The Wood Carvings of Mark Schlingerman

When I joined Madonna House I did some carving as a relaxation. But when I was assigned to one of our mission houses, I saw that the chapel was in need of some art work: there were no representations of the saints in the chapel. So, in my spare time, I started to carve the saints and images for the liturgy. I began to see that the Lord wanted me to put images of the saints back into a few churches. I understood that we needed to be reminded of the Communion of Saints.

Some modern liturgical art is often a personal statement of an artist's faith experience, using symbols very particular to themselves. Such images are often not accessible to most people. If I use traditional images in new ways, there is a better chance of their being understandable for the devotion of more people, as a living place of meeting with the saint, person to person.

I am amazed by what emerges from this process. I am not saying that everything I do is great; but it is usually better than what I expected. “Giving God space” is the key to giving birth to beauty. It is the Lord who gives the increase, the Lord who takes what little gestures we make and transforms them into something much better than we can imagine. As Scripture says, “It is you, Lord, who accomplish what we have done” (Isaiah 26:12). When I read this line of Scripture, it reminded me of these experiences I often have when I am carving, of how my own work comes about. When I finish a piece of carving, I am conscious that usually God has had a part in the work.

 

Blessed Nicholas Postgate 2001  •  White Pine	The Venerable St. Bede 2001  •  White Pine
St. Andrew 1995  •  White Pine	St. John 1995 •  White Pine
St. Peter 1989 •  White Pine	St. Paul 1989 •  White Pine

 

The artwork on this page is copyright © Mark Schlingerman, and may not be reproduced in any form without his written permission.