Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman, designer of the theme logo and branding:
“How does a weary world rejoice? This is a difficult question to image, much less to answer. The world was the first tangible image that emerged from our brainstorming. This theme feels all-encompassing; it feels important to highlight its expansiveness with a visual reference to the globe. The other design problem to solve was how to reference both weariness and joy. How do you visually hold these contrasting emotions together? What feels connective about these emotions is that they are very human. We decided on the image of a comforting embrace, and perhaps in the space between the people, continents and bodies of water come into view. These two people could represent characters we follow this Advent season: Elizabeth & Zechariah, Mary & Elizabeth, Mary & Joseph. Or maybe the figures are more broadly representative of God & humanity or of the personification of joy & weariness. Two people—one radiating joy and the other wading into weariness— hold the world together.”
Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity, painter/photographer of the theme backgrounds:
“As Lauren and I discussed the visual branding for our Advent theme, we talked about visuals, textures, and color palettes that might communicate the idea of a weary world rejoicing. As we talked about images of the world, the scope of our brainstorming widened into the cosmic realm. We soon found ourselves peering into galaxies by sifting through the new images captured by NASA and the Hubble telescope. We were reminded of how captivating and breathtaking these images are; viewing them invites you into worlds unknown. As we looked through the renderings of nebula and star clusters, we were mesmerized by the colors and luminescent textures. These images have the power to lift every weary bone in your body. When you gaze upon the beauty of the cosmos, how can you keep from rejoicing? And so, for our theme branding, I decided to create acrylic paintings inspired by the Hubble telescope images. I painted washes of vibrant colors and metallic gold amidst a backdrop of beautiful blackness. In these paintings, I hope you see the vastness of God.”
