Meet The Artists

Sasha Rogers

Sky Glabush

Shadi Toloui-Wallace

Otto Don Rogers

Carol Evans

Hooper Dunbar

Siamak Hariri

Shaughnessy Johnson

Paula Murray

Pancho Amenábar

Lisa Puzon

Roger Bansemer

We invite you to explore amazing video interviews of each featured artist. They can be found on the Association for Bahá’í Studies Website. Please click the “Click Here” button for more.

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Visions of the Sacred: Conversations with Bahá’í Artists began as a doctoral dissertation. A variety of experience had led me to understand that the arts are not only integral to our appreciation of beauty, or to confront us with the challenges of the world, or to delight us, or to make us laugh, or to be invited into wonder… and more.

The arts can encourage our capacity to sense what spirituality means. The dissertation allowed me to interview 12 accomplished, seasoned artists who could speak to that process, and to describe themes that emerged in our conversations.

“I am deeply thankful to Sasha Rogers, Sky Glabush, Shadi Toloui-Wallace, Otto Don Rogers, Carol Evans, Hooper Dunbar, Siamak Hariri, Shaughnessy Johnson, Paula Murray, Pancho Amenábar, Lisa Puzon, and Roger Bansemer.

All of them are specially skilled in their field, and each is eloquent about their work which includes different styes of visual art, music, architecture, pottery, and sculpture.

I’m ever grateful to the Association for Bahá’í Studies for inviting me to shift the research from a dissertation format into a book that might be interesting to others. Information about that book can be found towards the end of this page.”

About the Author: Kim MacQueen

Kim MacQueen’s attentive and enlightening exploration into the work and methods of twelve Bahá’í artists allows us to examine how a shared spiritual inspiration can be translated into varied artistic forms and imaginative modes. In this study, she demonstrates that the creative impulse, even if drawing on the same essential source-the coherent framework of reality that the Bahá’í Faith provides-produces an array of artistic responses, like the array of colors that emanate from a prism by a single beam of light.

MacQueen’s rigorous labor of love and dedication thus proves a wonderful resource that enables us to appreciate how each artist discovers a form and mode that bespeaks how the revealed Word penetrates the heart and is reflected back to the rest of us. Her amazing journey into the minds and hearts of the Bahá’í artists represented in this collection is, first and foremost, an existential delight.

– John S. Hatcher, Professor Emeritus, University of South Florida

In Visions of the Sacred: Conversations with Bahá’í Artists, Kim MacQueen has brought a scholarly exploration together with a deeply personal journey, which has resulted in confirming the power, importance, and core connection between art and spirituality. I found this book to be a treasure trove of inspiration, insights, and wisdom. The Bahá’í Faith and the creative process of twelve artists constitute the lens through which she examines this connection as a skillful, wise, curious, and patient guide. As a qualitative researcher and artist myself, I found that the book helped me develop a deeper appreciation of how the creative process, although essentially and deeply mysterious, does have common threads and themes. In the end, this rich work reminds us all that the creative process is essential for us to ever transform ourselves, our communities, and the world at large.

– Michael Brant DeMaria, Ph.D. Psychologist and Author

About The Baha’i Faith

The Bahá’í Faith is a religion founded in 19th-century Iran that teaches the oneness of humanity, the oneness of all religions, and the oneworld order for a peaceful global society. It was established by Baháʼu’lláh and emphasizes spiritual principles like the equality of women and men, the elimination of prejudice, and the harmony of science and religion. Baháʼís strive to build diverse communities, practice spiritual laws such as prayer and fasting, and engage in community service and dialogue to promote unity.

The Principles

Featured Youtube Videos

Art is inherently a spiritual endeavor because the creative impulse and the artist’s vision are both parts of an ineffable and mysterious process. And while no two artists work in the same way-a fact that further mystifies anyone attempting to assess how vision is translated into sensible forms-there are some worthwhile generalizations we can derive from studying how different artists pursue their craft. For me, one useful notion is to view the artists among us as kinesthetic receptors for society, indicating how we are doing, how we got here, and, most important of all, where we are likely to end up.

– John S. Hatcher, Professor Emeritus, University of South Florida

If you are interested in the Visions of the Sacred: Conversations with Bahá’í Artists book, it is available from three sources:

“I was honored to give this presentation at the 2024 ABS conference.”

With much gratitude to the artists, the editors of ABS, the project videographer (Julian MacQueen), video editor (Aaron Ball), and web developer (Sean A. Foster).

And particular thanks to the best of supporters, Dr. John S. Hatcher, who wrote of the book:

“For me, one useful notion is to view the artists among us as kinesthetic receptors for society, indicating how we are doing, how we got here, and, most important of all, where we are likely to end up. This is the beauty of Kim MacQueen’s attentive and enlightening exploration into the work and methods of twelve Bahá’í artists. She allows us to examine how a shared spiritual inspiration can be translated into varied artistic forms and imaginative modes. In this study, she demonstrates that the creative impulse, even if drawing on the same essential source—the coherent framework of reality that the Bahá’í Faith provides—produces an array of artistic responses, like the array of colors that emanate from a prism by a single beam of light.”

If you would like to learn more about the book, or have any questions please contact us by filling out the required information below. We hope to hear from you.