by Amy Reinhardt
Special to The Leaven
EASTON — Two new murals are on display at St. Lawrence Church here, thanks to a professor at Benedictine College in Atchison.
James Patrick Reid has taught drawing and painting at the Catholic liberal arts university for two years.
Before coming to Kansas, Reid spent decades in New York City, teaching and lecturing about art at notable institutions like the Parsons School of Design, the Fashion Institute of Technology and others.
After spending most of his life on the East Coast, it was Benedictine College that drew him away from the Big Apple.
Benedictine was one of numerous universities where Reid had accepted an invitation to lecture. He was impressed with the college, especially the strength of the Catholic faith.
“Since I specialize in the intersection of art with theology and spirituality, as well as Catholic philosophy, I found it would be an ideal place for me to teach,” said Reid.
In Reid’s opinion, when the interrelations of lines, shapes, colors, space and light are working together in a piece of art, it points to the truths of the Catholic faith.
As with most passions, the Benedictine professor’s interest with art stems back to his childhood.
“As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved to draw and paint,” he said.
Even in elementary school, Reid was fascinated by the work of the Old Masters.
He read a great deal about the artists from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, and noticed how much of the work involved religious themes.
This led to reading the Bible and the lives of the saints, to better understand what was being depicted in the paintings he admired.
“When I was a freshman in high school, I experienced a spiritual awakening, which came about largely because of my interest in art,” he said.
Reid was looking at a painting entitled, “The Light of the World” by William Holman Hunt, an English painter from the 19th century.
It prompted him to read the passage where Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me” (Rv 3:20).
“When I read that, I had an experience that brought me much deeper into the spiritual life,” said Reid. “I thought, ‘If God used art to call me into a deeper relationship, perhaps he could use the talent he’s given me to reach others.’”
That is what Reid has done with his art ever since: put it at God’s disposal.
And God brought him abundant opportunities, including a phone call from Father Bill McEvoy, pastor of St. Lawrence Church.
The church, built in 1917, was due for a renovation. There was talk of creating murals during the renovation meetings.
One of the church council members, who worked at Benedictine, recommended the work of Reid.
“When I saw his religious pieces, I was deeply impressed,” said Father McEvoy. “Faith comes through every stroke of his paintbrush. It doesn’t just look beautiful; it touches your soul.”
Reid came to Easton to meet with Father McEvoy and explore the space where the murals would be. He considered the church’s color scheme, architecture and furnishings as he drew his first sketches.
“When you meet him, the first thing you notice is how prayerful and quiet he is — but he is soaking everything in,” Father McEvoy said. “It’s like he’s having a conversation with the space and St. Lawrence himself.”
Father McEvoy already knew he wanted two murals of St. Lawrence: One would show the saint giving alms to the poor and the other would display his martyrdom on a gridiron.
Reid started the full-scale murals in July in a rented studio space in downtown Atchison.
It was a “particular grace of inspiration,” he said, that he was able to finish the pieces so quickly. He completed the 9-foot-tall canvases in less than two months, let them dry and transported them to Easton in October.
The pieces hit the mark, to say the least.
“I am very satisfied with his work,” said Father McEvoy. “They’re masterpieces, and I can’t wait to bring our religious education students in and use the murals to tell the story of our patron, St. Lawrence.”
To view more of Reid’s work, visit the website at: www.jamespatrickreid.com and www.sacredpaintings.org.
