There is nothing subtle...

...about the imagery of Catholic worship. For whatever reason, (no, I am not a tortured survivor of Catholic schools) this is a theme that continually inspires me.

A visit to L'Oratoire St. Joseph (St. Joseph Oratory) in Montreal has inspired me in this vein yet again.

You'll notice that my handbag palette is generally comprised of very bright, bold colors, unexpected contrasts of fabrics prints and colors...currently I've also snuck the Virgen of Guadalupe into my shop, a lovely lady in those same bright colors. Central American Catholic imagery tends to be the most boldly colorful and therefore appealing to me...

Here at the Oratoire St. Joseph the rows and rows of lit votives in candy colored glass are flanked by racks of crutches, symbolic of the many sick, injured and dying people who have trudged up Mont Royal to received the blessing of the church and of God himself. That's dedication...because that hill is enormous. And I think it's that kind of faith and dedication, along with the bright colors and flamboyant imagery, that inspire me...there's something very potent about that kind of perserverence, even if you are not a religious person.