One of the major problems I have encountered in the few religious works that I have done is trying to make them both contemporary and traditional at the same time. It is wrong to think that the only thing one must do to create good contemporary religious art is render the figure in a realistic, neo-baroque style. That is part of it (to some degree), but there are other factors involved too. What is constantly overlooked I have found is what the people in the painting are wearing and their surroundings. If you paint them in contemporary clothes and in a contemporary setting - well, it looks sort of strange in most cases (in my opinion). If you paint them in Roman dress, it doesn't seem very contemporary! What is the solution?
My wife and I just returned from vacation. While away, we got to visit the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore, which had recently undergone a huge renovation. The last time I was there was to see the famous "Timla Relic" a few years ago. Unlike some horrific church renovations that have gone on in recent years that were supposedly meant to "update" the church, this restoration was meant to "return" the interior of the building to its original Federal-period design. And I must say that it a very tasteful renovation. They did a really good job. It looks almost like an old early Episcopal church - white washed interior, minimal designs, etc. The interior is now very bright because they removed the stained glass (dark blue Willet windows), and uncovered the original skylights in the dome. They kept all of the good stuff (the high altar, altar rails, etc.), and brought some cool old stuff back (e.g. the nation's first RC epi...
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Enjoy.