Saints and Santos
(the back reads)
Patroness of Leon, reliever of all ills.
Protector of Leon against the plagues, storms,
and invasions during various wars and revolutions.
In modern times--patron saint of electricians.
Nuestra Senora De La Conseption Inmaculada
( The back reads)
The Virgin of the Dove
The Rose without Thorns
The Lily among Thorns
Symbolizing Purity
and Exemption from the sins of the world.
(This is one of the more popular Mexican Santos)
The Holy Child of Atocha
(The back reads)
The spirit of the lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to announce
the gospel to the poor;
I have been sent to proclaim freedom to the prisoners,
to give sight to the blind, to free the oppressed
and to proclaim a year of the Lords grace.
Luke 4.17-19
The child would bring water in the gourd
and bread in the basket and the water would not run out or the bread.
Periodically inspiration takes me on an unexpected adventure.
I’ve just completed a series of eight
Saint/Santos inspired works. Painted on
wood panels with specially designed wood stands,
there is a thought, color, or design on
every surface.
So many Saints and Santos to choose
from. I did a lot of research, looked at a variety
of pictures of the same character. I find as many artist do
that looking at the way other painters have characterized a subject
helps me to understand it--
which adds depth to my own interpretation.
I have a musician friend that does the same thing
before or while she is learning a new piece. She listens to
the composition played by a variety of performers.
I even read about a translator of poetry that said before he begins
especially if he is not that familiar with all the colouration's of that particular language
he will read other translations of the poem to get an overview.
After all my research I picked the ones that looked like they would be
fun to play with.
It was a fun journey.
Saints and Santos by Linda Carter Holman
Can be seen this month at Wilde Meyer Gallery in Tucson,AZ
See the gallery showing at