Two artists inspired by one Book

HE Bible is the common inspiration of two art exhibitions in Westminster this autumn, one opening this week in Westminster Cathedral Clergy House, the other in St. John's Church Hall, Smith Square, on November 18.
In the Clergy House's 'Long Corridor' hang batiks — linen prints — illustrating the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" and other scenes from the Book of Revelation by English artist Thetis Blacker. a niece of Canon Ronald Pilkington of the Cathedral Chapter.
The drawings of Viennese Catholic Action worker Ernst Degasperi in St. John's show events described in the Old Testament.
Thetis Blacker received a Churchill Memorial Trust award to study batiks in the Far East. Iran, India and Greece in 1970, and perfected special dyeing techniques while at the Batik Research Institute of Java.
She also does fabric design and has had works cornmissioned by Princess Margaret and many other well-known people.
Ernst Degasperi was an industrial designer until 1963 when, while on a trip in the Alps, he was suddenly moved by tree roots he saw to employ their form of tracery for religious designs.
He has completed a series of cycles from the book of Genesis, and will be presenting a copy of his illustrated "Song of St. Francis" to the Pope next month.