October 2023 Art Update
Off the Easel!
Here are all the cool projects I was able to finish this month! Which one’s your favorite?
St. Mary’s Bicentennial
If you’ve followed the past few blog posts, you’ve noticed this painting has gone through many changes! I decided to completely out paint the founders of the church from the foreground to give a better view of the church, itself. Now they sit with the saints and first evangelized people of St. Mary’s in the heavens - praying and interceding for the current church.
It’s a huge accomplishment that this church has been around for 200 years and I’m excited to commemorate this with a painting!
Zechariah 2:5
Kathryn came to me wanting an image of a woman encircled by the Holy Spirit based on the verse:
“For I will be unto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her” -Zechariah 2:5
This image is to be an encouragement that the Holy Spirit is with all Christians embarking on mission and evangelization. Anyone who is baptized are anointed priest, prophet, and king. So I included symbols to reflect this reality (the robe for priest, sandals for prophet, and a ring and crown for king). I also wanted to put her in a pose reminiscent of someone taking a “blind step of faith”, knowing they are protected and guided by the Holy Spirit.
I wanted to share this beautiful testimonial from my client who received this painting earlier this month!
"Mattie was very accommodating during the process....We live out of state, and we were not able to visit Mattie's studio in person, but I sent her a few photos of me holding my children. Mattie transformed these photos into an image of Jesus holding them. I love that she spent time in prayer before starting the work...When I am having a difficult day, I can look at the painting, and I am reminded that Jesus heals.
…When I received a text from Mattie of the finished work, I had just returned from Adoration in Medgourje. I captured a photo of the Blessed Sacrament, and upon returning home, I looked at the images on my phone. I saw the smiling face of Jesus in the Eucharist - the same smiling face that Mattie painted in her piece. This was an amazing confirmation that Jesus will heal my children, and also that the Holy Spirit is working through Mattie!”
On the Easel
These paintings are just beginning or reaching the end! Currently in progress!
Sacred Heart of Jesus
A returning client has asked for a unique interpretation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for her personal reflection and future medical practice.
I first went to adoration to ask for the Holy Spirit’s help in sketching out ideas. Then based off my client’s first reaction (she loved the idea of the Sacred Heart in a monstrance), I did more iterations in color.
Which one’s your favorite so far?
The Hodes’ Grotto
This Mary Grotto painting is off to the races! The underdrawing is complete and next steps are to block in the colors, keeping a dappled light feel and emphasis on the miraculous flower in the midst of snow.
Studio Mural
As a fun project for myself, I’m painting the wall of my studio into a impressionistic garden!
Sketchbooking
Lately I’ve felt a desire and call from God to fall back in love with practice. Drawing has always come relatively easy for me. This doesn’t mean art hasn’t been a struggle, but I don’t think I’ve ever learned the beauty of building a daily habit of practice. So I’m committing myself to 30 minutes of figure drawing (using my incredibly in depth Bridgman’s Complete Guide to Drawing from Life). I have “secret” plans (not so secret anymore, I guess!) to do a series of paintings revolving around the Theology of the Body - so it’s probably important that I learn everything I can about the human body and anatomy.
I’m also taking trips to the Nelson Atkins Museum here in Kansas City and other spots around town to observe the world around me. I’m looking forward to seeing how this “draw without caring about the end product” approach is going to level up my skills but also help me fall more in love with my craft and the world around me.
Come join me at SEEK!
If you haven’t seen the exciting news - I’m sponsoring SEEK24! I’ll have a booth selling prints (released and unreleased) and live painting! I hope to see some of you there!
Thank You!!
Thank you so much for your support! I’m so grateful to you all for continuing to refer me, commission paintings, and send me kind words.
God Bless You!
-Mattie
