What price a chalice?
Lynn Calvin
Well, the first question is do they want a piece of original art, or
do they want a chalice?
I don't necessarily think this is an unreasonable price for original
art and may barely pay for the materials if you are talking a largish
piece... On the other hand, I would suggest some sort of juried
competition with designs being submitted, since with art there is a
lot of difference in tastes. (Ask me about the piece in the
Metcalfe Federal Building in Chicago...on second thought don't...) We
have a joys and concerns candleholder that is original artwork, a
large piece of cast bronze. The parents of the sculptor donated the
money for the bronze and the casting..
However if you just need a chalice in the interim, sanctuary sized
chalices are fairly easily come by for much more reasonable sums. Our
church usually uses wood one donated by a class of graduating Sunday
School students, which I believe cost around $125. It is perhaps 10
inches high and 18-20 inches in diameter, and was purchased through
some sort of UU sources.
On a more economical note, you can generally find chalice shaped
things in appropriate sizes with a little bit of dedicated
shopping....I have found them at places like Pier 1, etc.
Some of the communion chalices you mention would be perfectly
suitable, if you use sterno/alcohol/salt strategy instead of a candle.
This produces a flame about 8-12 inches high and is much more
attractive.
In fact, I want to recommend *against* the candle strategy! What you
want is small cans of Sterno, to which you add 90% alcohol,enough to
fill the can to the top, (NOT 70%, it won't work) and a pinch of
salt!. The bowl of the chalice needs to be deep enough so that when
the chalice is sitting on whatever object it normally is on (table
etc), a seated person does not see the sterno can. (and you should
still remove the paper wrapping from the can.) Just judge how deep
you want the bowl to be (about twice as deep as the can is my
experience, although our wood one isn't that deep.
In some places there are restrictions on the sale of the 90% alcohol,
e.g. you may have to ask the pharmacist for it or special order it, or
somehow sign for it, since it can be used for drug manufacturing....
One can of sterno will last just about 1 hr & 15 minutes to 1 1/2
hours,.... possibly a reminder about not letting the service get too
long.
laha...@prairienet.org (Lisa A. Hadler-Lindell) wrote:
>My husband's church is considering buying a chalice.
<SNIP>
>The committee has asked for designs, and will commission a new
>chalice--at a cost of $1000. Paul is rather disgusted at this
>expenditure, but its the amount the council has earmarked for this
>project.
>IN the last WORLD, we noticed an ad for someone selling chalices for
>$18-$48. This, OTOH, is surprisingly inexpensive. But if they do the job...
>I
Kellie Sisson Snider
Lisa A. Hadler-Lindell wrote:
>
> My husband's church is considering buying a chalice. The last ministers
> have had their own, which means the chalices leave with the minister. So
> now the church wants its won, which seems only reasonable. what amazes
> Paul and I (he's on the committee which will be making the decisions about
> this) is the amount of money they're talking about spending for this.
>
> The committee has asked for designs, and will commission a new
> chalice--at a cost of $1000. Paul is rather disgusted at this
> expenditure, but its the amount the council has earmarked for this
> project.
>
> IN the last WORLD, we noticed an ad for someone selling chalices for
> $18-$48. This, OTOH, is surprisingly inexpensive. But if they do the job...
>
> I suppose none of this is my business. The logo of my Christian
> denomination is also a chalice (but no flame--just a St. Andrew's Cross),
> but the chalices we purchase are intended to be used for the celebration
> of communion, and can be bought at any religious goods store--for
> anywhere from $100-$500, but even for us $1000 would seem a bit much.
I know you can get one... a nice one... for much less than $1000. I'm
thinking $250 to $300 should get you a beauty! But for a
commissioned work of art from an artist whose work they examine and
LOVE, $1000 would probably be the going cost.
I would like to suggest a couple of things which may spark some idea...
or not. Anyway, take what you can use, leave the rest ...
Are there any artists in your husband's church of any sculptural medium?
Our church has stained glass designed by one member and made by another,
entry tiles made by a professional tile artist... the one by the front
door was pictured in The World. It has the six sources and our church's
name inside a picture of our own chalice. Another stained glass piece
hangs in one of our windows and was made by a former member. These
pieces have enormous sentimental value for our congregation, not only
because they are beautiful, but because they were made by our church
family members. A large sculpture was erected on our lawn, commissioned
by a member who inherited some money and wanted to give something to
Horizon. That is special, too.
As an artist, I have an idea where artists may be hiding, and I hope
this may be helpful.
Other Ideas:
Interview the congregation for hidden artists!
Talk to potters. They may design something really special from part of
the earth.
Talk to stained glass artisans.
If the congregation is very brave, talk to a glass blower!
If the congregation really WANTS to spend money, contact an artist who
works in brass or other metals.
View the work of local university students. Our sculpture came from a
commission with a grad student. These artists may be less
expensive and you may find a gem. I've even seen sculpture by
high school students which I would love to own. Is there an
arts magnet school in your area?
Look for things which aren't supposed to be chalices. Go to department
stores, pottery shops, garden centers, be on the lookout.
Places like TJ Maxx or Marshalls once in a while get a great
artistic bowl or service piece which would make a beautiful
chalice.
Antique stores
Thrift shops... be patient. The gems are rare and don't last long!
Commission an artist to help the children make one of clay. Maybe he or
she could form the shape and insert tiny tiles the children
painted., or help them place their thumbprints in a pattern
around the perimeter.
As a board member who knows how it is with church funds I hate to see
them spend big bucks when they could get something wonderful for much
less. I wish them luck.
--
Kellie
My Karma Ran Over My Dogma. It was a catastrophe!
Now my Dogma's Dead and my Karma's out of Alignment!
Lynn Calvin
Whoops, I checked into this, and the wood one only was around $50,
although that was a couple of years ago.
GeneDoug
Subject: Re: What price a chalice?
In article <58qdlm$i...@nntp.interaccess.com> Lynn Calvin wrote:
quoting an earlier writer:
>>The committee has asked for designs, and will commission a new
>>chalice--at a cost of $1000. Paul is rather disgusted at this
>>expenditure, but its the amount the council has earmarked for
this
>>project.
If wood is acceptable, it would be inexpensive to turn one (or
more) out on a lathe, (if somebody has a lathe.)
My experience with alcohol is that it produces an invisible flame.
I have wondered if mixing cooking oil with alcohol would produce an
attractive blue or yellow flame. Our oil lamp sometimes puts out
smoke, and I've thought that adding a little alcohol would improve
on that.
A relatively pure form of alcohol can be bought at an auto supply
store, generally methyl or isopropyl, as a gasoline additive.
Gene Douglas
No special bits of wisdom to be found down here.
"We would spend less time worrying about what people think of us, if we realized how seldom they do." --Oscar Wilde
CBZellmer
dear All,
Thanks for the great suggestions. How soon do you need the chalice, Lisa?
(nice to see you on line--yes, I'm back from Romania and it was
extraordinary!). If it's an immediate need, two sizes of chalices in
medium bright pewter are available from the UU Service Committee catalog
for $85 for the 7" one and about $200 (I think) for the larger one).
Depending on your space, you might consider the smaller one which could be
used in children's chapel once a more "artistic" version is rendered.
There is a potter here in the DC area who is still taking commissions for
chalices. Her name is Ruth Ballou and I could arrange for you to speak to
her if you'd like. She does beautiful work, perfect for ceremonial
chalices, and has rendered one for the local seminarians network of UUs at
Wesley and Howard Div.
As we walk together,
Charlene Belsom Zellmer ~)-(
Jonathan Reich
Martyne wrote:
>
> Read a very cute joke on the UU jokes page.
> Three children were discussing their religion.
> "I'm catholic" said the first. "Our symbol is the cross."
> "I'm jewish" said the second. "Our symbol is the Star Of David.
> The third spoke up. "I'm a Unitarian Universalists and our symbol is a
> candle in a cocktail glass."
>
>"Picture a massless particle."
>A koan of modern physics
Ny favorite is the one about the kids in school answering the teacher's
question about what their religion is. They're going around, and
finally they get to the little boy who happens to be the only UU in the
class. "And what's your religion, Billy?" The teacher asks.
"Ummm....i think we're....League of Women Voters."
Happy Holidays ! : ))
--
Picture a cute tagline here
-- a koan of modem physics