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Saint Miriam, a parish community |
475 Norristown Road Blue Bell, PA 19422 Phone (215) 701-4781 Info@MySaintMiriam.org |
Press Release
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Contact: Father Jim St. George Phone: (215) 701-4781 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9 A.M. EDT, January 17 2010 |
saint miriam receives large gift from noted artist
Blue bell, pA, January 17th 2010: On New Year's Eve, while a few members of
Saint Miriam gathered to clean and ready for New Year's Day, noted and renowned
artist, Mr. Raymond Leight, along with David Romeo, also well
known along with his wife, Pam, as two of the finest, premier framers
and owners of Romeo's Fine Arts in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, walked
into Saint Miriam together to accomplish one goal: the installation of Mr.
Leight's latest, original masterpiece entitled, "Jesus and the
Little Children." This large, beautiful and inspiring work
was completed for Saint Miriam as a gift from Mr. Leight. Mr. Leight also
donated 14 other original children’s pieces for our children education room! And,
Dave and Pam Romeo gifted the framing and hanging as well!
Mr.
Leight met Father Jim quite by happenstance at Dave and Pam's store and
gallery in Lansdale as they helped Father prepare the finishes for the
collection of Stations of the Cross that hang in our main Sanctuary. Mr.
Leight was present on his own business and the two men met, thanks to Dave
and Pam! The rest, as they say, is history!
Mr.
Leight began to paint this masterpiece and as he did, he puts it best,
"the Holy Spirit came to me and held my hand...the great Comforter told me
what and how to paint..." This work is the result and Mr. Leight
claims proudly, "It is one of my best pieces!"
Mr. Leight's
work is in many major collections throughout the world in both private and
corporate exhibits. He has displayed his impressive collection of painting, sculpture,
and cartoon illustration from California, Florida, Pennsylvania, to The
Hollywood Art and Culture Center, just to name a few. His work has been
featured at The Center for the Arts, Vero Beach and The Brevard Art Center and
Museum. And, a Museum is now being built in New York to house his vast
collection!
Mr.
Leight was born in small West Point, Pennsylvania in 1931. A true, natural born
artist, without formal training, he painted and sculpted many works since childhood.
He is a published cartoonist and became a draftsman and illustrator for the
Ford Motor Company; and award-winning graphic designer; an author and
illustrator of children's books; founder of a successful toy company; and, of
course, an noted and accomplished artist to many generations!
Mr.
Leight's work lend themselves to the simplest of analysis; often using colorful
collages of materials and ideas suggest that their stories are below the
surface, waiting for interpretation by the viewer and revealed by further
study. His work is nothing short of magnificent and his genuineness is
genuinely displayed in this latest piece for Saint Miriam.
The
Saint Miriam Board of Directors, along with the Parish Council, decided to
honor Mr. Leight by honoring his love and gift to us with the naming of the CCD
and Education Room after him. On April 11 2010, when the parish is formally
consecrated by our bishops, the CCD room will officially become, "The
Ray Leight Children's Education Room" and will feature other works
of his made with children in mind!
To
further honor Dave and Pam Romeo for all of their dedication to us, and to
thank them for their love of Mr. Leight and Saint Miriam, the large floor to
ceiling window within this Children's Room will be dubbed, "A Window
onto the World for our Children, a gift of Pam and David Romeo".
There
would be many ways to illustrate Mr. Leight’s love of children, but none more
apropos than Ray's own rendition of a passage of Scripture...
"Children
are important," Jesus said. "No one in the world is greater than the
smallest of these. No one is closer to God, for Guardian Angels are watching
over them always. And remember this: anyone who is cruel to a little child
would be better off at the bottom of the sea. But the person who loves a child,
and tells her the truth, and helps her to be good, is loved by God forever.
Never forget: when you help a little child, you are helping me."
Saint Miriam has two main services each week, Thursday at 6:30PM
and Sundays at 10:30 AM. They also honor a Rosary on Wednesdays at 6:30PM and a
monthly Charismatic Mass. The services are Catholic, but inclusive and
inspiring with a mix of music from old and new, modern touches and incense
smoke that finally warms the heart, as well as the senses!
Please contact Father Jim St. George for more information or visit
www.mySaintMiriam.org.