San Francisco en Sonora


...con Hermano Lobo y Hermana Tecolote.
(St. Francis in Sonora with Brother Wolf and Sister Owl.)

Acrylic on raw canvas with handpainted oak frame, 18"x 30", c. Luna Rivera, 2000.

Scroll below picture for artist's statement



St. Francis of Assisi is the Patron Saint of the Environmental Movement, and the Patron Saint of Santa Fe, New Mexico. He preached that the living spirit is found equally in all created things, even the stones. He admonished the people to feed "Brother Wolf", so that then they would have no more to fear from him. He moved bugs and worms tenderly out of the road so that they would not be stepped on. He lectured to and conversed with birds, rabbits and fish. He heard "sermons in stones". I am not even begining to adequately explain how the life and story of St. Francis move me: suffice it to say that I have and will continue to create many artworks depicting St. Francis. I painted this one specially as a tribute to the Sonoran desert, which is right now struggling for survival aganst rampant development and population growth. Two creatures native to this region, the Mexican Grey Wolf, and the Cactus Feruginous Pygmy Owl, are particularly embattled here even though they are on the endangered species list. This painting constitutes my plea that the peoples of the Sonoran Desert remember the words of St. Francis. Here are some, from his Canticle of the Sun:

Praised be you, my Lord, with all his creatures especially sir brother sun,
who is the day and through whom you give us light:
And he is beautiful and radiant with a very great splendor:
and bears a likeness of you, Most High One.
Praised be you, my Lord through sister moon, and the stars,
in heaven you formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be you, my Lord through brother wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather
through which you give sustenance to your creatures.
Praised be you, my Lord through sister water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Praised be you, my Lord, through brother fire,
through whom you light the night,
and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be you, my Lord, through sister mother earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and produces varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.



This painting is available for sale. Inquire via E-Mail if interested.