Immaculate Heart of Mary, Seed of Israel

I see her everywhere, her chosen deed
To fill the hungry with the love they need.
Magnificat! In meekness she agreed
To bear the blessing sprung from Abram’s seed.

The Immaculate Heart has always been an intriguing image to me, and the more I prayerfully contemplated it, the more I found the combination of elements both quizzical and compelling. The human heart, essentially throbbing flesh, is exposed, surrounded by a wreath of fragrant flowers, and topped by a modest flame. What might I experience were the Blessed Mother to appear before me and reveal her Immaculate Heart to me? Would I smell the fragrance of the flowers; hear the rustle of their petals? Would I feel the heat of the flame? And above all, how would I experience the raw meatiness of the heart? Many nights I lay in bed at night constructing the image in my mind’s eye, wondering how I might capture it with paint.
One day at the grocery store my attention was drawn to a pomegranate, a fruit that has always intrigued me because of its significance in ancient lore and lands. Taking one from the bin, I turned it over, weighing the heft of it and taking in the variations of rich color on its skin. I was struck by how much it resembled the human heart in size and appearance. Even the juice is deep red like blood. Could this be the Immaculate Heart I wanted to bring to the canvas? I wanted to read more about the Blessed Mother before I made a final decision, and what turned the tide for me was the line from the Magnificat (below). “He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.” Not only is the pomegranate a frequent element in Jewish art, but it can contain as many as a thousand seeds. What a wonderful symbol of the generations of Israel culminating in one faithful girl who agreed to give her son to thousands of generations yet to come.
I need to thank two women for their helpful input. As the painting developed, I regularly posted “painting-in-progress” photos to facebook, asking for feedback but not explaining my intention for the work. My Aunty Lissy, a gifted artist and helpful critic, left the comment, “Kate, I’m sorry, but the heart just looks like a pomegranate to me.” Great! Mission accomplished! I also had a breakthrough thanks to Kristine Herbert who follows me on facebook and is a devoted servant of Our Lady. In a phone conversation she reminded me, in her lovely Louisiana accent, of the Seven Sorrows of Mary. I had been struggling with the roses in the painting, not at all happy with their shape and shading. After speaking to Kristine I realized that adding two lilies to the painting would not only represent the Seven Sorrows, but also cover up some of the more problematic roses. Now the secret is out!

Magnificat

My soul does magnify the Lord
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
Because He has regarded
The lowliness of His Servant.
For, behold from henceforth
All generations shall call me blessed.
For He that is mighty had done great things to me,
And holy is His Name.
And his mercy is from generation unto generation,
To them that fear him.
He had showed might with His arm.
He had scattered the proud
In the conceit of their heart.
He had put own the mighty from their seat,
And had exalted the lowly.
He had filled the hungry with good things;
And the rich He had sent away empty.
He had received Israel His servant,
Being mindful of His mercy.
And He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.

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Immaculate Heart of Mary, Seed of Israel Note Card Set

Ten 5 x 7 cards and 10 envelopes per package. (includes shipping and handling)

Price: $12.50

Variety Pack

Ten 5 x 7 cards and 10 envelopes per package. (includes shipping and handling)

Price: $12.50

Photo posted by Kate Duffy Sim on November - 29 - 2011

Album: "I See Her Everywhere"