Crayons in Hell

A little off the beaten path today:  a huge shout out to the "artist" who created this year's cover to our 2013 Missal (http://www.ocp.org/products/BB-P).

It's so awful, it looks like a second grade crayon-on-wax-paper-melt gone bad. Or, think of it as Crayons in Hell.

One of the comments on the FB page discussing this was that it looked "Like the skull out of a Santeria ritual"

What is wrong with the beautiful art which eminates from the Church's 2000 year history?



Adoration: DaVinci



The Nativity: El Greco

 Inspirational, faith-based art is supposed to be both true and beautiful.  According to Peter Kreeft, one of the many ways to know God is through beauty, as typically expressed in art - be that musical or visual (e.g., There is the music of Mozart, therefore, there must be a God.  There is the art of DaVinci or El Greco, therefore, there must be a God.)

I can think of many pieces of art that could've been used instead of the crayon puke in a blender, shown above.

Or, perhaps an icon could've been used, or a simple picture of the Eucharist in the Monstrance, to remind us of the source and summit of our Faith.  The point is, OCP, quit trying to be edgy.  Try to inspire.

Laughing Jesus

Finally, I can't help but think of an edgier picture than this one, where Jesus is laughing at us for our silly attempts to "empower" artists to think outside the frame.  What's next?  A Crucifix in a Jar of Kool-Aid?  Sorry, that's already been done, only with urine.  Sorry, I'm not going to show that!  But here's an image of Jesus laughing at us!

Until next time.  Thanks for reading and praying along with me:Yours in Christ.
tim