Ray Leight

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. 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 including Merck, Advanta, MGM Studios, Holiday Inn, IBM, Ford, and Harrah's Casinos. He has displayed his impressive collection of painting, sculpture, and cartoon illustration from California, Florida, Pennsylvania, to The Hollywood Art and Culture Center, The Fudan Museum, Shanghai, 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 PREP and Education Room after him. On April 11 2010, when the parish is formally consecrated by our bishops, the PREP room will officially become, "The Raymond Leight Children's Education Room" and now features 14 other works of the artist all 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 close this portion introduction, 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."