Stations of the Créche
Follow the Star through 15 stunning images illustrating the moments before and after the birth of Jesus Christ. The giant murals feature inspirational artwork by the artist Dan Paulos. Scenes will be posted throughout the church parking lot and can be seen by foot or car, day or night. We thank Dan for his generous permission to use these images for “the Glory of God.” Merry Christmas!
Open Dec 20th – Jan 3rd
Wear Mask, Wash Hands, Watch Distance Please
About
D A N P A U L O S
Dan Paulos has been cutting paper since he was a child, but wasn’t serious about it until his mentor, the late Sister Mary Jean Dorcy, O.P. came right out and “ordered” him to take over where she left off. Sister, an American-born silhouettist, had been cutting since the early 1930s. Then, in the 60s, when arthritis robbed her of her gift, she strongly prodded Dan to keep her cutting style alive.
In the 60s Dan began designing silhouettes and painstakingly painting them with black and white acrylics, each taking up to two months to complete. The experience of painting for ten years prepared him for the transition of cutting his silhouettes from a single sheet of paper.
“Quality religious artists are as scarce as hens’ teeth,” Sister Jean often reminded Dan, quietly trying to impress upon him that even though there would be little money to be made, the vocation of a religious artist is imperatively more important. It was her persistence that drove Dan to choose to restrict his paper-cuttings to spiritual imagery, concentrating mostly on the healing power of motherhood, tenderly portrayed through his Madonnas.
Dan draws each design on tracing paper, then transfers them onto the white side of the silhouette paper. He always starts his silhouette by first cutting the profiles. There is no rhyme or reason for this “custom” other than he loves to cut profiles. He cut his first designs with Sister Jean’s Wiss 766 scissors, but later found a pair of very fine Brazilian scissors which better fit his large hand. Dan cuts all outside lines of his silhouette with these Brazilian scissors. Inside lines are cut with very finely honed razor blades.
According to respected calligraphers and bookbinders, Elmer’s School Glue is the best adhesive for mounting paper to paper. Dan thins the glue with Lourdes Water. With the tip of an X-acto blade, he lifts small areas of the paper-cutting and uses a very fine artist’s brush to apply small amounts of glue to the delicate lines. He always uses four-ply rag board for mounting.
Dan’s cuttings and hand-pulled serigraphs are found throughout the world courtesy of the Catholic Church. His first book, “Spring Comes To The Hill Country,” was a collaborative work with his mentor, Sister Mary Jean Dorcy. Sister’s cuttings offset Dan’s calligraphy which features traditional tributes to Our Lady. Then came “He’s Put The Whole World In Her Hands,” a collection of meditations in which Mother Teresa of Calcutta contributed her quotations to offset Dan’s silhouettes. This book was translated into Japanese and published by the Don Bosco Press of Tokyo. It was later translated into Italian and published by the Vatican Press. “Behold The Women” was published in 1997, honoring Sisters and Nuns of the Catholic Church. This unique book presents more than 200 rare photographs of nuns from the Civil War to the mid 1960s as well as 100 stories, poems and “tributes” written by Dan and many of his talented friends. It was 1999 that he published a book with the help of British art critic, Sister Wendy Beckett. The book, In The Midst Of Chaos, Peace features paper-cuttings by both Dorcy and Paulos with beautiful reflections by Sister Wendy. Two books about St. Bernadette were published in 2008 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Apparitions at Lourdes: I, Bernadette and Remembering Bernadette. A book entitled, Pietà, features original works of art from across the world, offset with poems, prayers and essays relating to the stirring subject. Dan is working on a book about three renowned Catholic artists: Virginia Broderick, Sister Mary Jean Dorcy, O.P., and Sister Mary Corita Kent, I.H.M. The three artists inspired and influenced Paulos’ own art career. The book will feature thirty works of art by Broderick, Dorcy and Kent — all from his personal collection.
Dan is also heavily involved in videography with his friend, Rai Carrillo. Both artists were honored with the international Telly Award for excellence in videography for their film, Bernadette. In the works are three new videos that promote sacred art and the works of St. Bernadette Institute which Paulos founded in 1993.
In 2010, Dan contacted the renowned Medical Mission Sister, Miriam Therese Winter, who, in 1965, recorded, along with eleven of her fellow nuns, her first album of sacred folk songs: Joy Is Like The Rain. The album went Gold. Paulos asked Sister’s permission to produce a five disk set of CDs honoring the Medical Mission Sisters for their work with the world’s needy in seventeen countries on five continents. All funds raised through the albums would go directly to the Medical Mission Sisters. After praying about the project, Sister gave her approval. In late 2011, the first album was released: Loving You. Renowned performers agreed to sing Sister’s songs, giving new breath to Sister’s songs: Broadway Performers Melba Moore and Patti Cohenour; Protestant Gospel Singers, Stephen Hill and Cynthia Clawson; Catholic Singers, John McDermott, Annie Karto, Seraphim, Bob Rowe and Kate Haggerty Varley; Folk Singers: Janis Ian, Elisabeth von Trapp, Mack Bailey, Robert Edwin, Evelyn Harris, Jahstix Dadson, The Limeliters, and Charlie Zahm. Paulos now works on Volume Two and Three which will include many new performing artists.