Artist Statement
I am Lithuanian, Slovak and Polish. I am also Catholic.
For me, being Catholic is part of who I am - it’s in my bones.
My Grandma Tokos and my cousin Thomas had a deep love of God.
And my Dad had a deep love of the Blessed Mother.
Although I was born Catholic there was a time in my life - maybe ten years - where I did not practice.
I was done with God or at least with the Catholic Church. So I joined a different denomination.
Except when I wasn’t at that church, I’d go and sit in the quiet of the Catholic Church across the street.
As I said, “It’s in my bones.”
Over the years, I have developed an ache in my Soul. Something deep within wants to be shown and talked about. The only way I can explain it is to use the words:
Beauty
Mystery
Wonder
God.
Where do I see such things in the world?
In People - their humanity, strength and dignity - in moments of Grace, in beautiful Churches.
In February 2025, Pope Francis said it was the job of artists to reveal “beauty, truth and goodness … engaging with the drama of human existence.”
This work is mine to do.
~ Cynthia