Celebrating Our Community of Saints

Community of Saints: Exhibit Organization

This exhibition comprises the following sections, each of which corresponds to one of the sidebars to viewers' right. The individual sections noted below and their corresponding sidebars are hyperlinked for ease of access. Each of the sections also is accessible from the exhibition's main page.

Community of Saints: Curator's Statement

Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. ~ Matthew 5:16

How might we tell a story about our values and value?

The deeds and words of our saints, of our martyrs and mystics and philosophers, of our makers community, be they visual artists, poets, or writers, of our teachers and wise elders, of our congregants and our neighbors: these comprise those “great clouds of witnesses” in whom we might see ourselves, our hands inviting and open, our halos mostly askew, our mission to partner, collaborate, inspire, and serve.

Community of Saints: Rector's Statement

On the occasion of St. Michael's 75th anniversary, we have had the opportunity to reflect on those who have come before us, those who are here now, and those for whom we are working to build the kingdom.

Community of Saints: Artists' Statements

Dana Ellyn

In addition to my love of painting, I am also passionate about reading, cooking, eating, and exercising. My portrait of the Existentialist writer Jean-Paul Sartre came about after I read a biography of five extraordinary female painters of the 20th Century,“Ninth Street Women.” I learned that Existentialism appealed to the Abstract Expressionists who were creating in New York during the post-World War II era.

Community of Saints: Artworks

A selection of the artworks in "Celebrating Our Community of Saints" hangs in the parish hall gallery space at St. Michael's. Images of all the artworks, in addition to a selection that appears only online, are displayed below. The images are organized alphabetically by each artist's last name and alphabetically by portrait title.

Community of Saints: Artists' Biographical Information

Dana Ellyn

Dana Ellyn is an American contemporary artist known for her bold and thought-provoking paintings. She has been a Washington, D.C., resident since 1989 and a full-time painter since 2002, when she left her corporate job to pursue her passion as a painter. Her work often focuses on social and political issues, delivering powerful visual messages.

Community of Saints: Purchase Lists of Artworks

Exhibition viewers who wish to purchase an available artwork or obtain additional information about a piece should contact the artist directly to arrange payment or discuss availability as a print or a commission.

Community of Saints: Facts about Saints

Just a Few Facts

Saint Patrick was born in Britain, not in Ireland. He was captured by Irish pirates just before his 16th birthday and subsequently taken to the Emerald Isle, where he was sold as a slave to the Druid tribal chieftain Miliuc and became a herder. At 22, he escaped enslavement and, eventually making his way back to England, began studying for the priesthood.