The final ‘Conversations at the Center,’ for this semester in Brighton, continued to address this year’s theme of evangelization by focusing specifically on the topic of “Can Artists Evangelize… or Even Communicate?”

For this session, the Center was delighted to host Fr. Richard Lamoureux, A.A. to make the connection between art and evangelization. As an Assumptionist religious, Fr. Richard is a teacher and lecturer in art history at Assumption College and beyond.

In his presentation, Fr. Richard used slides of paintings, architecture and sculptures to illustrate examples of how artists may intentionally convey a message and /or feeling by colors, shape, materials, forms or light and their possible effects on the viewer. In some cases their effects are more obvious or often their impact is unconscious. Communication is only one of the functions of art. Other pieces of art are simply an expression of the artist only.

Some pieces of art do powerfully stimulate an emotional and even spiritual response which can be used to evangelize.

During the discussion which followed Fr. Richard’s presentation, a few folks gave examples of art pieces they have witnessed and their reactions to them both positively or with challenges or confusion.

As usual, the morning ended with a delicious brunch thanks to Michelle’s culinary expertise.