Mystical Moments in Nature – A Landscape Exhibit
The word “mystical” means “inspiring a sense of spiritual mystery.” Gary Edward Jennings and friar Vincent Petersen both share a love for nature and demonstrate that connection and spiritual mystery through their paintings. Gary, an avid hiker, takes photos of the places he visits, and primarily through pastels, charcoal, or oil on pastels, carefully brings to life chosen moments that capture nature’s beauty and solace. Friar Vincent, a lifelong gardener who tries to be outdoors as much as possible, brings his love for the earth and his commitment to Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’ – “Care for Our Common Home” to his artwork. His passion for the land is evident in the swirling colors of his acrylic works on canvas.
This dual exhibit, “Mystical Moments in Nature” brings together diverse styles that singularly envelope the viewer into forests, rivers, clouds and sunshine, bringing peace to the soul. This exhibit celebrates the hope all of us can find in nature brought to life through art.
Gallery Dates/Hours
Runs from March 10th – April 14th
Mon, Wed -11am – 2pm Fri 4pm-7pm
Place: Mary Anderson Center Gallery
Mount Saint Francis Center for Spirituality
Mary Anderson Center Gallery
101 St. Anthony Dr.
Mount Saint Francis, IN 47146
Meet The Artist
Gary Edward Jennings
I am primarily a landscape artist working in soft pastels, oil pastels, charcoal, and watercolors. My work is realistic, but not photographic. I’ve been working professionally for the last ten years.
I’m a graduate of the University of Louisville, Hite Art Institute attaining a BFA in 1985. My major was printmaking and drawing. While there, I served as the studio assistant for John Whitesell in printmaking.
I’ve had four gallery shows in Atlanta: a solo show, a show with artist Mary Monk from New Orleans, a group show, and I also exhibited with the Southeastern Pastel Society International Show at Oglethorpe University. I’ve also been in two shows at the Tim Faulkner Gallery in Louisville, Kentucky, and gallery shows in Elizabethtown and La Grange, Kentucky.
My work hangs in collections in twenty-eight states and four foreign countries. In the last two years, the University of Kentucky Arts in Healthcare Programs has purchased fifty of my drawings and paintings.
I paint the places where I hike and work to create more than a reproduction but share the spirit of Nature’s beauty and the countless gifts it has given me.
friar Vincent Petersen
Friar Vincent Petersen is an environmental artist who works mostly in the acrylic medium. Since childhood, the beauty of the Earth held him captive. Growing up in rural Minnesota, he credits the shapes, seasons, dimensions, and moods of creation for coloring his understanding of God and spirituality.
Friar Vincent’s work has been greatly influenced by the landscapes of the Southwest where he was involved in ministry from 1997 to 2015. During a 2006 exhibition benefiting a local effort to preserve open spaces and vulnerable habitat in the area, his artistry was first noticed.
Friar Vincent holds a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Arts from St. Louis University and a Master of Divinity from the Washington Theological Union. His activism has been extensive, including opposition to war and militarism, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Pax Christi, racial justice and protection of the environment.
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