If you’ve ever been in a Catholic grandmother’s home with wall-to-wall pictures of saints and statues of the Blessed Virgin on every surface, you know how Catholics love to fill their homes with sacred art. Paintings of the Holy Family framed on the wall, crucifixes in every room, biblical quotes etched on decals — all of these things remind us of our faith throughout the day. It’s important to be surrounded by holy images and art; it encourages us to live every second of our lives with our eyes on Christ.
Before the age of the internet, most Catholics had to visit religious shops or museums to buy art, or order it from catalogs. Thanks to online platforms like Etsy, SquareSpace, and even Instagram, aspiring Catholic artists have new mediums for selling their work and for gaining exposure. With the Catholic community thriving online, many of these artists have thousands of followers who support their craft.
With so many incredible artists on the internet, we’ve rounded up some of our favorites — just in time for Mother’s Day and any other gift-giving events coming up on your calendar this year.
It’s hard to find modern renditions of the saints and Jesus that aren’t overly saccharine or reproduced thousands of times. Enter: Mallory of Sacred Art + Wellness, who makes stunning one-of-a-kind commissioned pieces. Mallory’s work resembles Byzantine icons, rich in color and often with details in shimmering gold. She paints on wooden boards, ideal for hanging on the wall without a frame. She also includes a handwritten message on the back for added personalization. Her art is truly unique, making for a special piece in anyone’s home.
Message Mallory to inquire about commissioned pieces.
Lauren of Santa Clara Design has mastered the classy graphic tee. With unique script and soft colors, her tee shirts come in flattering fits and short sleeves long enough for cuffing stylishly. Her shirts say, “Totus tuus” “Fiat” and quotes from Mother Teresa and Edith Stein, ideal for any Catholic who loves a tee with a deeper message. But Lauren doesn’t just sell shirts; her delicate designs also come in beautiful prints, stickers, mugs, and totes.
For the impressionist at heart, consider the watercolor paintings of Saint Script. Saint Script creator Ali was inspired by St. Pope John Paul II’s Letter to Artists and realized she wanted to help people feel more connected to God through art. Ali creates prints and notecards of saints and their iconic traits, like Mother Teresa’s sari and JPII’s deep red cloak. These prints are perfect for anyone who has a particular devotion to a certain saint.
St. Mother Teresa print, St. John Paul II print
Have you ever been frustrated by the lack of medal options? When it seems like religious stores only sell a couple of styles, look no further than Rosa Mystica Catholic Medals. Creator and shop owner Susan casts antique medals to create stunning replicas at affordable prices. Her collection contains the saints we all know and love as well as plenty of unconventional saints. Peruse her shop to ogle beautiful medals and to learn about new saints you may never heard of before.
Mary Magdalene medal, Virgin Mary Rosa Mystica medal
If you or a loved one has a thing for flowers, brace yourselves, because Rose Harrington Art is your one-stop-shop for everything floral. Katrina, artist and owner, specializes in colorful, life-like botanical designs that are ideal for brightening up your home. Her prints, however, don’t just serve as eye candy. Katrina created Botanical Rosary Art, a guide to the mysteries of the Rosary with flowers that have historical symbolism relating to the Mother of God and Jesus.
Katrina says on her website, “I have spent hours and hours reading old articles and finding obscure books all about what flowers and plants used to be called and their legendary connections to the Blessed Mother and Christ.” She continues, “Did you know that the name marigold comes from Mary’s Gold? Or that the heart in the name of the Bleeding Heart plant refers to Mary’s heart?”
The mysteries of the Rosary paintings can be bought as a set or individually.
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And today we celebrate...