Spaces for Spirit: Adorning the Church [Paperback]

Nancy Chinn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1998

Accompany printer and textile artist Nancy Chinn in a wide-ranging and vigorous discussion about the use of visual arts in the worship evironment. How have visual arts been used in Christian tradition? What are some of the hesitations and fears that artists and the church have about each other? How might an artist at the dawn of a new century create new art for the church? What does art have to do with social change?

In addition to exploring thses profound questions, Spaces for Spirit will help parish artists find new insight in the basic elements of design: light/dark, transparency/opacity, color, pattern, texture, scale and movement. Numerous case studies of actual parish art projects for study and critique are provided. You also will learn how to organize the work of artists in the church and how to use the exemplary medium of paper lace to create visual art for your worship space.

With dozens of beautiful photographs (over 64 in full color), this book will challenge any community to appreciate the importanct role that visual arts play in the worship environment and encourage all of us to make our offerings of praise and thanksgiving to the Creator in places that have spaces for spirit.

Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Liturgy Training Publications (July 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568542429
• ISBN-13: 978-1568542423
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,252,329 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book, June 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Spaces for Spirit: Adorning the Church (Paperback)

This book will inspire you to really think about liturgical art in terms of spiritual reflection and growth, not just decoration. Ms. Chinn's work is inspiring and awesome. My only complaint was that there aren't many examples of projects in small worship spaces.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource, May 22, 2006

By 

UM Spirit (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spaces for Spirit: Adorning the Church (Paperback)

A wonderful approach to making art for sanctuaries, not the "bumper sticker on fabric" approach favored by so many church banner books. Some of the designs are dated, but the text will give you something to chew on. For example, she doesn't look favorably on the idea of lavish floral arrangements for altars every Sunday, saying that the altar is supposed to be a sacred space, not a florist's display window. At my church, I adapted one of her ideas using origami cranes as pieces to form a much bigger design suspended over the altar. It was hugely appreciated by the congregants of my liberal church.

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST!, November 1, 2009

By 

Kathleen Brown (Vancouver, WA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Spaces for Spirit: Adorning the Church (Paperback)

This is THE very best book out there on liturgical art - not only are the photographs and visual concepts amazing, but also the text is fantastic!!! If anyone can find this book for the suggested retail price or less, I will buy as many copies as you can get your hands on.