Latest work: Saint Mary Magdalene

Here's the latest painting I finished about two months ago.

While Mary Magdalene is one of my favorite saints, the art world has not been very kind to her over the last 1500 years. Artists have had a field day portraying her as the sinner caught in the act of adultery, but the most amazing parts of her life were often overshadowed by the more scandalous traditions.  

Pope Saint Gregory the Great was largely responsible for the "combined Marys" tradition. While the reason he gave for this belief was little more than "it would be fitting" if they were all the same person, contemporary hagiography has begun to lean more toward proofs.

What we do know for sure about Mary Magdalene is beautiful: Christ healed her from seven demons; she was courageous enough to follow Our Lord to the cross; and lastly, she was the first to proclaim the good news that Jesus was risen.

The Dominican Order claimed Mary Magdalene as their Patroness because she was the first preacher to the preachers. This is the Mary I wanted to portray here--a heavenly version though, as if that moment when she first proclaimed Christ's Resurrection stands forever visible to those in heaven.

I was honored that this received an award at this year's annual juried competition of the Madison Art Society.