Spirituality

This week's readings were my favorite out of all the readings that we have done because I can really relate to them. I love to paint, and I pull inspiration from my Christian upbringing. I feel that through spirituality people are able to really express their inner selves. Robertson and McDaniel state that, "Spiritual art has addressed humanity's most profound needs and life's greatest mysteries; beliefs about death and an afterlife, the nature of the universe and humanity's place in it, and the moral codes that guide private and public behavir have all been explored in art" (Robertson, 278). I believe that spirituality plays a major role in defining who we are, even if some poeple choose atheism. I am well aware of when Christian iconography ruled the art scene during the Renaissance period, and after reading there readings I wanted to research an artist that was more contemporary. That is how I found Doreen Hardie.

Doreen Hardie creates oil paintings that meld together the Jamaican landscape with Christian ideals. She paints the beauty that God has set before her in the enviroment. She says that "while some people preach The Word and others write The Word, she paints The Word" (Art by Doreen). I believe this is such an awesome way to express your personal spirituality. I think that she can be considered a folk artist because her paintings are of the enviroment, and they are bold and bright. Robertson and McDaniel state that "historically in the United Stated, the most openly identified religious artists have tended to come from the margins of society or from the ranks of folk artists" (Robertson, 279). Doreen Hardie has done a wonderful job portraying her faith in her artwork and continues to paint the God's creations he has set before her.

Bibliography:
Robertson, Jean and Craig McDaniel. "Themes of Contemporary Art". New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2010. p 278-279.

"Art By Doreen": http://www.artbydoreen.com/aboutdoreen.html