Black Madonna booklet, December 2020

The Gallery at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church Proudly Presents

BLACK MADONNA An exhibit by Lorie Lee Andrews

Come to St. Luke’s between now and Dec. 24 to experience the beautiful Black Madonna exhibit. The Gallery is located above the east end of the Gathering Area and is available whenever the church is open – Monday through Friday, 8:30AM-5PM. Enter door #6 and please wear a mask.

THE SHOW CALLED “BLACK MADONNAS” The show is called simply Black Madonnas. I spent much of my quarantine time painting and printing and reading about these beautiful women, and now they felt like sisters and friends to me.

We hung the artwork in the gallery on a Friday afternoon. The lighting looked perfect and every tag was in place. I left feeling joyfully exhausted and pleased with the way that the show looked and how the process had transpired.

The next time I entered the gallery, it was quiet and I was all alone. I had planned to photograph all of the pieces for a booklet that was being put together, and I just wanted to check out the show now that I had some time since being immersed in creating it. I stood silently and glanced around, realizing that I had unintentionally accomplished something important.

I was a white woman standing in a big area with all black faces looking back at me. I was the only white person in the room. Of course the fact that I had created these paintings did a lot to buffer any discomfort that I might have felt about viewing a collection of artwork in which none of the subjects “looked like me.” Nonetheless, I was still able to imagine a scenario that touched me deeply.

Imagine (if you are white) being black, and visiting a famous art museum such as The Louvre in Paris.

You walk from one giant and gloriously appointed hall to another, taking in one painting or sculpture after another. During the course of your visit, it is rare to see an image of a black person. If you do, it is often a slave or a servant in the background of a painting. I visited The Louvre last year and I felt like I was in heaven, but I wonder how my perception of that experience would have been altogether changed if I had come from a different frame of reference.

As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

– 2 Corinthians 4:18

All my life I’ve heard that before I judge someone I should walk a mile in his or her shoes. Recently I have heard how important it is for white people to expose themselves to the experience of being the only white person in a gathering. Many white people reading this will have had this experience already, but if you haven’t, it is something to consider. If you attend church at St. Luke’s, it may give you an appreciation for how your black friends here experience church life.

In any case, the art that is hanging in the gallery during November and December is a good way to practice!

Dear God, please help me to get out of my own head, so to speak, and allow myself to imagine what it would be to see the world through someone else’s eyes. I ask you to give me the courage and inclination to be welcoming of people who I don’t necessarily know or understand. Help me to make others at ease in a new situation and let me live so as to demonstrate the worth, dignity and beauty of all people. Amen

BEAUTIFUL MADONNA Mixed media on canvas board On a warm night in late June, I was curled up on the couch watching old movies and playing around with my paints. I stared at a canvas that I had used for a mixed-media demo for an Intuitive Painting course I had taught at the Art Center. It was so thick with paint and collage that I had contemplated throwing it out, but it dawned on me that the many layers of paint and paper combined to create a neutral backdrop.

Meanwhile, in the back of my mind I heard the words “Black Madonna” because I had recently finished reading Sue Monk Kidd’s book,The Secret Life of Bees. In the story, the characters, who are beekeepers, sell honey under their brand name, Black Madonna Honey. The image of a Black Madonna used on the jars plays a key element in the story.

My mind wandered away from the canvas for a moment, and I found myself scanning Facebook for a peek at the latest news. Suddenly a picture popped up on my phone screen and I was mesmerized.

It was a picture of my friend’s sister (also my friend!) looking up toward the ceiling with the simple post “Feeling Myself Today.” She looked so fresh and beautiful it took my breath away. Did I mention that she is black? I began to paint.

I wasn’t painting a portrait of her with the intention of creating a perfect pictorial record of how she looked. I just let the brush do the work of creating my impression of her and her little girl. I thought about the kindness and integrity that I experienced in her presence whenever we’d been together, not to mention creativity and determination. Above all, I knew that she was powerfully devoted to her young daughter. The emotions that these thoughts created within me caused me to manifest the first in this series of my own Black Madonnas.

I now know that it is my goal through this artwork to contribute to the cause of racial justice by representing the value and divinity of black women. What better way to do this than by portraying them as Madonnas.

As I now consider the connection that I believe each human being has to their creator, I am aware that there is divinity residing in each one of us. This artwork is my way of sharing that belief and building up members of the black community who deserve to be seen as the beloved children of God who they are.

Dear God, please help me to embrace the divinity and value in every human being I see. I ask that I may follow the example of Christ by loving others just the way that you love every person. May we be inspired by you to lift up and support the members of the black community and to envision them as the glorious people they are. Amen

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:11

MY OWN LADY OF GUADELOUPE Mixed media on canvas board When I was in New Mexico years ago I fell in love with the iconic Madonna, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

As the beloved Patron Saint and national symbol of Mexico, there are images of her everywhere in the Southwest. Some are beautiful, museum quality renditions, while others are plastic, glow-in-the-dark tchachkes found in the gift shops and drug stores beside post cards and chewing gum. I love them all!

This icon stirs feelings of warmth and devotion in me, and that is what comes to mind when I see her.

As a result, I did my own version of Our Lady of Guadeloupe very early on in this journey. Like the first Madonna, she was painted on a mixed media foundation with colorful layers of paint and collage. I used lots of metallic paint because I wanted her to have a “bling-y” vibe. She is bright, attractive, fun, yet full of grace. She is someone I’d like to hang out with!

I always thought of Our Lady of Guadeloupe as a Spanish goddess, so imagine my delight with relation to this project when, weeks after I’d finished this painting, my research showed me that she is one of three famous Black Madonnas in Spain! The Virgin of Guadeloupe that Mexico’s Guadeloupe is named for was carved hundreds of years earlier after the description of Mary in the Song of Solomon. She is one of over five hundred Black Madonnas who are located throughout Europe.

The daughters of Jerusalem, I am dark and lovely like the tents of Kendra, like the curtains of Solomon.

– Song of Solomon 1:5

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I encourage you to “google” the term “Black Madonna” to see an almost overwhelming selection of articles and information about the significance of the Black Madonnas in the realm of religious art.

You’ll also see modern artists who have presented recent shows of their work based on the theme of Black Madonna such as the artist Theaster Gates. He had a provocative exhibit in 2018 called Black Madonnas as a way of celebrating the strong black women who he grew up around.

When I began this series of Black Madonnas, I had no idea how many people had been on this path before me and how much they had to teach me. What started as my desire to express the beauty and dignity of black women has turned into something bigger, and I can’t help but feel that it is still growing.

Dear God, I thank you for the experience of enthusiasm, curiosity and passion that comes with delving into a creative project such as this. Help me use the knowledge and understanding that I gather to become a more open minded and empathetic person. May I always be inspired to learn more about this world, the people in it, and especially about you. Amen

MARY BEING MARY Acrylic on board I am truly fascinated by art history. Among other things, I love learning the stories behind the paintings and all about the symbolism that is found in religious art from ancient to modern.

The piece I call Mary Being Mary is a crash course in some of the iconic symbolism that artists have historically used to represent the virgin Mary. Red roses and white lilies are flowers associated with her, since red represented the crucifixion of Christ, and white represented purity and innocence. Mary is usually seen clothed in blue, even though chances are that the “real” Mary would never have worn blue. Mary was a poor woman, and the ingredients needed to dye a fabric blue would have been very expensive. Nonetheless, she is depicted over and over again wearing blue to represent her loyalty and devotion to Christ and the church. The sun, a crescent moon and the twelve stars in her crown are other avatars that represent The Madonna.

In a time long ago when many people were illiterate and there were limited ways to tell a story in 2D, symbols and avatars played an important role in helping people to understand what they were looking at. When we use these symbols today, it is for the sake of tradition and sentiment. It’s a way of connecting to the story of a beloved young woman who lived long ago. Because she has been robed in glorious and holy garments for hundreds of years, we forget that she was also poor, and from a glance, ordinary.

My purpose for painting this image of The Madonna was purely to have fun, the way I did when I was dressing up my Barbie dolls as a child. I wanted this piece to be joyful, beautiful and sparkly! I wanted it to shine and I wanted all who would view it to see that Mary is anything but ordinary. She is an outward and shining expression of inner glory and beauty. This view of every woman I’ve ever met is available to me if I only take advantage of the opportunity to see it.

Dear God, please be a constant reminder to me to observe what is special about everyone I come into contact with. I see oceans of people in this world and they all can have a tendency to blend together like molecules of water until I see them as a single body. Help me to find ways to make time and opportunity to know individual people on a deeper level, and to understand what makes them unique and blessed. Amen

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

– Revelation 12:1

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MADONNA OF JOY Mixed media on canvas board This is one of my favorite pieces in this show only because I had so much fun making it. It is a purely intuitive painting created to express the joy and beauty I experience in my friendships with other women. When I picked up the paintbrush to create this piece, I vowed that we would become friends as the work evolved. To me she represents fun, spontaneity, love, support, safety and joy.

My journey to embrace an ongoing interest in the ideals of racial justice has been heightened by my friendships with blacks. Growing up I attended all white schools and lived in all white communities.

I could understand the theory of anti-racism, but it was not a priority for me because I rarely actually interacted with black people. I had no basis of comparison with which to understand the white privilege I enjoyed.

It was through true and deep friendships with black women, that I enjoyed as an adult, that my heart and mind began to open to new pathways of understanding. When I truly care about someone, the idea of that person feeling afraid or disrespected hurts me. It’s through that pain that I gain a lens into a world of experiences I couldn’t possibly understand otherwise. I can’t be black, so there are aspects of the black experience I can’t know about except by loving someone who is black.

May the God of all hope fill you with all peace and joy in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound with hope.

– Romans 15:13

Incidentally, I find it easier to learn more about the ways that my white privilege can impact others when I choose to love and embrace myself in spite of it. While it is very important to acknowledge that I am privileged, I will not beat myself up for being white or being privileged. I didn’t chose either of those things and I am what I am. Instead I choose to work for a world where ALL are safe and privileged and to use the advantages I have to that end. I choose to create joy whenever I am able.

That is what the Madonna of Joy represents for me.

Dear God, help me overcome any fear I may feel of people who are different than I am in order to make connections with all of your children. Help us to understand and accept each other in order to achieve the safety and unity we seek for everyone on this planet. And let this work begin by enabling me to overcome self-judgement in my quest to love myself. Amen

DIVINE MOTHER Mixed media on canvas board Mary has been given many “nicknames” by her followers. We know her as the Virgin Mary, the Madonna, Mother of God, Divine Mother, among many other titles. I called this painting Divine Mother because I wanted to focus on the maternal aspects of the Madonna. Her child was considered “divine”, but I think she was divine, too!

What is a Madonna? We know that the word is Italian for “My Lady”. The dictionary defines “Madonna” this way: Ma·don·na (noun) The Virgin Mary • a picture, sculpture or medallion of the Madonna, typically depicted seated and holding the infant Jesus.

• an idealized, virtuous and beautiful woman.

When I think of a Madonna, I think of a woman who is modeled after the mother of Jesus. She is strong, used to facing daunting tasks on a daily basis. She cares for the physical needs of her children and others. Her gentle and loving ways help to spread joy, even during difficult times. She is an example of compassion and peace, and that is what I experience when I am with her. Her soft spoken ways put me at ease, and I feel that she is concerned with the wellbeing of others. That concern contributes to her overall loveliness.

As I painted this image, I thought of black women I have known and how they made me feel. I concentrated on the way they loved and cared for their children, families and friends. The message behind this piece is very simple, really. There are Black Madonnas in chapels throughout the world, and there are Black Madonnas living today in our midst. They are, as the verse says, clothed in strength and dignity, and they bring joy to those they love.

Dear God, we ask for your help always to be the kinds of people you have called us here to be, in order to do your work in this world. Guide us not only to be people who live up to your descriptions of good men and women, but also to notice and acknowledge when those around us are accomplishing this goal. Help us to uplift one another by treating everyone we encounter as people of dignity and worth. Amen

She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

– Proverbs 31:25

THE BLACK VIRGIN OF ROCAMADOUR Mixed media

OVER THE GODDESS Mixed media with etching The first two paintings that hang in the show immediately as one enters the gallery are tiny but special to me. One is my rendition of the Black Virgin of Rocamadour, a small statue in France that is hundreds of years old that author Sue Monk Kidd wrote about in the book, Traveling with Pomegranates. This Madonna provided focus and inspiration for the author, and eventually for me as well.

The other is called Over the Goddess. There are over five hundred Black Madonnas throughout Europe alone, and scholars believe they take their roots from dark-skinned, pre-Christian goddesses who had African, Eastern and Mediterranean origins and had been worshipped for many hundreds of years. When the early church came to install Christian iconography, worshipers didn’t want to give up their goddesses. In many cases they would just plop a Mary right over a goddess, or even just rename her “Mary.”

The notion of putting a Madonna over a goddess was so intriguing to me and it kept bouncing around in my head. Then one night in the studio, my eyes landed on a piece I had been working on for years. It featured an etching I had done of the Buddhist goddess, Tara, in the midst of other collaged paper items and many layers of paint. I had never been able to get this piece to a place where I was really happy with it, but suddenly the idea of putting Mary on top of the goddess seemed to be the answer!

In the centuries since Christianity emerged as a world religion, Mary, the Virgin, the Madonna, has transformed continuously. Artists of various cultures have created her imagery to mirror their own races and styles. It’s easier to worship, love and find comfort in someone who is a version of the familiar.

As one whom his mother comforts, so I shall comfort you.

– Proverbs 22:6

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Dear God, please help us to expand our version of what it means to be a member of our “inner circle”. It is easy to be drawn to people who look like me, and it feels effortless to stay in my social comfort zone, but so many rewards are waiting to be found in discovering the love and comfort available to us from people whose ways are less familiar to us. Help me to be open to receiving and providing comfort and friendship to people who are different than I am. Amen 1.) Traveling With Pomegranates: A Mother and Daughter Journey to the Sacred Places of Greece, Turkey, and France, by Kidd, Sue Monk and Taylor, Ann Kidd, Penguin Books, USA, 2010

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT Mixed media on board Earlier in the fall I was reading about Black Madonnas when I came upon a charming website called The Flower Essence Society. It paired female archetypes with flowers that had matching attributes.

As you may have guessed from my painting, the Black-eyed Susan was paired with the archetype of the Black Madonna. This is because, according to this website, they both promote healing and transformation by encouraging us to examine our inner pain and trauma, or, as they called it, our shadow sides. The idea is to bring the source of our pain out of the darkness and into the light.

Whether you’re a Flower Essence fan or not, you may agree with me and with what the website says, that one of the best ways to heal is to look inside ourselves and evaluate with honesty what we want to transform. This may be difficult and painful, but it’s ultimately worth the cost. We can’t change what we don’t (or won’t) see.

In the work of anti-racism, it is essential to look within ourselves and to be willing to be transformed. This requires some discomfort, and the courage to acknowledge aspects of who we are that we might not feel great about admitting. Ultimately, having the courage to identify events and behavior from our past that we can choose to obliterate can help create a more loving and compassionate life for ourselves and others. I personally believe that God walks with us through work like this, loving us unconditionally regardless of what we discover about ourselves, and showing us that past mistakes can’t keep us from being the best versions of ourselves.

Dear God, give me the courage to look inside myself and see what I need to change in order to be a more compassionate and caring person. Help me to discern which aspects of my inner self may prevent me from being the person who can best serve you in this world. Amen

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you will discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

– 2 Corinthians 5:17

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THE ANNUNCIATION Mixed media on canvas board The piece I have called The Annunciation shows an image of Mary as I think she would look in 2020, discovering she’ll give birth. Considering the state of our world, political unrest, pandemic, a faltering economy to name just a few of our problems, I could imagine this unmarried young woman being very concerned about bringing a child into the world. We know the world that Jesus was actually born into was at least as scary as the one that we’re experiencing today. It helps me empathize with the powerful emotions Mary must have been feeling when I see her as a woman in modern times.

However, just as I was finishing this painting, I had a sensation that many artists experience. I was flooded with self doubt and worried that the concept of showing sweet Mary, the Virgin, the Madonna, holding a positive pregnancy test, might be construed as comical or disrespectful. I asked a trusted friend for her opinion of the image, and I loved the response she gave me.

She said “How many women have held one of these in their hands, and felt all of the emotions that Mary, an unmarried teenager, felt when she learned she was pregnant? When you think about it, Mary did kind of have the most elaborate pregnancy notification and gender reveal with the whole angel thing.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

– Luke 1:29

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While I obviously giggled about the “gender reveal” line, I also teared up because I still remember holding a pregnancy test in my hand. All these years later I can still remember feeling overwhelmed with joy, fear, excitement, anxiety, and almost every emotion on the spectrum. These overlapping emotions of pregnancy and motherhood remain one of my most cherished bonds with God, and as a result, Mary’s story is one that will always resonate with me.

Dear God, help me always to be a support to other women of all backgrounds. Help me to overcome the temptation to judge who should be a parent based on socio-economic factors, knowing that the Christ Child grew up without privilege or advantages. Help me to make consistent contributions to help create a community where all children can feel safe and valued, and all parents feel supported in their quest to raise healthy, successful adults. Amen

HOMUNCULUS Mixed media on board Your art history word for the Day is “Homunculus.”

A homunculus is a diminutive, fully formed human. In art history the term refers to the way artists in medieval times portrayed Jesus on Mary’s lap as being the size of a baby but with the proportions and features of a grown man. This was done to convey the understanding that even as an infant, Jesus, being the Son of God, was a source of great wisdom and holiness. And, though he was safe and sound in his mother’s lap, he was also the one who would one day die on the cross. This is why he is so often portrayed wearing red, the color that symbolizes the crucifixion.

In this painting of Mary and Jesus, I painted the baby with the proportions and style of dress of a young man, and his shoes are red because, like the Jesus of medieval times, his mother must fear the possibility of violence in his future.

In one of the sessions of the discussion group called The Next Question, led by Betty Brandt, we talked about the mass incarceration of African-Americans in the United States. The US has the highest prison population in the world, and currently one in three African-American men will be jailed in state or federal prison in their lifetimes.

When my sons were born, it was not unrealistic for me to dream of who they would become and imagine bright futures for them. If my sons had been black, those dreams would have been crowded out by fears for what their futures might hold based on statistics. All mothers worry about their children’s safety, but how much more intense this is for black women who need to instruct their children of how to behave with the police as well as strangers and bullies.

I know that the world will become better for all when it becomes better for one or for some. What can I do to help make this a safer world with opportunities for all children, and especially for black boys, like this Jesus, who enter the world as pure potential deserving all good things as all children do?

Dear God, please open our eyes to the amazing potential that all of our children possess when they enter the world. Help us work as a country and a community to provide inspiration and understanding to all children and their families to sustain their hopes for a bright future. God, guide us to find ways to shift our beliefs and our methods for maintaining justice and peace in this country so that all mothers can dream of happy and healthy lives of dignity and purpose for their children. Amen

The wolf shall lie down with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fatted calf together; and a little child shall lead them.

– Isaiah 11:6

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IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY Mixed media on canvas board When I was a teenager, my family belonged to the Presbyterian church, which we attended on Christmas and Easter and several other Sundays during the year depending on what was going on in our house. However, most of my girlfriends were Catholic, so I went to Mass two or three times a month. We had sleepovers almost every weekend, so if I woke up at a Catholic friend’s house, I borrowed a dress and we went to Mass.

As a teenager I was extremely enamored with the mystery, beauty and tradition of Catholicism. I loved their treatment of the Madonna. The only time we saw Mary at my church was in the nativity scene at Christmas. She was everywhere in the Catholic churches, with a cache of symbolic avatars and a holy wardrobe to fit a queen!

And Mary said,”My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

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– Luke 11:27

The painting called Immaculate Heart of Mary was painted in honor of the tradition of worshiping Mary with enthusiasm and representing her as a beautiful deity. The images of the Sacred Heart of Christ or the Immaculate Heart of Mary are symbolic of compassion and love for humanity. I embrace any symbolism that is reflective of loving humanity, and that is what guided the creation of this painting.

The Catholic church and the artists of the Renaissance are largely responsible for the way many of us envision the Madonna in our mind’s eye. I cherish the history and imagery that has been and continues to be the journey of the Madonna in our culture. I also know that I have the right, as artists always have, to see her in new and different ways in order to relate more closely to her spirit and to experience the wonder of the Madonna in my own life. I see her here with the traditional accessories she has gathered through the ages, including her immaculate heart, able to step into a moment in history when black women are asserting their power and asking for their voices to be heard.

Dear God, the Madonna will always be a model of grace, courage, and virtuous womanhood for all who are familiar with her. Help me to be open minded about her appearance in order to experience her attributes in women, and even men, everywhere. Thank you for the blessing of having examples to live up to so that we can use the gifts you have given us to be the best servants we can be. Amen

BRAVE ANGEL Copperplate etching with watercolor Sometimes an artistic medium serves as a perfect metaphor. This etching with watercolor is a perfect example.

I originally drew this image and etched it about four years ago. I love to do etchings in black and white and then color into them with watercolor. In the first of these prints, I made the angel with purple hair and pinkish, peachy skin. This was such a fun piece to work on.

During quarantine I took a stab at cleaning and reorganizing the room where I keep lots of my art supplies and prints. I found the last of only four copies I ever made of this print before the plate got damaged and I couldn’t print any more of them. I’d forgotten that the black and white version of this print even existed, and I was excited to paint it.

What was even more exciting was discovering that the hair and features of this character didn’t have to read as Caucasian. As I washed over her face with a brush full of brown paint, her nose and lips made sense in context with her new, brown skin. She was as pretty as ever, yet reimagined, and the name Brave Angel took on new meaning.

Reimagining is exactly the work that must take place in order to take on the work of anti-racism. We need to be able to see things we think we know in new and different ways. If I hadn’t been able to free myself of the original version of this print, with its pink skin and purple hair, I would never have been able to present to you the piece as it hangs here today. We need to release our version of how we think the world should look in order to embrace and love the way it DOES look.

Dear God, please help me to relinquish old ways of looking at things when they make no sense anymore.

When the old beliefs of some of my friends and family members go against the love that I know you have put in my heart, give me the courage and wisdom to speak my truth in ways that demonstrate compassion and respect for all people. Let peace begin with me. Amen

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

– Colossians 3:2

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MOTHER NATURE Copperplate etching with watercolor This is another example of a copper plate etching that I actually created a few years ago for a solo show I did about the environment. I always wanted her features to read as black or biracial, although if I recall correctly I think in the original her hair was green! I printed a new copy and painted it to be part of this show just recently. I love to make etchings and paint them, and Mother Nature is an image that is very near and dear to me.

It may seem strange to some people to consider the persona of Mother Nature to represent a Madonna, but for those of us who thrive in a natural setting, it isn’t much of a stretch. A blurb in Wikipedia says that Mother Nature is “the personification of nature that focuses on the life-giving and nurturing aspects of nature by embodying it, in the form of a mother.”

The archetype of Mother Nature is a gracious and powerful Madonna, constantly using her Godgiven powers to heal and reclaim the assaults that mankind inflicts on this planet, all the while working miracles to continually beautify and reproduce living things in every wild corner she can find.

She is forgiving and maternal, working constantly for the greater good, and regardless of how humble she may be, the results of her efforts are always beautiful.

Mother Nature is the definition of a Madonna in my opinion! Now, if we could only stop ignoring and destroying her miracles in the name of financial gain and convenience, wouldn’t that honor God?

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

– Psalms 96:11-12

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Dear God, please forgive us for the ways that we ignore the incredible blessings you have given us on this planet. Every sunset I rush by without noticing, and every wasteful act that impacts the future of this planet is like neglecting to write a thank you note for a beautiful gift from you. Show me ways to nurture this world, and remind me to express my gratitude for its wonders. Amen

HOLY FAMILY Mixed media on canvas board New families are so precious. When I see new parents out together fussing over that little bundle of joy, it just warms my heart. And yet, I can’t help remembering how daunting the task of parenting that firstborn child was. When he cried for unexplainable reasons or refused to sleep, it caused so much stress in our little home.

The truth is, with so many sources of stress in our lives, it can be difficult for even the most wellintentioned parents to provide the secure home they wish they could for their children. The United States has the highest percentage of single parent households of any country in the world. Thirtyfour percent of children in our country live with just one parent. Only 38% of black children live in a two parent household. We know there are as many different scenarios for any family situation as there are families, but it is also true that single parent households are associated with many realities that create deficits for the children growing up in them, such as food insecurity.

Sometimes affluent people scoff at those who use food stamps or SNAP benefits to feed their families. If my children were hungry I would do anything I could to make sure they were fed. It isn’t as simple as expecting young parents to work harder, since the cost of childcare combined with low wages set even hard working people up for almost insurmountable challenges. Even a poor Madonna would have asked for help if her children were hungry.

I know that this country will be a better place for my family and me to live in when it is a better place for all people to live in. If I want to live in a peaceful country, I need to live with people who are at peace. How can I, one person, help to uplift so many who are hurting and in need? What can I do to support sweet little families like the one in the picture that I painted?

Dear God, help me to know how best to lift others up. Please whisper NO in my ear when I am tempted to judge someone else over their choices or station in life. Guide me to know the best ways to share my own resources so that they do the most good in this world, and let me be a channel of your love to make this a more caring and compassionate planet. Amen

Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.

– Mark 10:9

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.

– Psalm 133:1

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QUEEN OF THE COAST Mixed media on canvas On the first Friday of every month, art venues throughout Indianapolis open up and visitors can make their way through their galleries and see the studios of the artists who work there. Even during COVID, with precautions in place, these are festive evenings with lots of curiosity and exciting conversation.

A few months ago, a very handsome and well-dressed man from Nigeria entered my studio and began browsing around. My painting called My Own Lady of Guadeloupe caught his eye and he rushed across the room to examine it.

“Is this Mami Wata?” he asked with a hushed intensity in his voice. After I told him the story behind the Madonna he was gazing at, I needed to know about the goddess he was hoping to see.

He told me that where he was from they honored and prayed to this Queen of the Coast for safety and protection. She was obviously an important part of his culture. I even asked him to write down her name so that I could look her up later, which I did. We had a lovely conversation and he assured me he would be back to my studio sometime in the future.

As it turns out, Mami Wata is a pretty flexible goddess, being known throughout much of Africa and South America. She is honored by various religious traditions, including Folk Catholicism and, of all things, Voodoo. Her avatars are pearls, gold, diamonds and snakes.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

– Psalm 27:1

I have always been taught to be afraid of the likes of Voodoo and snakes, and therefore this piece almost didn’t get painted. However, in the end it was an image I felt called to create in honor of the lovely conversation I had with a stranger and also in reference to all of the black goddesses who would later be re-released as Madonnas throughout the world. I felt called to paint a piece that would demonstrate that I didn’t have to be afraid to learn about another person’s culture, and that I could allow my curiosity and creativity to have some fun without being converted into another religion.

Several people have told me that the Queen of the Coast is their favorite piece in the show, and as for me, it was certainly lots of fun to make! It will always represent a lovely memory of a special conversation with someone I didn’t think I had much in common with.

Dear God, please give me the courage to be open to meeting new people who are very different from me and learning about their cultures and ways. Remind me to hold the traditions of other people in a place of respect and dignity, knowing that just because my ways are the most comfortable for me doesn’t mean they are the best fit for everyone else. Thank you for the gift of a diverse world and for the curiosity and wisdom to explore it. Amen

IN A QUIET MOMENT Mixed media The piece I call In A Quiet Moment is a celebration of women everywhere who are wise enough to overcome their worries in order to pay attention in the present moment to their blessings and joys.

Especially during the Christmas season, I cherish the women in my life who not only orchestrate the holiday by shopping, wrapping, decorating and cooking, but also pay attention, take pictures and record the memories. They are the same women who worry and care about their families and take time to express their love in tangible ways.

Many master artists of the past created versions of Rest on the Flight Into Egypt in which Joseph is looking for firewood or food from a date tree while Mary cares for the infant Jesus. Many renditions of this theme show Joseph in a deep sleep, though Mary is almost always awake and caring for her child.

When I think back to the years when my children were babies, I still remember the times we spent snuggling. I worked outside my home, and after my work day was over, I did laundry, cooked and kept the house cleaned up. Sometimes those tender moments of affection seemed almost stolen, so I am truly glad for the times that I “let things go” in order to spend time cuddling, singing to or reading stories to my babies who were nestled in my arms.

In my own version of Rest, I imagine Mary holding Jesus close as she and Joseph traveled, constantly concerned for their child’s safety. In spite of her fear and the hardship of the rugged travel with a newborn, she is snuggling him, smelling and nuzzling his soft baby skin and admiring the beauty of her blessed child!

Dear God, during these difficult days, give me the strength and the wisdom to observe what is precious and blessed on even my most difficult days. Remind me, no matter how busy I ever am, to express the love I feel for the family and friends who I cherish. Thank you for the ability to relive these treasures from my life by reflecting on the memories I have from times gone by. Amen

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

– Luke 2:19

THE ANGELS SURROUND YOU Mixed media on canvas board

ANGEL OF THE HEART Mixed media Four different images of angels surround the painting called The Annunciation in the gallery. It was only after I had decided to hang them this way that it occurred to me what each of the pieces had in common.

Unlike almost all of the other paintings in this display, I didn’t originally create these four pieces with the Black Madonna show in mind at all. In fact, at least two of them were just experiments; I was just goofing around with some leftover scraps and supplies.

The piece called Angel of the Heart, for example, was the result of a studio clean out day. I stumbled on the wooden cut-out heart and the feathers, and instead of putting them in the Goodwill box, I glued them to a piece of masonite I found in a pile on a shelf. I painted the whole thing with gesso and put it in a box to dry. When I stumbled upon the heart with wings in that box a few years later, I’d almost forgotten where it came from. The fact that I found it just in time for this show is what I call a “happy accident!”

I think that planning an exhibit like this is a perfect metaphor for the way events in our lives fall into place. In the beginning, I have a theme in mind and I collect ideas for work that will support that theme. Sometimes I’m disappointed. If a piece I create doesn’t turn out the way I want it to, or doesn’t look just right in the gallery space with the others, I feel defeated. l realize this is all a risk and I’m not in total control.

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” – Matthew 1:23

On the other hand, I also have moments of good fortune and serendipity. I find half finished works of art that work perfectly with my theme. In the end, the disappointments melt away, and what is left is hanging on the wall.

When the happy accidents outnumber the disappointments, I can’t help but feel grateful and guided.

Not that I don’t learn as much or more from my mistakes, but when things work out, it feels as if I may be surrounded by angels on my journey. It’s a daunting world, so that’s a good way to feel from time to time.

Dear God, we know that you are always with us, through the smooth and difficult parts of our life’s journeys. Today we thank you especially for the moments when your presence is especially evident. We thank you for lucky breaks, happy accidents and keys that are right where we look for them.

We thank you for the people in our lives who buffer our disappointments and confirm our purpose when we feel ineffective and exhausted. We are surrounded by angels, and we have gracious Madonnas to look up to and emulate. Even in a year like 2020, you have packaged sadness and frustration in layers of natural miracles, joyful moments and loving encouragement for us to enjoy when we’re wise enough to appreciate it. Remind us that things don’t have to go as we planned in order to be absolutely perfect. Amen

ARTIST’S STATEMENT The artwork in this show is the result of a convergence of several powerful sources of inspiration.

In the Summer of 2020, at the urging of one of my best friends, I read the book I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown. I began recommending it to anyone who would listen, because I was overwhelmed by how much one book could impact my world view. Soon after I learned from the same friend that Betty Brandt would be leading an online discussion group called The Next Question which would complement what I had learned from reading this book. Videos featuring the author and other panel members combined with small group discussions boosted my growing awareness of racial justice issues in our country, and I found myself feeling a growing responsibility to speak out about what I knew.

At the same time I was indulging my love of reading by pouring over the works of one of my favorite authors. I had first fallen in love with Sue Monk Kidd’s writing style and voice many years ago when I was a young mother and I would read the devotions she wrote for Daily Guideposts. Her work always resonated with me and I embraced the honesty and vulnerability with which she shared details of her life. Later she would write novels and memoirs that changed my life. During the course of this summer I read or reread virtually everything that she had published over the past twenty years. After reading Traveling with Pomegranates, a memoir she wrote with her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor, and rereading The Secret Life of Bees, I became obsessed with the theme of Black Madonnas which were important to both books.

Combine theses two influences with the events of the Summer of 2020, including the death of George Floyd and the rise of the voices of the Black Lives Matter movement, and a perfect, creative storm burst within me. I didn’t feel I should attend the protests because of my risk for COVID, but I prayed for friends and acquaintances who headed downtown to let their voices be heard. I knew that I wanted to express my feelings and support for those who were taking a stand for justice for their families and communities.

Against the confusing backdrop of looters and rioters and the divisiveness of our political positions, not to mention the COVID-19 pandemic and the havoc it has reaped on our health, economy and personal lives, I felt gripped by depression. As I prayed to God, I asked, “What can I do?”

The answer was quick, and familiar to me. Whenever I am overwhelmed, confused, depressed or just trying to simplify and understand what is happening around me, the answer is always the same. Make Art! The work in this show is my response to God’s advice, and each piece was created by releasing control to The Creator of All.

Lorie Lee Andrews is an artist, illustrator, writer and educator. She taught for many years at St. Luke’s Early Childhood Program and was at one time St. Luke’s Director of Children’s Ministry. These days her studio is in the Harrison Center near downtown Indianapolis. She is a member artist at Art in Hand in Zionsville, and she teaches at the Indianapolis Art Center. Lorie Lee and her husband, Jim, have three grown sons.