Meet: Stephen Lyons
STEPHEN LYONS is an actor and musician living in NYC. (www.StephenLyons.net)
Catholic Artist Connection (CAC): What brought you to NYC, and where did you come from?
Stephen Lyons (SL): I am originally from West Chester, PA. In summer 2013 I made the decision to move back to New York after being inspired by Once, A New Musical. I was very much excited by that type of show and the storytelling. I was living in Philadelphia at the time when I saw a friend of mine in the Broadway production. I moved to the city and met one of my bandmates at an open mic who happened to be working on ‘Once’ and knew our mutual friend and we formed the band Bonfire Falls.
CAC: How do understand your vocation as a Catholic artist? What do you see as your personal mission as a Catholic working in the arts?
SL: “Give beauty, give beauty back to God” (Gerard Manley Hopkins). This was the mantra ingrained in my experience at DeSales University by my dear mentor, the late Rev Gerard Schubert, founder of the DeSales University Theatre Department. To me, it is the responsibility artists have in using their gifts to bring light, refreshment, revelation and hope to the human experience.
Bono of the Irish rock band U2 has also played a huge impact in my understanding of the responsibility of Christian artists have in advocacy. Oftentimes, especially in this hyper sensitive culture, there is this enticement for despair. Bono encapsulates it in U2’s song “Every Breaking Wave”:
“baby every dog on the street / knows that we’re in love with defeat / are we ready to be swept off our feet / and stop chasing every breaking wave."
To me, that line is about the journey toward faith, hardwired hope under the strata of despair circulating in the frequencies of social media.
Faith is a garden. It is a quiet place in an inner city neighborhood waiting for discovery, for someone to walk in, connect and lend a hand. It is a response to beauty waiting for us to cultivate and reflect back to God.
CAC: Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?
SL: Through the Catholic Artists Connection network. The daily postings, reflections, opportunities and encouragement have been helpful in understanding your relationship to your work and the greater community of Catholic artists.
CAC: Where have you found support among your fellow artists for your Catholic faith?
SL: The Our Lady of Harlem Artist House has allowed me the ability to pursue my music and acting career. Without this community, without this support, I’m not sure I’d be here. I had gone through a personal hardship which effected me both financially, emotionally and spiritually. The support network of my housemates has given me the strength to get through a very difficult time and help me get on my feet again. Our unique house of artists of different disciplines has been a special grace.
I would also like to draw special attention to Cole Matson who has a very special gift of vision. He blends that unique skillset of an academic, intellectual, humanist and love for artists that defines what should be the model for New Evangelization, a kind soul who is always positive, and encouraging artists. He himself as an artist and visionary is a tremendous gift to the New York City Catholic Artist Community.
CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find spiritual fulfillment?
SL: I attend St. Malachy’s, The Actor’s Chapel. Candlelight is an important aspect to prayer and meditation. I have a very strong memory of votive candles and colors from a young age. It is a quiet, peaceful important part of meditation and prayer. "Be still and see that I am God.” Ps 46:10 The smell the look of flickering fire (the Holy Fire) which has a simple power.
Also minor rant: can I just say I like St. Malachy’s because they use REAL candles and not those fake push button jobs! Completely defeats the purpose.
CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find artistic fulfillment?
SL: As far as artistic fulfillment, I belong to the Writer’s Room (Open Mic) which is an extremely supportive and nurturing space to showcase new music and network with other musicians. I also belong to Actor’s Launchpad which provides monthly coaching for film / tv / networking and they also offer free self-taping for auditions.
Harlem is a huge place of inspiration for me right now creatively. It is going through a complex change. The African American experience has informed my faith in a powerful way. There is such a deep music and cultural history here that resonates with me both on a spiritual and creative level. There is a lot of complexity here as well as soul.
I also get inspired by our community garden, Mandela Garden. It is the only wildflower garden in Manhattan and boasts 30 different species of wildflower no longer found in the city. People underestimate the power of gardens, of working with the earth. There is both a physiological and psychological thing that happens when you work in a Garden. It causes you to think differently about the World around you and how you think. It’s also a nexus in this neighborhood where the community can come together. Sadly, our garden is in danger of being developed, but we are fighting in court.
CAC: How have you found or built community as a Catholic artist living in NYC?
SL: Participating in monthly Mass, activity with members of Our Lady of Harlem House, and attending events through Catholic Artist Connection.
CAC: What is your daily spiritual practice? Where do you like to go on retreat?
SL: In my morning prayer, I thank God for the gift of life, the gift of the day. I pray for the loved ones in my life and the Grace to be attentive to their needs. I’m also focused on direct intentions, what I hope to achieve through God’s Grace praying an 'Our Father,’ 'Hail Mary,’ and then speaking the intention 10 times. I pray 'Jesus I trust in you’ 10 times as well, surrendering all to God and concluding with a Glory Be.
During the course of the day I pray for people I meet along the way. If i see someone in despair or homeless for example I will say an 'Our Father’ or 'Hail Mary.’ I try to be conscious of seeing Christ in everyone I come in contact with.
In the evening I may pray rosary or recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy which is one of my favorite prayers. I pray for family and friends and I remember the souls of family and friends who’ve died.
Honestly, I have not done a whole lot of retreats because of budget. I tend to go to quiet beautiful places. There are some beautiful hiking trails and spots in Pennsylvania where I grew up I like to go to. Landscape informs my songwriting a great deal. I generally like to get lost in the country.
CAC: What is your daily artistic practice? And what are your recommendations to other artists for practicing their craft daily?
SL: Generally I try to carve out 1 - 2 hours a day of songwriting. I understand some artists force themselves to write at such and such a time each and every day, but that’s never worked for me. Often, it comes unexpectedly.
To quote Martha Graham:
It is not your business to determine how good it (your creative expression) is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.
I try to be present to the World around me, to look for God in the face of His children every day in the World, to see where injustice or acts of courage are happening. Creativity most be allowed to flow it is your response to your daily existence. Journaling sometimes helps. For me I also will record melodic or lyric ideas on my voice memos or notes on my iPhone during the day. Oftentimes in my songwriting I’m searching for a vocal line. It begins with a vocal improvisation with 'non-sense’ words until the feeling of the vocal and the chord structure starts to drive a narrative.
CAC: Describe a recent day in which you were most completely living out your vocation as an artist.
SL: Every time I get to rehearse with my bandmates (Bonfire Falls). I’ve never been part of a group of incredible, giving, supportive group of musicians and songwriters in my life. Each time we are in the room, there is an incredible energy of diversity in thinking, feeling and creative expression. It is the ultimate example of how a band can create outcomes you never thought possible. Each one of us contributes in powerful ways. There is a 'Yes And’ mindset always present. There is a flow that happens, an almost heightened intuition.
CAC: You actually live in NYC? How!?
SL: I had been sublet hopping for about a year when Emily Snyder (Turn to Flesh Productions) introduced me to Cole Matson, who was looking to pull together a group of Catholic artists. Cole had asked me to check out an apartment in Harlem. When I got out of the 125th Station at Lenox Ave there was a teen gospel choir singing on the corner. It was a group from Vy Higgensen’s Gospel For Teens which focuses on preserving the art form of Gospel to young people. I had been going through a very difficult year and when I saw that it was a kind of grace that this was the right place at the right time. Catholic Artist Connection also provides a great network for finding housing.
CAC: But seriously, how do you make a living in NYC?
SL: This is the pain for every artist. I had been working in a full time job when I moved back to New York in 2013. I have a background in sales and marketing, and leadership development, but it was taking up too much of my time and energy. I had made the decision to leave that company and go back to my music and acting career.
Resources for actors I’ve found very helpful: Actors Access, Backstage, Playbill, Casting Networks, Casting Frontier to name a few.
I do a lot of catering because it’s flexible work. JitJatJo is a great new staffing app for people in food service. Gigmor.com is great for gigging musicians.
CAC: What are your top pieces of advice for Catholic artists moving to NYC?
SL: I wish I had the Catholic Artist Connection when I first graduated college and moved to New York. Your faith is what sustains you, knowing that you have a community of fellow Catholic artists is so important to learning and dealing with the city. If you are deeply sensitive or highly intuitive you need to be aware of how the city will affect you. I’m one of those types and for many years I didn’t quite understand how to handle it. Highly intuitive or feeling people experience the world in a much more deeper level than many. It’s what makes us powerful artists. It is a strength, not a weakness, but sometimes you need to protect that sensitivity. New York will give you skin, but you have to be patient.
It is important to stay grounded in your faith and connecting with a support network. Seek out spiritual direction and understand that the city will push you to grow. Look to volunteer or help those in need. Find a garden.
Be patient with yourself and give it at least a year. That first year can be brutal.
Second piece of advice I’d share is find flexible work that won’t drive you INSANE. Too much sitting at a desk will sap your energy and your creative spirit. If you can teach something on the side DO THAT!
Also catering is fantastic. It keeps you moving and they feed you. It’s flexible. Great way to save money and also network with other artists. Did I mention networking? Take classes. Networking is so so so important!! Actor’s Connection, Actor’s Launchpad, The Growing Studio, check Backstage for other resources.
Remember to Love God through the work you do by loving humanity - be conscious of becoming too in the World. If you’re an actor pray to St. Genesius. Align your intentions with the One who made you out of Love.
“Give beauty back, beauty, beauty, beauty, back to God beauty’s self and beauty’s giver.”
