The Life of Jesus
Virtual exhibit by Mary Billingsley

The Monastery Gallery of Art is pleased to offer a short exhibition focused on the art of Mary Billingsley. The artist worked on this series of paintings based on the life of Christ beginning in 1990. Each work began with the gathering of significant objects for a still life or "stage set” depicting an aspect of Christ's life. Some of these "props" are obvious religious symbols while others, everyday found objects, indirectly evoke the subject and help to draw the viewer into the painting. The artist created a children’s book entitled The Life of Jesus based on the mysteries of the rosary. This book can be purchased or ordered through the bookstore at Holy Family Retreat Center.

We are focusing on the shrines related to Advent and Christmas since those seasons are upon us. Be sure to look at the detail in each work and the everyday objects that you see which Mary has employed to tell the story. Keep in mind that the shrines were painted in Gouache, a form of watercolor. This medium is difficult to control and dries quickly…so the skill displayed in the intricacies is amazing.

Mary’s artwork was the very first exhibition that the Monastery Gallery displayed, and we are glad to bring it to you again four years hence. When Holy Family can have visitors again Mary’s work can be seen on the third floor of the Monastery building as the Billingsley’s donated the paintings to Holy Family.
​
To navigate through the exhibit, just continue to scroll down this page. 
​The Child Mary Shrine

The Catholic Church celebrates today the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on its traditional fixed date of September 8, nine months after the December 8 celebration of her Immaculate Conception as the child of Saints Joachim and Anne. The circumstances of the Virgin Mary's infancy and early life are not directly recorded in the Bible, but other documents and traditions describing the circumstances of her birth are cited by some of the earliest Christian writers from the first centuries of the Church.
​
The Annunciation Shrine

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called
Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings,
favoured one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and
pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be
called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his
ancestor David.
(Luke 1:26-38)
The Visitation Shrine

Mary visits her relative Elizabeth; they are both pregnant. Mary is pregnant with Jesus and Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist. Mary left Nazareth immediately after the Annunciation and went “into the hill country…into a city of Judah”
(Luke 1:39)
No Room at the Inn Shrine 

,,,And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn. (Luke 2:7)
Christmas Shrine 

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
The Nativity Shrine 

"The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him..." (John 1:9-10)
The Epiphany Shrine 

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlemhem of Judaea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his start in the east, and are come to worship him." (Matthew 2:1-2)
The Flight to Egypt Shrine

Soon after the visit by the Magi, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus since King Herod would seek the child to kill him. (Matthew 2:13-21)
The Presentation in the Temple Shrine

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord).
(Luke 2:22-23)
Finding Jesus in the Temple Shrine

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. (Luke 2:41-47)
Jesus and the Children Shrine

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
(Mark 10:13-16)