Art must make perceptible, and as far as possible attractive, the world of the spirit, of the invisible, of God. It must therefore translate into meaningful terms that which is in itself ineffable. Art has a unique capacity to take one or other facet of the message and translate it into colours, shapes and sounds which nourish the intuition of those who look or listen. It does so without emptying the message itself of its transcendent value and its aura of mystery. - John Paul II, Letter to Artists

Christendom College is hosting Contemplating the Sacred: Religious Works of Contemporary Artists through March 17 (St Patrick's day!). It opened on February 5 with a talk by Catholic sculptor H. Reed Armstrong. You can read more about the exhibit here.


H. Reed Armstrong leads a tour of the exhibit

Detail, Descent from the Cross by Roxolana Luczakowsky
(She lives right here in Front Royal!)

My favorite artist in the exhibit is Edmund Sullivan, who is from Gloucester, Massachusetts. I love this Anunnciation:

...and his Madonna and Child with Rose:


(full size and detail)

My camera simply refused to capture the colors in these two paintings. I keep coming back to the library to look at them, and they put one instantly into a sort of prayerful quiet. If you live somewhere in the vicinity of Front Royal or DC, you might consider coming out to see this exhibit. There will be special events on the next four Sundays:

Feb. 12 - H. Reed Armstrong, Talk on Faith, Imagination, and Reason in Art, 7 PM, St. John the Evangelist Library, Ground Level.

Feb. 19 - Madison Brass, Concert of the Antiphonal Music of Gabrieli, 4 PM, library main level.

Feb. 26 - Dramatic Readings from T.S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral, 7 PM, library ground level.

Mar. 12 - Round Table Discussion on Art, 7 PM, library ground level.

Mmmmm... I can't wait to hear that Gabrieli!