Drawing on Faith

Member Focus

by Patricia A. Baron

A fine arts degree with emphasis in illustration. Graduation from University of Kansas. Job in the “real” world. Jason Jenicke knew exactly where his life was headed until. . . .

“I never planned to paint for a living, let alone religious art. In fact, I had never painted until 1999 when I took a college-level life drawing class.”

That’s when Jason took his first life-changing step. “My teacher noticed my technique mimicked the Old Masters and suggested I consider switching my emphasis to painting.”

Taking her advice, he enrolled in a beginning art class which he dubs a “nightmare.” “The teacher should have been instructing more advanced students. I was frustrated and questioned my decision, but decided to take one more course.”

An abstract art class taught Jason how to paint works on canvas while another course, copying Old Masters, helped hone his technique. Even at this point, however, concentrating on spiritual art never entered his mind.

Originally published in the Spring 2006 publication of Catholic Forester