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SAINT JOSEPH the MAN of FAITH
My gift of being a sacred painter has been one of the best ways for me to communicate with and glorify the Giver of all gifts. These "Singing with Colors" art pieces are themselves a means to an end; however, their true spirit, which is hidden to our naked eyes, is what makes them real and essential to our faith.
Please note that the
Journal page will tell you when this page is updated.August 7, 2004
As I am building this web page for the icon of St. Joseph, I realize that August 7, 2003 was the date I built the web page for Our Lady of New Helfta icon. Providence I am sure! It may seem to be such a small sign or perhaps of no significance at all to many, but like St. Gertrude, I cherish it knowing the Lord who deigns to be a human like us, in his meekness and humility, is so very dear and near. He is always present to help and wants to be involved with all that we do as a loving father/mother to his/her little child; a lover to the beloved and a best friend to a best friend.Dear Lord! Thank you for giving me great comfort and consolation, which I have been praying for because I have no idea what or how to depict an icon of the faithful and humble St. Joseph, the human husband of our Blessed Mother, your human father and protector/provider. I believe this is a precious opportunity given to me so you can help me to get to know your human father better.
September 10, 2004
It has been quite interesting the last few weeks since I have gone through some real life experiences which my spiritual father calls it: "my living the cross". One of these has to do with poverty or being poor in spirit. On the one hand I had to deal with people who base their value of life on money and fame of this world. On the other, I had the grace to experience better the cross which St. Francis and St. Clare embraced and lived, however, not without much humiliation, anguish and distress. And too, the Spirit helped me to get to know St. Joseph who was without much possession, followed God's will in blind faith to care for and protect the Blessed Mother and the Baby Jesus. He must have felt not only the great responsibility but also the humiliation of being helpless in looking for a place for his young wife to give birth. He sure learned that God was his strength and his refugee as he faithfully and humbly carried out his role being the protector for his family.September 12, 2004
After spending a few months looking for a car bigger and more reliable so that I would have more confidence being on the road touring the icon of the Bl. Mother and promoting The Marian Children, the Lord helped led me to the right one on the Blessed Mother's birthday. It sure was an extra grace for the special day at New Helfta.Until I was able to accept my living the cross in humility and poverty, I told myself I never wanted that car when I first saw it. Once I was given the grace to trust and depend on God's alone as well as to desire the independence and freedom to live my vocation in its simplicity, what I rejected and despised before, now became a precious gift and a beautiful grace. So dear friends, God's graces are everywhere, the more you are aware of them and appreciate them, the easier you will find them. Then, happiness is not too difficult to find for God always desires to help us find it. It takes work, but it is worth it! Pray for the opportunities and the graces to recognize them. Be simple and appreciative for all we are given and we will know how rich and how blessed we all are! Thank you Lord!
With my new car, I could not wait to tell St. Joseph. I know he has been praying that I would be able to recognize the gift to say yes to it. Only when I humbly accepted it with gratitude, I could see how wonderful and great it is. We were both very happy now that I have my own "donkey" to travel our Blessed Mother and Child...
September 28, 2004
As I am getting ready for the October touring of the Icon and the promoting of The Marian Children, St. Joseph and his person also began to emerge. Ray and Sue who commissioned the icon for Fr. Tim Horan gave me a written copy of a unique story of theirs in which St. Joseph has played an important role. As I reread it, it became real to me who St. Joseph is to them and also to their relationship with Fr. Tim. I never knew St. Joseph personally so I hope and pray that through my patrons' love and friendship with Fr. Tim, the Lord would help me to reflect further who his earthly Father was like.
I had a rough sketch drawn to determine the dimensions of the icon. The panel was build and after several days working on gessoing it, it was ready for painting. I also apply the red clay in the area where the gold leaf will be applied. At this time, I continued to work on the sketch. I gathered the images Sue gave me (including a medal of St. Joseph which Fr. Tim gave to Ray before Ray's trip to China on St. Joseph's feast, to help bring his adopted niece home) and a few others which I found on my own. From them, I needed to come up with an original sketch of St. Joseph and the baby Jesus. There seems to be no icons of St. Joseph with the baby Jesus alone in the Greek and the Byzantine Traditions, at least the way I would like to see it. I could find some, but they are of the modern version. I didn't really care for them.
So: "Dear Lord, please help me. Blessed Mother, please show my spirit what St. Joseph would have looked like?" I continued to reflect and ponder on the image of the Man of Faith, and here he is! I like him a lot and I have a feeling that the Lord and the Blessed Mother agreed with me so with confidence, I pursue the image.
September 30, 2004
I began to transfer the image onto the panel and made sure everything look fine. Yes, I like the way the whole icon mapped out."Dear St. Joseph, would you wait for me for awhile? In October, I have to spend some quality time following our Blessed Mother to do our "Marian things" :). That is: during this month, we tour the Icon of
OL of Loving Compassion to parishes where we will share about the goodness and love of the Lord to all people, both young and old. St. Joseph humbly whispered to my heart that he is used to this kind of things such as being the hidden one behind the scene, and that I should be reassured of his loving protection and faithful support in all, especially with this ministry touring the Icon and promoting The Marian Children. Thank you St. Joseph!November 5, 2004
What a blessed, grace-filled and wonderful time we all experienced in being together and praying together for the world and the human race in the open arms of our Lady of Loving Compassion. Of course our dear St. Joseph was always present to encourage and support us. The month went extremely well with much joy, hope, wonders and awes. And here I I am, dear our beloved St. Joseph. Let us work together to put forth the fruit of labor for the glory of our Lord, the Most High. Let Thy will be done, O Lord! and please continue to protect us, especially the dear angelic children of yours. Amen.Glazing over the sketch, I am inspired to change some minor details as the Spirit inspired me. This took some time, and I new better that it is important to wait in prayer and seek for inspiration so I was not in a hurry to finalize it. When all was in placed, I felt satisfied with the final image. I went ahead and mixed the color paints. I asked for some advice on the color of St. Joseph's robe. If one looks at several Italian panel paintings depicting the Nativity, he or she will see that, often St. Joseph dresses in orange! NO THANKS. My critic teacher also strongly agreed with me. We both thought it would look more realistic and better if he were dressed either in gray or brown. "Dear Lord, what do you think...?" Not only what St. Joseph would have on, but also what color he would wear that matches with the rest of the colors in the icon is important. After taking some time pondering and studying it, I put all the colors in place and patiently applied the first layer of paints on gesso panel. We call it the under-painting layer. Slowly but surely, once the many bush strokes piled up and covered the whole icon, the colors looked good together. Praise the Lord.
November 10, 2004
I spent several days working on the garments. It was very exciting because as I applied lights and shades to the garments, they became quite attractive and inspiring. They now have depth and life to them. I am quite content knowing in my heart that the Lord is going to help me finishing them the way that would please him best. Together with the background, everything looked very good except that I still have the faces to depict. They are the most important parts of the icon.November 14, 2004
Today, I realized I have not yet added the designs on the haloes so I focused on doing that while mixing the paints for the faces. My poor fingers, again, worked a bit extra hard. With the pinched tools which Grandpa Tom Melizzi made for me awhile back, I came up with the designs as I went along. This time it did not take as long compared to the haloes of O. L. of Loving Compassion. The many motifs joined hands together and there they were! They seemed to please the eyes very much. Thank you, Lord!
When the haloes designs were all completed, delicately, I transferred the facial features from the sketch onto the under-painting layer.
O God come to my assistance.
Lord make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was from the beginning, is now and forever shall be world without end. Amen.
... I never wary contemplating Christ asleep on your arms.
Kiss his fine head for me as he reposes near your heart,
and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath.
St. Joseph pray for me ..." she voiced beautifully.
The next thing I noticed was I heard myself praying her lines silently, over and over, in the heart as the two faces appeared closely together. "KISS HIS FINE HEAD FOR ME AS HE REPOSES NEAR YOUR HEART." I dwelled there with an imagination, but then as I continued pondering on it, the images shifted. They now became ever more intimately perfect and total. The relationship of Christ and the member of his Church! Whose fine head? Who reposes near whose heart? Why not sing it yourself. Kiss him and embrace the tender loving Christ Child near your heart. Then experience how you are kissed and listen to what His Sacred Heart whispers to you. Reflect also, on the kiss and embrace of the Spirit between the Father and the Son...
November 16, 2004
HAPPY FEAST OF DEAR ST. GERTRUDE!Thank you Lord! I really did not think of mixing the color pigments darker for St. Joseph. My fault! But you saved the day, or shall I say the week! :) Thank you for having them the way they are.
Now that I was pleased with the way St. Joseph looks, in fervent prayer, I prayed for the Child Jesus' facial features to come out the way they should, too. Come to think about it, I never painted the Child Jesus this way before. I tried to alter the sketch of his face again since I did not really like the way it looked. Having finished St. Joseph's face, I found it easier to discern how the Child Jesus' face should look like. I studied carefully some Greek icons of the Child Jesus in a Greek icon book Rev. Father lent me. With confidence and patience, I spent some time on it, and it was like a miracle, after I made some very small changes to the facial features, the Child Jesus' face looked great as some of the beautiful icons I have seen. Thank you very much Lord!
November 20, 2004
(to be cont.)Back to Inside New Helfta Studio
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