Have You Seen the Tacoma Art Museum?

I recently went to Tacoma, WA to visit my son and his wife. My whole family was assembled and we chose to do a cultural event. We went to the Tacoma Art Museum (see below):

Illuminating the Word: The Saint John’s Bible presents the only handwritten and illuminated Bible commissioned since the advent of the printing press more than 500 years ago. The Saint John’s Bible is a contemporary work created in the tradition of handwritten medieval manuscripts. The artistic director of the project, Donald Jackson, calligrapher to Queen Elizabeth II, is one of the world’s foremost calligraphers. He worked with scribes and artists to write and illuminate The Saint John’s Bible using quills and paints hand-ground from precious minerals and stones, as did scribes during medieval times.

Theologians from Saint John’s Abbey and University and the College of Saint Benedict, together with consultants from other faiths, worked with Jackson to provide theological briefs that direct the interpretation of scripture in the illustrations. Jackson and his team have created illuminations reflecting a multicultural world and humanity’s enormous strides in science, technology, and social change. Because the project is an interfaith undertaking, Jackson has incorporated imagery from Eastern and Western religious traditions, as well as influences from Native American cultures.

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Organized and circulated by by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and Saint John’s University. The exhibition and its national tour are made possible by Target.

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We were so impressed by this and other exhibits. One was a Renaissance composer and The Talis - with approximately 18-20 speakers and the music was displayed as if each speaker was an individual performer. The singer was the audio sound of a chorus, but if you stand in front of each speaker your experience is very unique. I'm apologizing for not having the details. I plan to investigate the performance as I want a CD of this musician. You will have to be in Tacoma and go the museum yourself for this unusual experience.

Event in the Future

This event is coming June 14. A group of about 25 - 30 are driving to Manti, Utah. The program includes going to the Mormon Miracle Pageant Saturday evening. We haven't been there before, and don't have any idea what to expect. The weather promises to be "perfect." We will make the trip in two days, and I'll have a report of the unusual experience. Stay tuned....
This excursion to Manti was so neat. We had a group of 16 of us, and the drive is about 2 1/2 hours to Manti, Utah. We were so pleased with the beautiful terrain and the change of scenery as the trip progressed. We had mostly dessert with the same rolling hills, and as we neared Manti we were driving in some steep mountainous areas. We saw nice lazy towns, quite a few farms with cows, sheep (many, many), and of course horses.
At the town of Manti, where the pageant is held, the local citizens all take part. And also the neighboring towns and their families all take part. It is a big event and much enthusiasm and anticipation is apparent in the community activities. They have historical re-enactments, flea markets, plays and local displays of art in areas of oil colors and various materials. Beautiful.
As far as the Manti Pageant is concerned, many forms of talent are provided. I was particularly impressed with the sets, staging and the lighting. The stage is the hill on the side of the Manti Temple. The various scenes and depiction of events are staged in many areas of the hill. Some staged areas might be in the form of a huge rock during the day, but they are open and provide a scene of a home or the pioneers as the story progresses.
They have an article on the soloists that perform the National Anthem range in age from 16 to 87 years. I was also impressed with the talent and genuineness of the actors/actresses in the performance. For one hour preceding the production, the artists mingle with the audience. The costume are magnificent and authentic. The performers are talented and will share the details of the history of their acting skills.
This was a marvelous production, all completed in the darkness with the staged lights and a beautiful atmosphere of talent and enjoyment. I'm so glad to have been there to witness this pageant.