ruah arts group

Have you heard of St. Ambrose Academy in Madison, Wisconsin? Madisonians in this Diocese know it’s the only 100% orthodox Catholic junior high and high school (although props to Edgewood HS for recent renewal), but it’s not just the alma mater of that whiz kid, Bobby Marsland, or the Madison area locus for uber-Catholic activities, it’s a place for well-rounded education.

That’s right. St. Ambrose Academy is working on their Renaissance factor, and last month their wish list ended with “Artwork & Sculptures for the environment.” This is St. Ambrose Academy, which is becoming more well known. If you’re an artist with mad gifts, and are looking to practice philanthropy and get a little press, too, I’d recommending contacting St. Ambrose. You will not lose your reward.

If you’re near the Chicago area, I urge you to attend this.

THE FOUNDATION FOR SACRED ARTS presents

A New Way of Seeing: understanding Christian art April 25th, 2009 10:00am – 3:00 pm at Saint John Cantius Parish 825 North Carpenter Street, Chicago, Illinois 60642 ________________________________

If you’re not watching news reruns of Archbishop Timothy Dolan’s installment Mass as the AB of the NY Diocese, you may be interested in this event at the Catholic Information Center tonight. Don’t worry, if you don’t live in the DC area, I heard they’re recording the talks. Contact the Sacred Arts Foundation or the Catholic Information center for more, um, information on the recordings.

“Is Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder?”

 by H. Reed Armstrong

Wednesday, April 15 at 7:00 pm

Catholic Information Center

 

Hamilton Reed Armstrongstudied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts with internationally recognized sculptors Carl Iluva, Walker Hancock, and Fredrick Shrady.  Mr. Armstrong is a professional sculptor who has done commissioned work in Spain, Italy, Germany, Africa, and the United States.  Much of his work was produced during an extended stay in Spain, where it was extolled by noted critics Raul Chavari and Cecilio Barbaran as a revitalization of the Spanish mystical tradition embodied in El Greco, among others.  Mr. Armstrong is presently the professor of Fine Arts at the International Catholic University, Notre Dame, Indiana; associate professor of Modern Languages at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia; and is the former director of the Magi Center for Sacred Art at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.  Recent commissions include the commemorative medal for the Victims of Communism Committee, Washington, D.C; a portrait bust of Pius X for the papal memorial chapel, Riese, Italy; and a portrait bust for John Paul II for The John Paul II Cultural Center, Washington, D.C.  He is presently working on a series of monumental sculptures for the Ave Maria School of Law, Ann Arbor, Michigan.  He has lectured on Cathoic art and symbolism worldwide and has contributed to such periodicals as Crisis Magazine, Latin Mass, Communio, and Culture Wars.  He has appeared on EWTN and has published numerous monographs on religion and art in both Spanish and English.  Mr. Armstrong lives with his wife, painter Roxalana Luczakowsky Armstrong, in Front Royal, Virginia, where he continues his professional work as a sculptor, lecturer, and writer.

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The Beauty that Saves: Art in the Life of the Church is The Foundation for Sacred Arts’ bi-weekly spring lecture series in five parts. With enlightening talks given by prominent Catholic artists and art historians, this series will demonstrate the manner in which beautiful Christian art is indispensable for catechizing the faithful, facilitating prayer, and inspiring conversion.

 

Lecture schedule:

April 1:  Art and the Liturgy ~ Fr. Giles Dimock, OP

April 15:  Is Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder? ~ H. Reed Armstrong

April 29:  St. Paulin Art: The Beauty of Holiness ~ Dr. Jem Sullivan

May 13:  Transcendent Beauty: The Importance of Catholic Architecture ~ Arthur Lohsen

May 27:  Hope in Suffering: How Baroque Art Made God Present on Earth ~ David Clayton

 

All talks will be held from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m at the Catholic Information Center, 1501 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005.

 

 A $10 donation is suggested.

 For more information, contact us at (202)898-1288 or rachelross@thesacredarts.org, or visit our website at www.thesacredarts.org/lecture.