Denver Catholic

16 OCTOBER 14-27, 2017 | DENVER CATHOLIC 2017 DENVER CATHOLIC Christmas GIFT GUIDE All ad prices include 4-color: �/�6 th Pg: $�60 �/4 th Pg: $ 575 �/8 th Pg: $320 �/3 rd Pg: $960 �/6 th Pg: $480 �/2 Pg: $�,�00 Full Page: $2,000 To reserve your ad, call your advertising rep today or contact Mike O'Neill at (303) 7�5-3253 or email: michael.oneill@archden.org PUBLISHING: SATURDAY, NOV. 12 RESERVATIONS: MONDAY, NOV. 1 AT 10AM • MATERIAL DUE: MONDAY, NOV. 6 AT NOON Around the Archdiocese BY THERESE BUSSEN A s the Archdiocese of Denver has prepared for consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, one particular image of her stood out — a painting by Cameron Smith, which depicts Mary in both a traditional, yet totally modern style: Somehow impres- sionistic, geometric and iconographic all at once. But it isn't Smith's only painting. He's painted several other religious works, including the Sacred Heart of Jesus and beautiful sketches of St. John Paul II as well as Pope Francis. He also paints non-religious themes as well — and does all of this full-time. Not all artists need to starve. So how does a Catholic painter become successful today? Smith shares his story on how he came to own his call as an artist, hone his craft and begin an apostolate. DENVER CATHOLIC: How did you begin as an artist? CAMERON SMITH:²I was into art from childhood. I remember coloring books and kindergarten projects and was one of the class "artists" all through school. In high school, my youth minister suggested I look at North Carolina State University (NCSU) School of Design, and I went with it. While there, I gravitated towards fine arts and, in the last year of my program, started a studio co-op. I had been interested in painting, drawing, sculpture, photography and other disciplines, but somewhere in the process of developing the studio, I determined to make painting a focus. The complexity of painting and allure of color attracted me. Its possibilities seemed so vast. DC: How did your profession as a painter take o ? What motivated you to pursue it full-time? CS:²I couldn't be invested in pursuing something unless it was deeply meaningful…and this meant defining art. I concluded that the essence of art was an "interplay with the Holy Spirit within a given medium." Once I grasped this, it struck me as a call to pursue art. My artistic journey has mirrored my faith life in many ways. It's an ongoing cycle of reconversion/ recommitment/ renewal. The career aspect, however, is a puzzle I wrestled with for years and is ever-evolving. Painting haunted me as I worked various other jobs to sup- port it. And honing my skills was just the first step in building an art career! In 1998, I received my first real fine art commission, a Degas-inspired portrait. After reading Pope John Paul II's Letter to Artists, express- ing my faith overtly in art became a real goal. I had started apprenticing with a local Catholic sculptor who introduced me to St. Louis de Mont- fort's Total Consecration, which greatly influenced my life and art. That summer (99'), I discovered my wife-to-be, Kristen, on a mission trip. By 2002, we were married, expecting our first child, and preparing to be vendors at World Youth Day 2002, Toronto, where we were launching Smith Catholic Art, our family art apostolate. Five kids and 15 years later, it's been a steadily evolving process. DC: What was the journey of cre- ating the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sacred Heart of Jesus paintings like? CS:²The process of painting the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts was, to be truthful, agonizing…and Is it possible to be a professional Catholic painter today? Cameron Smith discovered a call to pursue painting full-time and has had much success with his religious artworks, such as "Immaculate Heart of Mary" (left) and St. John Paul II. PHOTOS FROM SMITHCATHOLICART.COM

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