Rob Peabody & Joel Warren | Awaken

Rob Peabody & Joel Warren | Awaken

FEATURED ARTIST | JUNE 2013

AHD: Kingdom Rise is more than a resource bundle, it's a movement in waiting. Can you tell us a little bit about The Awaken Movement and your project Kingdom Rise?

RP: Awaken was envisioned in 2008 when myself and Joel were the Campus Pastor and Worship Pastor, respectively at the same church, Lake Pointe Firewheel in north Garland, Texas. We had a desire to see the people of the church move outside of the comfortable worship experience that was created week in and week out — and instead — live worship as they put action to their faith in the community in which we worshiped.

We began writing songs, sermons, and study materials centered on this topic of putting action to our faith in our communities, and after a year of implementing these ideas in our church, we started getting the opportunity to resource other churches around the nation to do the same. Fairly quickly after that, the Awaken Movement was born with the mission of resourcing the church for action through the creative outlets of songwriting, music, film, and the spoken and written word.

In 2011, I moved to London, England to church plant and continue the work of Awaken. We didn't know it at the time, but in hindsight, this was God's plan to expand the mission of Awaken across the Atlantic and open our eyes to the needs of the church universal.

Kingdom Rise is our latest project that is actually three projects in one (worship album + individual/group study + short films) that we had the opportunity to create this past year and release in the UK/Europe and USA in March. The music was produced and recorded in Nashville with the great Stu G of Delirious? (http://stugworld.com), the book study written in London by myself and a fellow mate and author/church leader in the city (Cris Rogers - http://crisrogers.co.uk), and the films were shot in London as well with our dear friend and super talented filmmaker and art director from Brooklyn, Andrew Shepherd (http://andrewryanshepherd.com).

AHD: The idea of combining an individual or group study, extraordinary short films and compelling companion tracks is a unique one. What's the message you're trying to get across, and why'd you decide to use so many different creative avenues to accomplish the task?

RP & JW: Kingdom Rise had many different collaborators and creatives involved in the production process of this new resource. The thought behind including a book study, album, and films that all tie together came out of the uniqueness and individual talents of our team. We really feel that if we can hit this message of redefining worship and justice and engaging as agents of the Kingdom in our communities and cities from all of the different creative angles, that we can have increased impact and influence with this message. We thought that if we can use all of the creative elements and combine the complementing artistic mediums, that in the end, we would be able to engage our audience from a wider viewpoint. The songs, book study, and films are all sharing the same message, but from differing artistic viewpoints.

One other big value for us is that we are not trying to be the next big "Christian" band, author, or speaker. We have intentionally set up the vision and values of Awaken so as not to promote a personality, but a message. We truly believe in this message, and have seen far too many times how the message gets lost during the process when a branded personality or band gets elevated above the "why" we are doing this. You can't release a project entitled "Kingdom Rise" and secretly be trying to build your own kingdom at the same time.

AHD: You two, along with producer Stu Garrard, set out to write songs that engaged listeners in a new kind of worship experience. How did you push yourselves both artistically and spiritually leading up to and during your sessions in Nashville, TN?

RP & JW: We wanted this record to be very prayerful. We wanted the experience to have ebbs and flows. The first 2 tracks are proclamations that we as believers are uniting to do God's work in our everyday lives. That's the main goal of this resource: calling Christ followers to a higher level of commitment. The following tracks involve intense prayer, asking God to move and bless the work His people are doing. We, along with Stu, spent hours contemplating how God wanted to speak through this record. We pondered the life of Mother Teresa as well as Franciscan monks in regards to the poor. It sounds intense, but it was very inspirational. Artistically, our past is influenced by pop. Stu, as producer, comes from a more organic and grassroots musical bent, and that was refreshing for Mark [Warren] and me. We are very much looking forward to the next record with Stu.

AHD: Your team member and London church leader Rob Peabody, who developed some of the Kingdom Rise resources, will be in Dallas this month to talk with worship leaders, small group leaders and pastors about The Awaken Movement. What has it been like to share Rob's vision and collaborate creatively?

JW: Working with Rob is great. Rob has a passion that is infectious. He has a vision for Christ-followers all over the world to unite and be examples of Christ's love. He also is very involved in song concepts and themes. This was evident as we wrote songs for Kingdom Rise that corresponded with the small group study Rob was developing.

AHD: In addition to writing and recording for The Awaken Movement, you both serve as worship leaders in the Dallas area. How do you see the creative community coming together to improve the way we do worship?

RP & JW: We are excited about the community that’s present here in DFW, and that it has been fostered well by Art House Dallas and the group on FB. Both of us would love to see this continue and develop into more collaboration in writing and art. It would be great if worship leaders in our area could unite and be a model for unity in the body. Perhaps we can start a dialogue on how and what this could look like.

AHD: Where can we go to learn more about The Awaken Movement and all of the resources, including the new album?

RP & JW: To learn more about the Awaken Movement, visit our website: http://awakenmovement.com.

Kingdom Rise (album + individual/group study + short films) can all be found and purchased individually or as a digital downloadable bundle at: http://awakenmovement.com.

For our UK/Europe friends, Kingdom Rise may additionally be purchased at: http://essentialchristian.com or http://elevationmusic.com.

Rob Peabody

Rob is the Co-Founder and Director of Awaken, a non-profit charity that exists to resource the local church for action. Awaken creates worship albums, personal and small group studies, and short films to inspire, educate, and equip the local church to live worship as the hands and feet of Jesus; serving the oppressed, broken, and lost. Our desire is to see a generation of church-goers inspired to live as agents of change in their cities. Rob and his wife, Medea, along with their 2 boys, moved from a mega-church in Texas to London in January 2011 to plant Awaken London as a "fresh expression" of church geared towards reaching un-churched 20 and 30 somethings on the northeast side of the city.

Joel Warren

Joel began his worship ministry in 1996 after graduating from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He and his twin brother, Mark, founded the Christian band Forty Days. The band was signed to Provident Music Group in 2000 and toured America with Third Day, Mercy Me, Audio Adrenaline, Michael W. Smith and others. In 2004 Joel was called to the local church and became a worship leader at Lakepointe Church in Rockwall, TX. There he was ordained and called by God to begin a worship/local missions ministry called Awaken. Through Awaken, 20 churches (including Awaken Church London) are modeling what it means to worship God by serving the community. Joel married Courtney in 2000, and they have two sons, Judah and Abe.

Clark Jones & Amy Boykin | O, Loveland

Clark Jones & Amy Boykin | O, Loveland

FEATURED ARTIST | JUNE 2013

A band formed in the fall of 2011. It all began with some good times and open mic nights. Clark Jones and Amy Boykin quickly combined their art into O, Loveland.

Hometown: Amy (Loveland, OH), Clark (Dallas, TX)

Current City: Waco, TX

 AHD:  How long have the two of you made "stomping, dancing folk music" in and around the Waco area? Are you heading to Dallas anytime soon?

CJ & AB: We’ve been in the Waco area since starting the band in August of 2011. Both of us hope to be more involved in Dallas this coming fall.

AHD: O, Loveland has been described as "that couple across the street that play beautiful music." What's the origin of the name O, Loveland, and what are some of the themes you deal with in your songs?

CJ & AB: Amy grew up in Loveland, OH and Clark got to visit Amy’s hometown before the band started. We both enjoy the little town Loveland. It’s the “Sweetheart of Ohio,” so, in thinking about it, the name O, Loveland fit. We added the “O” almost as a romantic sigh. Our love and remembrance of our homes, family, friends, and experiences are a big part of our songwriting. Also, being a couple – soon to be married – we certainly find ourselves writing about love. The greatest theme we write about is our relationship, struggles and questions with the divine and those close to us. It’s important in our lives to be real about what we are experiencing, that we can’t help but include those struggles in our writing.

AHD: While marriage isn't a must for every songwriting duo, it appears to be on the O, Loveland horizon. Has your relationship helped you to more intimately incorporate "good times, hard times, and everything in between" into your songwriting?

CJ & AB: Yes, definitely. We don’t make stuff up. As in, we write about the real feelings we’ve experienced relationally. Songwriting is a lot like dating. Some dates are really fun and over the top. Some dates are heavy. Some are watching Arrested Development with mozzarella sticks. When we write, the session can be awesome, and we get along great, and end up with a fun song. Other times we don’t come up with anything. But regardless of the outcome, it’s hard to neglect our relationship in songwriting. 

AHD: The band spent a spell on the Uproar Records label, a student operated label that helps up and coming musicians become familiar with the practical aspects of being career artists. How did your time with Uproar help you develop? 

CJ & AB: We learned about the recording experience and how to work with a manager. Because we were on the label at Baylor, there were many opportunities to play on campus that first year as a band.

AHD: You two wield guitars, mandolins, banjos, pianos, tambourines and harmonicas during a live set. Why is it so important to mix it up on stage? 

CJ & AB: It’s good for us to not get in a routine. We don’t want every song to be a formula, nor do we want our sets to be exactly alike.

AHD: How can we learn more about the band, own some tunes and check out a show in person?

CJ & AB: Check out our Facebook page! Our EP is on iTunes. And come see us open for Page CXVI in Dallas on June 25th — RSVP HERE.

Guy Delcambre | Writer

Guy Delcambre | Writer
Featured Artist | May 2013

Guy Delcambre is a writer, mountain bike and outdoors enthusiast and newfound explorer of living life as a single dad to three amazing little girls. Life is far more frail and unpredictable than often noticed. That is, until it breaks. In 2010, the lives of the Delcambre family took an unexpected turn. Death, the sudden loss of a wife, mother and best friend, confronted their young family causing him and his three daughters to face a life both foreign and new.This summer Guy is publishing his first book, a recapturing and reflection of grace and grief, of love and loss and of faith as it relates to and interacts with our humanness. 

Hometown: Abbeville, LA

Current city: Dallas, TX 

Favorite Dallas hangout: Oak St (Denton), Common Table, The Pearl Cup, nearly any trail I can get my mountain bike onto or lake I can hangout with my kiddos at.

AHD:  What is “Earth & Sky: a beautiful collision of grace and grief,” all about? What inspired you to write it?

GD: In a word: life.  The book is a memoir recounting the sudden, unexpected death of my wife nearly 3 years ago. Far more than a somber story remembering a life passed in the wake of inexplicable tragedy, Earth & Sky journeys into the heart of grief, grace guiding into a new day. The correlation of earth and sky lies in the connection between and interaction of human frailty (us - earth) with faith (God - sky). Sinking in deep loss, God pursued me into the darkened depths of my heart wasting away in grief.

This story is not mine alone. It belongs to my three little daughters as well. One life that we knew together suddenly ended with no warning and left us dislodged from any sense of familiar belonging. I was widowed and they were motherless and half-orphaned. Both the story and journey belong to all four of us as we learned to live life anew and rediscover happiness, joy, meaning and reason. The inspiration to write Earth & Sky sprung up in desire to chronicle our path together through grief.

AHD:  Writing about loss is obviously challenging. C.S. Lewis', “A Grief Observed,” is a sometimes excruciating classic in the genre. Were you influenced by any such works? Did you even plan to write a book at the start?

GD: Lewis’ words echoed a strong sense of familiarity in the writing of my book. Regarding pain, Lewis poignantly wrote, “It removes the veil; it plants the flag of truth within the fortress of a rebel soul.” His words had a way of speaking life into my soul in the words giving witness to the dark treading through his own rebel heart.

I wrote as a means of bleeding out restless emotions swirling about my heart and head.  Initially, I captured raw emotions in poetry, which gave me generous boundary lines to explore and confess darker fears, thoughts and prayers without worry of much sensible literary structure. Many of these poems are built into the prose of the book. The poetic spillings served as a cathartic exercise so I continued to write as I began to shape the content into story arc.

The most helpful influence in not only writing the book, but in healing and moving forward revealed itself in Kubler-Ross‘ book, “On Grief and Grieving.” I found purpose in crafting my story after spending time in this particular book where she and David Kessler expand on her model of the 5 stages of grief. 

AHD: You compare publishing to reaching the summit of a mountain. How has support from the local creative community helped you to keep climbing and realize your dream?

GD: In making a successful summit, every climber knows that his effort alone will not be enough. A team produces success. The same holds true for anyone aspiring to greater heights. For me, I absolutely needed friends, peers and definitely acquaintances to continue the journey. Countless days I wanted to cap the pen, close my notebook and hope for people to forget about my announcement of a book to come. In each of those quitting days someone close encouraged me to continue and even challenged me not to be weak.

I know there to be a necessary strength in creating in and near community. When we create and craft our art alone, we subtract dimensions from and flatten our ability.

AHD:  You've opted to self-publish, rather than go the more conventional publication route. Can you talk about why you made the choice you did, and why other up and coming writers should consider doing the same?

GD: By no means am I an authority on self-publishing vs. going the route of traditional publisher. I have friends on both sides of the fence with stories of success and obscurity. I should say that I think neither option is a golden ticket to getting your work to the masses. You are the creative who must steer the ship and make strong delivery. 

For me, the decision came down to ownership and creative control. I work with regularity to build my platform. I blog even though I don’t always enjoy it. I’d  much rather write than blog, but developing audience and voice must have prioritized space if my writing is to exist fully outside of the confines of my notebook or computer screen. I promote my writings through social media and constantly look for opportunities to connect with a broader audience. Success still comes down to sweat equity and quality craftsmanship.  I accepted the reality that few authors are widely successful, and those few authors who do find success are the ones who sell the most books. Despite thin statistics and unfavorable odds, I write. I write words because I create. From within, the world internalized and then painted in words, I craft the art my hands have learned to make. So each writer and creative creates for the joy of releasing into the world parts of themselves.  

I will say, it does seem to be easier in some ways to self-publish, but the tradeoff, whether you consider good or bad, is that you are the CEO and captain of your art. That being so, in considering self-publishing, you must be prepared to find opportunities and promote the work you create.

AHD: Online crowd funding is radically changing the way creatives finance projects. You're launching a Kickstarter campaign to cover the cost of publishing. How did you decide on Kickstarter, and what advice can you offer to others considering the fundraising platform?

GD: When devising my strategy for self-publishing, fundraising stood out as primarily crucial at the top of my list of necessary or fail. Without the funds to cover book design, editing, proper formatting for both paperback and ebook and several other elements, my book will not be published - that’s a reality. Kickstarter is a highly recognized brand in terms of online crowd funding. The biggest draw for me in choosing Kickstarter was supporter integration. I’ve helped fund several Kickstarter campaigns and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience of joining in on the journey and going along for the ride. I love the sense of community that develops in supporting a new personal, creative or innovative project. As for advice, if you’re going to ask, ask well. Research projects similar to yours, ask questions to those who have run a campaign before, survey friends, family and co-workers and work for excellence in presenting your project to the public.

AHD: Lines like "each meandering morning earlier than the sun ... 500 words written held more value than sleep" show your remarkable commitment to craft. To what or whom do you attribute your drive and discipline?

GD: Failure/fear - The irony here is the sweetest. Life failing for me and falling to pieces in the death of my wife then served to be one of the greatest catalytic happenings in my life thus far. The fear of life not able to hold as much value as before forged a tenacity and hunger within me for more. A courage birthed to go after what I always dismissed as such an audacious reach, writing a book and working as an author.

God/grace - In the book, I write about God’s grace positioned as a hunting love pursuing us to depths incalculable. Many of those mornings early in recovering from my wife’s death and still very early in grief, grace would find me and like a friend, wrap its arm weightlessly around my shoulder to gently keep my pace forward and into tomorrow. Without that grace, I know I would have surrendered to a day that disappeared and in turn, would have lost both now and all beauty ahead.

A timely friend. I’m honestly not too sure I would have finished my book had it not been for the strong strategy, coaching and friendship of Ben Arment (benarment.com). Ben created Dream Year, a year-long journey of not merely chasing a dream but pulling that dream into today present.

The story itself. Not telling my story and sharing my experience would have been to live muted and maimed. I believe every one of us owns a story unfolding that should be told.

AHD:  If out and about in Dallas, where might we find a focused Guy buried in a notebook?

GD: I work best in moving environments whether a busy cafe, a pub holding a sense of intrigue and history or nearly anywhere outdoors. I worked on my manuscript on patios, mountainsides, park benches, cafes and pubs crawling with conversation. My thoughts deflate in deliberately designed quiet spaces. Movement keeps my thoughts open and working not overly concentrated on singular ideas.

AHD: Where can we go to support your Kickstarter campaign, learn more about your forthcoming book and follow your daily reflections?

GD: I add new content weekly at guydelcambre.com. Additionally, subscribers to my site receive a monthly email newsletter offering a sort of behind the scenes glimpse into parenting, family life, faith and new writing projects.  I also just launched my Kickstarter for Earth & Sky. To find out more and support the journey, check it out.

Kristen Cochran | Painter

Kristen Cochran | Visual Artist
Featured Artist | May 2013

From the Pacific Northwest, Kristen Cochran moved to Texas to complete her MFA at The Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in 2010. She has exhibited in the Pacific Northwest, Texas and New York, and has works in private collections in Italy and London. In Texas, Kristen has exhibited at CentralTrak, Oliver Francis Gallery, Barry Whistler Gallery, Eastfield College, RE gallery + studio, WAAS Gallery and Women & Their Work for the 2011 Texas Biennial. She has been awarded residencies in Long Island City, NY, Mittersill, Austria and recently been awarded the Jentel residency in Wyoming, commencing summer 2013. Kristen presently teaches drawing and sculpture at the University of Texas at Dallas and has taught at Southern Methodist University, The Nasher Sculpture Center and The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Her site specific installation “Vacuum Drawing and MTV – Mapping the Void Limp Grid” was also featured in the April/Art issue of FD Luxe in an article titled “The Original Arts District Arisen” written by Dr. Charissa Terranova and photographed by Nan Coulter.

Hometown: Home-hometown is Portland, Oregon, but Seattle, where I went to undergrad, is a close second. 

Favorite Dallas hangout: I don’t have one fave hangout in Dallas. I enjoy being at home, having friends over and trying new, off the beaten path restaurants. Being from the Pacific Northwest requires that I love a good cup of coffee and as a result, I can be found drinking coffee at one of Dallas’s artisanal coffee shops (finally!). I like Oak Cliff quite a bit. Its more provisional, modest character and the walkability around Bishop Arts reminds me of parts of Portland, Austin and Seattle. Bolsa Mercado and Oddfellows are fun, tasty and aesthetically interesting spots to grab a bite to eat. 

AHD: What will readers find when they visit "stutter slip stack," your first solo exhibition at RE gallery + studio in what's being haled Dallas' edgiest arts district, The Cedars?

KC: What they will find is a show primarily made up of drawings and paintings from across the last year or so. These works are conceptually driven, process oriented, abstract works that relate to my interest in language. They result from a process of looking for a lexicon of meaningful characters with which to communicate. If visitors come to the sculpture studio, they will find a gritty wonderland of in-progress works that relate to drawings in the show.

AHD: You came down from the Pacific Northwest to complete an MFA at the Meadows School of the Arts at SMU, but you've since stayed on to produce a substantive body of contemporary work. What about Dallas' creative community kept you?

KC: My decision to remain in Dallas after graduate school was, at first, less about Dallas’ creative community and more about the job opportunities that arose for me. I was invited to teach at SMU and at UTD the semester following graduation and wanted to try my hand at teaching. Happily, over the past few years, I’ve been able to witness and be a part of the opportunities to show and curate work here in Dallas. The grassroots efforts of local artists in addition to the amount of accessible, open space is a great combination for an artist like me who enjoys responding to particular sites and their unique material and historical resources. 

AHD: Following your closing reception at RE gallery + studio, you're swapping The Cedars for the Lower Piney Creek Valley and the prestigious Jentel Artist Residency in Banner, Wyoming. How do you anticipate the change in atmosphere will affect you?

KC: I’m super excited about the upcoming residency. My residency proposal involved engaging what I’ve called ‘sites of clearing’: spaces and places in between deconstruction and reconstruction. A residency experience is, by nature, a liminal one. Banner, Wyoming is a tiny town set within a vast, cattle-laden wilderness. I don’t know how I will feel once I arrive and engage such wide open physical, creative and perhaps emotional and spiritual space but I’m sure excited to find out. I believe that this residency is a gift and it’s been given at just the right time.  

AHD: Why is it important for active creatives to go on an occasional retreat?

KC: To maintain sanity. To rest their weary, introverted selves and hypersensitive, overstimulated souls. I think that artists can benefit greatly from the focused time and space that a relatively unstructured residency such as Jentel affords. Not to mention the creative sparks that often fly for me when I deviate from the deeply trodden paths of my everyday life and take a break from what is familiar.

AHD: You often play with language in your work, your current show being no exception. What is it about the topic that intrigues you so, and why are you hoping to cause a "branguage leakdown?"

I’m not hoping to cause a breakdown in language necessarily—but I do like creating work that is, to some degree, visually and cognitively confusing. Not to aggravate but to emphasize the experience of engaging the unknown and perhaps, in an effort to create an equitable viewing experience in which everyone (educated and uneducated, art-aware and art-naïve, rich and poor) is apt to be scratching their heads in wonder. 

AHD: When you talk about bridging gaps and mapping voids, you seem to suggest present-day fractures and perhaps a past or soon-to-be wholeness regained. How do these concepts relate to everyday life and the relationships we keep?

KC: Yes, I am interested in what you’re calling present day fractures. I might call them states of fragmentation, dislocation, lost-ness or blindness. It seems to me that culture, technology and industry encourage states of distraction, disorientation, wandering and flux and many folks have adopted these states of being as normal, even productive or necessary. Mapping voids in three-dimensional space or on two-dimensional drawing surfaces is a metaphorical act that relates to the human experience of mapping the unknown and engaging empty spaces or territories of loss. And there, in the void, creating a new, living thing.  

AHD: What's your favorite hangout for thinking, making things and spending time with friends? 

Favorite hangout for thinking: an airplane
Favorite place to make things: usually my home studio or my sculpture studio at the Quonset huts.
With good friends: I gravitate towards quieter places where conversation can be well-heard. 

AHD: Where can we go to find out more about your current show, follow your forthcoming work, and possibly sit in on a lecture or two?

My website: kristencochran.com
My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kristen.cochran.3
The REgallery website: regallerystudio.com
REgallery Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/RE-gallery-studio