The Arts at ULC
Artistic creativity, like speech, is one of the distinctive charactistics of humanity; a characteristic patterned after God's own creative mind and activity. While God creates from nothing (ex nihilo), man's creativity is enacted when he transforms that which already exists into a thing of greater usefulness and beauty. Since Old Testament times the Church has been a locus of artistic endeavor and achievement. In the Tabernacle and Temple of the Old Testament, works of art were commanded by God to help sanctify the space, setting it apart from that which was ordinary and mundane.
In the Church too there has been a desire to sanctify places of worship through the use of the arts. At times this led the Church to become a chief patron of the arts, and also led to the development of various forms of artistic media and expression that are recognizable as liturgical or church-art. While not exclusive to the use of the church, liturgical arts include traditional mosaics, icons, stained glass, illumination, wood and stone carving, and others.
University Lutheran Chapel has started a liturgical arts program and studio to encourage the creation and understanding of traditional liturgical arts among Christians today. Each year we plan to have a workshop featuring an expert in one of the mediums historically used in liturgical art. These are intended to be both demonstration and hands-on introduction to help educate and get you started in your own creative endeavors.
The Studio
Use of our small but well appointed studio is available to our students and members free of charge. The only cost will be your own supplies and the replacement of supplies used from our stock (at cost). Currently the studio is well stocked with mosaic making supplies, as we plan to hold a mosaics workshop sometime in the late Fall, 2008. The studio is located on the second floor at the top of the stairs, next to the Walther Room.
