Before sculpting St. Ignatius, I did some research. There was little on the internet or in the library in the way of paintings or sculptures of him that could guide me, so I began reading all I could about his life and his spirituality. Immediately, I knew I would need to convey a great deal in his body language, his face and most importantly, his eyes. I found a painting that had been made from his death mask which gave me the information I needed regarding his bone structure. Unfortunately, the painting lacked personality! Thus began the search for people’s faces that embodied the attributes I had learned of St. Ignatius. What part of someone's face shows love, caring, commitment to God, and total sacrifice? He probably radiated a sense of joy which made everyone want to follow him. How does someone like that hold his eyes? His mouth? Tilt his head? I found it really intriguing to watch friends and strangers to see if I could spot Christ’s peace in them and determine their commonalities. The simplest angle of an eyelid could say so very much.
Although I would like to take the credit for the way this sculpture turned out, I am convinced, and rather humbled, that there were times when God truly took control of my hands. I am sometimes overwhelmed in knowing that maybe, just maybe, God has a purpose for me and I'm not just on my own! All my liturgical pieces, in fact most of the portraits, too, are started with a lot of prayer and requests for this divine intervention...
Sincerely,
Shelley Kolman Smith