The Five Thousand | Eularia Clarke (1914-1970) | Oil on canvas laid down on board 65 x 62 cm | 1962 | Methodist Modern Art Collection CLA/1965/1 | Image Copyright © Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes. The Methodist Church Registered Charity no. 1132208
With the ‘New Vision’ Art Exhibition in our midst until 13th June, this is the last cover of our Emmanuel magazine to feature one of the fabulous paintings. I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing them in recent months – the Cross over the City, the Supper at Emmaus, and of course ‘Untitled – Pentecost’, have all featured.
So for this month, a beautifully strong image, interpreting the only miracle of Jesus to be found in all four Gospels – the feeding of the five thousand.
The artist, Eularia Clarke, had at times a very difficult life, experiencing abandonment in her marriage and significant periods of poverty. Having to raise children in such circumstances in the 1930s and 1940s must have been challenging to say the least. Unusually, she resisted the sale of her paintings, wanting them to be freely available to be seen. In fact in her whole career she only ever sold five pieces of art…and the Methodist Church bought two of them! This is one, and ‘The Storm over the Lake’ is the other – both together in our Exhibition.
‘New Vision’ always felt right for the title of what we’re doing in Eastbourne with the Collection, and it also seems to encapsulate what Eularia Clarke is doing too. The feeding of the Five Thousand…a fish and chip picnic?! That’s one way of looking at it!! Eating, scarves, bikes, snoozing, chatting, babies, listening, smoking, holding, drinking…it’s a piece that really needs some of that ‘slow looking’ which our Curator, Pat, advocates for us. Do you like it? Maybe yes, maybe no? Is it 5000 being fed (plus a pulpit and a priest – yes, look carefully) or what churches have done forever, enjoying food and fellowship together?
Maybe it’s something a bit deeper, a little more sacramental. There’s no altar but the priestly presence suggests something of the Holy Communion about this work of art too. Eularia Clarke was a Catholic artist – and within her tradition the Eucharist is of course very important indeed. For me, I think she’s managed to convey something very profound while at the same time making the looker smile and chuckle – just brilliant.
On Sunday 19th June for our Pentecost Worship I said the words at Holy Communion: “this bread and this wine…the ordinary things of the world that Christ makes special”. Isn’t there something special always going on whenever we break bread at Communion, share tea and biscuits, host funeral teas, have bacon sandwiches at messy church? What would our ‘The Five Thousand’ look like if we painted our own Emmanuel version? Somehow I am starting to think we need to organise an Emmanuel fish and chips evening at the seafront!
What a gift it is to have these works in our midst. Check out this magazine for our schedule of events – and of course they’re on the website and Facebook too. We have worship, devotional lunchtime sessions and various talks. What a blessing this time is. Thank you this month to all the Volunteers – forty-odd of them, who are invigilating, hosting, refreshing and basically being brilliant while we host school and nursery visits, care homes, churches and community popping in. What a brilliant, giving bunch they are.
Enjoy the rest of the Exhibition!
Rev Paul Tabraham
Excerpt taken from Emmanuel Magazine June 2024. The magazine, published ten times annually, features articles contributed or authored by our members. It includes a delightful blend of testimonials, devotions, book reviews, prayers, jokes, upcoming events, and more. Grab your copy of the latest magazine at the church foyer. If you prefer to receive a copy by mail or email, feel free to reach out to us.