Around the world with Mary

 “Tuus totus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt” I am all yours, and all that I have is yours, O most loving Jesus, through Mary, your most holy Mother. ~ St. Louis de Montfort

To celebrate the month of our devotion to our Blessed Mother, Sacred Arts Guild of Alberta are taking us on a tour around the world with some universal images of Mary. We hope you find them both beautiful and prayerful, and appreciate the inspiration behind each artwork.  

The Way, The Truth and The Life – England
By Pat Burchnall, Artist – Sacred Arts Guild of Alberta 

This icon began its ‘life’ at a workshop in England, hosted by Aidan Hart. The workshop was to study iconographic garment folds. The remainder of the work was completed once back in Calgary. Tenderness icons are identified by Our Blessed Mother and Jesus touching cheek to cheek. Mary invites the viewer to meet her son Jesus as “The Way, The Truth and The Life”.

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Our Lady of Coromoto – Venezuela 
By Mark Charlton – Artist, Sacred Arts Guild of Alberta 

Our Lady of Coromoto. Also known as the Virgin of Coromoto, based on an apparition of the Virgin Mary to a local Venezuelan tribal chef in the mid 17th century. In 1942, Our Lady of Coromoto was declared the Patroness of Venezuela and a National Shrine in her honour was dedicated in 1996.  I was recently commissioned to paint an icon to celebrate the birth of a first child. Since the father is Venezuelan, the family specifically requested an icon of Our Lady of Coromoto. In designing the icon, I was asked to include elements which clearly connect the image to its national origins. As a result, the Virgin Mary is crowned with a floral headdress typical of traditional Meso-American cultures. A thurpial, the Venezuelan national bird, symbolizes the veneration of the Virgin as Patroness of Venezuela.  The Virgin’s throne is also surrounded by orchids, the Venezuelan national flower. The crown of 12 stars is based on a reference in Revelation 12:1.

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Virgin Mary & Jesus – France 
By Gloria Chow, Artist – Sacred Arts Guild of Alberta 

I was delighted to be able to do a study of the detail of a Bouguereau painting through a SAGA Workshop. Bouguereau was a wonderful artist and his depiction of Mary and Jesus was full of tenderness and love. Mary's love for Jesus reflects the love she has for all mankind. I can feel the mercy and tenderness Mary has on us as I was painting the image.

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​Mother of God – Russia  
By Alla Kireyeva, Artist & Instructor – Sacred Arts Guild of Alberta 

In Russia, the Kazanskaya Mother of God was one of the most revered icons and the patron saint of women. Therefore, a Kazanskaya was always present in the icon corner of a family’s house, next to the icon of Nicholas, the patron saint of men. According to legend a young girl named Matrona found the icon of the Kazanskaya in 1597 after the Virgin Mary appeared to her in a dream. The icon was carried in procession to the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Kazan, where it worked many miracles. A monastery was erected where Matrona found the icon, and she herself entered the convent. This icon played an important role in Russian history. It accompanied the Russian army against the Poles in 1612 when Moscow was liberated. Two centuries later, in 1812, the Mother of God protected the Russian army against Napoleon. During the Russian-Japanese war (1904-1905) the Kazanskaya icon disappeared. Only recently the icon was discovered in the Vatican. In 2005 the Pope decided to return the Kazanskaya to Russia. Whether this was the original icon or a later copy is uncertain. The Virgin inclines her head towards Christ, who stands at her left side with his right hand raised in benediction. He is depicted half-length and faces the viewer frontally. In the Russian Orthodox Church calendar, the Kazanskaya icon is celebrated on 8 July and 22 October.

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Our Lady of Guadalupe – Mexico 
By Maria Muszynski, Artist – Sacred Arts Guild of Alberta 

This miniature illumination is a variation of the icon that is venerated across the Americas. Mary, Queen of Heaven, is surrounded by vines, hearts and roses, and is ascending upon the half moon which is under her feet and the crown on top. She is illuminated by the divine rays which emanate from her presence. Her inner robe is decorated with stylized flowers and her outer robe is covered in stars. There was a limited palette used to create a cohesiveness among the different elements.

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If you are interested in learning more about the Sacred Arts Guild of Alberta please email [email protected] or check their website at SacredArtsGuildofAlberta.com