Archive for the ‘Churches’ Category

Murals at Christmastime

Thursday, December 27th, 2012

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!! Here are a few murals to reflect upon this Christmas Season from churches in Texas. Church murals are always the most beautiful and spectacular to see. These could be in Europe but they are a wonder right here thin the States in Texas.

1_Stations-of-the-cross-murals_via beaumontenterprise_AIE_Art Is Everywhere

2_Stations-of-the-cross-murals_via beaumontenterprise_AIE_Art Is Everywhere

3_Stations-of-the-cross-murals_via beaumontenterprise_AIE_Art Is Everywhere

4_Stations-of-the-cross-murals_via beaumontenterprise_AIE_Art Is Everywhere

5_Stations-of-the-cross-murals_via beaumontenterprise_AIE_Art Is Everywhere

6_Stations-of-the-cross-murals_via beaumontenterprise_AIE_Art Is Everywhere

7_Stations-of-the-cross-murals_via beaumontenterprise_AIE_Art Is Everywhere

This church could be in France. It reminds me of Abbaye Senanque with it’s bluebell fields instead of lavender.

8_Stations-of-the-cross-murals_via beaumontenterprise_AIE_Art Is Everywhere

Another more contemporary style mural is the “Pencil Madonna” as she is affectionately called, painted behind the altar in Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Farmington, Michigan, in 1961 by Jean Charlot. The arrow highlighted by the roofline is sublimely suggestive, pointing upward and the colors are very unique.

Our-Lady-of-Sorrows-fresco1_via patheos_AIE_Art Is Everywhere

The dingy murals at Saint Dimitrija church in Skopje, Macedonia are getting brighter with self-illumination and without any plausible explanation — could be a mysterious miracle. Thousands have gathered to see them change. You may not understand this video but the pictures tell the story.

Non-church related….If you happen to see The Hobbit movie over the holidays, when and if you are in NYC, check out the massive mural as well.

Hobbit mural_via GalleyCat_AIE_ Art Is Everywhere

 

Be Sociable, Share!

Morman Murals

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

What a great way to start the New Year by our appreciation of Nature. These beautiful Nature murals can be found in the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple (photo below).

oquirrh-mountain-mormon-temple27-thumb on Art Is Everywhere

oquirrh mountain mormon temple. Photo © 2009, Michael Provard.

Some early art missionaries, Lorus Pratt, John B. Fairbanks, John Hafen and Edwin Evans and later Elder Herman H. Haag, set off to learn mural painting from ateliers in Paris and returned in the 1890′s to apply what they learned to paint murals in their Morman Temple in Salt Lake City.

Following this similar missionary goal,  artist Linda Curley Christensen along with other faithful workers have used their God-given talents to paint this Nature mural in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. They really reflect God’s creation of Nature their beautiful surrounding mountains.

(Go to this LDS Church News link to read more about the creative process involved.)

Morman Temple Mural on Art Is Everywhere via LDS News

Morman Temple Mural. Photos via LDS Church News

Morman Temple Mural on Art Is Everywhere via LDS News

Morman Temple Mural on Art Is Everywhere via LDS News

Morman Temple Mural on Art Is Everywhere via LDS News

Be Sociable, Share!

St. Anne Beaupre Murals for Christmas

Monday, December 27th, 2010

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! I was stunned at how breathtaking these murals by Federic Doyon are in the Basilica of St. Anne Beaupre in Quebec, Canada — perfect for sharing during this holiday season. All photos are by Dan Beards from his Flickr stream — worth visiting for more.

StAnneBeaupre1. Photo by Dan Beards via Flickr, as seen on Art Is Everywhere

All St. Anne Beaupre Photos by Dan Beards via Flickr

StAnneBeaupre2_ Photo by Dan Beards, on Art Is Everywhere

StAnneBeaupre3_ Photo by Dan Beards, on Art Is Everywhere

StAnneBeaupre4_ Photo by Dan Beards, on Art Is Everywhere

StAnneBeaupre5_ Photo by Dan Beards, on Art Is Everywhere

StAnneBeaupre6_ Photo by Dan Beards, on Art Is Everywhere

StAnneBeaupre7_ Photo by Dan Beards, on Art Is Everywhere

StAnneBeaupre8_ Photo by Dan Beards, on Art Is Everywhere

StAnneBeaupre9_ Photo by Dan Beards, on Art Is Everywhere

StAnneBeaupre10_ Photo by Dan Beards, on Art Is Everywhere

Be Sociable, Share!

The Kupa in Krakow

Monday, December 20th, 2010

These beautiful ornamental murals can be found adorning the The Kupa Synagogue in Krakow, Poland. They are highly ornate and display  great graphic design as well as wonderful use of trompe l’oeil with faux painted drapes and columns. I love all the colors that were used.

View a slide show of these photos on Samuel Gruber’s Jewish Art  & Monuments blog and his pictures can be found on his Picassa site. All photo credits by Samuel D. Gruber.

Kupa Synagogue Krakow Poland Murals _ S. Gruber _ Art Is Everywhere

Kupa Synagogue Krakow Poland Murals_S.Gruber_ Art Is Everywhere

Kupa Synagogue Krakow Poland Murals_S.Gruber_ Art Is Everywhere

Kupa Synagogue Krakow Poland Murals_S.Gruber_ Art Is Everywhere

Kupa Synagogue Krakow Poland Murals_S.Gruber_ Art Is Everywhere

Kupa Synagogue Krakow Poland Murals_S.Gruber_ Art Is Everywhere

Kupa Synagogue Krakow Poland Murals_S.Gruber_ Art Is Everywhere

Kupa Synagogue Krakow Poland Murals_S.Gruber_ Art Is Everywhere

Kupa Synagogue Krakow Poland Murals_S.Gruber_ Art Is Everywhere

Be Sociable, Share!

St. John Lateran

Monday, April 5th, 2010

It’s Easter week, one of the holiest of the year, so I thought this really cool, interactive website of St. John Lateran in Rome would be appropriate to post. Plus coming down from the weekend where we hosted an annual Easter Potluck Brunch with about 40 people on Sunday; I’m writing these in advance.

This is one of the most incredible virtual reality tours I’ve ever taken, especially having actually been there. It so wonderful to see all the exquisite detail and artistry again. The technology is truly remarkable in how you can get so close. Once you click on the link (it will take a minute for the picture to focus) be sure to hold down the mouse and slowly move your cursor around and zoom in an out of each part of the church that you visit. Don’t forget the ceiling. Villanova University contributed to the realization of this virtual tour. The music is also pretty wonderful.

st-john-lateran1
st-john-lateran-detail

st-john-lateran-central-nave

st-john-lateran-ceiling

st-john-lateran-ceiling-detail

Be Sociable, Share!

Some Church Art

Friday, December 26th, 2008

Happy Boxing Day! Being the Friday after Christmas, I thought these mentions of church art were worth mentioning.

St. Peter’s Chanel Church in Roswell, GA is newly constructed and this news story shows the process for how the many stars were painted on the ceiling to replicate the look of early Renaissance fresco techniques. I find it interesting that they used multiple glazes and a colorwash technique to create the blue canopy and metallic paint instead of gilding those stars. This makes the process easier and the outcome just as beautiful.

Artist paints  5,000 stars on ceiling of St. Peter\'s Chanel Church. Georgia Bulletin

This blue reminds me of my favorite place, The Scrovegni Chapel, painted by Giotto in Padua, Italy.

Scrovegni Chapel. Photo credit unknown

This is also a beautiful sanctuary below in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New Orleans.

St. Patrick\'s Cathedral in New Orleans. Save Our Lady of Lourdes blog

Be Sociable, Share!

Another use

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

I am inspired by innovation and the willingness to persevere. Maybe it’s just the human spirit’s way of surviving but it is most descriptive of the American way. It’s also what I see going on in New Orleans. Every time I’ve been back, there is more progress to be seen. It will take time but the people here find a way to make life better each day even if it’s by little bits.

This article, The Cultural Conversion of Cast-Off Churches, in The Washington Post describes how abandoned churches are being used for other purposes — a cultural arts center, a senior day center, a music club and even condominiums. Yes, it’s sad that these churches are no longer used for religious worship, but it’s refreshing to see these holy spaces are still appreciated and used for practical purposes. They continue, however, to be where communities can come together and still be celebrated.

I love the design and color scheme of the vaulted ceiling and interior of this former St. Cecilia Catholic Church, which is now being used as a senior day center. In many ways, it demonstrates the juxtaposition of the traditional and modern existing simultaneously.

St. Cecilia Catholic Church in New Orleans, now a senior day center.

Be Sociable, Share!

Churches

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

It’s not that unusual to find some of the world’s greatest art in churches but here’s some unusual ways that art is being used. Swiss artist Gerry Hofstetter will light the Washington National Cathedral in psychedelic coloration as part of an exhibit May 9 – 11 called Lighting to Unite: Lighting the Nation, Uniting the World. It’s free and public picnics are encouraged. It will be lit each of the three nights from sunset to midnight.

Washington National Cathedral/Lighting to Unite Exhibit

Lighting as art creates visual and memorable impact as mentioned in previous posts.

Another use of art in churches can be seen in the banners that we might normally take for granted but they, like museum/exhibit banners, have become popular to hang in one’s home as interior decoration. As seen here in the interior nave of the cathedral, Nancy Chinn has created Seasons of the Church banners. A Banner Year Booklet of all her banners along with inspirational and instructional writings regarding each liturgical season can be downloaded from this link.

Nancy Chin’s Banners @ Washington National Cathedral

Finally this article, “No New Thing,” by 2xhelix about God in the role of artist and the artist as creator was very thought provoking.

 

 

 

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Be Sociable, Share!