LINDA McCRAY
ARTIST STATEMENT
LITURGICAL ART

My passion in painting is taking my beliefs and translating them into universal spiritual messages that speak to others regardless of their traditions. My goal for these abstract and symbolic paintings is to make visible forms of invisible grace. What these works intend to do is to bridge viewing with participation and, in doing so, spark a spiritual response. What is important to me is to create paintings that inspire others to reflect on their spirituality.

My art direction is connected to the long tradition of artists who have turned to a world we cannot see except through faith. I could not ask for a richer history to follow. The spirit has motivated art making over time in many cultures. While these paintings have specific religious meaning to me, I hope that they lend themselves to universal messages.

I very much believe in what Pope John Paul II had to say about art, Art has a unique capacity to take one or other facet of the message and translate it into colors, shapes and sounds which nourish the intuition of those who look or listen. It is important to me to translate theology and universal spirituality into a current visual language. One of my favorite visual examples, of past use, is St. Patrick's use of the shamrock as the image of the Trinity. He was being faithful to the human need to express an abstract notion concretely. It is my goal to translate this age-old theme using abstract elements, process and materials symbolically. For example, light and dark are abstract elements abounding with symbolism.

As G.K. Chesterton, an early twentieth century writer wrote: In the beginning there was art for God’s sake, then in the Renaissance there was art for man’s sake. Beginning with Impressionism there was art for art’s sake. Now, unfortunately, we have no art for God’s sake.

I strive to bring back art for God’s sake.