It is a most pleasurable and painful need of His image. To speak, to sing, to form, to […]
Art
Modern culture, at least in the West, is enamored of the idea of self-creation. We are rootless, independent, […]
What is worth a standing ovation? What do you require to rise from your seat and smack your palms? […]
I do not pretend to be an art connoisseur. In fact, whenever I go to (am dragged to) […]
If I can’t listen to Flannery O’Connor herself reading her stories, all I ask is for an audio version of Mary Steenburgen reading her stories, as she does throughout the new documentary Flannery (2019; playing now in virtual theaters).
By Hillary Asbury – This month’s illustration is based on Genesis 3: 17-19: Cursed is the ground because […]
By Hillary Asbury – 1 Corinthians 13 1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of […]
By Hillary Asbury –
This month’s illustration is based on Exodus 19:
1 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
By Hillary Asbury –
The Annunciation is a very common subject in classical art.
Almost every Medieval and Renaissance master painted their own version of this scene, and its easy to understand why. It centers around one of the most fascinating and mysterious aspects of our faith: the virgin conception of our Lord. It depicts a moment which not only signals the advent of our hope and salvation, but also one which is rich with potential for creative exploration.
By Hillary Asbury –
The first creative act in history was a perfect one.
Everything was done with order, purpose. It was intentional, loving. Great care was taken for every little detail, every little life. God created the world. And with each new piece of his creation he called it good. Good. Until he created humanity. God created humanity and do you know what he called it? Very good. God created us in his image and it was very good. But then sin entered the world.
By Hillary Asbury –
Mary and Joseph look on as the wise men kneel before the Christ child and we are reminded that our Savior comes to us in our humanity, in our brokenness, and not by our own merit. He comes to us first, while we are still sinners, unworthy, and in need.
By Hillary Asbury –
I suppose Vincent Van Gogh isn’t quite what we’d consider a religious artist. His style is unique and expressive; the subjects of most of his paintings include landscapes, still life’s, and figures, and although less popular than his other work, he did actually create some religious work. When you consider that his father and grandfather were ministers and that he was once dedicated to following in their footsteps, it isn’t all that surprising. The fact remains, though, that one of his most famous pieces is a rather unflattering painting of a church.
By Hillary Asbury –
“What is it worth?” Her eyes were big as she gestured to the piece hanging on the gallery wall. “I mean, all it is… it’s just wood and canvas and paint. So how much is it really worth? How much can I actually charge for this?” I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation. The woman standing in front of me was wildly successful. She owned her own gallery, enjoyed the business of high-profile clients, sold pieces for thousands and thousands of dollars. Yet here she was, questioning the worth of her work.
By Hillary Asbury –
People are sometimes very surprised to find out that my church has a service on Thanksgiving. I love it though; I grew up with it being a normal thing and for whatever reason I find it to be a very comforting service. There’s something grounding about celebrating a Christ-centered Thanksgiving. Its about something more than gorging ourselves with food, about more than time with family, and even about more than expressing gratitude for the many blessings we have enjoyed that year.
By Hillary Asbury –
I used to love spending time at my friends’ houses as a kid. It was a new environment, one that was different from my own. The smells were different, the furniture and color schemes were different, and many times the rules were different too. It fascinated me.
I think you can tell a lot about a person or family simply by walking into their house.
By Hillary Asbury –
The Harrowing of Hell is just one panel of a larger altarpiece which depicts several vignettes from the Passion of our Lord. In the painting, we see a cut out scene of a dark cave, and several of the faithful departed huddled within. Two men, perhaps Noah and Abraham, kneel before Jesus. Behind them stand John the Baptist who is, as always, pointing to Christ and turning to his companion (likely King David) to tell of the coming of the Savior. In the back corner we see Adam and Eve, patiently awaiting the fulfillment of that long-ago promise.
By Hillary Asbury –
My family is a musical family. My grandfather played an instrument in school. My uncle was in the marching band, and so was my stepdad. My mom plays piano and was a member of the jazz band. My cousins play piano, sing, and write music. Even my best friend is an opera singer.
By Hillary Asbury –
The Illustration of the Month is a little different this time around. You see, I have a visual of the cross that I can’t get out of my head. I have always imagined that, for our Lord’s followers, the time between Good Friday and Easter Sunday had to have been a terrible stretch of time. In hiding, afraid for their lives, bleak and hopeless, those must have been the longest three days in history. I imagine as the women walked to the tomb on Sunday morning with the spices they had prepared, they too felt scared and alone, with no hope.
By Hillary Asbury –
“To appropriate: to take for oneself; take possession of; to steal.”
While at the theological symposium in Saint Louis last week, I had the rare pleasure of meeting a fellow liturgical artist. Kelly Schumacher is the founder of Agnus Dei Liturgical Arts in Saint Louis, Missouri. She is a talented creative with a theological foundation for her work that is as elegant as it is intelligent. Her passion for what she does is unwavering, and her enthusiasm is infectious.