Day 707: Monday, February 21, 2022

the church really is more diverse than many think it to be, made up of humans just like us.

(The Holy Family)

A reflection on a body of artwork:

The Modern Saints by artist Gracie Morbitzer

I call my project The Modern Saints and is a series of portrait paintings I have done using the style of traditional Christian icons but instead painting the saints as people in our modern world.

(Saint Sebastian)

Not only do they have an updated look, but I have also made them more realistic, and corrected their ages and ethnicity to show the places they were actually from.

(Rose of Lima)

I want these paintings to appeal to the modern generations to help show them that the church really is more diverse than many think it to be—and also, more importantly, that it is made up of humans just like them.

(Augustine)

(Mary)

When people realize that these amazing figures throughout history came from the same backgrounds and situations as they have, and maybe even look like them, they will realize that they themselves can strive to find the saints as role models for their everyday lives.

Traditional icons are unrealistic, and the people appear old, unemotional, usually white, and two dimensional. This outdated image, I think, is part of what turns people away from the church in the modern day. ~Gracie Morbitzer

(Catherine of Siena)

Enjoy!