Gryphon Rampant

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2011-02-03T19:25:00.001-08:00

I have moved to a new website: Gryphon Rampant please take a look and tell me what you think.
As a thank you gift for for subscribing to my upcoming newsletter, I am offering a free signed print. You can subscribe here.

New T shirts available for pre-order

2010-09-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

Defenders of the faith, listen up!
We are now taking orders on our new line of limited edition t-shirts. These shirts will be shipped at the end of October and are expected to go quickly. Order today and get a start on your Christmas shopping! The cost for each is $19.99 plus shipping (and tax if you are a California resident.) Get yours here!

Both lion and eagle, the Gryphon is the master of two worlds, the earth and the sky. According to legends the Gryphon guards tremendous treasure and guides souls to heaven.
To the ancient Christians the Gryphon was a symbol of the dual nature of Christ, human and divine. He guides souls to the treasure of treasures, the reward of heaven.
Order now for October shipping.

The Amphisbaena takes its name from a Greek word meaning "one who walks on both sides." The ancient Roman nturalist Pliny the Elder described the creature in the 1st century as a snake with a head at either end of its body. According to the old tales the two heads are at constant war with each other.
Mystics and theologians of an earlier age saw here an allegory of the war between good and evil, light and darkness. To emphasize this interpretation the Amphisbaena was depicted with one head white and the other black. The white head, ever the victor, symbolized the ultimate triumph of good over evil, Christ conquering death and sin.
This design places the fabled serpent over an eight pointed cross, symbolizing the eight beatitudes that show us the path to overcome the world.
Order now for October shipping.

An ancient symbol of Mary incorporating the A and the M as both an abbreviation for "Mary" and the words of greeting spoken by the angel Gabriel, "Ave Maria!"
The crown signifies Mary's role as Queen of Heaven and the roses are a symbol of her beauty and purity.
Order now for October shipping.

Interview with Matthew Alderman

2010-07-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

Matthew Alderman is a graduate of the Notre Dame Architectueal School and a man of many gifts, architect, artist, and designer of liturgical furnishings. He is a regular contributor to "The shrine of the Holy Whapping" (yes, really!) and "The New Liturgical Movement" (for which he designed their new logo.) For more information about his work and commissions be sure to check out his website at matthewalderman.com
Matt was gracious enough to take time to answer a few questions.

1.    Can you tell us a little about your journey as an artist?
I drew with an almost compulsive fervor from a very early age, though I never studied art or artistic techniques with much in the way of a system until much later. My family always encouraged me in this, and I think I owe pretty much all my interest in art, art history, and culture to my mom and dad, who took great pains during my childhood to show me the finer things in life--and also how those fine and beautiful things related to and reflected upon the Faith that I also learned from them. My grandmother and mother have taken up painting as a hobby at various points, so I think that was a big influence on me as well. I trained at the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture in college, and I still consider that my primary vocation, but what I learned there spurred me to get back into art and drawing in a more systematic manner. Once I was on my own, and I realized (once again, encouraged by my parents) that there was an interest in my work, it became a much larger part of my career and vocation, in addition to just being a very enjoyable hobby.

2.    Tell us some more about your work.
I realize in the paragraph above, I haven't said too much about God or Christianity; I think this is because the Faith is so tied into my work, as an illustrator specializing in devotional art and also in the design of church furnishings, that it goes without saying. I have a lot of admiration for the medieval model of sacred art, which saw the highest form of art as indelibly religious, and more importantly, tied to both the liturgy and to a received culture. It's one reason I love taking commissions, as it forces me to submit my own interests and preferences to bigger needs and wants. At the same time I'm not trying to turn the clock back. I see myself as engaging in a search-and-rescue operation for much of the remainder of Western Culture that emerged after the Renaissance, which is why I often incorporate elements of later styles--art nouveau, art deco, and even some fairly modern influences, etc.--into my work, though always subject to larger, older traditions. Or at least that is what I am trying to attempt.   It's a tricky balance, but I refuse to simply imitate the rather jaundiced-looking holy card art that is often considered "traditional" in certain quarters.

I also have worked in the field of architecture, sometimes as a member of a firm, sometimes as a designer of church furnishings or as an independent design consultant working in association with an architect.  The design consultant creates aesthetic concepts for an interior or exterior that an architect develops in terms of details, structure, and materials. Design consulting and church furnishing design is what I am doing at present, which gives me both the opportunity to focus on the more intellectual and aesthetic aspects of the project while working with an experienced architect with an understanding of structural issues. A local classical firm which I have great relations with has been very helpful thus far along this path, and has offered to be the architect of record when I need one, or when the client hasn't obtained one already.

Much of the same issues and methodologies I mentioned above appear in the architectural realm as well: trying to innovate within tradition, to get at the substance and richness of the tradition, while avoiding superficial imitation. (And this doesn't mean just knocking off the ornaments off a classical building and calling it "new," which is a common cop-out. This is especially difficult as I think people are afraid of ornament, perhaps due to lingering American Puritan tendencies, but also because they are unaware of the symbolism behind it and tend to process it as a big glob of curlicues without meaning rather than breaking it down into its individual, rational, symbolic components.) Of course, with architecture, every curlicue costs something, so finding ways to do something traditional within fairly simple parameters is another challenge I face at present and which intrigues me. Often when faced with a budgetary issue, the impulse is to strip away all the extra decoration, as if it were superfluous. The problem is it can look like a stylistic cartoon or parody. The key is to start out simple and understand your limitations to ensure the final result is beautiful within the restraints you have been given.

3.    In your opinion what is the role of the artist in our culture?

The problem is art has become something of a closed circle. I lived in New York for about three years at the start of my career, and I saw there was a real disjunct between modern-day artists and the wider, older western culture. It's easy to complain about the contemporary art scene but even fairly superficial kvetching about abstract paintings underlines the point that artists are now essentially autonomous entities. Their art no longer points to the true, the beautiful or the good, even as today's very secular society views it, much less in the way our ancestors understood. Essentially, they say, "Here is my vision," while pounding into our heads that art is a necessity, even if we find it incomprehensible. The odd thing is even the wealthy and au-courant types still love the old masters, and will pay through the nose to support some blockbuster Rembrandt exhibit, but the idea of producing something genuinely new within that tradition simply does not seem to be an option for them in many cases. In an odd way, we've become a very "conservative" culture in terms of actually producing anything. (There are some exceptions to the rule as there are always, mercifully, a few wealthy folks who both are willing to break with modernity and also have the good taste to know how to do it well. This is especially true in the architectural realm.)

On the opposite end of things you have the masters of kitsch like Thomas Kinkaid, who is one of my favorite bete-noirs or boogeymen. If you look at some of his early work, it's actually not bad, and even his more schmaltzy stuff isn't technically wrong, but there is this profound sugariness about it that is troubling nonetheless. Someone once commented, I forget where I read this, that this was because our more mainstream Protestant-influenced culture didn't have a place for sanctified suffering in its art; and I think as a consequence there's no room for the subsequent triumph. Everything is content and happy, but really lacking true joy and majesty.

For me, an artist's job is to follow the rules and conventions set down by received tradition, not to hold up a "mirror to society," or be "transgressive" or whatever they're calling it these days. But that doesn't mean he can't work within those conventions to produce something wonderful and beautiful and genuinely new. Of course, as the guardians of culture have fallen asleep on the job (or perhaps the inmates have taken over the asylum), to some degree Christian artists have to set those boundaries themselves to an extent, which is not such a bad thing, either.

The central problem is our culture now has very little content--whether in terms of the Faith or even in terms of a central secular story. We have nothing to celebrate, nothing to impart, and thus as a consequence rather than, say, decorating our airports with great allegorical and historical images of flight, or of national virtue, or of the patron saints of the air, we get safely non-controversial art generated by a contest among our schoolchildren, or, at most, something abstract designed carefully not to offend. How are we supposed to get inspired by this? How are we supposed to discover what it means to be the inheritor, as a nation of immigrants, of some of the best cultural traditions of the west and the east as well?

I think a lot of people find this sort of traditional culture "elitist" or "imperialist," which drives me crazy, as I think often when you get down to it you can find more in common among the traditional cultures of the whole world than the secular universe you have nowadays. I rather enjoy, for instance, Tibetan art, as I can understand it from an iconographic perspective and not simply as an exercise in composition. Certainly the theology behind it is radically different than my own Faith, but it's also still worlds away from, well, shall we call it Starbucks Buddhism? Which can be set aside and put on a shelf when you're away from the yoga studio. Ideally, inclusion within culture would be represented by a series of statues of the great philosophers where you have both Socrates and Confucius, who the Jesuits actually first translated and introduced to the west. Nowadays you just don't have any statues at all.

In architecture, it's a bit different, as buildings have to stand up and people have to live in them (and with them!) but there's still a polarization--in this case between the avant-garde and often unbuildable darlings of the media like Peter Eisenmann or Gehry, and the kitsch McMansion types or merely practical get-it-done commercial or institutional architecture. The architecture of one can seem actively hostile to tradition and even life (some of Eisenmann's deconstructivist work is actually designed to inconvenience its inhabitants) while the other imitates tradition in the most superficial and badly-observed way. Most of us who work for classical or traditional firms (quite a few of which exist, and in usual economic conditions, even flourish) have to fight a two-front war between people who assume we're dangerous reactionaries (Peter Eisenmann once called an audience of classical students, to their face, a bunch of "terrorists"), and those who want something traditional but don't know where to look and thus end up asking Bob's Discount Architects for a Georgian home that appears to have been molded out of plastic. And then, nobody winds, save perhaps Bob.

4.    How is your faith reflected in your work?
Considering most of my work consists of images of various saints and other religious figures, it's everywhere! There's always a slight tension between when I treat an illustration I'm doing as an exercise in composition, and as an aid to devotion, or to illustrate a particular theological point. I think ideally there should be no such clash, as they ought to be perfectly beautiful and perfectly suitable for their purpose, but working out that relationship can be tricky. I think, though, there is a tendency among purists to want to reduce religious art to a series of flat theological diagrams, which is simply not part of the Western Catholic tradition, which has had room for some limited artistic freedom (admittedly sometimes abused) for six or seven centuries or more. While I could stand to be more systematic, I do pray while I work, and try to ask God and the saint I am drawing to find that balance between composition and intelligibility--I usually ask God to let me do a worthy drawing, but also to have a bit of fun with the subject while I'm at it. And that "fun" also has a component of Faith to it, as it usually manifests itself in the details where I work in another subtler level of symbolism. An ornamental edging of a dress worn by the Virgin might have seashells worked into it, for her title of Stella Maris, for instance. I am reminded of the work of the architect Edwin Lutyens, who once designed light fixtures resembling cardinal's hats for a Jesuit chapel, with the humbling and subtle joke behind then that the red hat was always just a bit above reach for most Jesuits.

In architecture, it's much the same. It's easy to assume a "Catholic" church building will have some saints here, some pointy windows there, maybe a dome--and it often should have these things--but if you don't get the essence right, if you don't adhere to those fundamental underlying codes, it'll look superficial. The way we lay out the sanctuary, the way we plan the location of the altar, or install a baldachin or pulpit, the spatial arrangement of all these is critical in elucidating what we believe. Is the altar and the tabernacle the center or focus of the church, or is it the people? What do these choices tell us about what we believe? It's not enough to simply smear a coating of badly-done "traditional" ornament over a modern shell-though ornament, well-done, is extremely important as well. You just have to get the soul and structure right first. In some places, of course, this may not be possible--in which case you have to use space cleverly and find subtle ways to redirect people's attention to the points that matter.

5.    By pursuing a career using your creative gifts, have you had to make sacrifices specifically because of your faith?
The subject matter of my work and the clients that find me mean I tend to not run into a lot of problems like this. I suppose I could be making better money as a proper secular illustrator, but then I'd not probably be drawing something recognizable to me as my own style, or even as art.  Though in most cases even the secular commissions I've done would hardly have been likely to turn out to be anti-Catholic. Non-Catholics tend to be either really intrigued or kind of mystified by my work. One friend of mine is absolutely entranced by it and always looking over my shoulder when I sketch or draw in public, while once, when I told someone that I was drawing a saint for a patron, she simply asked, "why?" Not in a mean way, just..."why?" There's a missionary element to all this.

And in terms of architecture, while high-end residential work tends to be the bread-and-butter of most classical firms, I do get to work in the ecclesiastical realm on occasion, and more and more frequently, as I am now specializing in church furnishing design, which, in the context of a renovation, is a great way to freshen up a tired 1960s church (even if perhaps its layout isn't the best) without having to resort to the bulldozer.

6. We have a rich tradition of Catholic art to draw upon, how much of this plays a role in your work?
A huge role. I look at dozens of examples of Catholic iconography before embarking on a drawing, to see what the tradition is for depicting a saint, and what is in a sense open to interpretation, and then I consider, how best to interpret those stylistic grey areas so it reflects the personality and life of the saint. I like to pick a style of art or drawing which reflect the saint's charism or the period of his or her life when I do an illustration. For instance, I once incorporated some Jugendstil (a German/Austrian version of art nouveau; the name literally means "youth-style") elements into a conceptual design I did for a church dedicated to St. Agnes, as the style reflected her young age and flowery beauty.

7. What is the biggest challenge for Catholics today who want to pursue an artistic career?
Well, I've never tried to pursue a conventional mainstream career in the arts: I have tended to work for architectural firms that were exclusively classical, or at least traditional in bent (though I have done modern work on occasion, and don't mind it if it's well done and in the right context), and my own commissioned work tends to be exclusively for people who appreciate the heritage of the Faith. It is a bit of a walled city, so to speak, but sometimes walls are the only way to keep the barbarian hordes out. The great difficulty is there simply is no common ground in the more rarefied echelons of contemporary art to build upon. Even Picasso and Rothko used canvas--how can you argue with someone who considers art to be a rather shopworn shark carcass sitting in a tank of embalming fluid? Fortunately, there are a lot of normal people, both rich and poor, who disagree. They just may not be sitting at the top of the pyramid.

I'm not the best person to ask this question, and I'm not sure hanging out in the Catholic ghetto is a viable solution, either, to healing the culture. Unfortunately at this point I'm not sure there's too many other ways to actually produce real art that our ancestors would have recognized and not dead sharks in formaldehyde. I will say that one should avoid the conventional "gallerist" models of art where you put your vision out there, have a show, and then have people asking you for your art regardless of content. Take commssions. Even small ones. I've designed everything from a forty-foot-tall organ case to holy cards. It's far more interesting, and more in line with traditional notions of art.

8. Where have you experienced success and failure in your artistic career?
The economy has been a roller-coaster for the past two or three years, which has had a big impact on what sort of work is available. On the one hand it has not really affected my artistic business, though people are more skittish about design and construction projects. I'm actually doing fairly well at present, with a couple of design-consulting and furnishing jobs on my plate, however. I'm always worried potential employers may be put off by the amount of ecclesiastical work in my portfolio but I've almost always found them extremely receptive; even if they personally are not interested in that work, they can appreciate quality and beauty.

I have discovered it's important to work very closely with your client, and not to simply impose your vision. They have to live with what you do, whether it's art or architecture, and are often a lot closer to earth--in a good sense--than an artist. Even for a traditional artist there's a great internal drive to innovate and experiment and make sure you're not doing the same thing over and over again. But often a client can spot that something which is new and intriguing to you, may well be just plain ugly, something which might be more apparent to the artist when you step back from it and the novelty wears off.

9. What advice would you give aspiring artists?
Don't eschew formal artistic education. Just make sure you find the right school. With the exception of my architectural training, and a few classes here and there as a child (which I chafed under, I'll admit), I am mostly self-taught. As a consequence, I think much of my artistic style is the result of me trying to make the best of various compositional bad habits! This is not such a bad thing, but at the same time I am blown away by the technical abilities of painters and artists whose work I could never remotely emulate. Don't feel a need to express yourself right up front--learn the techniques, use your time to practice on projects, and then you can start experimenting and combining on your own. (Though also realize your teachers may give you contradictory advice and you have to resolve or ignore it.) Don't also feel yoked to one particular style. I am a great believer in what the architect Ninian Comper called "unity by inclusion," which means taking the best of the past and using it to clothe the theological or liturgical armature provided by the Church. At the same time, you have to really know what you're doing to get it right. Most importantly, simply do what you do. I've found the best practice for me has been simply doing commissions; my style has developed and improved immensely in the past four years I've engaged in graphic design and illustration of various kinds. Work hard, take pride in your product, and eventually people will notice you.

Also, know when to listen. Starting out, you may be thin-skinned about criticism. Often your critics may be right. Just as often, they may be totally off-base. An experienced artist has the confidence both to totally ignore his critics, and know when to pay attention to them. Be gracious, never defensive, and occasionally sometimes just keep your mouth shut.

10. What resources would you recommend to aspiring artists?
I tend not to read a lot of theory, for better or worse; I find I learn best visually, and simply look at as much as possible, at as much art, nature, and architecture, as I can, even sometimes in styles or periods that otherwise might seem irrelevant. As I've said before, I hate to see beauty wasted, so such explorations are to me an act of restitution and rescue. Look at books, look at buildings, look at shadows and people. In terms of resources, the internet is great. It took me years to get a website and in the past month alone it has given me a sense of permanence and "legitimacy" that I felt I lacked up to this point. Don't forget to network and cultivate your clients--it may seem silly or shallow to schmooze, but I've found it helps get new commissions and more often than not you end up being very good friends with the people you work for. It may start off as a business relationship but it often becomes something more. And try to write--either in magazines or online--about your work. Many artists or architects aren't terribly articulate, but I think it's essential to cultivate this talent as well as your visual abilities.

And pray, and trust. My prayer life is always an object of dissatisfaction for me, as I never quite feel it is good enough when compared with friends I know, but then, that's sort of the point. God knows you're trying--at mass, in the confessional, at your bedtime prayers. Sometimes I plead or argue with God, or even get a bit frustrated with Him when I run up against a brick wall or turn down a cul-de-sac in some aspect of my career, but as you get older you begin to see the reasons, and the long periods of trial lead to moments of light and beauty that make it all worthwhile. He may drive you bananas some of the time, but He knows what He's doing and He loves you. I'm not saying that makes everything easy, but it's important to remember.

Thanks, Matthew

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha - The Book of Saints

2010-07-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

"Daughter of a Christian Algonquin woman captured by Iroquois and married to a non-Christian Mohawk chief. Orphaned during a smallpox epidemic, which left her with a scarred face and impaired eyesight. Converted and baptized in 1676 by Father Jacques de Lamberville, a Jesuit missionary. Shunned and abused by relatives for her faith. Escaped through 200 miles of wilderness to the Christian Native American village of Sault-Sainte-Marie. Took a vow of chastity in 1679. Known for spirituality and austere lifestyle. Miracle worker. Her grave became a pilgrimage site and place of miracles for Christian Native Americans and French colonists. First Native American proposed for canonization, her cause was started in 1884 under Pope Leo XIII. The Tekakwitha Conference, an international association of Native American Catholics and those in ministry with them, was named for her." from the Patron Saints Index

The "Lily of the Mohawks" Blessed Kateri's virginity is represented by the lilies that are her attribute in art. Within her halo, feathers are fanned into a circle, a Native American symbol of eternity.

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New Portfolio Link

2010-07-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

All of the art (well most of it anyway), can now be seen at this in this portfolio.

Patron Saints - The Book of Saints

2010-07-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Saints Francis, Lawrence, Wenceslaus, and Clement.

The skull held by St. Francis is a common attribute and denotes a detachment from worldly concerns.

St. Lawrence as a deacon is a minster of the Precious Blood and hold a chalice.

St. Wenceslaus holds a staff signifying his authority as duke of Bohemia.

St. Clement holds a book of Gospels on token of his role as our fourth pope.

commission a portrait of your favorite saint

The Function of Art

2010-07-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

In 1952 Pope Pius XII addressed a group of Italian artists he received in audience. The entire address is only 15 very short paragraphs but of great value for artists struggling in the darkness of the secular world looking for a light to guide them.
The Function of Art

"The function of all art lies in fact in breaking through the narrow and tortuous enclosure of the finite, in which man is immersed while living here below, and in providing a window on the infinite for his hungry soul." - Pope Pius XII

"Work of Art: The Next Great Artist" - a review

2010-07-09T12:55:00.000-07:00

If you are at all interested in art you are probably aware of the Bravo TV reality series "Work of Art." While I appreciate the fact that it may lead to "water cooler" discussions of art, the show exemplifies everything that is wrong with the gallery oriented view of art.

The purpose of the show, of course, is to entertain. The art is merely a backdrop for the human drama that the producers hope will make "good tv." Even so, it serves to to demonstrate just how far art has been removed from its proper role.

The show follows a format that has become pretty much standard, a group of contestants are given a challenge based on different criteria each week. Each week one contestant is eliminated until the last person standing is declared the winner. In this case the winner receives $100,000 and a solo exhibit at a presumably prestigious gallery, oh and the dubious distinction of being declared Bravo TV's "Next Great Artist."

So from the start it is made clear to us that this show and by extension the world of high-end gallery art, is all about the artist. The judges moved from piece to piece almost as if it were a puzzle they had to figure out. We heard terms that have become almost parodies of themselves. They spoke about what the artist was trying to say and how a great work is completed by what the viewer brings to it. In the end they declared the winning piece not by its' own merits but by what they knew of the artist and their assumptions based on that knowledge.

The winning artist was Jaclyn. Her winning piece was a series of photographs of men walking by a Volvo showroom and looking at Jaclyn who was in the showroom taking their picture. She then obscured the faces of the men with big globs of white paint and interspersed some mirrors in the exhibit (to make the viewer part of the work of course.) The judges praised the work for Jaclyn's ability to turn the tables the voyeurs and make them the object of attention.

So this choice raised several questions. Jaclyn is an attractive woman and so it was apparently assumed that that the only reason men would look into a Volvo dealership window would be to "ogle" the woman in the window, not to look at the cars, or to wonder who the person was taking pictures of them. I am sure some of the men were admiring her but the whole attitude towards Jaclyn and her art was one of a victim becoming a victor (hey attractive people are victims too.) One of the judges even referred to the men as "leering," that's a pretty big leap seeing as how the judges were not there and all the faces were covered with white paint. But the big question was if you saw this work hanging in a gallery, and did not know anything about the artist or the context of its' creation, would you even give it a second look? Art is a visual medium, if you have to have it explained to you before you can understand it, then it is bad art.

There was a lot of talk about art challenging the viewer, and how happy the artists were to be able to "paint anything they want." But there was no mention of beauty. There was no mention of how these artists are using their gifts elevate the hearts and minds of the viewers. There was no transcendence.

You may think that I am expecting too much from a reality show but I'm not really. I don't expect anything at all from it. It is a symptom of a disease.

Artists are not privileged any more than anyone else. All of us have been given distinctive gifts to elevate peoples hearts and minds. The concepts of "art for art's sake" and the celebrity artist who cannot be told what is and isn't art, are relatively modern concepts that have only been around for a little more than a hundred years.

So the problem is that art has become all about the artist and not at all about the art or the community it should serve. Young artists are drawn to this because we have made celebrity status and its' accompanying wealth the pinnacle of achievement.

We should be better than this. How?

One of our greatest modern philosophers, Jacques Mauritain put it this way in referring to the view of art that dominated the world for thousands of years:

"He did not work for the rich and fashionable and for the merchants, but for the faithful; it was his mission to house their prayers, to instruct their intelligences, to delight their souls and their eyes. Matchless epoch, in which an ingenuous people was formed in beauty without even realizing it, just as the perfect religious ought to pray without knowing that he is praying; in which Doctors and image- makers lovingly taught the poor, and the poor delighted in their teaching, because they were all of the same royal race, born of water and the Spirit! Man created more beautiful things in those days, and he adored himself less. The blessed humility in which the artist was placed exalted his strength and his freedom." - Art and Scholasticism

"blessed humility" there's a cutting edge, counter-cultural idea for today's artist to embrace.

Saints Peter and Paul - The Book of Saints

2010-07-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

Tradition holds that Saints Peter and Paul were martyred on the same day. Before they were led to their separate fates, Peter on the cross and Paul by the sword, they met and exchanged a "holy kiss."

This meeting of Peter and Paul, the "Concord of the Apostles," is considered a symbol of the unity of the Church.

Symbols:

Apostolikon (Clavus) - The broad band on the shoulder indicates one who is sent on a mission. It is usually, but not always, reserved for Christ and His Apostles.

Halo - Halos are an artistic representation of the holy aura that surrounds and emanates from holy persons.

Palms - a symbol of the victory of martyrdom.

Sword - As a Roman citizen Saint Paul was entitled to be executed with a sword. It has since become associated with him in art.

Cross - St. Peter was crucified upside down, the inverted cross is thus one of his attributes.

Book - The book is associated with both apostles, Peter for his preaching of the word and Paul for his letters. In this case "Concordia Apostolrum" is a reference to the traditional icon associated with this event.

To purchase a print of this image, click here

The Christian Artist and Rejection

2010-07-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

Rejection and failure are facts of our existence. When an artist's work is rejected he is often told "don't take it personally, they are not rejecting you, just your work." I don't think that advice has ever helped anyone.

As Christians we have been sent out into the world to preach the message of the Gospel, the message of Christ. We have each been given different gifts to accomplish this. We are taught that we are to become the Word to such a degree that it is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us. A properly formed Christian will preach Christ in all his words and actions.

This means that the properly formed Christian artist will always produce work that reflects that message whether it is a portrait that shows us the light of God shining on and emanating from an individual, or a cartoon that brings us joy which is also from God. To a Christian artist who has discovered his true vocation there is no separation between himself, his work, and his mission.

So when we do encounter rejection we have to consider that we have failed in our mission to convey the Truth. And so it is our responsibility to develop our talents to the highest degree. The gifts we have been given by God are merely a starting point it is our obligation to learn and study and return to God the gifts He has given us a hundred times over. We cannot let rejection settle into our hearts, for then we will allow ourselves to be content with less than we are capable of. Rejection is simply a way to let us know we still have work to do.

Even so, after we have studied, and trained, and practiced, and developed our gifts to their fullness, we may still encounter rejection from people who reject the message and the messenger. And in that case God has told us what to do, shake the dust from our feet, and move on.

Interview with David Clayton

2010-07-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

David Clayton is the head of the art department at Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in Merrimack, NH. He is responsible for implementing the "Way of Beauty" program that not only trains artists to serve the Church but also educates non-artists in the transcendental nature of beauty.

David was gracious enough to take some time to answer some questions on the vocation of the artist.

1. Can you tell us a little about your journey as an artist?

I short, I had always wanted to be a painter but assumed that because my high school had pushed me into academic pursuits (I did physics/engineering at university) that I had missed my chance. I converted in my early 30s and was given direction on discerning my vocation (David has a terrific blog entry detailing the discernment of his vocation, Discerning my Vocation ... Deacon Lawrence) which gave me the confidence to have a go at becoming an artist. I started off looking for a school that would teach me the skills and knowledge to serve the faith. I realized that it didn't exist. Then I thought that I would try to gather up people who might be able to contribute to such a school, establish it, and enlist as its first pupil. Then I realized that this was going to be very difficult and that I was going to have to be able to teach at it. So I found individuals or places who had part of what I wanted and did a lot of studying to get the information about Catholic traditions (there is no single book that I know of that gives us this). I did courses with Aidan Hart, an icon painter in England and I studied at an atelier in Florence for a year about 5 years ago which trained us in portrait painting in the academic method. I tried to get an art school going in Oxford, organising summer schools and hoping to attract American students to come over but it didn't succeed (the dollar suddenly plunged in value). As I was trying to promote this, colleges were saying that they couldn't afford to send students over to England, but they might be able to afford to bring me to the US. Thomas More College in New Hampshire invited me over to be Artist in Residence. There I paint and teach art, but also direct a course called the Way of Beauty which teaches students about Catholic traditions in art and architecture and how the whole of Catholic culture is rooted in the liturgy. It sounds shorter as I describe it, but this has been a 20 year journey so far. But great fun all the way.

Once I realised that the greater need was for a Catholic artistic education, before the artists could emerge, I felt that this was my vocation. So my own painting has always served that in my mind. However, along the way I have done a few large, high profile commissions. These have been great to do, and have served to help give me authority when I talk about art. So I have done work for the London Oratory, the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, Pluscarden Monastery in Scotland (all well known places among orthodox Catholics in Britain) and illustrated books for children, including one written by Scott Hahn called God's Covenant with You.

More recently I have been doing a series of large commissions for Thomas More College, where I have work that hangs in their chapel. These are in a gothic style.

2. Tell us some more about your work.

You can see some of my paintings at the Thomas More College website and details about a six foot cross I painted for the chapel at The New Liturgical Movement

3.    In your opinion what is the role of the artist in our culture?

Simple - for a painter it should be to paint good pictures for the glory of God and joy of mankind. It shouldn't be to promote any ethos that contradicts the faith. I don't go for the idea self-indulgent bohemian prophet, which is the modern image of the artist.

4.    How is your faith reflected in your work?

Most of the work I do is sacred art and I try to follow the traditions of the Church. I follow the principle recently cited in regards to the liturgy - the 'hermeneutic of continuity' that is, do what others have done and don't change it (even down to copying) unless there is a compelling reason for doing so. The spirit of the last period has been the opposite - change everything that you can possibly get away with. This attitude reflects my faith because this is just the view of the liturgy. And I guess you could say that our worship speaks of our faith.

5.    By pursuing a career using your creative gifts, have you had to make sacrifices specifically because of your faith?

Generally no. Quite the opposite. I was given some great career guidance that allowed me to realize my vocation (I have written a couple of times about this on my blog here). When I follow this I feel fulfilled and always get what I need. The only frustrations and sense of sacrifice come when I don't do what I am meant to do. The one thing that I thought might be different is that if I had followed a more conventional career where I had earned more money earlier I might have been married by now, because I could have supported a family. But even then I know that really things will work out as they are meant to for my greater happiness ( I wouldn't have been happy even with a family but unable to do what I am doing now), and it still might happen of course (although I'm 47!).

6.    We have a rich tradition of Catholic art to draw upon, how much of this plays a role in your work?
I think one of my previous answers reveals that it influences everything I do.

7.    What is the biggest challenge for Catholics today who want to pursue an artistic career?

Discerning vocation and having the faith to follow it. I was told recently by someone who is an expert in vocational guidance, that those who follow vocation are always looked after, but usually what they are doing is counter cultural and so parents worry that you're not earning enough, friends who don't understand these things worry that your drifting and so on. This is why it is important to have people who are sensible and have faith and can tell the difference between following your vocation and being reckless...and there is a difference. Then you will get encouragement when you need it.

When I was given the right guidance on how to discern and follow my vocation it was quite easy, but I don't know any of this until I was told. If it is your vocation and you follow it one step after another then everything will open up in front of you.

Aside from this the main thing is gain a deep understanding of our traditions. No art history book that I know presents Catholic traditions in a way that is consistent with a Catholic world view.. But there are places now that teach this. The Maryvale Institute in Birmingham in their Art, Inspiration and Beauty course and, if I can blow our own trumpet Thomas More College.

8.    Where have you experienced success and failure in your artistic career?
I have been lucky in having those few big commissions. I am a convert and influential in my conversion was the liturgy at the Brompton Oratory in London. I made my ambition to have a painting hanging permanently in that Church. One week later out of the blue, I got a call asking me to go in to talk about it with them. This was my first commission - amazing. I suppose you don't know about the failures because you don't know what opportunities you missed because on the whole people don't phone you up to be rude about your work, they just don't call you.

9.    What advice would you give aspiring artists?

That advice on personal vocation which is the most important because then things just open up for you. Beyond that, the steps are to get hold of the technical information and knowledge which I have outlined here.
I would honestly recommend any 18 year old Catholic who hasn't been to college to come to Thomas More College in New Hampshire first. They will get the best formation for someone who wants to be an artist in terms of understanding how the culture is linked to the liturgy and our traditions in art. On top of that they would get a fairly good grounding in iconography and if they attended our summer schools, in academic drawing. Then you will be armed with the right information to benefit from more intensive training elsewhere in the skills, which should be academic drawing, iconography, and sacred geometry.

Star of the Sea - The Book of Saints

2010-06-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

Mary is a guide to be followed on our way to Christ. She is the star that guides us through stormy seas that threaten to overpower us.

"If the winds of temptation arise; If you are driven upon the rocks of tribulation look to the star, call on Mary; If you are tossed upon the waves of pride, of ambition, of envy, of rivalry, look to the star, call on Mary. Should anger, or avarice, or fleshly desire violently assail the frail vessel of your soul, look at the star, call upon Mary." St. Bernard of Clairvaux

"This admirably befits the Virgin Mother.. (for) as the ray does not diminish the brightness of the star, so neither did the Child born of her tarnish the beauty of Mary's virginity" St. Bernard of Clairvaux quoted in Doctor Mellifluus by Pope Pius XII

Mary, Star of the Sea is the patroness of the Catholic mission to seafarers, The Apostleship of the Sea. On July 10, 2010 the Apostleship of the Sea will celebrate Sea Sunday to remember those who live and work at sea.

Symbols

Star - A single star represents Mary's title as Stella Maris, the Star of the Sea. It also recalls the Star of Bethlehem that led shepherds and Magi to Christ.

MHP OV - In the halo of the Blessed Mother these Greek initials are abbreviations of her title, Mother of God.

Ship - The ship is a symbol of the Church.

The Sea - The sea in this representation symbolizes the world. A stormy sea threatens to drown us in the secular concerns which distract us from following Christ.

Rock - Mary stands upon a rock, barely seen here it reminds us that Jesus is our rock.

Mariners Cross - The anchor-crucifix and ship's wheel reminds us that through His passion, death, and resurrection, Jesus anchors us in difficult times and guides back to God.

Dolphins - Yes, those are heraldic dolphins. The dolphin is a symbol of resurrection and salvation. It is a long held maritime tradition that dolphins lead the souls of deceased sailors to heaven.

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The Vocation of Beauty

2010-06-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

"Those who aspire to a life of beauty, must, in the first place, strive to be truthful and good. If life is true it will automatically become beautiful, just as light shines forth when flame is enkindled. But if they seek after beauty in the first place... in the end everything will become nauseating and loathsome."

"Beauty eludes those who pursue it for its' own sake, and their life and work are ruined because they have sinned against the fundamental order of values. If a man, however, desires to live for truth alone, to be truthful in himself and to speak the truth, and if he keeps his soul open, beauty - in the shape of richness, purity, and vitality od form - will come to meet him, unsought and unexpected."

Romano Guardini The Spirit of the Liturgy (Milestones in Catholic Theology)

The Mariner's Cross

2010-06-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

The similarity of early ships anchors to the cross led to the development of a unique form of crucifix known as the Sailor's Cross or the Mariner's Cross.

Christ is our anchor in the stormy seas that can sometimes overwhelm us in life. When combined with the ship's wheel it also serves to remind us that He is our guide through those same treacherous waters.

This type of crucifix has long been a fixture for those who make their living on the sea.

The anchor is also an attribute of Saint Clement who was tied to an anchor and thrown into the sea, he is the patron saint of mariners.

Oldest Known Paintings of the Apostles found in Rome

2010-06-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

Frescoes have been discovered in 4th century catacombs under Rome that include the earliest known paintings of the apostles. Get the whole story and the best pictures at CNN.

What is interesting is how consistent the iconography of the apostles has remained for 1700 years. St. Paul is balding and St. Peter is depicted with white hair and a beard. The technology used to uncover these frescoes is also impressive.

Art demands an artist

2010-06-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

"Art demands an artist. Random chance has never explained a waltz or a symphony, a physical equation or an epic poem. It cannot." Fr. Thomas Dubay "The Evidential power of Beauty"

Franciscan Martyrs of the Holy Land - The Book of Saints

2010-06-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

Clock wise from the top left are St. Nicholas of Tavelic, St. Deodato, St. Stephen of Cuneo, and St. Peter of Narbonne. In 1384 Nicholas and Deodat volunteered for a mission to the Holy Land where they became custodians of the holy places, aided pilgrims, and studied Arabic.

For many years they followed the first missionary approach advocated by St. Francis they lived quiet lives and gave witness to Christ. In 1391 along with Stephen of Cuneo and peter of Narbonne, they decided to try the second approach and openly preached to the Muslims in the Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem. Given a chance to recant their words, they refused.

They were beaten, imprisoned and finally beheaded. Out of 158 Franciscans who have been martyred in the Holy Land since they became custodians of the shrines in 1335, Nicholas and his companions are the only four that have been recognized as saints.

Symbols:

Tau Cross - at the top center is the tau cross, named for the Greek letter it represents. It is generally recognized as the symbol of St. Francis and his order. In the lower left, St Peter also holds a tau cross.

Crown of Thorns - Surrounding the tau cross at the top is the Crown of Thorns, a reminder of the sacrifices we are called to make as Christians.

Sword - St. Nicholas holds a sword, the instrument of their martyrdom.

Palm Branch - St. Deodat holds a palm brach, a symbol of the ultimate victory of martyrdom.

Book - St. Stephen holds a book, a symbol of their role as preachers of the word.

Halo - All four saints are represented with halos, the traditional symbol of Saints. Halos are an artistic representation of the holy aura that surrounds and emanates from holy persons.

Jerusalem Cross - The "Five Fold Cross" or the "Jerusalm Cross" has several meanings. It represents the five wounds of Christ and was adopted as the symbol for the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. In this context it is a symbol of the Franciscan custody of the shrines in the Holy Land.

Acanthus - For Christians the pointed leaves of the acanthus represent the awareness of the pain caused by sin, however it also carries over from pagan tradition an association with immortality. Though we are aware of the pain caused by sin, due to our fallen nature, we know that Christ holds out to us the promise of eternal life.

private commission

St. Luke - The Book of Saints

2010-06-16T10:16:00.000-07:00

St. Luke is the patron saint of artists. There are several paintings (icons) scattered throughout the world that, according to tradition, were painted by him or are copies of his work.

The bull is attributed to St. Luke as a symbol of sacrifice. The Gospel according to Luke begins with the sacrifice of Zechariah.

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Accepting Commissions

2010-06-14T10:17:00.000-07:00

I am currently accepting commissions for July.

11th Sunday of Ordinary time - For the artist

2010-06-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to live for Christ? What does it mean when Paul tells us it is no longer he who lives but Christ who lives in him?

In Paul’s time it was believed that the only way to have a right relationship with God was to follow the law, the Ten Commandments and all the thousands of rules that derive from them.

But Paul rejected this idea and preached that the only road to justification, to having that right relationship with God, is through faith in Jesus Christ.

It is not enough to simply “follow the rules” and stay out of trouble. If that is all we do then we are trying to achieve heaven by our own merits. God wants more from us than that.

God invites us into a relationship of friends and family, a relationship of love. This type of relationship is a living, dynamic one. To love Christ and to want to be near Him is to be crucified with Him.

It means standing up for the Truth even when it is unpopular. It means finding time to pray. It means that we stay faithful to the teachings of Jesus. And it means that when we fail, we humbly confess our sins as we would apologize to a friend we have hurt, so that that relationship can be restored.

It means that we must reflect Christ to the whole world, so that when people look at us they do not see us, they see Christ.

For the artist this means we must deeply consider our vocation. John Paul II described it as a vocation of beauty. Do we work to bring beauty to the world? Do we use our gifts to lifts peoples hearts and minds to God? Does our work reflect His splendor and bring hope and joy to our brothers and sisters? This may mean we are called to sacrifice lucrative opportunities, or turn away from work that does not suit our vocation. But in the end that is what it means to live for Christ and not for ourselves.

Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

2010-06-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

While the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus symbolizes Christ’s love for us, the Immaculate Heart of Mary symbolizes our love for Christ.
"Father, you prepared the heart of the Virgin Mary to be a fitting home for your Holy Spirit. By her prayers may we become a more worthy temple of your glory.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, dor ever and ever."
Amen

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

2010-06-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

"Father, we honor the heart of your Son broken by man's cruelty, yet symbol of love's triumph, pledge of all that man is called to be. Teach us to see Christ in the lives we touch, to offer Him living worship by love-filled service to our brothers and sisters. We ask this through Christ our Lord."

Amen

St. Anthony - The Book of Saints

2010-06-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

"St Anthony being at one time at Rimini, where there were a great number of heretics, and wishing to lead them by the light of faith into the way of truth, preached to them for several days, and reasoned with them on the faith of Christ and on the Holy Scriptures. They not only resisted his words, but were hardened and obstinate, refusing to listen to him.

At last St Anthony, inspired by God, went down to the sea-shore, where the river runs into the sea, and having placed himself on a bank between the river and the sea, he began to speak to the fishes as if the Lord had sent him to preach to them, and said: "Listen to the word of God, O ye fishes of the sea and of the river, seeing that the faithless heretics refuse to do so."

No sooner had he spoken these words than suddenly so great a multitude of fishes, both small and great, approached the bank on which he stood, that never before had so many been seen in the sea or the river. All kept their heads out of the water, and seemed to be looking attentively on St Anthony's face; all were ranged in perfect order and most peacefully, the smaller ones in front near the bank, after them came those a little bigger, and last of all, were the water was deeper, the largest.

From "The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi" 1476
Read more at CCEL

Private Comission

The Book of Saints - Saint Dymphna of Gheel

2010-06-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

St Dymphna of Gheel was the was the daughter of a pagan Irish chieftain and a Christian woman. When her mother died, her father searched for a woman who could replace her. Finding noe he returned home and noted how much Dymphna had grown to resemble her mother. Driven mad by the grief of the loss of his wife he made incestuous advances on Dymphna.

With her confessor, Saint Gerebernus, she fled to Belgium. Eventually her father and his soldiers hunted her down and killed Saint Gerebernus. When she refused to return home with her father he became enraged and killed her.

St. Dymphna still lies in Saint Dymphna Church in Gheel, Belgium. The site is famous for miraculous healings of the mentally ill and possessed. She is shown here with a sword, the instrument of her martyrdom, and a lantern, a light to clear the mind and drive away madness.
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On Artistic Talent

2010-06-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Mother Theresa of Calcutta used to say that “the money in your pocket is not yours, it belongs to God.” The same is true of all the gifts you have received. They have been given to you by the Holy Spirit to bring the world back to God.

On Corpus Christi we heard Saint Luke’s account of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. It is not difficult to understand the apostle’s point of view. They brought barely enough food for themselves, let alone the thousands who came to hear the Lord. But rather than send them away Jesus told the apostles to feed the multitude from their own small stores. We can easily imagine some reluctance to give up what little they have. But because it is the Lord who asks they do so. And Jesus takes what they have, multiplies it, and not only is there enough to feed the thousands but there is enough left over to fill twelve baskets, one for each of the twelve apostles.

God asks us to return to Him what He has given us, in order that He may give us even more.

What are your talents and how are you using them?

There is a saying that your talent is God’s gift to you, what you do with it is your gift to God.

It is easy to use our gifts selfishly, and keep them to ourselves. For artists this may lead to the “ivory tower” mentality that no one can tell you what to do, you must follow your “muse.” That is art for art’s sake.

Our gifts were not given to us to indulge in own private whims, they were given to us to help feed the children of God. “Art for art’s sake,” is a lie that feeds into our ego. It seduces us into thinking we can make our own way without acknowledging the source of that artistic ability.

Scripture teaches that we will one day be called to give an account of our stewardship over the riches we have been given. Will you be ready when that day comes?

Franciscan martyrs

2010-06-04T11:35:00.000-07:00

Some sketches of Franciscan martyrs, to be used as part of a larger commission.

May 31, The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

2010-05-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done greath things for me,
and holy is His name."
Luke 1:46-49

A Christian Bestiary - the Amphisbaena

2010-05-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

"In our search for provisions we traveled deep into the jungle. There we saw the great serpent the ancient Romans called 'amphisbaena.' It is a serpent with two heads, one at either end of its' sinuous body, as if one head were not enough to spew its' poisonous bile. One head is as white as the pure northern snows and the other is a black as the pit. And here is a wonder for the two heads are constantly at war with one another as the Sons of Light are ever at war with the Sons of Darkness. But even so, the Almighty shows us His divine plan, for the head of light is stronger than the head of darkness and is the sure victor in these struggles.

So too my prince will the light always prevail over the darkness no matter how desperate the struggle seems. At the end of all things the Savior will come and banish the darkness forever and consign all that is evil and unrepentant into everlasting fire."

-The Voyage of the Stella Maris

Saint John the Silent

2010-05-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

Saint John the Silent was ordained Bishop of Colonia at the age of 28. After ten years as bishop his brother-in-law was appointed governor of Armenia and began to meddle in church matters. Overwhelmed by problems he was not prepared for, John secretly fled to Jerusalem where he was accepted as a novice at the St. Sabas monastery. After four years at the monastery they told him he was being considered for ordination and he was forced to admit his ecclesial status. The patriarch of Jerusalem allowed him to take a vow of silence and wall himself up in his cell for another 4 years.
He lived as a hermit in the desert for nine years during which time he was protected from brigands by a lion.
Later in life he left his solitude to fight against the Origenists.

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Pentecost and Cartoonists

2010-05-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

In his "Letter to Artists," Pope John Paul II put liturgical art as perhaps the highest expression of the creative gift. But he noted that all art has value as it pursues the artist's vocation of bringing beauty to the world. He even noted that "bad art" has a place, it shows us a world without God.

Artistic expression covers a lot of ground. I have never been one to suggest that one expression is better than another. The Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles at Pentecost, giving them gifts that allowed them to speak to the people of the world in their own language, in a language they know by heart. The Holy Spirit also gives artists gifts that allow them to speak to people in a language they know by heart. Everyone will be drawn back to God in different ways. Some will be drawn by the priest and his sermons, others will be drawn by the artist that reflects the splendor of God and brings hope and joy to His people.

Different artists have different skills to reach different people. And as we heard from St. Paul, there are different gifts but the same Spirit. Just as no one can say Jesus is Lord without the working of the Holy Spirit, no one can paint Jesus as Lord without the working of the Holy Spirit. That makes all images of Jesus as Christ and Lord valid.

We should not dismiss any artistic fruit as trivial or irrelevant. Liturgical artists lift people's hearts and minds to God during the liturgy, landscape and portrait artists have the opportunity to depict their subjects glowing with the light of God. And then there are cartoonists. I have heard from cartoonists who sometimes think their work has no value in the service of God. They could not be more wrong. The best way to illustrate this is with an example. Charles Shulz, the creator of Peanuts, was also a devout Christian. He created a number of Christian cartoons that were collected in a couple of different volumes. This is one of his cartoons.

If you are unable to read the caption it is "Jacob worked for Rachel's family for seven years to obtain her hand in marriage ... I can't even find a boyfriend who will help my mother carry the groceries in from the station wagon!"

In addition to making us smile this cartoon opens the door for a deeper reflection on relationships, marriage, and commitment. This also turns our hearts and minds to God in a unique way.

All of us have been given gifts to bring scattered humanity back together. There are people who can only be reached by our unique use of these gifts. If a single-panel cartoon can cause even one person to reflect upon their lives in relationship to God then it is invaluable.

Many of Charles Schulz' teen cartoons are reprinted in the book "Schulz's Youth", available through Amazon.

St. John the Silent

2010-05-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

A Sketch for a work in progress.

St. Mark the Evangelist

2010-05-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

St. Mark the Evangelist, as with all saints the halo represents the aura that emanates from holy persons. The dark stripe on his right shoulder is known as the pallium or the apostolikon and is shown only on those persons who have been sent on a mission, usually apostles. The candle symbolizes both the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the light the Gospel brings to the world. The Gospel of Mark, here represented by the book, rests on palms in token of Mark's martyrdom.
The lion is the traditional symbol associated with Mark and is a reference to the Gospel's opening lines of "a lion in the wilderness." The scroll reads "Peace be with you, Mark."

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The Lion of Saint Mark

2010-05-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

Part of a larger piece on Saint Mark. Look for the full work this Wednesday.

The artist as teacher

2010-05-14T09:51:00.001-07:00

Either teach not, or teach by your way of life,

Lest with one hand you draw them, and with the other repel them.

You will entreat less by speech, doing what is needed;

The painter teacheth better by his pictures.

-Saint Gregory Nazianzus, doctor of the Church

Saint Sebastian

2010-05-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

Saint Sebastian was an officer in the Roman army, some say the emperor's personal Praetorian guard. When deacon Marcus and his twin brother deacon Marcellianus were arrested for being Christian, Sebastian encouraged them to stay strong and hold fast to the faith. Accused of being Christian himself, Sebastian was tied to a tree and shot with arrows. He survived this with the aid of Saint Irene and returned to preach to emperor Diocletian. The emperor then had him clubbed to death.

Saint Sebastian is depicted here as a Roman officer, the ceremonial dagger cradled in his left hand and the ring on his finger signify his rank. He wears a crown of laurels in token of his victory as a witness to the faith and in the background are palms of his martyrdom. The arrow, his most significant attribute is represented in his halo which itself is a symbol of the holy aura that surrounds the saints. Behind him are Saints Marcus and Marcellianus.
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Holy Card project

2010-05-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

Collectible Holy Trading Cards

-kind of says it all

A Christian Bestiary - the Griffin

2010-05-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

"As night fell we came ashore and after giving thanks to The Lord for our safe landfall, we encamped. With Maximus, our guardian Templar, keeping an ever watchful eye, the local tribesmen entertained us with stories of a fabulous beast they called the griphis, which they said lived far to the north. It was described as both eagle and lion and was said to guard a great treasure.

My prince, in just this way is Our Lord fully human and fully divine, king of both heaven and earth, and through Him we are heirs to the treasure of eternal life."

-The Voyage of the Stella Maris

St. Philip the Apostle

2010-05-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

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"After Philip had preached in Scythia for twenty years, the pagans laid hold of him and thrust him before a statute of Mars, intending to force him to make a sacrifice. Suddenly a huge dragon emerged from the base of the statute and killed the pagan priest along with the two tribunes who were holding Philip in chains. Everyone was overcome by the stench of its' breath. Philip proclaimed, 'Believe what I tell you, smash this statue and in its place worship the cross of the Lord, and your sick will be cured and your dead restored to life.' Philip commanded the dragon to depart to the wilderness where it could do no harm and was never seen again. Then he cured the sick and obtained the gift of life for those who had died. All accepted the faith, and he preached to them for a whole year, appointing priests and deacons for them." -freely adapted from The Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine

St. Sebastian sketch

2010-05-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a preview of St. Sebastian. No he will not be riddled with arrows, I am taking a different approach to that aspect of the saint's depictions. Some things I didn't know about him before this project:
He was an officer in the Roman army.
He was not killed by arrows, he survived that with the help of St. Irene.
He was later clubbed to death.
I will post the finished ink drawing on Wednesday.

The Christian Artist

2010-05-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to be a Christian Artist?

Before His Ascension into heaven, Jesus gave His followers a new commandment, to love one another as He has loved us. No longer are we called to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, now we are to love each other as Christ loves us. This is the defining mark of the Christian, the love we have for one another.

Christ-like love always involves a cross, a sacrifice, that’s what makes it Christ-like. So one characteristic of a Christian Artist is his love for God which motivates him to put his gifts and talents at the service of the community. The Christian artist does not engage in “Art for art’s sake,” his art serves his community. This may involve sacrifice.

The Christian Artist does not indulge in bizarre whims that are unintelligible to the viewer, under the pretext that all art is subjective; it is not. He may be forced to turn away from certain subjects or turn down profitable opportunities because they do not reflect that Christ-like love. The Christian Artist uses his gifts to lift the hearts and minds of people to God, whether his subject is a landscape, a still life, or a saint.

Love for God is the defining characteristic of all Christians and shapes all that we do.

Pax