Carole Baker

This piece was completed as part of my masters thesis. The research leading to the piece explored the role images of Mary played in the development of the Church's christological doctrines. Though not a true icon in the canonical sense, the painting nods to the rich tradition of iconography said to have been initiated by St. Luke's icon of the Virgin Mary. The pierced hands in the womb of Mary point to the One whom she
carried marking the significance of her being the Theotokos or Bearer of God.

Carole's meditation, Mary, the Mother of God is also offered here online as a textual complement to her visual art.

Born in Nashville,TN Carole Baker was raised in a close-knit family of amateur artists. While working on her undergraduate degree in Religion she increasingly observed that the life of faith lacked depth if imagination and the arts were excluded. This became the main thread of interest while Carole continued her theological education eventually
leading her to seek permission to do a painting as part of her Masters thesis at Duke Divinity School. Having completed her Master of Theological Studies, Carole continues to pursue both art and theology and enjoys any opportunity to explore the fertile intersection of the two.

Carole Baker
Email: carole.baker@duke.edu

Parish: St. Philip's Episcopal, Durham, North Carolina