Kindred Spirits

When most people think of nuns, they imagine Julie Andrews singing in the hills, or the stern, knuckle-rapping sisters found at Catholic schools. Local artist Gennaro Garcia paints a different picture of religious life.

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More About

• Gennaro Garcia
• Julie Andrews
• Joe Ray
• Woodworking
• Visual Arts

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On a trip to Spain with his wife, Garcia encountered three nuns smoking, drinking and living it up. “We start talking about the fact that God is not gonna love them less because they’re drinking, if they use makeup, or have fake boobs,” he recalls. These spirited Spanish sisters inspired several paintings and small-scale wood sculptures featured in “De Norte a Sur,” a collaborative exhibit between Garcia and fellow Mexican-born artist Joe Ray.

Both artists share a love of bright colors, yet view women through a different lens. Ray’s angelic figures are soft and ethereal, while Garcia’s women are either realistic portraits of his “muses” or square-jawed nuns toting goblets of wine.