The Artist’s Block: Emily Madeira

Emily Madeira

“St. Sebastian” by Emily Madeira

Media Used: Mixed media, including watercolor, pencil, and gold acrylic.

Time to complete: 1 week

Interesting Fact: This piece is part of a larger series of Saint portraits that she is working on.

 

This is my most recently finished piece and one of the most important to me, both because of the meaning behind it and the process that went into it. It portrays the martyrdom of St. Sebastian and it’s one of the more difficult paintings I’ve ever done: taking lots of research, planning and practice before beginning, which only made the end result more satisfying. Religious art has been present in my life for as long as I can remember, from the stained glass windows and icons I’ve seen since I was little, to the Renaissance paintings I fell in love with when I started painting myself. It has played an important role in forming both my beliefs and my artistic voice, so to create my own was an exciting experience. Being able to be a part of centuries of Catholic art was a moving experience, and I hope to make more paintings like this in the future.