Category Archives Art & Creative Works

The Universe Within – An Artistic Exploration Inspired by the Baha’i Writings

Art & Creative Works, Interviews Leave a comment

The Universe Within is a creative initiative that brings artists from diverse walks of life together to explore the pressing topics of our times by creating original art, animation, and music inspired by quotations from the Baha’i Writings. The creations thus far explore, for example, racism, the prison of self, and life after death.

The Universe Within is unique from other artistic expressions we’ve featured on Baha’i Blog previously and we were excited to hear from the team behind The Universe Within about the initiative. Here’s what they shared with us: Continue reading →

NineteenMonths.com – A Treasury of Photography Inspired by the Baha’i Calendar

Art & Creative Works, Interviews, Photography Leave a comment

NineteenMonths.com is a true gem: the site hosts a collection of photographic art inspired by the Baha’i calendar and quotations from the Baha’i Writings. Stunning collections of photographs have been shared every Baha’i month for over a decade! It’s the longest running online Baha’i-inspired arts initiative that I’ve been following and it always a pleasure to explore.

I got in touch with Sholeh Munion, one of the founders of Nineteen Months, to hear all about it. Here’s what she shared with us: Continue reading →

Talent or Hard Work? My Thoughts on Polishing Our Inner Gems

Art & Creative Works, Baha'i Life, Opinion 3 Comments

I have noticed that when someone mentions an excellent surgeon, the adjective used is often something similar to “highly skilled”. On the other hand, when listening to an excellently played piano concerto on the radio, I often hear people praising the pianist as being very “talented”. Both the surgeon and pianist have probably devoted 30 or more years of their lives painstakingly working, practicing, and honing their skills, so why do we use “skilled” for a surgeon (or other professions) and “talented’” for musicians? One word implies training and practice and other implies an innate ability. In this article, I explore this seeming dichotomy from a scientific perspective and by studying the Baha’i Writings. Continue reading →

The Young Writers’ Endeavour – A Baha’i-Inspired Online Workshop for Junior Youth & Youth

Art & Creative Works, Interviews Leave a comment

I wish I could be young again. But not for the reasons you’d expect!

I recently learned about the Young Writers’ Endeavour, a Baha’i-inspired online workshop for writers between the ages of 12 and 18 and I very much wish I were young enough to participate – it sounds incredible! One of our recent articles (How Visiting Battambang’s Baha’i Temple Strengthened My Faith) was written by a participant of the Young Writer’s Endeavour and I was exceedingly curious to find out more.

Nasim Mansuri, Hope Krummell, Jackson Jopling and Ron Lapitan agreed to tell me all about it. Here’s what they shared: Continue reading →

“It is a story” – Poem from the Film Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour

Art & Creative Works Leave a comment

Still from the film Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour, courtesy of the Baha'i International Community

Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour is a beautiful film commissioned by the Universal House of Justice that reflects on the efforts and learning carried out by a burgeoning Baha’i community since the passing of Abdu’l-Baha in 1921. If you haven’t already seen it, we definitely recommend watching it – you can find it here on the official YouTube channel for the Baha’i Faith.

“It is a story” is the poem included near the end of the film and we’re thankful for permission to share it with you as per the film’s terms of use.

Continue reading →

Light of Unity – A Podcast of Stories About Abdu’l-Baha for Children

Art & Creative Works, Interviews Leave a comment

In this year’s flourishing of online resources related to Abdu’l-Baha, I have found it particularly poignant to see materials created for children by children. Light of Unity is a nine episode podcast mini-series of stories about Abdu’l-Baha as told by a group of children in Indonesia.

Wendy Yap graciously shared the initiative with us and in this interview, she tells us how it came about, what’s it’s meant for the participants, and what they hope you will take away with you when you listen to podcast:

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Hommage à Abdu’l-Baha (Tribute to Abdu’l-Baha) – An Album by Lucie Dubé

Art & Creative Works, Interviews, Music Leave a comment

Lucie Dubé is a singer, songwriter, and composer originally from Sherbrooke, Quebec (Canada). For over 25 years she has been composing and performing music all over the world. Her most recent musical initiative is an album titled Hommage à Abdu’l-Baha, which is French for “Tribute to Abdu’l-Baha” as this work was created in honor of the centenary of His Passing. The album includes 13 Baha’i Writings sung in French by a choir (comprised of 40 singers and soloists) accompanied by piano, string quartet and flute.

Lucie graciously agreed to tell us about her album. Here is what she shared:

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Where the Light Comes In – The Third Book of an Illustrated Trilogy by Alice Williams

Art & Creative Works, Books, Interviews Leave a comment

Artist Alice Williams recently published Where the Light Comes In, the third instalment in a trilogy of illustrated books filled with her artwork as well as divinely-inspired quotes and meditations from Abdu’l-Baha and others.

Alice graciously agreed to tell us about Where the Light Comes In, as well as about the whole trilogy and the artwork featured — some of which is included below. We hope you enjoy!

Baha’i Blog: Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’ve been a Baha’i since 1978. My daughters, Aimee and Jenny, were young children then and I was happy to discover the Faith in time to raise them in it. I’ve held a number of non-art related jobs, but I’ve been a painter and photographic artist since I served in the art department at Maxwell Baha’i School in Canada in the mid ’90s. I try to use my art for service any way I can. I illustrate, edit and sometimes write for a Baha’i-inspired nonprofit, Oceti Wakan, with Cindy Catches, a long-time pioneer on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, and a dear friend who taught me the Faith. I assist her in creating curriculum for children and youth for the prevention of addiction and suicide, and to preserve Lakota culture. Along with my family, I also do art projects with Central American refugee children and create art from them for fundraising and awareness. One project is currently on display at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. I’m active in my Baha’i community in Camarillo, California. I’m blessed to be a mother and grandmother as well.

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e*lix*ir: A Baha’i-Inspired Journal of the Arts

Art & Creative Works, Interviews Leave a comment

e*lix*ir (www.elixir-journal.org) is a Baha’i-inspired journal of the arts founded and edited by Sandra Lynn Hutchison. The journal, which is released twice a year and which has published an impressive 13 volumes thus far, offers stories, poetry, essays, and art by a diversity of emerging and established artists.

Sandra graciously agreed to tell us about the journal and we’re delighted to share our conversation with you: Continue reading →

Universal House of Justice Releases Film “Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour”

Art & Creative Works, Videos Leave a comment

The Universal House of Justice has commissioned a feature film called Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour that reflects on the efforts and learning carried out by a burgeoning Baha’i community since the passing of Abdu’l-Baha in 1921, and it outlines the journey that has led to the community’s current efforts to contribute to the emergence of a world organized around the principle of the oneness of humanity.

The film is available in seven languages and can be streamed or downloaded.

Continue reading →