Dear lovers of all that is beautiful,
I hope this very first newsletter of mine here on The Painter’s Gaze finds you well and that you have been enjoying your summer thus far. It has been a busy time in the studio recently and I would like to share with you some recent developments.
My Collaboration with The Culturist
As many of you are surely aware, I am currently collaborating with The Culturist on an exciting project: Through a series of articles we are documenting the creation of a painting of Saint Catherine of Siena, an extraordinary saint and mystic that carries deep importance in my own life as well as in those of some of the folks over at The Culturist. If you would like to keep a close eye on this project, follow me on Instagram and subscribe both to The Painter’s Gaze as well as to The Culturist on Substack. There is still lots more to come, which I cannot reveal yet, but suffice to say, it will be glorious.
If you would like to read the first article on my work from The Culturist, you can do so right here. I will also write in more depth about this painting and Saint Catherine over the months to come, so stay tuned.
My Paintings in The Basilica di Santa Maria Novella
A few months ago I had the immense honour of exhibiting two of my paintings, Christ Carrying The Cross and The Prayer of The Holy Virgin Mary, inside the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence. Seeing my humble artworks in the same space as timeless masterworks by Vasari, Masaccio, Giotto, Brunelleschi and the likes was a deeply moving experience for me as a painter and I continue to be filled with gratitude for the Dominican community of Florence for making this possible. As some of you who have already been following my journey for a while may know, I received the holy sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and First Communion right there in the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella this past Easter Vigil, so this church has a uniquely special meaning in my life.
While I am happy to announce that The Prayer of The Holy Virgin Mary has already found a new home in a private collection in Poland, Christ Carrying The Cross is still available for acquisition. I will exhibit more paintings in churches in the months to come and will share it all with you right here.
The Sacred Art Prize
Earlier this year I had the pleasure of exhibiting my painting Ecce Homo at the Sacred Art Gallery in Mesa, AZ as part of the Catholic Art Institute’s inaugural Sacred Art Prize Exhibition. My painting was selected as one of the winning artworks and it has been truly beautiful to see it being shown alongside the wonderful works of so many other artists from around the globe, who just like myself dedicate their God-given talents to the creation of religious art. While I was unable to attend the opening in person, I was delighted to see that it began with a mass celebrated by Bishop John P. Dolan and was very well attended.
I would like to extend my thanks once more both to the Sacred Art Gallery as well as to the Catholic Art Institute. My painting Ecce Homo continues to be available for acquisition.
The Painter’s Gaze
You are reading it right now: My new publication, The Painter’s Gaze. The Painter’s Gaze shall be a new way for me to share my thoughts on art, beauty, the faith, and more with you all, while simultaneously creating a much more direct encounter between myself and you as my audience. I am looking forward to learning and growing deeper in my beliefs as well as to sharing my journey with you all along the way. Not least of all, I also intend to amplify the voices of people I cherish and whose opinions I respect. Keep an eye out for bi-weekly articles stemming both from my own feather as well as from that of others.
If you have not yet, you can subscribe to The Painter’s Gaze below. Founding members can expect exclusive giveaways of original works of art to be announced in the future:
What Is on The Easel?
There are a couple of projects underway as we speak, which I am very passionate about. One of them is of course my painting of Saint Catherine of Siena, but there are others as well: Amongst them a story from the Old Testament, which shall be ceremoniously unveiled at the end of November to celebrate Thanksgiving; a massive painting of the Crucifixion, which is a subject matter that is deeply rewarding to work on; and so much more. Going forward, I will share more details of my process with you all on my socials, but most importantly right here on The Painter’s Gaze.
As always, I remain deeply grateful for each and every one of you who is supporting my life as a painter. Whether you just follow me on social media and share my work, whether you are subscribed to The Painter’s Gaze or whether you have actually bought one of my paintings before, I thank you most sincerely. My next letter will be delivered to you at the beginning of September, but in the meantime there will be several articles published on The Painter’s Gaze. Personally, I am looking forward to it all!
Thank you for being here.
Most warmly,
Carl-Nikolas