The goal for St. Charles’ was make the church feel more sacred and more inviting. The church had some nice Stations of the Cross and gothic-arched stained glass windows, but the walls were all white, and the sanctuary stark.

Fr. Justin had some ideas to begin with, so I photoshopped several options of colors and designs within his composition:

Fr. Justin and a committee (perhaps the parish council) gave their feedback, we did some adjustments and came up with a final design which could include the possibility of moving the tabernacle from the adoration chapel into the sanctuary:

The large gothic arch raises our eyes and minds to heaven and draws our attention to the sanctuary. The two side arches give better “homes” to the Our Lady of Guadalupe and crucifixion images and invite people to come up close within the space to pray with these images. The beige walls (slightly darker on the front than on the sides and back) add warmth around the nave and contrast to the white that remains on the sanctuary wall as a purposeful color of purity and holiness. Purple is the color of penitence and royalty. The pattern chosen for the center arch also suggests royalty, and so there is a fitting background which also provides contrast and drama to the statue of the risen Christ, Christ the King. The color of repentance also suits the patron of the church, St. Charles of Borromeo, one of the great saints of the counter-reformation. Patterning in subtle colors on two back walls (photo shown at end of post) suggests special prayer areas before the statues and surrounds the nave with beauty.

The committee created a thermometer-style poster with the proposed image and fundraising need based on my estimate. I drove out to St. Charles and gave a presentation that was open to all parishioners. I explained the purpose and importance of beautifying Catholic churches, showed before/after examples of other sanctuaries I’d painted, talked through the symbolism and reasoning of the proposed design, and answered questions. The parishioners were wonderful, and it didn’t take long before we were moving forward.

The technique I use for painting murals that are large and/or far off the ground is the same technique Michelangelo used. I draw the design out in advance at full size on butcher paper and poke holes along all of the drawn lines; when I’m on site, I measure carefully and tape up the paper, then chalk over all of the holes (using a cheesecloth “pounce” full of crushed chalk); I remove the paper and have a lovely dotted chalk line to follow.

The patterning inside the sanctuary arch was an exercise in patience to be sure, but one coupled with gratitude for all of the patience that God has for me and all of us.

After a weekend off, I was ready to paint more pattern on the back walls.

I very much appreciate Fr. Justin and the good people at St. Charles. It was a joy to spend 4.5 weeks with them!