Home :

Artistic Heritage

Images have always been a part of this congregation's heritage.  St. Mark's first met in 1952 beside an abandoned airstrip in a small café decorated with Hopalong Cassidy wall paper. On that site, they built first a meeting hall and then a majestic sanctuary with an interior outlined by soaring arches reminiscent of a boat hull. This sanctuary is the site of all our shows.

Art Shows

In 1963 a church member, Harriett Torrens, won first prize in the Coronado Art Show. Her painting "Humility" (shown on the right) became the focal point of a show that included religious paintings solicited from other artists. The next year, the church sponsored its first juried show. This show initiated our Lenten Art Festival that continues today.

These shows welcome all media, and poetry was first included in 1992. The next all-media show will be March 1-April 12, 2009. Its theme will be " Symbols of God's Love." We will receive the art on Friday evening, February 27, and Saturday morning, February 28. The art juror will be Hiroshi Miyazaki, and the poetry juror will be Brandon Cesmat.

The first printing of the art prospectuses had an error in the dates the show will be open. The show will be open for viewing by the general public on Saturdays March 7, 14, 21, 28, and April 4 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Groups may arrange a viewing time outside these hours by calling the church office (858-273-1480).

2009 Art Prospectus

2009 Poetry Prospectus

Art Show Registration Form

In 2004, we began our Digital Art shows.  They occur in the Fall and this year's show ran October 19-November 16, 2008.  The winners of this year's competition are Joe Nalven, first place, infrared photography montage "The Wall"; Eric Swenson, second place, Photoshop enhanced photograph, "Station of the Cross"; and Renata Spiazzi, third place, fractal digital painting "Sunset." Honorable Mention Awards were won by Eric Swenson, "In God We Trust"; Ron Balenger, "Siver Water Lily"; and John Valois, "Sacrifice" and "Tulip."

The all member show for the Clairemont Art Guild closed October 6, 2008. We will also host their Open Show next April. Details will be available soon.

We also have hosted art shows for the Children's Initiative in the past and welcome shows for other non-profit groups. For information on how to set up an art show at St. Mark's, contact the church office.