“Saint Lazarus the Painter believed that we do not live for the here and now, we live for the future. We are not content with what is, but struggle to achieve what should be and what will be.” Saint Lazarus the Painter Saint Lazarus the Painter was born in ArmeniaContinue Reading
“While we may no longer be an illiterate society, we are quickly becoming an aliterate one.” Teacher and Storyteller Artists can take on many roles. In the Middle Ages, artists working in the Gothic form often took on the roles of teachers and storytellers. There is perhaps no better exampleContinue Reading
“When we are tempted, the best course of action is often to stand up to it, recognize it for what it is, and stare it down.” Temptation How do we face temptation in our lives? From the Denver Post: “Like many sheep ranchers in the West, Lexy Fowler has triedContinue Reading
“If the Iconographic shows man in Heaven, the Gothic shows man here on earth, still struggling, still on the pilgrim path that leads to Heaven.” The Iconographic vs The Gothic The Gothic form is sometimes regarded as a degradation of the Iconographic, a slippery slope that ends in aContinue Reading
“It is a common mistake among artists … to feel that their work must be explicit in spreading and teaching the faith.” Oskar Schindler Following the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, property and businesses belonging to the Jewish population were seized by the regime. One of these factories, specializingContinue Reading
“For the Gothic artist the clarity of the image, the truth that was depicted, was more important than an illusion of reality” Buildings in the Gothic Form The artist of the Gothic period strove for simplicity and clarity. They would often sacrifice realism in order to create a work thatContinue Reading
“The cycle of the rise and fall of man continues.” The Morgan Bible is unique in a number of ways not the least of which is the accompanying text that surrounds the images. Within about 100 years of its creation, Latin captions were added to the margins explaining the images.Continue Reading
“Do we live for God or do we live for ourselves? What are our priorities?” It is a matter of priorities. Actor Neal McDonough recently recalled a time when he was fired from the ABC television series “Scoundrels” for refusing to do love scenes with his series co-star. “I wasContinue Reading
“The story of Noah is the story of God uncreating the world in order to create it anew.” In terms of style and symbolism the Iconographic and the Gothic are closely related. The Gothic is sometimes referred to as a more naturalized version of the Iconographic. As contemporary artists rediscoverContinue Reading
“few of us feel worthy of this calling. Isaiah, Peter, and Paul all expressed their feelings of unworthiness when God called them to fulfill their mission.” Adventure Perhaps you remember this. “I’m looking for someone to share in an adventure.” “An adventure? No, I don’t imagine anyone west of BreeContinue Reading