Chasing Arnold Flaten

Give Me Jesus 2015, oiled walnut and brass 30" x 65" collection Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Minneapolis Commissioned by friend and longtime NLC supporter Diane Fleming, this hangs in the narthex at Bethlehem Lutheran in south Minneapolis.  Text taken from the old spiritual "Give Me Jesus," it's one of the signature choral works of the National Lutheran Choir arranged by NLC founder, Dr. Larry Fleming. The panel separates four themes of the text and uses small detail carvings to illustrate and expand the meaning.  Each detail contains the shadow of the cross in the background.  The following pics are taken from the work in progress on the carving bench.. When I am alone... The solitary figure stands against the backdrop of earth, sun, stars...one thinks of Psalm 8--the work of Your hands, the sun, moon, and stars which You have created...  When I come to die... The prone Christ-figure outstretched on the cross is intentionally calling out

Prayer 9:  the magnum opus.. 2013, oiled walnut, 8'w x 16' tall in six sections Main entrance, Zion Lutheran Church Anoka MN It started like this--sketches in the program of an NLC concert, probably while I was supposed to be singing.  Sometimes when you get an idea, you've got to get it on paper before it disappears. Which I did. During the first phase of the Sanctuary Renewal project at Zion Lutheran in Anoka, there was some discussion with the architects about a large panel to be installed at the main entrance.  Rather than simply a flat oak panel, I suggested that it might be a good place for 'architectural art', and this is what transpired. During a brainstorming session with pastoral staff, we realized that the selection of text was critical--it had to be powerful, unusual, timeless--something that you couldn't simply pass by because you already knew it.  This was the consensus:  Prayer 9, from the Lutheran Book of Worship.  It has roots in anc

Newborn Stars 2013, 2014 walnut, 30"x60" collection Zion Lutheran Church, Hopkins MN I have gone through this process many times before--finding a text in a piece of choral music that is the source material for work in wood.  As a choral singer, it takes some time to learn new music--notes, intervals, phrasing, tempo--and then at some unexpected time, a phrase or verse hits like the proverbial ton of bricks.  Sometimes there are tears, often I just can't sing for a while when the profoundness of the text finally hits home.  This text is one of those.  It's a hymn text written by writer/theologian/musician Dr. Carl Daw, and the hymn is " As Newborn Stars Were Stirred to Song."  It was the perfect metaphor, especially the last verse-- the symbolism of the redeeming Christ set into musical terminology that just struck me... and a perfect choice to change the text into wood. An example of 'interchange', a favorite technique that I can onl

William Blake:  Time is Eternity 2015, oiled black walnut     version #1,   12"x36"   collection of D. Hewitt Woodgrain for me always seems so organic, so flowing.. it's as if you could compress time and make it act like water.  This chuck of walnut was that kind, where the text and the grain flowed together seamlessly, adding emphasis to the text of William Blake.  I've only used this text once before, for an anniversary piece that I'll discuss shortly.  This one, however, was a gift to a friend after the sudden loss of a spouse.  I hope it brought some measure of comfort, and will continue to do so over the years. Time is Eternity, version #2 2013, oiled black walnut and lucite 15" high collection of S. Staruch  The other time I used the Blake text was for an anniversary gift.  After much discussion, I decided to break away from the 2D panel format and go with something 3D, something kinetic.  This is constructed from massive walnut triang

At the bench.. P. Nycklemoe edition Lord God, You Have Called Your Servants first in 2009, series of 8 or 9 oiled black walnut, 12" x 36" collection of J. O'Neill, WA et al. From the evening vespers texts, this prayer has meant so much to so many people.  The first carving was for Jerry, after the sudden loss of his dear wife and his venture out to a new life afterwards.  For many other family and friends at difficult stages of life, I tried to contribute to healing, strength, wholeness.  Each of these carvings retains the same format, but I experimented with font styles and spacing, and sometimes added a little insert for a votive candle.  There are probably 9 or 10 versions of this carving now, done for special occasions and special people. Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only tha

Advent Chancel Screen Arnold Flaten, 1970 Northfield MN in collection of Central Lutheran Church Minneapolis MN stained laminated red oak, brass, gold accents approx. 60" x 120", hinged This is a sacred object for me, a touchstone, a holy relic.  I had the chance to watch Arnold working on this large oak piece for an afternoon during my sophomore year at St. Olaf, and it was a turning point, a watershed moment... why, I want to do this.. Could I do this?  I thought...  Growing up with a grandfather who made skis in a shop filled with hickory and ash, just the smell of wood was nostalgic and exciting.  The demands of Dorothy Divers at St. Olaf in graphic design also gave me some sense of balance and layout, and combine that with the love of wood--I guess that's where it began and why it continues. Central Lutheran had this piece hanging outside their sanctuary wall, and every time I was there, I would close my eyes and run my fingers over the lettering, thin

Pilgrims' Hymn 2014 36" x 72" white birch In private collection  On a sunny afternoon in April, I took the finished panel down to Minneapolis to show it to Michael Dennis Browne, a friend and author of the text.  Michael collaborated with Stephen Paulus on many choral works, and this panel was done especially for the National Lutheran Choir after Paulus' untimely passing in 2014.  It was an emotional situation, both of us realizing the significance of the text, and with Michael and I shown here signing the back of the panel.

Cloud of Witnesses 2012 white birch, brass accents 30" x 72" Anoka, MN Commissioned for the newly designed chapel at Zion Lutheran Church, it uses the text from the book of Hebrews focusing on 'such a great cloud of witnesses..'  The piece is designed also to be removed from the wall and used as a freestanding panel in the main sanctuary for funerals, weddings, baptisms.. The text is in a modified Herculaneum font in kind of a run-on style, flowing around the candle stands all the way to the bottom of the panel.  There are 12 candle stands in all, each with a brass bar at the back as a visual accent and for added reflectivity when the candles are lit. White birch carves cleanly, and has a fine capacity for darkening the cut edges when varnished.  Contrast the golden finish here with the blonde unfinished panel in the picture below.. This is the stand prior to the final finish, using the walnut base in free standing mode. Since the chapel at Zi