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› What: “From Broken to Beautiful” Palm Sunday service.› When: 6 p.m. Sunday.› Where: Signal Crest United Methodist Church, 1005 Ridgeway Ave., Signal Mountain.› Admission: Free.› Phone: 423-886-2330.
Farrell Eaves was taking a photography master class in Pecos, N.M., when the unthinkable happened: He bumped the tripod on which he had so carefully placed his Nikon 990, and the camera fell into the Pecos River.
"I fished it out, opened it and the battery compartment and everything was flooded," he recalls of the accident.
His first impulse was, of course, to get as much water out as he could. So he swung the camera back and forth by its camera strap. When he felt he had done all he could in that effort, he returned to class, where the instructor suggested he let it dry out and see what happened.
Over the next few days, he tried setting the camera on top of a stove over gentle heat. He tied it onto the windshield wipers of his car while he drove the roads of New Mexico.
"The speed limit there is 75, so it got a good deal of air," he adds, wryly.
Finally ready to see what damage was done, he loaded batteries and media and took some shots.
The results were unexpectedly stunning.
Streaks of light and colorful auroras appeared around objects shot with the "ruined" camera. The images had a feeling of abstract expressionism tinged with unexpected, surreal hues that drew the viewer in for closer inspection.
"It's the only camera in the world that's been known to make these streaks across an entire image," says Eaves.
Allan Ledford, music director of Signal Crest United Methodist Church, has found the broken-to-beautiful example of Eaves' camera an apt metaphor for a Palm Sunday concert celebrating new life through the Resurrection of Christ.
"From the beginning of time, God has been in the business of transforming chaos to creativity, sorrow to salvation and broken to beautiful," says Ledford.
He has developed a collection of songs around the theme, divided into three sections: Chaos to Creation, From Broken to Beautiful and, finally, Sorrow to Salvation.
"For example, in the first section, the choir will sing the beautiful anthem 'The Majesty and Glory of Your Name.' In the second section, we sing 'In Heaven's Eyes,' with Andrew Chauncey as our soloist. It talks about how heaven sees us with more loving eyes than we do ourselves," Ledford says.
"Neshawn Calloway sings 'Ordinary People' in the third section. And the program ends with 'You Raise Me Up,' performed by the choir and Andrew as soloist, tying it all together."
The choir will be backed by the Signal Crest worship band and handbell choir.
Throughout the concert, images taken by Eaves will be displayed on a screen behind the choir. Additionally, a gallery of his work will be displayed in the Crest Center, where the concert takes place.
For Eaves, disaster has proven to be serendipitous.
In the 25 years since his camera accident, Eaves estimates he is "83,000 images down the road," as he puts it.
He says his unique images drew enough interest that he compiled a book in 2003, "Mr. Eaves and His Magic Camera" (Andrews McMeel Publishing.) He has been contacted by media outlets across this country and as far as Australia for interviews regarding his unique images.
"It's been a fantastic adventure," says the photographer. "I've been able to show people God's creation in a different way. I always suggest people view my images with a childlike curiosity. I'm delighted to be able to share the photos at this concert."
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.