Are the things I draw morally objectionable?

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MademoiselleRue

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I have a fascination admittedly with dark, macabre art, but I don’t consider my drawings to be such. Lately though, I feel as if my obsession with grotesque art, which often crosses into the occult, is a kind of contradiction to my faith, like an obstinate despair.

I tend to draw most when I’m not in the best mood. Semi-nudes, dismembered limbs, injury. I used to draw a lot of violent/gory art but grew out of that. My family often objects to the things I draw and have called my work scary, morbid, unstable, etc. Well, anyway, here are a few of my recent pieces: fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/149/c/c/bunch_by_missstreelight-d51k8q7.png

Are my obsession with macabre art, and the spirit of the things I draw, wrong in any way?
 
Strange subjects… it’s not what I am into, but I suppose some folks like such things.

I love fantasy art but more along the whimiscal, as in dragons, knights, monsters (as in trolls or magical creatures) are okay.

I’m not art expert, but it looks like you are quite talented. Do you have an audience for such things ? On a practical basis, you might find more customers with more popular subjects.
 
That’s the darn scariest art showcase I’ve ever seen…
 
I don’t think so, no. I’m of the belief that horror and portrayels of the unsettleing are a much needed part of the human psyche and, dare I say it, faith.

Here is a wonderful article you might find interesting.

decentfilms.com/articles/horror
 
It’s not morally wrong, no, but a lot of people (myself included, I admit) would find it a bit strange. You are an excellent artist however, and the beauty of the work outshone the macabre aspect for me. Do you know of any particular reason you are fascinated with such things? I must say, I am a bit concerned whenever I see things like this, because when I used to be interested in such things, I was not in the best of mental states. However, that does not mean that I think you or anyone who likes this stuff is crazy or anything; I’ve just had bad experiences with it.
 
MademoiselleRue said:
I have a fascination admittedly with dark, macabre art, but I don’t consider my drawings to be such. Lately though, I feel as if my obsession with grotesque art, which often crosses into the occult, is a kind of contradiction to my faith, like an obstinate despair.

I tend to draw most when I’m not in the best mood. Semi-nudes, dismembered limbs, injury. I used to draw a lot of violent/gory art but grew out of that. My family often objects to the things I draw and have called my work scary, morbid, unstable, etc. Well, anyway, here are a few of my recent pieces: fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/149/c/c/bunch_by_missstreelight-d51k8q7.png

Are my obsession with macabre art, and the spirit of the things I draw, wrong in any way?
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Yes, I agree with you that this type of art could be a contradiction to your faith. How about if you try to steer your obvious talent in another direction? Maybe you could work in symbolism but show some sort of redemptive quality? I see you have birds in one of your pieces - those can show our spirits rising to God. Read the lives of the saints for inspiration. You have talent but need to influence it in a better direction.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
Yes, I agree with you that this type of art could be a contradiction to your faith. How about if you try to steer your obvious talent in another direction? Maybe you could work in symbolism but show some sort of redemptive quality? I see you have birds in one of your pieces - those can show our spirits rising to God. Read the lives of the saints for inspiration. You have talent but need to influence it in a better direction.
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I must, respectfully, ask…are you an artist? Because you don’t sound like it. You seem to thnk an artist can just change their style on a whim. it isn’t like that. The visual arts are about moving people, yet, but an artist has to like the way their image looks to even be interested in it.

I see no contradiction to the faith here. How many pieces of religious art features death, blood, suffering, torture?

“Even when they explore the darkest depths of the soul or the most unsettling aspects of evil, artists give voice in a way to the universal desire for redemption”

the Blessed JP2 said that, in his letter to artists. The link I posted also speaks of horror in the arts, as a GOOD thing. There’s a difference between portraying something horrific, with a meaning beneath it, and portraying blood guts and gore just to excite. I see real thought, and soul in OP’s work, that speaks of the subjects inner pains and sorrows. No self-indulgent torture-porn, i will say, as an artist myself.

Stephen King once said, horror doens’t love death; it loves life, and TRUE horror will unsetle you, make you think, and push you deeper into the beauty that is life.

I think that’s the marker. If a picture of dark tastes can move you, make you contemplate, I think it is worthy of merit. If it does nothgn but make you ill, it’s perhaps not a peice of merit.
 
The two with the birds make me think of innocence. The first is innocence trying to protect its virtue in a world where that is almost impossible. The next, with the woman in bonds, is like her soul wanting to reclaim virtue but being bound by something and so far unable.

The ones with the blood are more scary. The one at the topped is the most scary. Its like a trick. A young girl, beautifully rendered, with blood in her mouth. It looks like the blood issues from her mouth like a sigh. Like she’s malicious. The next, with the blindfold, is almost the same, but she is not malicious, but ignorant.

That’s my take as a viewer who can’t even draw a circle. I actually like them and think you have something to say with your art, but you are skirting the edge of decent. I don’t think you’ve sunk there by any means, but when dealing with dark subjects there’s always a risk.

I don’t think you are morally at fault. What are you trying to convey with these?
 
I nosed around a bit and I saw some less dark stuff. You are good. Cat is cute and Shades of Orange is really good. Is Sweet Dreams actually drawn from the photo, or is it a manipulation of the actual photo?
I’d love to see some hand drawn art of yours.
You have talent, be it in computer generated art or in hand painted/drawn art. Draw what makes you happy. I believe you can draw both the darker subjects as well as the lighter more accepted subjects. I’m trying not to use the word normal because what is normal for one isn’t necessarily normal for another. 🙂
 
MademoiselleRue…I hope I didn’t offend you if I misinterpreted you work. It struck me that maybe I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth about what I saw in it because you didn’t ask that!
 
littlenothing said:
MademoiselleRue…I hope I didn’t offend you if I misinterpreted you work. It struck me that maybe I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth about what I saw in it because you didn’t ask that!
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I hope they’ll be flattered; it’s always thrilling for an artist when someone looks into our work!
 
MyaKey said:
I must, respectfully, ask…are you an artist? Because you don’t sound like it. You seem to thnk an artist can just change their style on a whim. it isn’t like that. The visual arts are about moving people, yet, but an artist has to like the way their image looks to even be interested in it.

I see no contradiction to the faith here. How many pieces of religious art features death, blood, suffering, torture?

“Even when they explore the darkest depths of the soul or the most unsettling aspects of evil, artists give voice in a way to the universal desire for redemption”

the Blessed JP2 said that, in his letter to artists. The link I posted also speaks of horror in the arts, as a GOOD thing. There’s a difference between portraying something horrific, with a meaning beneath it, and portraying blood guts and gore just to excite. I see real thought, and soul in OP’s work, that speaks of the subjects inner pains and sorrows. No self-indulgent torture-porn, i will say, as an artist myself.

Stephen King once said, horror doens’t love death; it loves life, and TRUE horror will unsetle you, make you think, and push you deeper into the beauty that is life.

I think that’s the marker. If a picture of dark tastes can move you, make you contemplate, I think it is worthy of merit. If it does nothgn but make you ill, it’s perhaps not a peice of merit.
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Excuse me. No I am not a professional artist, but yes, artists can shape their art. I said nothing about a whim. The OP asked a question and I gave my opinion. I am not here to argue with you. Her OWN WORDS were what I typed. That is not my expression, but HERS.

And by the way, if you find her website, there are plenty of other drawings and sketches that aren’t disturbing or that she might find contradictory to her faith.
 
BTW I don’t think your art is morally objectionable… but it could be helpful, maybe show some scenes of what you might think hell is like or how some folks may be suffering in Purgatory, or maybe how Christ may have looked during or atfer being tortured. It must have been terribly brutal, and if folks had some idea of how much He really suffered it may shock them into avoiding sin more.

Or you may look into showing how terrible war and terrorosm can be. Some folks need to be shocked into seeing how really terrible some folks can be in hurting other. Some may not realize just how destructive their actions can affect others. That could be your calling in life to show how horribly folks treat others.

OR if you can show what you think Satan might look like or what demons may look like, you could scare some good into some folks (or you could give some folks real nightmares or tramatize some kid… some of your subjects definitely are not for the faint of heart.

Anyway just some suggestions on how you might work some contrast of good and evil into your art.
 
Philippians 4:8

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“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things**.”:gopray2::signofcross::getholy:

While we recall that Pablo Picasso painted** Guernica** to make a statement about the atrocities of war. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernica_(painting,

we also recall that he drew things of sublime beauty. An artist usually explores many things as he or she matures. Many go through a “blue” period, or some, like Van Gogh, seemed constantly to try new themes as he befriended (or fought with !) other artists and art dealers of his time.

To draw only gory and frightening things, and to question why you are doing that, is a signal that you are not happy with staying on that theme. No one can tell an artist what to do. We can only suggest that you enlarge your horizons and see where that leads.

I hope you can turn that talent into drawing something inspiring to all, while remaining true to yourself. :heaven::harp:
 
BTW what is her web site, I’d like to see what other work she has…
 
Thanks, wcknight. I was hoping someone would say how they got to the other paintings. Id like to see them, too.
 
Kathryn_Ann said:
Philippians 4:8

**
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things**.”:gopray2::signofcross::getholy:

And so, I would think, taking your talent, deleting all the gore and scary aspects, you still have the same basic talent left and can turn it to the good. :angel1:

I hope you can turn that talent into drawing something inspiring! :heaven::harp:
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Why do you think art has to be sunshine and rainbows to be lovely, right and praiseworthy? Would you walk into a Cathedral with a painting of denoms and hellfire, and tell them to take out the gore?

I would hope not.

Goodness, how some Catholics can walk out their front door…
 
TheRealJuliane said:
Excuse me. No I am not a professional artist, but yes, artists can shape their art. I said nothing about a whim. The OP asked a question and I gave my opinion. I am not here to argue with you. Her OWN WORDS were what I typed. That is not my expression, but HERS.

And by the way, if you find her website, there are plenty of other drawings and sketches that aren’t disturbing or that she might find contradictory to her faith.
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Let me tell you something; people don’t come here with questions like that because they actually think there’s something wrong. They come here with the FEAR that something is wrong. She said that her family has been calling her work all sorts of negative things for quite some time; that’s going to have a bad impact on their outlook. Family has a lot of weight on shaping opinions. and NOT A DARN THING is wrong, so the poor OP should keep doing what she’s doing AS SHE’S DOING IT and let her fears be at ease, without you rigorists trying to tell her to stifle her creativity.

Source- personal experience
 
Not a theme that I particularly like, but I was expecting worse stuff.

Blessings!

🙂
 
MyaKey said:
Why do you think art has to be sunshine and rainbows to be lovely, right and praiseworthy? Would you walk into a Cathedral with a painting of denoms and hellfire, and tell them to take out the gore?

I would hope not.

Goodness, how some Catholics can walk out their front door…
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Good morning, MyaKay, actually I edited my post (see #14) and instead it came out as two separate posts. I added that Pablo Picasso’s famously horrific painting of Guernica is a good example of art used as an anti-war message.

As to those Cathedrals you mentioned: I’ve walked into many of them here and all across Europe. It is a matter of personal taste, but after recognizing the worth of everything there (depictions of hell fire and gore, gargoyles included) I do tend to rest my eyes a little while longer on the lovely and the sublime. I don’t apologize for admiring the classic statues of Our Lady or of Christ Triumphant while also pondering the Passion and The Stations of the Cross.

About walking out my door: I founded a ministry that helps the homeless, street people and abused mothers and children living in great distress. It’s our choice, but on all of the gifts we take to people at risk, (and the street bags filled with food and personal care items) we have a lovely Botticelli Madonna and Christ Child sticker on each one that reminds them of how Our Lady and Jesus loves them. Rather than a sticker depicting demons and hellfire and gargoyles, they see, for a moment, something lovely when opening their gifts. ) Since we work among people already experiencing and quite familiar with so much darkness and hellishness, it’s just natural that we want to show them the joys of our Faith, Christ Triumphant over Hell and death, not the opposite.

I believe that is what the scripture I quoted means. We cannot give what we do not possess. This is why we partake of the Blessed Sacrament. “We consume Him so that He Consumes us.” “The Joy of the Lord is my strength.” While having full knowledge of Christ’s Passion, we recognize His Resurrection power over hell and death, and the beauty of the love behind all that we see.

Christ died for us, triumphant over death and hell.

Going out among people already hurting and experiencing real physical and emotional hell, we have come to understand the tendency of people in great distress to grasp the divine and the beautiful. So, it’s all a matter of what we do and whom we go among when we go out our doors. I have little time for admiring reminders of the horrific, seeing people experiencing it every day. We just want to bring them something beautiful.
 
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