Arts & Faith
"In the beginning, God created,. . ." and we, in His image, are endowed with all manner of gifts, talents, and abilities, not the least of which are imagination and creative expression. At St. Michael's, we are seeking to discover ways to use language, performance, and visual arts to deepen our worship practices, nourish our spiritual growth, cultivate community, and re-frame how we experience connection to our Creator.
*Featured image: Elise Ritter, Blue Heavens Trio, alcohol inks and acrylics, 2018
Upcoming Installations: March 17-March 31
Reception and Artist Talk: March 17, 2019, 4:00 PM.
Communal Discussion and Engagement: March 24, 4:00 PM
Enhancing our Lenten contemplative
practices and Easter preparations is a selection of spiritually themed work by
contemporary artist Elise Ritter, an Arlington resident and the recipient of
more than a dozen awards.
Elise first took up her brushes in 2003, following a 20-year career in publishing and a second, 10-year career in clinical social work. Using primarily bold and rich acrylic paints, alcohol inks, and watercolors, Elise seeks to “capture a special moment” in or“ elicit an emotional or interactive reaction” to what she calls her “landscapes of memory” or “spiritual landscapes.” Her paintings reflect not only her love of “luminous, jewel-toned colors and the magical properties of light” but also the influences of stained glass windows in cathedrals, gold-accented Symbolist art from Vienna, and religious icons. They also reveal her “belief in the healing properties of beauty and creation, resulting in transcendence.”
A juried-in member of the regional organization Potomac Valley Watercolorists and of Arlington Artists Alliance , Elise most recently exhibited work in “Vienna Gold: Inspired by Klimt” at the National United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. Elise is represented by Masterpieces Art Gallery in Kerikeri, New Zealand.
To see more of Elise’s work, visit her website: www.eliserittergallery.com/
Elise Ritter, Celtic Gem, alcohol inks, 2017
Elise Ritter, Moon Dance, alcohol inks, 2016
