St. Benedict -Original Watercolor Painting
Saint Benedict of Nursia
A Year of Saints: Created as part of the A Year of Saints Collection. Learn more about this collection and the outlook that shaped my process HERE.
Details: An original painting, unframed, 4.5x5.5 inches, pencil outline layered in high quality watercolor pigments on cold-pressed (textured) paper. Artist's signature clearly visible in fine-tipped brown art pen.
Watercolor paintings develop layer by layer until the portrait comes into focus. This particular piece is simple, but robust and summery in its color and shading.
St. Benedict is the founder of monasticism as we know it today, and his rule of life has been a guide for many other great orders. I sought to praise him for this great contribution to Catholicism through this portrait. He clutches this rule in his right hand, facing outward for all to see, and simply points upwards with his left, indicating what this rule of life is ultimately for. His expression and hood indicate his love for silence and solitude in prayer. Even the halo that surounds him hints at the Benedictine cross.
Framing: I imagine this painting matted or floating over a mat in a neutral white or cream color to highlight the warm palette and best showcase the portrait. I'd set it in a frame that complements your home’s aesthetic, particularly in a dark wood or simple, thin metalic.
More information on how to best preserve and frame your artwork will come with your painting shippment. Please feel free to email me at rosalie.ardentdraws@gmail.com with any other questions!
