painter, Rosemarie Armstrong painter, Linda McLaren painter, Darlene Hassell painter, Benitta Wilcox “Benscarves” fibre artist, Beth Grant glasswork, Bob Dunn antique wood carver, Dr. Wilfred Goodman wooden bowls, Ken McGee wood carving, Juliet Jancso bronze sculpture, Dan Sinclair metal sculpture, Sue Miller painter, Jill Pringle painter, Kim Harcourt pottery, Susan Desanto crafts & hand work, and Paula Cameron knitter.
Ken Topping, one of the Spirit Touches Art visual artists and a leading board member for the Dufferin Arts Council told the Free Press he “applauds the efforts of Trinity United Church as they sponsor this exciting arts event allowing local artists to meet and share their work with each other and the public”.
For further information contact Trinity United Church at 519 925-2233.

By Marni Walsh

Photo by Marni Walsh
Local Luthier and owner of Cithara Guitars, Daniel Clark of Mansfield will perform at the “Spirit Touches Art Touches Spirit” event running from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Trinity United Church, 200 Owen Sound Street in Shelburne on Oct. 18th. The event which features area performers and 16 visual artists is free and open to all.