The Immaculate Heart of Mary
Oil on Canvas
By Stephen B. Whatley
Commentary By Loci B. Lenar
The Christian artwork of Stephen B. Whatley is not only colorful, but also refreshing. He communicates a contemporary interpretation of religious faith through brilliant brush strokes of pastel colors that are attention-grabbing. His artwork is indeed quite stunning!
Stephen's art has appeared in numerous publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today. The new painting in my opinion is an exquisite contemporary portrayal of The Immaculate Heart of Mary.
***
By Stephen B. Whatley
The Feast Day of The Immaculate Heart of Mary was commemorated on June 12, 2010. On that special day, I created a new painting with deep prayer.
The Immaculate Heart of Mary symbolises the joys, sorrows and love for God and the Son Jesus by the Mother of God.
Traditionally, in artistic images, Mary has been portrayed presenting her heart circled by roses, symbolising love; and white roses at that, to signify the purity of that love.
As with all my Christian paintings, I felt compelled, drawn by my faith to celebrate the beauty and tenderness of the love and sorrow of this Divine Mother.
Earlier I had been reading about the miraculous visions of the Mother of God who first appeared to six teenagers in 1981; and for several years thereafter in Medugorje, a small town in Bosnia, Herzecovina. Mary's message was that she was the Queen of Peace for which she encouraged prayer.
She was said to be about twenty years of age, with dark hair, blue eyes and of olive complexion with reddish cheeks - and her voice was said to be musical. Bearing this in mind and passing my eye over various interpretations, I ultimately let prayer dictate the path of this new tribute.
Copyright 2010 Stephen B. Whatley