St. Bridgid Patron of Infants, Midwives, Nuns, Poets, Poultry Farmers, Illegitimate Children
Brigid of Kildare was an Irish nun who lived 451-525 AD. She shared her name with the pagan goddess who is responsible for song, poetry and craftsmanship. These are considered 'the flames of knowledge' in Ireland. She founded a monastery for both nuns and monks. She showed great compassion and generosity, particularly toward the poor. It is said she gathered up straw to make a cross for a man who was dying. It is customary to have 'Brigid's Cross' in the ceiling of your house so it won't burn down. "St. Bridgid, ask for us all today the courage to do God's bidding, whatever the world may say, the grace to be strong and valiant, the grace to be firm and true, the grace to be faithful always, to God, his Mother, and you."
Pocket - 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"
About the Artist
Lynn Garlick started carving, painting, and producing her retablos in 1993. Her workshop is located in the high desert town of Taos, New Mexico, a landscape richly steeped in religious iconography and history. The retablo, or ʻboard behind the alterʼ, was originally created in New Mexico in the 1800ʼs in response to the lack of Bibles and Icons being sent from the church in Rome. The Santero (saint maker) painted retablos from pigment collected and ground from the local surroundings. The boards were hand hewed usually of ponderosa pine or tin. The practice has carried down through the generations and is still done this way today. Lynn paints her originals retablos on traditional pine boards carving and then paints them. To create her production work the images are mounted on baltic birch.
