The Arts Council of St. Mark's Episcopal Church

There is no work of art without the work of art.
Robert Page, Conductor

St. Mark's is committed to supporting the arts in its many forms. In 1991 the Arts Council was created as an umbrella organization for the numerous arts groups in our parish. Each group is represented in the organization, which meets bimonthly. In addition to coordinating the many arts groups at St. Mark's, the Arts Council supports art shows and book signings, encourages individual and group expression, and encourages participation in the artistic presentations of our faith. We are ourselves a work in progress and welcome the participation and support of anyone interested in the arts.

If you are already an artist or hoping to find the artist within you, we hope your work and your efforts will find a home with us!

The mission of the Arts Council is to support the arts in the St. Mark's Community.

The Council does this by:

1. providing opportunities for each parishioner to develop and expand his or her creativity as an expression of spiritual life;
   
   
2. strengthening the communication and coordination among the several arts groups;
   
   
3. providing opportunities for all artists to share their gifts with the parish and the community.
   
   

For further information, contact the Arts Council Co-Conveners, Rick Hayes at Rick.Hayes@yahoo.com, or Charles Divine at Charles.Divine@comcast.net.

Formal Arts Groups

The Arts Council currently consists of five formal arts groups and five informal groups in our parish. Here is a brief description of each:

Music Studio

For those interested in learning to play an instrument or study voice, the Music Studio provides lessons for children and adults. Students register for a semester of classes in piano, organ, violin, flute, or voice. For further information, please contact Dr. Keith Reas, Director of Music at 202/543-1397.

Music at St. Mark's

For the past ten years, this program has brought professional musicians to our beautiful space. The series of five concerts spaced throughout the year, has provided vocal music by soloists and groups, and instrumental music varying from Renaissance to contemporary.

Dance Studio

Founded more than 20 years ago by a member of our parish, the late Mary Craighill, the St. Mark's Dance Studio has been training dancers primarily in ballet and jazz. Classes for both children and adults, beginner and advanced, are available and open to both parish members and the community. Private ballroom lessons are also available for wedding parties. For more information, please contact Rosie Brooks at 202/543-0054.

Yoga Center

For more than 20 years the St. Marks Yoga Center has offered time for meditation and body awareness. All are welcome. Please see schedule of classes.

St. Mark's Players

Originally established to create "chancel drama," parishioners soon broadened their scope and included more popular kinds of theatre. The Players celebrated their 20th anniversary season in 2001 . For information about up-coming productions, auditions, or opportunities for volunteer work see St. Mark's Players.

Visual Arts Group

Those who engage in painting, sculpture, or their many permutations are encouraged to share their work with the parish through art shows and liturgically-oriented events. Visit the Visual Arts section to see work shown at recent exhibits. Visit the Liturgical Arts section to read about works that St. Mark's artists have created for use in our own church and as gifts to congregations with which we have a special connection.

Informal Arts Groups

For further information on any of the groups not identifying a coordinator, please contact the Arts Council Conveners.

Architects

Our neo-Romanesque-style church was completed in 1894. We are fortunate to have a number of architects who act as volunteer consultants to the parish as we continue to maintain and refine our beautiful space. While this group is mostly informal, architects new to the parish are always welcome to participate in decisions affecting our space.

Fiber Arts

St. Mark's is unusual in that it has virtually no original needlework, save two banners, neither by parishioners. With renewed interest in liturgical textiles, this group welcomes all the needle arts, from embroidery and needlepoint to weaving and knitting. The Fiber Arts group is just getting started and would be delighted to include newcomers. Members can also provide instruction in most of the needle arts for young people ages 12 and above. Contact Michelle Strange at 301/270-5179 (knitting) or Susanne Allen at 202/547-1636 (needlepoint, etc). Meetings are monthly.

Writers

We are pleased to have a number of published authors and professional writers among our members. We support the work of the members of this informal group by holding book signing parties when a new work is published.