Leaf Institute of Art and Vocation

This year’s Leaf Fellowship class is wrapping up our 9-month program today by presenting our Cultural Renewal Projects and reflecting on the year together. What a wonderful year spent together!

It’s not too late to join our book club for _Breath for the Bones_ beginning this Friday. Follow the link in our profile to see the event page which includes the reading schedule and discussion questions.
It’s free to register. By registering, we can be sure you get reminders about each week’s meeting. (Book club is 6 weeks long.)
If you have friends who might enjoy this book club, encourage them to come with you, even if they don’t have the first reading complete. We will still have plenty to talk about.
We will meet from noon until 1:30pm. Don’t forgot to bring your own sack lunch if you would like to eat during our time together.
As a reminder, we are meeting at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Greenville at 200 West Washington Street. Enter the church entrance under the portico directly across from Richardson Street Garage.
If you don’t have your book yet, pick one up for free from the reception desk on your way in. We will be meeting downstairs in the Fellowship Hall.
See you soon!

Book Club in March and April!

We are offering a 6-week Friday lunch-hour book club on art and faith in March and April, reading the poet Luci Shaw’s Breath for the Bones: Art, Imagination and Spirit - A Reflection on Creativity and Faith. We believe that this book reflecting on a life of faith and creativity will both inspire our creative work and lead to fruitful conversations with each other.

First Presbyterian Church in downtown Greenville has graciously agreed to host us in their Fellowship Hall and to provide copies of _Breath to the Bones_ to participants free of charge. We are delighted to see what God is doing at First Presbyterian as they expand their vision for blessing Greenville’s artists and art-lovers. Later in March they will be opening their newly built Worship and Arts Center with a 1000-seat auditorium and 600-linear feet of gallery space with a delightful line-up of arts events.

The book club will meet for 6 consecutive Fridays, March 10 - April 14, from 12-1:30pm. Please bring your own lunch to enjoy while we discuss the book.

To pick up your free participant copy of Breath for the Bones, stop by the church reception area 9-5, Monday through Thursday, or Friday 9-3. Look for the entrance under the portico across from the Richardson Street Garage.
200 West Washington Street Greenville, SC 29601

Breath for the Bones is also available as an e-book on Hoopla and Kindle and as an audiobook on Audible.

Leaf Fellowship lunch today at . This weekend we enjoyed three sessions from on how we can have assurance of God’s love for us in Jesus.

fellows brunch at . Almost halfway through our year together.

This morning our fellows are going through ’ Redemptive Entrepreneurship framework (cc )

Friends, applications for our coming Leaf Fellowship program close this coming Monday night (7/18).

One of the favorite parts of my week in the last few years has been meeting with this cohort two hours a week on Tuesday nights and on monthly Saturday mornings. This is a group of young and mid-career professionals in Greenville who are committed to growing in faith and discerning what it looks like to live an integrated Christian life here in the Upstate of South Carolina.

The 8-month program opens with several weeks on worldview (discussion on the competing stories around us), followed by readings on how the Gospel changes our hearts, our communities, and our world. We read from classic works of theology (Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Owen, Edwards, Kuyper) as well as contemporary writers (Tim Keller, Andy Crouch, Vincent Bacote, Christine Pohl, N.T. Wright, and more) on how to live in our post-Christian context.

This is both a study program and a discipleship program—a rich combination of "head, heart, and hands." The program is perfect for any thoughtful Christian based in Greenville who is eager to take next steps in spiritual maturity and vocational growth.

If you are interested but have remaining questions, please reach out to me by email or text me at 347-218-1980). Please take time to apply this weekend before our applications close on Monday evening at midnight.

With hope and prayer for this coming year,
Brannon McAllister
Leaf Fellowship Program Director
https://www.leafinstitutegreenville.org/fellowship

Leaf Fellowship 2022-2023 — An eight-month faith, work & theology discipleship program — Leaf Institute How might Christians who are committed to Greenville’s future invest in the renewal of our city?

Friends,

We're still recruiting for our upcoming cohort of Leaf Fellowship. This is an 8-month discipleship group of young to mid-career adults in Greenville, SC. We study the integration of faith, work, and cultural renewal over the course of weekly readings and devotionals. We meet most Tuesday nights 6-8pm throughout the school year, with a 4 week break over Christmas. This will be our third time through the program in Greenville.

If you're interested, please ask any questions at all. Feel free to reach out me at 347-218-1980 by text. I'm happy to talk on the phone or video, or meet up for coffee. Applications are due July 18th (a week from Monday). The program begins the first weekend in September.

—Brannon McAllister

https://www.leafinstitutegreenville.org/fellowship

Leaf Fellowship 2022-2023 — An eight-month faith, work & theology discipleship program — Leaf Institute How might Christians who are committed to Greenville’s future invest in the renewal of our city?

*Applications for Leaf Fellowship close on Monday, July 18.*

We invite you to apply to join our next cohort of Leaf Fellowship, an intensive discipleship program for young and mid-career Greenville professionals. We meet together Tuesday evenings 6-8pm throughout the school year (September to April, with a month off for Christmas break), discussing weekly reading, praying together, sharing the challenges and joys of our work lives.

In early September, mid-January, and late April, we host Friday evening through Saturday local retreats to frame the year's program.

On six Saturday mornings we engage with the city of Greenville through city tours, special guest speakers, and times of reflection as a group.

Over 1,000 alumni have completed the Gotham Fellowship program developed by NYC pastor Tim Keller and the Redeemer Center for Faith & Work. This fall's Greenville cohort is connected to more than 15 other city programs in places like New York, Chicago, Nashville, Raleigh, and London.

Leaf Fellowship will be facilitated by Brannon McAllister (), a 2011 Gotham Fellow from the NYC program who also works as managing director of media at The Gospel Coalition.

There is nothing quite like learning in a deep community setting alongside other thoughtful, committed adults. Based on our experience, we believe Leaf Fellowship is one of the most powerful ways that you can grow as a fully-integrated Christian worker in our city. Please consider applying over the next days. You will be so glad to be part of this year's cohort.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Brannon by email or text at 347-218-1980. (Or send us a DM here)

THIS WEEKEND:

We are happy to be partnering with photographer Evan Lewis to offer a Pop Up Studio for artists seeking high quality digital images of their work as well as professional headshots.

March 31: 3-8p
April 1: 3-8p
April 2: 9a-4p

Art Reproduction and Headshots

From Evan: “Working 1-on-1 with fine artists is one of my passions - Documenting their artistic process, creating archival quality representation of their work, and providing them creative assets to visually showcase themselves and their art. With a formal foundation in color theory and thousands of hours of practicing photography and professional editing, I want to provide you with imagery to represent yourself as an artist.

1.5 Hour Session

Standard reproduction + headshot. $200
up to 20 works, web & Small print(11x14) ready

ARCHIVAL REPRODUCTION + Headshot. $300
up to 20 works, standard + Archival Tiffs

Link in bio

Attention Artists! Are you ready to have your artwork photographed for web, reproduction, or promotion? Do you need a headshot?

We are happy to be partnering with photographer Evan Lewis to offer a Pop Up Studio for artists seeking high quality digital images of their work as well as professional headshots.

March 31: 3-8p
April 1: 3-8p
April 2: 9a-4p

Art Reproduction and Headshots

From Evan: “Working 1-on-1 with fine artists is one of my passions - Documenting their artistic process, creating archival quality representation of their work, and providing them creative assets to visually showcase themselves and their art. With a formal foundation in color theory and thousands of hours of practicing photography and professional editing, I want to provide you with imagery to represent yourself as an artist.

I want every artist I work with to have digital imagery that shows the entirety of their skill and passion creating with a physical medium.

This is where tactile art meets digital representation.”

1.5 Hour Session

Standard reproduction + headshot. $200
up to 20 works, web & Small print(11x14) ready

ARCHIVAL REPRODUCTION + Headshot. $300
up to 20 works, standard + Archival Tiffs

Sign up at the link in our profile.

Meet the producers of Alas (and Other Remedies)!

✨Jessica MacQuarrie is part of the production team for Eleventh Hour Theatre, and she’s thrilled to be directing this staged reading of Alas (and Other Remedies). Jessica holds an MA in Theatre Arts and enjoys directing and producing original plays. She is the Head of Fine Arts at Greenville Classical Academy where she teaches theatre and directs student productions.

✨Meghan Reimers is part of the production team for Eleventh Hour Theatre, and she’s grateful to for providing a space for playwrights and new work. Meghan’s an MFA playwright and a classically trained pianist based in Greenville. Currently, she works as a professional musician, piano teacher, and adjunct professor in theatre at BJU.

Tonight our Leaf Fellows are kicking off the work on their Cultural Renewal Projects. Each fellow chooses to reflect on some area of brokenness in their work, neighborhood, or our city, and combine theological reflection and imagination to develop a creative solution.

Meet the playwright of Alas (and Other Remedies)!

David Schwingle is a voice and acting coach (RRT), playwright (MFA), actor, and director. He taught theatre on the collegiate level for 17 years. David writes new plays, acts in Shakespeare’s, and coaxes actors and new work onto the stage. He has a passion for creating new stories and sharing them with an audience, and he loves helping others do the same. He currently teaches at The Fine Arts Center (Greenville, SC).

David’s theatrical work has been produced in Manhattan, St. Louis, Roanoke, Upstate NY, and across South Carolina. In 2017 David’s 10-minute play Winning with Shakespeare! won the new works festival at the Atlantic Stage (Myrtle Beach, SC). In 2018 David’s short play Separate was published in riverSedge: a Journal of Art and Literature (Vol. 31, Issue 1). In 2021 David’s monologue “Ian” was published in The Best Men’s and Women’s Stage Monologues and The Best 10-Minute Plays by Smith and Kraus. In 2021 David’s one-act play A Roof of Slate was selected as a semi-finalist for the new works festival at Greenville’s Centre Stage.

David was a finalist for The American Prize directing award for his work on King Lear, eventually winning third place. David is the founder of Eleventh Hour Theatre. While preparing to play Hamlet (Greenville, SC), he completed the Patsy Rodenburg voice and acting certification program (RRT) at the Michael Howard Studios in NYC.

David is a graduate of the Hollins Playwright’s Lab.

Meet the Cast for Alas (and Other Remedies), a staged reading.

📣THE CAST📣

Teri Parker Lewis
Meghan Reimers
Amy Dunlap
Ron Bean
Jordan Harbin
Abby Gilbert

Staged reading of David Schwingle’s play Alas (and Other Remedies) this Friday, March 18, at 7:30 pm at and hosted by .

Free admittance ($3 donation suggested). The reading will last 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission. Light refreshments will be served during intermission!

Join us for a staged reading of David Schwingle’s play, Alas (and Other Remedies) on Friday, March 18 hosted by Eleventh Hour Theatre.

Free admission (suggested donation $3 at the door)
The reading will last approximately 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission. Light refreshments will be served during intermission.

Applications are now open for our 2022-2023 Leaf Fellowship cohort. If you would like to be part of a 9-month community studying and applying a whole-life theology of faith and work, please apply. The program runs from September 2022 to the end of April 2023. Ideal for young and mid-career professionals in Greenville, SC.

https://www.leafinstitutegreenville.org/fellowship

Tonight was Class 15 of this year’s Leaf Fellowship program. We discussed Christine Pohl’s wonderful book, ‘Living Into Community’.

We had a great time this morning learning about collage with .christmas . It was great to see the finished pieces and to hear that the participants plan to continue to collage on their own.

It’s not too late to sign up for this Saturday’s Collage Party.

From 10am to noon, .christmas will be sharing her experience, art historical knowledge, and stash of collage ephemera in this non-stressful, fun introduction to the medium.

This two-hour workshop is open to brand new beginners as well as seasoned artists.

Everything you need to get started will be provided, so this is a great way to bring some cheer and color into your winter weekend!

Link in our profile. You can also head over to .christmas page to take a look at her own collages.

Hope you can join us!

We love .christmas ‘s collages and are looking forward to hosting her Collage Workshop one week from today! Tickets went live at noon! Go to the link below to buy tickets, and while you are at it, check out the rest of her art! Great way to brighten up your week!
…..
Details:
Saturday, 1/22/22
10am-noon
Leaf Institute, 31 Stevens Street, Greenville

Link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/collage-partyworkshop-tickets-229019943817

If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at collage or if you want to hang out with a great collage artist, this is the chance! So what are you paying for in this amazing collage workshop? Here are the main things that you’ll receive:

A Mini Collage Kit, which includes everything you’ll need to make your work of art:
- 5 unique paper materials
- 1 piece of Bristol board
- container of PVA glue

A Brief Lecture on collage, its history, and ideas to make your own collage

60+ minutes to make your own collage

And of course, hot drinks!

Whether you're a professional artist or haven't held a glue stick since K5, you'll come away having a fun time exploring the medium of collage. ✂️

There’s a limited amount of tickets so make sure you grab yours! 🎫

.christmas will be teaching a fun, low-pressure Collage Workshop at Leaf this month. You may remember KC’s exquisite mixed media work in her solo show at Leaf this past Fall. Now you have a chance to try out some collage for yourself. Tickets will be available on the 15th, a week before the workshop. Mark your calendars and plan to come with friends! In the meantime, check out KC’s work on her Instagram page.

This morning our Leaf Fellows took a two-hour walking tour of downtown Greenville with . Thank you, John!

This weekend we are thrilled to be hosting two solo exhibitions by two of Greenville’s emerging artists.

KC Christmas will be showing her mixed media portraits featuring delicately layered florals. Her work is upstairs in Leaf Hall, the former church’s sanctuary. The expansive space with stained glass windows and antique wood floors is the perfect backdrop for her care-filled compositions, quietly reminiscent of religious icons.

Downstairs in the Ground Level Gallery, Paul Walters has created a gallery-wide installation that transports the viewer into the world which his skillful and sensitive paintings depict. This multi-sensory experience of sight, sound, taste, and texture tells the story of a multi-generational collaboration between a grandfather and grandson.

Both exhibitions will be on view from 6-9pm on Friday and Saturday evenings.

We hope you will be able to stop by to support these artists at their debut solo shows and to experience these artworks in person.

We are only 5 days away from two solo shows at Leaf. will be showing downstairs in the Ground Level Gallery, and .christmas will be upstairs in the Sanctuary.

Both artists make meaningful work that rewards the viewer’s careful inspection and thoughtful attention. In other words, we hope you can come see these works in person.

Mark your calendars and set your alarms! See you soon.

September 17-18, 6-9pm.
31 Stevens Street
Greenville, SC

We opened the weekend retreat with a dinner at . Great way for the fellows to meet, some for the first time.

led us in our final segment of the Leaf Fellowship retreat on Saturday—a discussion on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in our city of Greenville, SC.

Also showing September 17-18, 6-9pm, a solo exhibition by . Paul Walters’ sensitive brushwork and spot-on rendering of his grandfather’s award-winning photography fuses memory and substance. These powerful pieces will be exhibited along with the original photographs and film footage in our wood-paneled Ground Level Gallery, which seems like the perfect setting.