Mel Ahlborn: Devotion with Ink and Paper
Listen now to Mel Ahlborn in a RealAudio slide presentation
Mel Ahlborn is a contemporary Episcopal artist
working in the ancient
form of the illuminated manuscript. Her work combines classical iconic
images with a modern perspective and sensibility.
Before the advent of the printing press, religious texts were copied by hand, and the stories were vibrantly illustrated in the margins of the page. It is in this tradition of bringing light to language and image that Mel Ahlborn has found an artistic expression for her spiritual life.
But her work with these images has gotten her into trouble with conservative Christians who view her work as heretical, and her use of symbols related to Christ as inappropriate.
In this conversation with Sean McConnell, Managing Editor of EveryVoice Network, Mel Ahlborn describes the inspiration behind her artworks and shows us how to read the real meaning in her paintings.
Related Links
The Episcopal Church and the Visual Arts site
