My Legal name is Anthony Christopher Bothel (or Tony Bothel or Anthony Bothel ). I'm an american Benedictine Monk of Divine Will in final vows (living at a Monastery in the Le Marche region of Italy close to the country of San Marino.). I'm not sure that everybody realizes that there are Catholic monks, but there have been all the way back to Nazareth. If anyone wants to know about our charism you can check out our website and fb. Or you could also just look up "Benedictine monk" or "St.Benedict" and you'll find some interesting stuff, they have been going since the 500's. Also you can check out Luisa Piccarreta, the Divine Will and Littleness & Spiritual Childhood (St. Therese of Liseux). Art breaks beyond the barriers of Language and culture and unites human beings in solidarity and joy. Of course this happens in a much more real way because we share in the creativity of the one true Creator. Anyways, that's all for now. Stay little and in-between the two hearts of Jesus and Mary united with the most pure Heart of St. Joseph in the Divine Will! PAX
I specialize in acrylic painting, animation, digital art, drawing, pen and ink.
It's our Mother of Jesus! Child Version! ^_^ Our order actually has a devotion to the Child Mary as well as the Child Jesus. It's all about being little and realizing our calling as Children of God. When I draw these little cutesy things it helps me to remember to be little, to not take things so seriously all the time. By the grace of God they give me joy. :) Remember, be little! Peace
I've never been much of a cat person but I have to say that Akita helped me to appreciate cats. She is a great hunter and with take out pesky mice and she doesn't chew electronic wires. She's very nice and likes to come up to me when I go outside. But she isn't too invasive and she isn't annoying at all. She stays outside for the most part as well so the monastery doesn't smell like cat. :P I think this is probably my first drawing of a cat, I just sketched her real quick and added her eye color, she kinda looks like an artic cat like this, well she is pretty resistant to cold, lol (her normal colors are brown/black/orange/white).
The Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Archangel Gabriel. This is also considered the Incarnation of Jesus. Those letters "ICXC" are an abbreviation of the Greek name of "Jesus Christ" ("IHCOYC XPICTOC"), hence she is conceiving Jesus by the Holy Spirit and power of the Most High. ^_^ That's why the light is going towards her. Her arms are crossed in humility as if she was saying "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word". Gabriel the Archangel and Blessed Mama Mary, pray for us! O:)
It's Christmas in July! The Third Joyful mystery: The Nativity, the Birth of Jesus. Jesus has his iconic Halo now and you can see the divine graces pouring out in the classic Iconic way, some deep theology drawn here. ^_^ Of course Saint Joseph is in deep contemplation, Mary is tucking Jesus in and even the animals are in wonder. :) Holy Family, pray for us.
The Fifth and final Joyful Mystery: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple. Young Jesus is so cool, can you just immagine all the wisdom and grace pouring out of him at Nazareth? "That kid is amazing!" the temple elders and priests probably said but they had no idea how amazing he actually is, because he's God! Super power packed! lol Luke Chapter 2: 40-52 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong, full of wisdom; and the grace of God was in him. 41 And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the solemn day of the pasch, 42 And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, 43 And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not. 44 And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. 45 And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions. 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers. 48 And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I must be about my father's business? 50 And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart. 52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men.
First Sorrowful Mystery: The agony in the Garden. The Angel is dressed in black because it is fortelling his death and the chalice is like a bitter black liquid. Jesus suffered such agony in the Garden of Gethsenami that it would have been enough to save us all but he wanted to give an abundance of graces and spiritual gifts for our salvation by suffering for us all possible pains we could experience. So that even pain can bear fruit in our lives. "Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here, while I go yonder and pray.' And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, 'My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.' And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will"' (Mt 26:36-39). "Such a battle and such a victory become possible only through prayer. It is by his prayer that Jesus vanquishes the Tempter, both at the outset of his public mission and in the ultimate struggle of his agony" (CCC, 2849). Our Father, 10 Hail Marys (contemplating the mystery), Glory be to the Father.
Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: The carrying of the cross. So I basically have 5 stations of the cross combined into one. The carrying of the cross (2nd station), When he sees our Blessed Mother (4), Simon of Cyrene forced to help (5), St. Veronica wipes his face (6), he meets the women (8). In between these are the 3 times he fell, the first station of his condemation and then the striping before the final mystery of the Rosary. "And they compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull)" (Mk 15:21-22). "By accepting in his human will that the Father's will be done, he accepts his death as redemptive, for 'he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree' (1 Pt 2:24)" (CCC, 612). Our Father, 10 Hail Marys (contemplating the mystery), Glory be to the Father.
My very first complete Watercolor painting: The Holy Spirit! in humanoid form instead of dove form. Of course God is love so I have his heart and the 3 flames are 3 because the Trinity. The Holy Spirit can take any form He wants and so I've always thought he also has like a spiritual humanoid form, I mean he can't just always be in dove form. :P I tried watercoloring in the past but never seriously, I don't even remember what I tried but I never finished anything, I just remember how frustrating the coloring process was and had many bleed throughs. That's why I've always prefered Acrylic. This time I gave it a try though after watching some videos with tips n tricks. I painted it on some small postcard sized watercolor paper. I'll probably make one with all the gifts and fruits in the future but I gotta finish my rosary mysteries, only 4 more to go! #Catholic, #Christian, #HolySpirit, #HolyGhost, #Watercolor, #Paint,
Guess who it is? It's the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta! I finally inked and colored a sketch I made of little Luisa in her little room on her little bed! ^_^ If your Catholic and don't know what the Divine Will is, you got to look it up! It's the highest, freeing, most beautiful thing ever! It unites you to Jesus in an indescribable way! That's why I'm a Benedictine of the Divine Will! #LuisaPiccarreta, #ServantOfGod, #Catholic, #Chrisitan, #DivineWill, #Sketch, #Cute, #Cartoon, #Little, #SpiritualChildhood, #Fiat, #WillofGod, #Luisa, #Piccarreta, #Servant, #eternalvolition, #divinevolition, #eternalFiat, #DivineFiat, #ConqueringFiat, #ReigningFiat, #SupremeFiat, #room, #bed, #cross, #babyjesus, #jesus, #twohearts, #sacredheart, #Immaculateheart, #clock, #holyfamily, #Crucifix, #Window, #Blanket, #Drawer, #DigitalArt, #pen, #light, #shadow, #Shading, #benedictine, #tertiary, #Dominican, #laity, #floor, #somethingelse, #something, #umm, #hhmm, #areyoureadingthis, #spirituality, #spiritual, #gift, #Divinavolonta, #divinvolere, #ServadiDio, #Cattolico, #Cristiano, #Chiesa, #Church, #CatholicChurch, #God, #Trinity, #Unity, #DivineIndwelling, #Love
It's one of Luisa's best buddies: Padre Pio! Now in color! Doesn't seeing Capuchin colors make you feel like having a cappuccino? Just make sure you have your coffee with milk in the morning here in Italy, otherwise you will scandalize all the Italians. lol. What can I say about Padre Pio, well he knew about the Divine Will and Luisa and he had the stigmata and mystical experiences and well he's just one cool dude that don't mess around. lol (I hope this translates well enough for the italians reading this, heh). #padrepio, #LuisaPiccarreta, #StPadrePio, #divinewill, #catholic, #christian, #saint, #franciscan, #capuchin, #StPio, #Stpius, #stigmata, #mystical, #Cappuccino
Child Jesus loves you! Jesus likes every now and then to appear in child form in order to teach us many things and relate with us. To remember to be little and rely on God our father. ^_^ He's levitating and his robe is long so you can't see his lil feet. I made this sketch awhile back but like a lot of things now I decided to color it. Digital color makes things pop! #jesus, #catholic, #christian, #littleness, #little, #spiritualchildhood, #childhood, #kid, #children, #child, #sketch, #digitalcolor, #childjesus, #sacredheart.
It's Saint John of God with his good brother Saint Raphael the Archangel! Saint John of God was a Portuguese soldier turned health-care worker in Spain, whose followers later formed the Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God, a worldwide Catholic religious institute dedicated to the care of the poor, sick, and those suffering from mental disorders (He himself had a mental breakdown). The Archangel Raphael assisted him in his charitable work even wearing the Habit of St. John of God's order (which is black, yes good angels can wear black lol). This drawing refers to when Saint John of God was helped by Raphael as he carried a sick man ("Whatever you have done to the least of your brethren you have done to me"). Just as John of God lay weakened with the burden of carrying the man and feeling like he could not go on, Raphael appeared and together they shared the load to ensure the man was carried to the hospital. He did this and appeared many other times to help in various ways, once he even appeared with St. John the Apostle. St. John of God and St. Raphael the Archangel, pray for us! and pray especially for those with mental illnesses! ^_^ #stjohn, #stjohnofgod, #saint, #john, #saint, #raphael, #straphael, #angel, #angels, #archangel, #hospital, #brothershospitallersofsaintjohnofgod, #catholic, #christian, #saints
Happy Feast day of Saint Juan Diego everyone! The Visionary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, our celestial Mamma! The little virgin (Virgencita), our lady, called Juan Diego the Littlest of her sons! The Humblest in other words. Can you imagine now the sanctity of San Juan Diego?! Wow! And to convert so many through these apparitions just speaks for itself! Culturally I also love these devotions because I'm part mexican and native american. It's so awesome how our lady embraces our culture and shows herself a true mother. San Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us! #juan, #san, #saint, #juandiego, #sanjuandiego, #stjuandiego, #guadalupe, #virgencita, #ourlady, #blessedmother, #mary, #little, #humble, #mexico, #northamerica, #catholic, #christian, #cattolico, #cattolica, #tilma, #ourladyofguadalupe, #mexican, #nativeamerican, #mother
Sometimes have difficulty expressing how I feel in word but I'm finding art to be a way in which I can open up a lot more. It's really hard to describe Anxiety, especially because a lot of times (at least with things like GAD) it's hard to know where it comes from. Anyone who has ever had an attack can relate. Also Spiritual Desolation can often accompany it which makes it confusing and people experience it differently. Nothing has ever made me feel more in union with Our Lord in the Agony of the Garden. There is also that sense of abbandonment on the cross, and for me the crown of thorns because of migranes which are connected with it. But there is hope, you can see the light in the heart... in the soul... Often times it feels like a dark cloud and no magic formula of words or advice will do the trick, we know the logic, we understand the solutions but in the moment one just has to experience the Cross. An artist shows beauty, soul, personality, emotion, life. This transcends language, boundaries, cultures and connects humanity. This unity is what brings us closer in solidariety, fraternity and love, and this is what again, leads to joy, joy even in the midst of sorrow. And so even if I express sorrow or anxiousness, let this help you know that you are not alone, have joy in your heart even if you don't feel like smiling. Never give up, I know it can seem lonely but know that people really do love you. Peace be with you