Luminous: Conversations On Sacred Arts

 On this special episode of Luminous, our previous guests suggested for us their chosen musical selections that evoke the sacredness of the season. The result is a beautiful and diverse, and often surprising playlist of Christmas music. Our gift to you. 

Andrew Gould’s designs for churches and other buildings, as well as for furnishings within churches, are exquisitely beautiful. But they are more than that. His vision of sacred art and architecture sets the bar very high—heavenly-high—which is exactly where he thinks it should be.

Renowned artist Bruce Herman discusses his artistic journey, retirement, sudden hearing loss, and the sacrificial nature of creativity. He explores the intersection of art, human experience, and Scripture, resilience in the face of adversity, and the communal aspect of artistic creation. The podcast also delves into sacred suffering, divine grace, and the inspiration behind the Lothlorian chair.

Renowned composer and conductor Benedict Sheehan discusses the concept of sacred art and the need for creativity. The speakers explore gratitude and collaboration in the musical world. They discuss different approaches to composition, influences and inspirations. The challenges of stuttering and ADHD in communication and their impact on life choices are discussed. The emergence of diagnostic tools and the concept of sacred art are explored. They express excitement for an upcoming performance dedicated to Metropolitan T-Con and share attending a performance at the Temple of Dender with gratitude and sponsor acknowledgements.

John Michael Talbot, a legend in Christian Contemporary Music, discusses his transition to a quieter life and the fusion of spirituality and art. Topics include the impact of music in bridging spiritual divides, authenticity across cultures, creativity in solitude, and harmony in community worship.

Julian Davis Reid, an artist-theologian who has performed worldwide and worked with Chance the Rapper, Jennifer Hudson, Peter CottonTale, and Derrick Hodge, discusses the power of music and youth voices on climate change, the importance of active listening in pastoral care, the genesis of the Juju Exchange, the meaning behind the band name, 'The Juju Exchange,' and 'Notes of Rest,' a venture that helps people find restfulness through contemplative practices.

Pamela Smart is fascinated by how art works on us, on the totality of our selves. That means she is interested in aesthetics, anthropology, and art history. All of these come together in her studies of the Rothko Chapel, a space that has had a visceral effect on countless visitors seeking stillness.

Dr Hernandez, Mescalero and Warm Springs Apache, is involved in establishing and preserving community archives, as well consulting with museums and community nonprofits. Her experience, in her life, faith, and work, yields profound and rare insights.

Bissera Pentcheva is one of the rare art historians who reaches across disciplines: visual art, architecture, sound. This allows her to speak all the more meaningfully about art as it is actually experienced, by human beings in totality of the sensory world. We talk about her award-winning work with the vocal ensemble Cappella Romana, as well as her recent projects that study sculpture within the play of flickering candlelight.