Kate Marin stands beside her statue, titled “St. John the Baptist Preaching,” which won the St. Thomas the Apostle Award. LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE BOLLIG
by Joe Bollig
joe.bollig@theleaven.org
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — An acrylic painting of St. Maximilian Kolbe took first-place honors at this year’s Regional Juried Christian Arts Competition and Exhibition at Savior Pastoral Center here.
The painting of the Polish saint by Sue Johnson won the Pope St. John Paul II Award. It was one of two paintings of St. Maximilian Kolbe that were in the competition.
This was the second year for competition and exhibition, which is sponsored by the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas and the Catholic Fine Arts Council of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.
The theme for 2018 was: “Duc In Altum,” Latin for “Put Out into the Deep.” The artworks will be on display until Nov. 30.
This year’s exhibition features 48 works of art by 25 artists from eight states. The mediums used include sculpture, paintings (acrylic, oil and egg tempera), papercut, colored pencil on construction paper, textiles, photographs, glass mosaic and mixed media.
The final judging was done by Dr. Denis R. McNamara, assistant director of the Liturgical Institute and associate professor of Art and Architecture at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, near Chicago.
The opening reception and awards presentation was held on Oct. 16 at which McNamara presented a lecture, “Iconic Images: Seeing Heaven on Earth.”
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann offered his congratulations to the winners and praised the work of the CFNEK and the CFAC.
Sacred art elevates the mind and soul, said the archbishop. Beauty has the capacity to draw people to God and think of things beyond this world. And artists can evangelize through their art, demonstrating through beauty that there is order and meaning in the cosmos.
Julie Flanagan, CFAC board member, created a special work of art through the use of fire after McNamara’s lecture. Her artwork became part of the exhibition.
