Meditation 33

See Christina Saj’s work in WTP Vol. VI #9

oil on canvas
12” x 12”

These recent works aim to fuse the spiritual impulse with slow and steady everyday rhythms. By drawing on inspiration from cross-cultural traditions, I hope to distill an essence that speaks to commonly understood motifs and patterns assimilated from ceramic tiles, textiles, embroidery, and lace that have become part of my subconscious vocabulary. Because of my Ukrainian heritage, I associate with a visual tradition rich in geometry, symbolism, and color found in labor-intensive patterning associated with ethnic embroidery and traditional Easter-egg decoration. These influences are the framework on which I build my pictures with evocative patterns and shapes, creating the rhythms in my paintings.”

Christina Saj’s paintings have been widely exhibited, including at the Museum of Biblical Art, TX; The Washington National Cathedral; The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Union Theological Seminary, and The Ukrainian Museum in New York City, NY; The Museum of Cultural Heritage, Kiev Ukraine; the American Embassy in Qatar; and at the White House. Her works reside in private and museum collections in the US and abroad. She holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, NY, and an MFA from Bard College, NY. She studied Byzantine Art History at Oxford University early in her career, while working to master the traditional techniques of Byzantine Icon painting.