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Judith
McManis
One of the
most powerful prayers in the whole BCP
is found in Compline: "Keep watch, O
Lord, with those who work or watch or
weep this night. . ." I've always felt
that it asked God's vigilance for
everyone and, like the numbering of the
stars, each would be cared-for. Somehow
the phrase, "shield the joyous" has
always meant (for me, at least) to be
pointed toward those who are 'apparently
well' but need our prayers anyway, for
those who are 'talented' but need our
prayers anyway, for those who are
'creative' or 'successful' but need our
prayers every bit as much as those whose
needs are more obvious.
Success and talent are seductive and
often envied by those who think they
have been left out. But the 'joyous'
have their own temptations and are
especially vulnerable because,
occasionally, they forget where their
gifts came from. Keep watch, O Lord, for
we surely need your unfailing care.
"God numbers the stars and calls them
all by name." We are part of a huge
continuum
–
the Great Cloud of Witnesses
who are the Saints of God. This work names more
than 1000 of them and places those names
in great swirling strands, stretching
through the cosmos. It is intended that
the viewer, approaching the altar, will
feel embraced by the work and included
in the Great Multitude. The Creation is
a work-in-progress. Each time we welcome
new "stars" into the Community, we
participate in that creation.
Whenever we pray for those who are
separated from us by death or distance
or circumstance, we string the stars of
the heavens together in endless strands,
through time and space. This dossal and
frontal are an attempt to say to those
we love that they are as eternal as the
stars.
The dossal is 10' wide by 21' high and
consists of a huge swirl of names that
rises (or descends, depending on your
feeling about that) through rings of
cloud-like forms. It is deep blue at the
top and littered with stars, gradually
becoming lighter and lighter until it
reaches the floor. I engaged the
Community (St. John's Episcopal Parish,
Waterbury, Connecticut) at the time of
its creation by asking them to give me
lists of names (Saints) to be included.
For weeks, as I finished the fabric
swirls, I was handed little slips of
paper with lists of names
–
quietly, personally, as each person
thought about who might/should be
included in the 'Community of Saints'
(not limited to traditional Saints, but
included anyone they felt should be
there, using only first names).
This particular piece was created in the
church basement, as I didn't have a
space large enough to lay it out
completely at home. Various people would
come to visit the piece as I worked. In
order to more easily reach all the
areas, I had split it down the middle
and separated the two halves just enough
that I could walk between the tables on
which they rested. I invited my visitors
to walk between the halves. Almost all
remarked, that as they walked the space
between, that they seemed 'embraced' by
the work and noticeably affected by the
experience. I wasn't too surprised by
that effect because I had seen a very
large painting that did the same thing
–
as you approached, it seemed to surround
you and I thought 'what a great
experience' and decided to design this
All-Saints piece so that it would,
hopefully, embrace the viewer so that
they were no longer a viewer, but a
participant.
Judith F. McManis, Liturgical Artist.
Although a 'cradle Episcopalian', it was
when Ms. McManis became active in the
Episcopal community that is St. John's,
Waterbury, CT, in 1969, that her
liturgical artwork began. She taught
high school Studio Art and Humanities
for 36 years and during much of that
time created unusual banners, vestments,
altar hangings and other visual
inspirations for her church. Beginning
in the early 1990¹s, the scope of her
ideas and their products began to
enlarge and her favorite liturgical
creations were done in heroic scale,
much as her experience with the Holy
Spirit had come to be. Perhaps this
on-going interaction has driven her most
passionate work, for it seems to flow,
much like her designs, in huge floating
ribbons as if supported by the Mighty
Wind, itself.
2001 brought retirement from teaching
and a move to Burlington, Vermont, and
an association there with The Cathedral
Church of St. Paul. She has completed
several liturgical pieces for St. Paul's
and established a post-teaching career
in Liturgical Art. The Holy Spirit is
actively present in her life, and she
views much that she experiences with
that in mind. The Spirit leads, it does
not push, and the creative process
always benefits from listening.
Judith McManis
Email:
mcmanis@surfglobal.net
Parish: The Cathedral Church of St. Paul
(Episcopal) - Burlington, Vermont |
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