How we are paid depends on the work that we do. Artists in particular are frequently paid according to the quality of their work in the form of tickets sold, prints purchased, etc. What is the quality of the work we do? How productive are we as servants of God?Continue Reading
I write quite a bit about artists and the role of art, but what about patrons? By patrons I mean anyone who patronizes the arts in all its wonderful manifestations be it paintings, novels, movies, television, or music concerts. Every time we choose a painting to display in our home,Continue Reading
Priest, Prophet and King, all of the baptized are invested in these three offices. The degree to which they fulfill these offices will depend on their individual gifts, talents, and calling. But how, specifically does an artist fulfill the role of priest? To answer this we must first briefly examineContinue Reading
There was once a young boy who wanted to give his teacher a gift. The boy lived in a village many miles from the sea. His teacher once told him that his greatest desire in the world was to see the ocean before he died. But it was a difficultContinue Reading
John of Fiesole (Fra Angelico), the patron of Christian artists, left us many paintings but few words. The quotes that are attributed to him, however, speak volumes. “He who wishes to paint Christ’s story, must live with Christ.” “He who does Christ’s work, must stay with Christ always.” On beingContinue Reading
The idea of the celebrity artist, the artist who has won fame and praise for himself and his work, is a relatively new phenomena. It is more a product of the modern concepts of marketing than it is about the artist’s talent. For every pop superstar, every academy award winning actor,Continue Reading
Forty is the number of trial and testing. The season of Lent begins with a recollection of Jesus going into the wilderness for 40 days, after which He is tempted by the devil. During Lent we take a figurative journey into the wilderness, into the wastelands, in an effort toContinue Reading
In the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, not too far from the Vatican, there is a statue by Michelangelo, Christ the Redeemer. What you may not know is that this is the second statue the artist carved to fulfill his commission. The first statue developed a flaw. As it was beingContinue Reading
The vocation of the painter, indeed the vocation of any artist, is first and foremost, to create beauty. Even evil, when depicted in their work, must depicted beautifully. Art that is ugly and shallow, with no Truth behind it, shows us a world without God. The role of the artistContinue Reading
Do we hesitate to take on our role as missionaries because we doubt our abilities? One of my favorite movies is “A Man for All Seasons,” starring Paul Scofield as Thomas More. In one key scene More defends his reluctance to accept the post as Chancellor of England by citingContinue Reading