What If All This Matters? Icons, Pt. 1

It has been a little while since I've made a post. I hope you are all doing well and had a wonderful Easter and Pentecost Sunday. I wanted to share a brief update on what I'm doing, why I am doing it, and the most recent work I've been undertaking. 

Back in February, the Diocese of St. Anthony had our annual convocation. I've written about it before, but it was a lovely time of gathering, learning, experiencing, and more. But it was also an event that challenged me and made me confront a lot of things I had been trying to avoid. One of those was what Sacred Art and Iconography mean, what place I have in the world trying to make sacred art, and how "serious" I actually am and how serious I need to be about all this. A little background:

I am currently on Sabbatical after having left a 10 year career in the nonprofit world. I loved my job and I loved seeing the impact I had on lives day in and out. But it also drained me to the core. I hadn't realized how tired and empty I was until late last year. This understanding came fairly soon after my ordination as a Deacon. I think, to some degree, art had been my distraction and my escape from that anxiety and exhaustion. And because it held its own challenges and rewards, I dove in wholeheartedly and regularly. But towards the end of the year, I started to feel that distraction becoming unhealthy and wrongly motivated, preventing me from making changes I needed to make and devaluing the art I was making. Because art had been so therapeutic this was, understandably, very destabilizing. I realized I was seeking to find and fill something with the wrong heart and wrong motivation. And then we came to Convocation.

During our time together, I was asked to share a little bit about what making art has meant to me and the places it has brought me. Ultimately, what I shared was the growing knowledge that Art is, for me, my chance and my method to be able to share the Gospel and to draw myself and, hopefully, others to prayer. In the closing remark I shared that "I often am unsure of when to speak. I have no stage and no seminary training and few of the right words. My formation is just beginning and I don’t yet know the ways of Deep Study and Deep Sorrow and Deep Prayer - but I am finding a way to share the image and nature of God in my own small, different way. It is my uncommon pulpit and I hope there is some of that truth, beauty, and goodness in it." And I still believe that. But with that came the recognition that it was time to take this more seriously. That, if what I make means something sincerely to others, I need to approach it more sincerely and with clear eyes. I needed to slow down, learn, wait on God, and above all, to do the work prayerfully and intentionally. So! That's what I've been trying to do and why I've been a little more silent on this front.

This had led me to a deeper calling to the study and practice of proper, historical Iconography. But this is a part one post, so I will share more on that practice, the paintings themselves, and the changes I have seen in myself and my spiritual journey in another post soon. And more about what icons ARE and AREN'T as well. But for today, I wanted to share a set of images, which I am calling "Icon-ish." Minus some small touch ups and fulfilling some personal requests, these have been the only digital images I have been working on during this period of reflection. They are different from painted icons and the way I make them is in a different head and heart space. I don't think they are frivolous, nor do I think of them as solemn. I think they are playful and maybe evocative in a way that traditional icons aren't. I hope they can maybe snag attention in an unusual way.

“Whoever wishes to carry the cross for His sake, must take up the proper weapons for the contest, especially those mentioned here. First, diligence; second, distrust of self; third, confidence in God; fourth, remembrance of His Passion; fifth, mindfulness of one’s own death; sixth, remembrance of God’s glory; seventh, the injunctions of Sacred Scripture following the example of Jesus Christ in the desert.”

St Catherine is the patron Saint of Artists. A painter, writer, mystic, and Poor Clare Franciscan sister. I pictured her here with an icon of St Francis that is based on a real image she made. She is also pictured with a crucifix, as one of her most famous quotes regards the taking up of the Cross.

“We give you thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to your Son Jesus Christ, who stands at your right hand; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.”

St. Stephen, Patron Saint of Deacons and first martyr of the church. St Stephen is pictured here holding up the Church and with a Censer, demonstrating honor and worship.

“ Teach me to work as you did, with patience and perseverance, for God and
for those whom God has given me to support. Teach me to see in my fellow workers
the Christ who desires to be in them, that I may always be charitable and forbearing
towards all.”

St. Joseph, the Worker, done by request for my good friend Derek. Pictured here with very classic symbols. The carpenter’s square, representing his diligence in labor, but also representing Truth. Also, his lily staff - legends state that after he was chosen by God to be the husband of Mary his staff blossomed with lilies.

“Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.”

St. Patrick, patron Saint of Ireland. Pictured with the clover, representing the Trinity, and the Gospels.

“There is the music of Heaven in all things.”

St. Hildegard of Bingen. Done by request for the ordination to the Priesthood of my good friend Aly. Hildegard was a writer, musician, scientist, and artist. Pictured here with symbols representing all of that, including the use of Hold Spirit and Halo imagery from her own work. She was also a woman respected by Pope’s and commoners alike, fitting for this priestly ordination.

“Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy.”

Fr. Thomas Merton - a non-canonized saint, but a man whom I greatly admire. A poet, pacifist, social activist, photographer, monk, and mystic, he is pictured here with his camera. He is also holding a bell, which is a common sound calling people to worship. But it is also a symbol of wisdom and compassion in Buddhism, which Fr. Merton was encountered and examined in his journeys.

“It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.”

Mary Oliver - another non-canonized Saint, but a saint nonetheless. A poet, Pulitzer winner, and lover of nature. This was a request done for my good friend Cherish. Mary is pictured here with iris and weeds from the poem above, as well as a starling from a poem entitled Starlings in Winter.

“We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer - a non-canonized Saint, but one of the most Saintly lives I can image. Bonhoeffer was a theologian, Nazi resistance member, martyr whose writing you should definitely read. Pictured here with an open hand calling us to stop and listen, but also to peace. As well as the gospels.

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That’s all for this entry and this update. More on icons next time! As a reminder, if you are interested in prints of these, or any other previously posted images, send me a DM here or via email at dnlatta@gmail.com.

All my best!