Featured Artist Christine Simoneau Hales

Artist Christine Simoneau Hales presents a collection of religious icon paintings based on historic tradition. See more of her portfolio by visiting her website.

 

 

Even as a young girl growing up in Massachusetts, I loved going to church. It was so beautiful there, so peaceful and filled with a sense of hope and joy. I was very fortunate that my two high school art teachers encouraged me to apply to art college at Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. I couldn’t have been more surprised when I was accepted!

 

 

I loved art college and felt that I had found my tribe and focus for life. And I’ve pretty much maintained that focus all my life. Through the years, I always preferred to do minor jobs so that I could keep my focus on painting. In the 1980’s I had a loft in Chelsea, New York City. There I painted and studied classical ballet for several years.

 

 

In New York City, I was a single mom. Often rising at 4:00am to paint until 8:00 when my son went to school, I then went to work as a photographer’s agent. It was a very difficult life, but I always felt it important to keep my focus on my art, since it was the most important part of me. I wanted my son to learn that you should never give up on your dreams.

 

 

Fast forward to the 1990’s when I married my second husband, who was a great photographer. He took me on a photo trip to visit convents and abbeys in France for a book he was working on. At a beautiful convent in France, I met Sister Myriam. She introduced me to the art of painting icons. I felt so awestruck and excited that I had found a way to embrace my love of church with my art!

 

 

Since then, I have studied with great iconographers and learned how to paint in the ancient Byzantine tradition. I use egg tempera and gold leaf gilding on specially prepared wood panels, just as they did in the tenth century. Now, twenty years later, I am teaching iconography to many people all over the world. I’m helping them to include their prayer life with their art-making practice.

 

 

For me, religious art-making, both icons and paintings, help me to continue that beautiful feeling I recognized as a child in the church. There is peace, love and holiness in the art that I create. I believe that the very best art gives the viewer a glimpse of heaven, an inspiration of hope, joy and a reason to carry on in this life.

 

 

Sharing my art at commercial galleries also gives me the opportunity to explore issues related to faith, spirituality, tradition and community within a more secular genre of landscapes and animal paintings that are both mystical and beautiful. Many viewers love the softness and mystical elements in my paintings, which they say brightens their day!

 

Christine Simoneau Hales invites you to follow on Facebook and Instagram. 

 

 

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