Spiritual Art For Your Gift-Giving Too

"Niche in Aix en Provence," framed dimensions: 3 3/4" x 3/4", egg tempera on vellum, $350 on Etsy

"Madonna in the Leaves," framed dimensions: 4 3/4" x 6 1/8", egg tempera on vellum, $600 on Etsy

"White Madonna in Aix en Provence," 23" x 35 1/2", pastel on Wallis pastelboard,

© Mona Diane Conner 2010 (not currently available online)

A purchase link to each painting is provided if you click on the art.

The Difference Between Modeling Mary and the Mary Within

Thanks to all of you who visited here and commented on my progress with "The 'Mary' in Kimberly" while I was completing miniature paintings for several competitive shows. I do love painting large just as much as I love my work in miniature! Having given it my all during two key months when many of the miniature show deadlines overlap, it was important to rest and revitalize for a bit, but I've been looking forward to getting rolling again with my portrait series. I have two pastel portraits awaiting completion, and a new piece I'd like to begin, but first, here is an interesting comparison that I hope might stimulate some spiritual discussion:

Detail of my Madonna and Child drawing using Karen as a model

My drawing for a Madonna and Child painting using Karen as a model.

"The 'Mary' in Karen" miniature portrait in egg tempera

The first "Mary" portrait in my series---the one that I began this blog with---was "The 'Mary' in Karen" (above, the only miniature in this series). But as some of you know by now, I also love to paint Mary herself, and it was in that spirit that I used Karen as the model for Mary in the above Madonna and Child drawing, one that I did a while ago, but still plan to use as the basis for a painting.

So I've drawn Karen as Mary, and have also attempted to paint the 'Mary' within Karen, but in my mind, as well as in my creative intent, these are not the same thing. And I wonder, does it come across as I intend? Apart from the fact that in the Madonna and Child drawing I've taken some liberties with Karen's likeness and hair, and given it a Renaissance feeling, do you see and feel the difference between one effort and the other?

Mary Herself

"Mary Contemplating the Life of Christ," (in progress), 20" x 24," egg tempera

"The First Night," 11" x 14," egg tempera


"L'madone et L'Infant de Remy de Saint," 4 3/16" x 5 13/16", egg tempera miniature on vellum

"Avalon Madonna with Yellow Flowers," 1 7/8" x 2 5/8," egg tempera miniature on vellum

"Mary & Jesus, Aix en Provence Exterior Wall,"small miniature study, 

1 1/4" x 1 1/2," egg tempera on vellum

More on the pastel tomorrow, but I realized that along with my portrait series where I try to show the "Mary" within each of us, I enjoy painting Mary herself, and because of this, I thought it would be meaningful to share with you the various ways in which I've attempted to portray her so far. 

One of the special aspects of Mary was her life as the mother of Christ, and at the top of the post I have included a painting in progress.  I've been working on this painting of Mary where in an introspective moment she is contemplating the future of Jesus's life, almost seeing it in advance. Behind Mary and Jesus in the background are scenes from the future life of Christ.