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| St John the Divine |
Artist Statement: St. John the Theologian is known in the west as St. John the Divine, or St. John the Evangelist. He was the author of the Gospel of St. John and the Book of the Revelation of St. John. bio: Iconographer Caroline Furlong has ventured in her art career from realistic to abstract styles, finally evolving into a liturgical artist and painter of icons. “I found that, for me, art doesn’t have to be a reproduction of something that can be photographed, but is more of a quest for the truth behind the object. I began looking for ways to express mystery -- not the ‘Agatha Christie’ kind, but the ineffable kind. I tried to find a visual language that would allow me to communicate that mystery," says Furlong. She turned to well known symbols that are widely understood in the Christian Church in an attempt to avoid creating completely subjective art. “Just as we use words that are well understood to tell a story, there is value in using and reinterpreting ancient pictorial symbols to communicate universal truth. Rather than limiting the artist, it fosters a living tradition that unfolds for each new generation, bridging past and future,” she says. |
