What is Stella Maris Designs?
The Stella Maris Crest
Stella Maris Designs has been on my mind for many years, though it originated as an idea for a fashion brand. It wasn’t until Thérèse Judeana launched her own substack and asked me to create further artwork for her, that I realized Stella Maris could find a place here, too, as way to spread Catholic art.
The name came to me almost ten years ago, when I first learned of the Ave Maris Stella hymn. Our Lady promised St. Bridget, "Sing as a group the Ave Maris Stella and I will guard you from every danger." It’s a comforting promise, one that can be thought of not only in physical danger, but in spiritual danger, as well. With my love of stars, this title of Our Lady quickly became my favorite.
Catholics have long seen Our Lady as the star which guides us to Christ, for she forever directs us to Him: “Do whatever He tells you.” While she is visible in the Gospels, she forever remains behind her Son, appearing only to teach us meditation as she ponders all of her Son’s life, along with the virtues of charity, poverty, self-sacrifice, obedience, purity, faith, trust, love, and the perfect discipleship of Christ.
She is the Star of the stormy Sea, Star of the Morning, Our Lady of the Night Sky, and the Eastern Star, a light for those who find it hard to come to Christ, but a Mother is forever gentle and inviting. She can always pull us out of the waves and put us in Christ’s arms.
The Stella Maris Crest
The crest above was first designed for one of Thérèse Judeana’s characters (yet to be revealed!), but is one that I’ve used often as my own “crest” and signature on all my drawings. It features the initials for “Ave Maria” and “Deo Gratias,” two important phrases for us in our Catholic lives, and the lily of purity and innocence. The stars in the background roughly represent the belt of Orion, which St. Therese saw as her name in the sky; Sirius, a star I’ve associated with St. Michael, per its Arabic name which translates to “Lord of the Mighty Stars;” and the stars on the right mark the Pleiades, a cluster of stars which I associate with Our Lady’s sorrows, my other most-loved Marian devotion.
The Stella Maris Mission
I hope to bring this light into everything I create, to put a little light into where there is darkness, to create a safe space for Catholic artists and writers, and I hope that you will enjoy the artwork showcased here, too.
My personal mission is to keep learning to surrender my gifts to Christ, to help put a little more beauty into the world, and to learn humility by leaving my comfort zone.
Content:
Subscribers can expect at least one original artwork on the last Friday of the month, and one post on one of my favorite historical pieces on the first Wednesday of the month.
Free Subscribers receive:
all posts, but with lower resolution images (to help prevent unauthorized downloads)
Paid Subscribers receive:
Higher resolution images of all original artworks
Exclusive content
The ability to reply to Stella Maris emails
The ability to comment on Stella Maris posts
My gratitude, as you’ll be supporting my work and enable me to continue improving my skills for the glory of God!
In the future, if you’d like to support Stella Maris Designs but are unable to commit to a paid subscription, please consider leaving a donation of any amount. 10% of all proceeds from this substack will be donated to Catholic charities, such as Mary’s Meals, our local Latin Mass and our lovely church, and to support traditional Catholic convents, such as the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles.