"Saints" Series - Artist Statement (2011)
The 'Saints' series began with a desire to create artistic religious portraiture that was engaging and held substance. Too often, I have seen the overly commercialized and widely accepted versions that lack insight or creativity. I began researching the subject of the Catholic saints, made popular in abundance before and during the Renaissance era, but seldom reinterpreted in contemporary fine art. My resulting body of work has both an anchor in the contemporary charcoal portrait style and in the historic use of gold leaf on the painted halos. It was important to me to tie in elements of the past and present and to handle the subject matter with respect and accuracy. Each model was hand picked and costumed to portray the saint and provide a visual reference during the creative process. The intent of this series is to create an aesthetic experience relevant to a wider audience, and I hope it will provide interest through a revisitation of subject matter often overlooked in contemporary art.
