Poverty & Spirit

‘The beauty of ambiguity…’

May 11, 2020

Remember that in religious art 
Red signifies humanity
Blue signifies divinity 
White is the color of joy 
Gold signifies authority.
 
“To me painting is not about what I see, it’s about what I don’t see. This view is contained within my perception that philosophy, religion and art
are essentially transforms of one another.
My interests lie within the beauty of ambiguity held within painting that pursues a sacred direction within the realm of Christology.
Following the path of using a monastic discipline of Lectio Divina approach to my paintings allows a process of reading, reflecting, meditation and transformation to occur from my creation of the work itself, to its own development and creation and back to me through a transformation or element of kenosis. I see an important aesthetic within that which is considered poor, both as in poverty as well as in spirit.”
-Daniel Bonnell

Daniel Bonnell is known throughout the United States, England and Israel as one of the few noted sacred painters of the 21st Century. His art is found in private collections, cathedrals and churches around the world. He holds a B.F.A. from the Atlanta College of Art and an M.F.A. from the Savannah College of Art and Design. His major online gallery is found at https://bonnellart.com.

Why is Julian of Norwich so appealing today? I think because she is totally vulnerable and transparently honest, without any guile. She is “homely”; in medieval terms, that means down-to-earth, familiar, and easily accessible. She is keenly aware of her spiritual brokenness and longs to be healed. So do we. She experiences great suffering of body, mind, and soul.

So do we.

She has moments of doubt. So do we. She seeks answers to age-old questions. So do we. Then, at a critical turning point in her revelations, she is overwhelmed by joy and “gramercy” (great thanks) for the graces she is receiving. We, too, are suddenly granted graces and filled to overflowing with gratitude. Sometimes, we even experience our own divine revelations.

-Father Richard Rohr, Center for Action & Contemplation

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