Motherhood by Michelle Yozzo Drake

This advent season I found myself spending time with an expectant Mary...this painting was the result.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Painting "For Our Sins" by Artist Michelle Yozzo Drake

We all pray in different ways...and God comes to us in different forms.This painting was a very clear conversation with God, even if I didn't get the whole message right away!

One day after Mass my priest, Father Greg, told me he would love to see my artistic interpretation of the crucifixion. I felt overwhelmed and ill equipped to paint such a big concept and told him I couldn't do it.

Then, when I got back to my studio, I could not get this image out of my mind...I saw the painting God wanted from me. So I found an old canvas that I had painted over and used it as a test. The painting above was that test. I did not know at the time what other images would emerge in different lighting from this prayer of faith and trust. I was struggling with faith in MY ability to create...instead of HIS ability to work through me. But as I started painting I gave the work over to Him and this is what happend...

This crucifixion painting is one of my paintings that hang in St. Mary Mother of the Redeemer Parish Center. One early morning after church my husband, Rich, brought me into our dark parish center...where the painting above hangs. What I saw in the dark hallway, with light streaming in from the doors was my crucifixion painting with the hand prints of children all over it. The image below is the same painting as the one above.

When I began painting I had no idea what lay beneath this old used canvas. I later remembered a project for my parents, a painting with imprints of the hands of all their 17 grandchildren...my children and my nieces and nephews...from 3 months to 21 years old. Their hand prints are what was under the old canvas that I chose. I couldn't make that project work so I white washed the canvas to use for something else.

Father Greg saw the hand prints right away, but assumed they were my hand prints and painted on purpose.

At dusk and dawn you can see the hand prints on the crucifixion painting emerge...

See the hand prints of God's children...all of us.

"Sacrifice" painting by Michelle Yozzo Drake

This painting is the second in a series that was painted during lent. It hangs with the 2 other paintings in this series in the Parish Center at St. Mary Mother of the Redeemer Church in Groton, CT.

Pray for Peace by Artist Michelle Yozzo Drake

When my husband, Rich, and I took a trip last year to Spain and Portugal I came back with color and images that I needed to paint.

This painting came from my experience in Fatima, Portugal. Seeing the procession of lights, praying the Rosary and hearing the accounts of the visitation of Mary to the children Lucia, Francisco & Jacinta in Fatima. She told them to pray for peace. A prayer that is as relevant today as it was in 1917 at the time of the visitations. This holy place touched me deeply and has inspired many of my recent paintings especially my Mary Series.

This painting is my prayer for peace.

Acrylic

24 inches by 8 inches

Motorcycle Inspired Art

Today I got my motorcycle license.

Usually I ride on the back of my husband Rich's Harley. I have created many paintings after a weekend of riding.

The time connected the beauty and splendor of nature usually has me running to the studio to create a color and move my hands to form a texture that I saw!

I am excited to see what being the driver of the motorcycle will bring me in inspiration.

"Crossing Over"

Crossing Over

By Artist Michelle Yozzo Drake

Acrylic on Canvas

4 feet by 6 feet

I painted this after I learned that my beloved Aunt Marie had passed away after a long battle with cancer. Touching and moving the paint with my hands was a way for me to work through my grief and loss while connecting with my faith. It is my prayer of thanks for her influence in my life and my sorrow over my life without her.

Paintings by Michelle Yozzo Drake: Reflection (Mary Series)

Reflection (Mary Series)
Artist Michelle Yozzo Drake
4 inches by 12 inches
Acrylic on Canvas

Sold
Enders Island, CT

Paintings by Michelle Yozzo Drake: Mary with Children

Mary with Children (Mary Series)

Artist Michelle Yozzo Drake

Acrylic on Canvas

8 inches by 24 inches

This painting was the first in a series of abstract paintings in which images of Mary-the Holy Mother emerged. To me they signify the many roles that mothers take in our lives.