Sketch Comedies Start Production

"Sunday Funnies" scripts are adapted from TV spots performed by Mark Turner in the '80's

      A production team of seven actors and four staff have commenced rehearsals of a collection of short comedy sketches called "Sunday Funnies". 

     The sketches are part of a larger program to be offered at St. Paul's Cathedral on Sunday evening, May 20. 

     Mark Turner is directing the show composed of scripts from his past television spots and stage shows. The Sunday Funnies will culminate the larger program featuring our Film Gallery Cafe which will show two films with discussion. 

     Also featured will be the story of "The Prodigal Son" a solo dance by the Rev. Richard Lief, Canon for the Arts at St. Paul's Cathedral. 

     Light refreshments will be served and visual arts will be on display. The program starts at 6pm in the Great Hall on the 5th Ave. side of the Cathedral situated between 6th and 5th at Nutmeg near downtown San Diego. Suggested donation is $10. 

Taking Care of Artists

Donna & Mark Turner, Co-founders

     Some people are so passionate about their visions of "what could be" that they can not be contained by conventional institutions of society. Artists are usually in this group.  

 

     Some learn to navigate the boundaries of their world. Others are tolerated as "pets" or "jesters" of their society. But most are not so fortunate. At a young age they may be spotted and forced to give it up for training more practical in the job market.  

     For those of us who adopt the non-conformist's path, life is always tinged with skeptical looks and closed doors. How to be true to our heavenly vision while pushing the boundaries of society: this is an art which we have been learning over the decades and try to impart to other artists. We have realized that it is not enough to just talk about the beauty beyond the conventional, or to just create our pictures of ideals. We are called to live it in the midst of the conventional world.

    

     We tend to get in the way, or to complicate the flow of systems set up for orderly life. Often such people are eliminated gently, or violently. But, a wise society makes room for such prophets, poets, artists and innovators. Most of them are not tough and self sustaining like Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, or many famous names you could recite. A wise society looks for these and nurtures them from infancy. 

     Do you think your society tends to nurture, or inhibit artists? Ultimately, God calls everyone to live the heavenly kingdom each in our unique way with the goal of all humanity enjoying the ideals which now seem such "wonderful, but crazy dreams". (Please look at the biblical background which sparked these thoughts. Click here: II Corinth. 3:6b, 17-18  .)  

Film Featured at Fragile Earth Event

     Our film "A Prayer for Beauty" is to be featured at the Fragile Earth Symposium called by Bishop James Mathes of the San Diego Episcopal Diocese on April 21st at St. Bartholomew's Church, Poway.
     The film will be shown during the noon meal break. In the afternoon workshop session Mark and Donna Turner will introduce the relevance of the film to creation care and show it again. Afterwards they will moderate discussion of the film and show another film for discussion,"To the Diggers".

    Be sure to get your copy of our new DVD containing all three of our short art films.  More than just a copy of the films, the DVD is like a personal Film Gallery Cafe with bonus features for each film including stills of the art, text of the poetry and discussion frames.

      For the special  price of $25, tax and shipping included, click the subscribe button to the right and get our e-newsletter.  This offer ends after April 30, 2012. 

3 Film Packages, 1 DVD

One DVD offers three film packages each including materials for weeks of group discussions.

     The three prototypes of the short art films used in the Film Gallery Cafe are now available together on one DVD.

       This is not just a DVD with some films on it.  Each film is a complete package useful for both personal contemplation and group discussions which could extend for a series of weeks.  The inspiration and creativity that will result could be monumental.
     Each film plays in widescreen and offers bonus materials unique to each including stills of the art used in the film, the text of the poetry, and conversation frames with which to explore the meaning of the film.  

Special Offer On Our Newsletter 

     The DVD may be purchased on the products page of our web site for $32, shipping included. For a limited time you may purchase it for $25 and free shipping, by joining our e-newsletter.  Put your e-mail address in the box in the right hand column and we will send you the March issue where you can find the PayPal button for the special price.  Besides that, you will then be in touch with all the great developments of Horizon Gate.

     Each film can be purchased individually on the products page of our web site for $15 apiece plus shipping.
     

     Your purchase helps keep us creating more art and films to stimulate significant conversations drawing people to God.

C'mon, Don't Be Mean

Horizon Gate founders Donna & Mark Turner

     We don't know about you, but we're already tired of election year rhetoric, especially the kind that seeks to strike fear in us so we'll do what they say. 

     On places like Facebook and Twitter we get hit by extremely volatile statements from both the right and the left.

     The other day this made a scripture very dramatic to us: ". . . solemnly charge them not to wrangle about words, which is useless, and leads to the ruin of the hearers. . . . avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene." (II Timothy 2:14b, 16-17a)
     Yes, expressing ourselves can bring death, rather than life. It is so tempting to respond, or post something hurtful and insulting in our campaigning passion.  

     But it is not just in our verbiage. Artists, filmmakers, craftspersons, performers, will you commit with us to spread only life in our expressions?   There is death enough for everyone, but what we need is life and light, reconciliation, -- returning love for hate, beauty for ugliness.

  

Like Christ, let's contrast the meanness that is building up in the world.

Call for Community of Variety

Please join us on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, to see our films and talk about the next steps in developing the Film Gallery Cafe.

     True community is made of a variety of people, each possessing capabilities needed by the others, who desire to be part of a phenomenon larger than any one of them.   

     The grand vision of the Film Gallery Cafe is taking another step in forming such a community on St. Patrick's Day, the green color of life day, Saturday, March 17th.  On that day we will tell you exciting developments in the vision, show the prototype films and discuss the next steps.

The Upward Bound Community 

     We are imagining a community where each of us has a personal hold on the common vision and receives fellowship and spiritual growth through creating together. This community will make and exhibit tangible vehicles of art and film which elevate the makers and their audience toward the highest, intangible values of God.

     At our St. Patrick's Day gathering we will be looking for varieties of people who are ready to 

lead (boards of directors and advisors), 

create content (filmmakers, visual artists, writers, musician/composers, performing artists),

exhibit (curators, presenters, crew), 

do business (marketing, bookings, accounting, legal), 

develop (funding campaigns, grant writing),
and

care for the teams (coordinate, recruit, train, celebrate). 

     All who are interested are invited to attend regardless of how involved they can be. If you are unable to travel to San Diego, we will try to connect you with the meeting via Skype.

     Please RSVP so we can let you know time and place. Mark's e-mail markarturner (at) gmail.com.