Being Creative with a Traditional Theme

When I saw the announcement from the Martin De Porres Center for a show titled, “Sacred Images of Jesus and Mary” I wasn’t sure I wanted to enter.  The theme brought to mind the religious art of centuries past that you see in museums or on Christmas cards.  The show was an opportunity to show art that might not be accepted in secular spaces and for the De Porres Center to obtain art for their annual Christmas card. There were no prizes.  Although the venue is beautiful, the events held there are not likely to result in sales.

So…

I waited to see when and if inspiration might strike and I can’t say that I did a lot to encourage it until about a week before the September 14th deadline.  Then  I went through a stash of old Christmas cards and a few books looking for a concept.  I happened upon a doodle in my sketchbook for a very stylized Christmas card that I made for my family a few years ago.  I decided on a square canvas and began to refine it.

It’s pretty traditional.  I thought the heart-shaped window made of stone was a little creative and I wanted to make sure the people looked at least somewhat Middle Eastern.

When I went to the show’s opening I was really impressed by the creativity, especially by the artists from the group, Creative Women of Color.  The photos below include some of their work.

“The Guardian II” by Kenya Davis

“Chosen” by Janet George

This was a large painting done on plywood with charcoal.

Here is my painting hanging with some of the more traditional ones. 

This is the painting by artist Patricia Howard that was chosen for the Christmas card.

It wasn’t until I wrote this blog that I realized that I’ve entered three shows with a spiritual theme in the last few years and all three entries included faces of women.  Something to think about??