Recently, I had the honor of meeting a wonderful woman named LeeAnn. She creates and appreciates Art.
When Mike Fitzgerald was looking for someone to create an image of our inspiration, Saint Andre Bessette, for our Cafe, he found LeeAnn through a friend. She listened, loved the idea, and began the image we display at Epiphany.
As someone who has learned and loves the iconography of Byzantine Art, LeeAnn was excited to use her knowledge and her skills. Her purpose was to create an image that would draw us in and make us feel a touch of the spiritual world. For this, she relied on her understanding of Byzantine Art (dominant from the 5th to the 15th centuries) which emphasizes spirituality and prioritizes religious symbols.
To help her understand Brother Andre, LeeAnn researched his life's story. As you may know, Brother Andre was a 'door opener'. Although a devout and gracious Brother, because he was sickly his whole life, he was the door opener and greeter for his Congregation of the Holy Cross. It was through these humble actions that Brother Andre became a Saint. Now he is the Patron Saint of our mission. I love this concept; while Brother Andre literally opened the door for his Congregation, Brother Andre's Cafe metaphorically opens doors for people with IDD. (That's why Dan Gallagher seems to think that Brother Andre chose us!) Many people with IDD have trouble finding jobs. One of the reasons that the Fitzgeralds began this cafe was to give people with disabilities a chance to show the world that we are capable of great things.
As LeeAnn learned about Brother Andre's life, she prayed for his inspiration. Then she created a beautiful image of Brother Andre Bessette- on display every day at Epiphany.
When I study LeeAnn's image, it's easy to see the beauty of Byzantine Art. The design, colors, and simplicity of the work are exact and perfect. Here are some ideas about her creation:
*The gold in the halo and the background reflects the light of God and of Heaven
*Brother Andre is composed of straight lines - he is serious and ready to do God's work
*The symbols and words illustrate our mission and enrich her beautiful design.
Come to Epiphany and see!!
LeeAnn's artistic ability and knowledge are inspirational. When I met her, I saw some of her pieces, and they were amazing!! Presently, LeeAnn is a docent at Carnegie Museum of Art- I bet she's great!!
I think Art is a rich human expression and I love that it's an important part of Brother Andre's. I hope when you read this blog, you become more aware of your creative gifts!!