The Art of Father Arthur Poulin

Father Arthur Poulin, Tree of Life, Big Sur, acrylic on canvas, 12″ × 6″, 1998

Permission has been granted by the artist, Father Arthur Poulin, for use of his artwork throughout this journal.

The process of selecting art to represent each new volume, and theme, of Diálogo is not an easy task. It is, however, the most inspiring phase of the production process. Our desire is to showcase the work of a Latin American and U.S. Latina/o artists, or an artist whose work enhances and reflects the theme being explored. Selecting the art that will combine harmoniously with the content is an exhilarating challenge from which we seek to bring forth an enriched reading experience. This issue in tribute to Cuban-American theologian Alejandro García-Rivera, features the art of Father Arthur Poulin¹, a Camaldolese hermit-monk and artist residing at Incarnation Monastery in Berkeley, California. He holds a B.A. in Fine Arts from Loyola University Chicago.

Father Poulin’s style is commonly compared to pointillist art. Pointillism, developed by George Seurat, branched from the Impressionist movement of late 19^th century France. Pointillism is produced when small dots of pure unmixed colors are applied to a surface, in varying densities, to create an optically blended image when viewed from a distance.² It is the testing of the human sensory system, void of significance—a superficial beauty. The viewer experiences movement, light, and vibrant energy from the blending of juxtaposing colors; but nothing more.

Father Arthur Poulin, Sunset, acrylic on canvas, 36″ × 36″, 1998

While there are visual similarities, such as the use of contrasting colors to create depth of luminosity, Father Poulin’s landscape art is quite distinct from traditional pointillism. The artist begins by preparing a canvas with layers of gesso: a binding mix of pigment, chalk and gypsum that will serve as an absorbent primer base for acrylic paint. He defines his own style through the production process and the spiritual message revealed beyond the visual aesthetic. In his 1999 Letter to Artists, Pope John Paul II stated: “Art has a unique capacity to take one or other facet of the message and translate it into colors, shapes and sounds which nourish the intuition of those who look and listen. It does so without emptying the message itself of its transcendent value and its aura of mystery.”³ Father Poulin’s art could best be described as spiritual landscape art, a visual conduit to the understanding of God’s presence. In his own words:

My painting style obviously has influences from Impressionism and Pointillism. Van Gogh, Pissarro, and Seurat are among my favorites. I don’t consciously try to paint in any of these particular styles. I start with a canvas composed of 20–25 layers of black gesso. At a certain point I begin to add layer after layer of paint starting with darker tones and shades, and ultimately journey to lighter colors. It is a very meditative and contemplative practice. The tiny dot that I use represents the small mustard seed of the gospel. It has the potential, power, and energy to grow into a great tree of life—something marvelous, wonderful, and even greater than itself. The tiny dot is the One that the Many are wanting to be.⁴

In his book A Wounded Innocence: Sketches for a Theology of Art (2003), Alejandro García-Rivera discusses issues of spirituality in this artist’s conceptions: “The beauty of Fr. Poulin’s paintings emerges from his own personal spirituality, a spirituality that is nourished and formed by his monastic community” (48).⁵ His community is that of the Camaldolese Congregation of the Order of Saint Benedict, a joint order of hermits and cenobites, founded by the Italian monk, St. Romuald. St. Romuald received his monastic formation in Classe, Italy, at the Benedictine abbey of St. Apollinare. In the years following, modeling a life spent in solitude and prayer, he founded several hermitages and monasteries. During the latter years...