The Hero’s Journey of the Spirit, part IV – The Hero
Hero Stories, of course, have heroes. But identifying the hero in a story is not always easy. It helps to define what we mean by the word “hero,” especially if we are to begin to see ourselves as the hero of our own story. What Makes A Hero? Joseph CampbellContinue Reading
A Meditation on Christ in Geometric Pattern
“Geometric pattern is the abstract art of Christianity.” We tend to think of abstract as something that has come about only within the last one hundred years. But liturgical artists have had their own form of abstract art for nearly two thousand years. Geometric pattern is the abstract art ofContinue Reading
The Christian Artist and Rejection
Rejection and failure are facts of our existence. When an artist’s work is rejected or negatively critiqued, he or she is often told “don’t take it personally, they are not rejecting you, just your work.” This is a reflection of post-enlightenment thinking that considers art an end unto itself. ItContinue Reading
The Hero’s Journey of the Spirit, part III – The “B” Story
When screenwriters set out to tell a story, the better ones (that is the better screenwriters) realize that they have two stories to tell. We have discussed the idea of the Hero’s journey in part one. In part two we broke down the hero’s journey to a series of eventsContinue Reading
The Artist Lives for Christ
One of the greatest Christian artists is Giovanni Fiesole, better known to the world as Blessed Fra Angelico, the “Angelic Brother.” Fra Angelico is a patron saint for artists. His style of painting beautifully bridges the iconographic and gothic traditions. Giorgio Vasari, author of “Lives of the Artists,” referred toContinue Reading
The Hero’s Journey of the Spirit, part II – The Map
The Journey In part one I introduced the concept of the Hero’s Journey and how it relates to our spiritual journey. We are all the hero of our own story and by studying this pattern we may gain insight that will help us find our true selves, that is, the personContinue Reading
Loaves, Fish, and Artistic Talent
What is the purpose of artistic talent? I am sure most, if not all of us, are familiar with the opening of a movie produced by MGM Studios. It depicts a roaring lion surrounded by the words “Ars Gratia Artis.” This is the Latin translation of the phrase “art forContinue Reading
The Hero’s Journey of the Spirit, part I – The Ur-Story
“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.” Joseph Campbell About a hundredContinue Reading
Pentecost, Cartoonists, and PT Barnum
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,Continue Reading
