The Environment and Art Seminar Group takes its work into the field visiting a variety of worship spaces in the locale of each national meeting. During these visits the members discuss the various spaces as to their suitability for active participation in worship. In addition, members also make slide presentations and occasionally present papers for discussion.
Convener
Seminar Report 2022
Convener
Michael S. Driscoll (Convener pro tem) is Professor emeritus, University of Notre Dame.
Members in Attendance
Michael Driscoll, Jan Robitscher
Visitors in Attendance
Martin Marklin, Paul Turner, Michael Witczak
Description of Work
In spite of the paltry attendance at our meeting this year in Kansas City, MO, the Art and Environment Seminar persevered. Like the motto for the city of Paris (Fluctuat nec mergitur), the ship may have rocked but it didn’t sink. Jan Robitscher with her service dog Veronique and Michael Driscoll were joined by several members of other seminars to visit the Nelson-Atkins Museum on the first seminar day. In addition to visiting the museum at large the museum library hosted the NAAL members to exhibit leaves from Books of Hours and oth- er Medieval documents from the Karen Gould Collection. Specialists Linda Ehr- sam Voigts and Brother Thomas Sullivan OSB, librarian from Conception Abbey, presented selected documents and responded to questions. On the second semi- nar day two sites were visited: the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, MO, and the Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, KS. At the cathedral gathering seminar member Carol Frenning joined the group via zoom to speak about the renovation in 2003 on which she consulted. After her presentation, the group had an on-site visit with docent Bill Blankenship who spoke about the history of the diocese and the building. Finally, the remnant of the seminar drove to Leawood, KS, to visit the megachurch on which Dick Vosko had consulted. Dick put the seminar in touch with Dan Entwistle, CEO and Senior Executive Director of the church, who generously gave his time in show- ing this remarkable mega-church. The seminar is indebted to Paul Turner who generously set up the visits to the museum and the cathedral, where he is pastor.
Papers, Presentations, and Site Visits
There were no papers per se but on-site presentations by docents.
Other Work and Plans for the Future
Discussions for next year’s Seminar are underway.
Seminar Report 2020
Convener
Martin Rambusch, Chairman, Rambusch Decorating Company
Members in Attendance
Carol Frenning, Peter C. Bower, D. Foy Christoferson, Timothy Parker, Martin Rambusch, Jan Robitscher, Richard Vosko, Mark Wedig
Visitors in Attendance
Suzanne Herold, Martin Marklin, Andy Nguyen
Description of Work
Several papers were presented, followed by discussion.
Papers and Presentations
- Eileen D. Crowley, PhD, Associate Professor of Liturgy, Arts, and Communications, Catholic Theological Union, “Liturgical Media Art in Liturgies for Hard Times: Insights from Experimenting with Photography as Environmental Liturgical Art.”
- Timothy Kent Parker, PhD, Director, Graduate Program in Architecture, Associate Professor, History & Theory of Architecture & Art, School of Architecture + Art, Norwich University, “The Religious Architecture of the Second American Revolution/Founding.”
- Richard S. Vosko, PhD, Hon. AIA, Sacred Space Planner, “Nature’s Rotundas,” from a chapter in his new book.
Site Visits
The group participated in the group visit to the MLK site on Friday.
Other Work and Plans for the Future
Discussions for next year’s Seminar are underway.
Seminar Report 2019
Convener
Martin Rambusch, Chairman, Rambusch Decorating Company
Members in Attendance
Mark Joseph Costello, Eileen Crowley, Carol Fren- ning, Martin Rambusch, Jan Robitscher, Julia Upton, Richard Vosko
Visitors in Attendance
Suzanne Herold, Martin Marklin
Description of Work
Discussion on ‘Does Religious Art Stir Discussion, or is it Purely Decorative?’ Moderated by Reverend Richard Vosko
Papers and Presentations
- “The Achievements of a Lifetime: Robert E. Rambusch,” Julia A. Upton, RSM, Provost Emerita, Distinguished Professor of Theology, St. John’s University, New York
- “Liturgies for Hard Times: Using Nature Photography as Liturgical Media Art,” Eileen Crowley, PhD, Associate Professor of Liturgy, Arts and Communications, Catholic Theological Union
Site Visits
Denver Art Museum: Rembrandt Exhibit
McNicols Civic Center Building Exhibit: Light in All Darkness