E. A. Hayes Studio

It is obvious that modern churches underutilize color in their decoration, but did you know that the modern world has an abundance of chemical pigments that people in prior ages could have only dreamed of?

Why the Modern Era should be the Most Colorful Era ever Did you know that before the 1800's there were few very bright pigments available, and the ones we did have were either very expensive, toxic, or were light-sensitive vegetable dyes? Let's look at some of the best pigments the modern world has afforded us and see why God has provided us with everyth...

This crucifix was salvaged from a cathedral in Wisconsin and made it's way to the studio for heavy restoration work. After consolidating the damage through numerous arm and torso repairs we managed to get the stability to a place were we could start thinking about what the new final appearance of the image should be.

The carved wood inset panels of the cross itself are quite rare and valuable, so we decided to allow the image to be shaped from this aspect. In the end we found a dark yet vibrant scheme with minimal blood that served the image well.

Often respecting the original image is the key to ensuring the new aesthetic is successful. Fighting the image always ends with a lack of harmony, something which are inherently un-beautiful. When an image is in accordance with its end, synthetic in itself, and pointed towards its own virtues, it can in turn point towards God.

Why are modern church buildings so ugly? The Provost of Holy Spirit College explores why modern church buildings miss the mark in beauty