“The Christian Artist uses their gifts to lift the hearts and minds of people to God,” What is the true vocation of a Christian Artist? Living as we do in a post-Christian age, the answer to this question has become confused and muddled. The word vocation comes from the Latin “vocare,”Continue Reading
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
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
What does sacrifice mean to 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 asContinue Reading
Somewhere around the year 1122 AD, Benedictine artist/monk Roger of Helmarshausen, under the pseudonym Theophilus, wrote a treatise on artistic crafts titled ON DIVERS ARTS. It is the oldest surviviving manuscript on the arts written by a practicing artist. It describes 12th century techniques in painting, glass, and metalwork. ThisContinue 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
What makes “Christian Art” Christian? Is there some value or quality that baptizes a work of art making it Christian? There is, but it may not be what you think. It isn’t about the subject matter, the genre, the style, the materials or the process. It isn’t even about the themeContinue Reading
When is an artist like a prophet? When he reminds people of their relationship with God. We tend to think of a prophet as someone who predicts the future, but that is not at all the ancient understanding of the word. The word “prophet” comes from the Greek word “prophetes”Continue Reading
So you’ve taken stock of your gifts, talents, and interests, and made a list. You like to play the violin (electric), you like to dance, you like to make and dress up in costumes, you like to write music, and you think it might be fun to make videos. WhatContinue Reading