Mia Meow is my new little kitten and companion who was rescued from a feral cat colony in Canton, OH. She often accompanies me to Second April Galerie where I have my art studio.
Over 40 artists are represented in the main gallery and in various shops and studios at Second April Galerie. It is the ultimate in small arts businesses. If you are near Canton, you owe it to your loved ones and yourself to stop in and do some shopping during the holidays!
On this Small Business Saturday, we hope that you will give your local small businesses your patronage. Mia says, Shop Small!
I have never been a particularly religious person, yet I have always been intrigued by the human preoccupation with spiritual matters.
Religion, to me, is a paradox. Throughout history it has inspired love, peace and beauty. It has compelled artists, crafts persons, writers, musicians, etc. to create the most amazing works.
But it has also inspired hate, war and ugliness. It has compelled tyrants, bigots and pedophiles to perpetrate some of the most horrific crimes against humanity.
The paradox has always been a perplexity to me, and it has led me to be more of an observer than participant in religious activity.
When I was studying Art History as a part of my art program at Marshall University in the 1980’s, I was very intrigued by the illustrated manuscripts of the Gospels created by monks in the 9th century. Each page in a manuscript was intricately decorated as an individual work of art, with numerous pages bound together between lavish metalwork covers.
The cover of the Lindau Gospels was particularly intriguing to me, for its artistic structure and elaborate gems and precious metalwork. The artist(s) who created it must have had a higher power guiding them.
Lindau Gospels Upper Cover
I confess, my historical study of the Lindau Gospels did not go very deep. The image and concept, however, were burned into my psyche.
I do not recall when exactly it was, but probably about 8-10 years ago, I created the mixed media painting above, drawing upon my recollections of the Lindau Gospels image that was stuck in my mind. Although you can see some very clear similarities, there are also some significant divergences from the original manuscript cover.
My painting began from a painting I had painted back in college. The initial painting was of a cross, and it had been patterned using a technique of creating sharp pointed dots by squeezing paint directly out of the tube. I no longer liked the painting, so I painted the dove over top of it with a stone textured paint; glued some cheap baubles on it; drew some star bursts with glitter glue; and then covered the whole thing with gold leaf – with my fingers.
My DNA is literally in this painting, as those sharp pointed dots were really sharp.
I don’t think I realized it at the time, but the techniques and textures ultimately reflected the paradox that has always perplexed me:
The dove, symbolizing peace and the essence of spirit, takes the place of the human representation of the crucifix from the original manuscript cover. The upward movement suggests the fleeting quality of our understanding of spirit, yet painting it in a stone texture reflects its permanence in our souls.
The baubles suggest our desire to gift our religious icons with the most ornate of human possessions, yet these are not actual precious gems. They are cheap craft store glass pieces.
The patterns of dots represent the qualities of humanity to fall into patterns of spiritual practice, yet they are sharp and painful to touch, representing the way that human patterns can often become destructive in the pursuit of spirit.
The original manuscript cover was designed to be the size to fit in one’s hands to be used in religious rituals. Spirit and religion have never been that manageable for me, however. My piece is large and not at all something easy to grasp in one’s hands.
The painting is currently on display at Second April Galerie where my studio is located. I welcome you to come visit it and my studio. I look forward to your visit!
The 3′ x 4′ painting is for sale. Because of its size, shipping costs may be high. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing it.
A good friend of mine stopped by my studio at Second April Galerie recently. She was looking through the various studios there for some sort of art object with a hummingbird theme.
She didn’t ask me directly about creating something, as birds are not a common theme for me, and she likes to support all local artists, not just me. She was not having success, however, in finding the item she sought.
When she told me the reason for her search, I offered to stretch to a new theme and create something new for her. Her purpose was a beautiful story.
In a recent telephone conversation, a friend living several states away had shared with my friend that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The woman was naturally anxious and worried about her condition and the impending treatment options. Although often a survivable disease, breast cancer is a frightening and often life altering condition.
As the two women spoke, however, a strange thing occurred. The woman who was anxious about her circumstances was visited by a small hummingbird. The bird hovered near her for a moment, then gracefully landed upon her hand. As quickly as it appeared, the bird disappeared, but as it did, it left a calmness in its wake, and the woman’s anxiety no longer besieged her.
My friend called the event a “God Wink” and wanted to send her friend a gift to commemorate the special moment that they had shared over the phone. Surely some mystical force was at work here to reassure a fearful soul?
I enjoyed the challenge of creating an artwork to capture the essence of such a special moment. In fact, the drawing turned out much better than I had envisioned. Perhaps God winked at me as well as my hand was guided in the creative process.
Have you ever had a moment where you felt that God “winked” at you and reassured you about something you feared?
Prints and cards of the “God Wink” drawing above are available. Contact me if you are interested in a purchase.
