Page 11 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7
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Werner May (Germany)
About the Artist: Michael O‘Brien
1970‘s: „Family“ For example one short impression about his no-
vels:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4hwbHtyyEc
Michael O’Brien lives near Combermere, Onta-
rio. He and his wife Sheila have six children and
eight grandchildren.
Born in Ottawa in 1948, Michael O’Brien is the
author of twenty-eight books, notably the no-
vel Father Elijah and eleven other novels, which
have been published in fourteen languages and
widely reviewed in both secular and religious 1990‘s: „Christ in Gethsemane“
media in North America and Europe.
Since 1970 he has also worked as a professional
artist and has had more than 40 exhibits across Michael O’Brien answers to questions
North America. Since 1976 he has painted re- of Werner May
ligious imagery exclusively, a field that ranges
from liturgical commissions to visual reflec- Werner: You are writing and you are painting.
tions on the meaning of the human person. This is extraordinary. Which came first? Are
His paintings hang in churches, monasteries, there roots in your family or in your child-
universities, community collections and private hood?
collections throughout the world.
Michael: My writing began only in the late
“In all my work I seek to contribute to the re- 1970s. I began painting in 1970, shortly after
storation of Christian culture. I try to express my conversion to the Catholic faith. The inspi-
the holiness of existence and the dignity of the ration for visual creativity arrived unexpectedly
human person situated in an incarnational uni- and in great force, first as an outpouring of dra-
verse. Each visual image and each work of prose wing and then my first attempts at painting. My
is an incarnation of a word, a statement of faith. father had been a hobby painter, and perhaps
At the same time, it asks the questions: What this was a part of the inspiration - or a factor
is most noble and eternal in man? Who is he? in my receptivity to the inspiration. Most of all,
Why does he exist? And what is his eternal de- it was a gift from God, grace building on my
stiny?” human nature.
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