During the Advent and Christmas seasons, The B.C. Catholic is featuring the art of members of the Epiphany Sacred Arts Guild. This week, the featured artist is Karen Allaye-Chan, with her depictions of the Nativity.

“This painting of the Nativity reminds me of the importance of the family,” she explained. “God deemed it so important that even our Lord was born into a family. Looking at the love of Joseph and Mary for their infant son Jesus makes me think of our own families, where we first experience and receive love, and where we learn to love.”

Allaye-Chan painted this scene on a gessoed wooden board, using egg emulsion and pigment. Her inspiration for the decorative border, repeated patterns, and saturated colours came from a stained glass window.

The same artist has also written an icon of the Nativity.

She said of the icon: “There is much going on: the Holy Infant is in the centre with his mother, the angels are looking on with adoration, the shepherds are in awe, the three wise men are following the star that leads towards the stable, and the evil one is whispering to Joseph.”

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