Meet VA-based Artist Maria Brock
Maria Brock is a Fairfax, VA-based artist working in digital painting, as well as piano and singing. Check out her work at Magnificat Prints and on Instagram.
CATHOLIC ARTIST CONNECTION: Where are you from originally, and what brought you to Fairfax?
MARIA BROCK: I was born in Michigan, but I moved to Virginia when I was six, so I consider myself a Virginia native! Our family lived in Leesburg, Virginia, and I moved out to Fairfax when I was in my senior year of college. I’ve stayed here ever since, and I love the Virginia area. Currently I live in an old farmhouse in a quiet, shady part of Fairfax.
How do understand your vocation as a Catholic artist?
Vocation is definitely the quiet question for me right now. Because creating my sacred art is a side hobby for me right now, I don’t know if I would call it (yet) my main vocation. However, I do believe there is a certain calling because of the gifts God has blessed me with. I do consider myself an artist, because ever since I was little I have lived and breathed the arts. I took piano since the age of five, sang in high school and college, took theater, and now create digital art. I am starting to accept that I am an artist to my bones.
What do you see as your personal mission as a Catholic working in the arts?
For now, I see my personal mission as a Catholic artist as a mission of love and intercession. I draw the Holy Family and the saints with joy on their faces, because I want the individual to experience the joy Heaven has in them. I include an optional prayer intention section in my website so that I can pray for all who buy my art. I've had a lot of conversations from fallen away Catholics, Protestants, and atheists who have opened themselves up to praying again, or seeking out their faith because of seeing warm depictions of Jesus. This is why I create. That all my know the love and compassion of Our Lord.
Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?
Merely by the fact that the Church appreciates artists. There is so much space for art, music, and beauty. Catholics truly know how to appreciate beauty and the creative world. We are sons and daughters of a Creator God.
How can the Church be more welcoming to artists?
I feel grateful that the Church does appreciate artists and art. In most any Catholic church, there's always beautiful art and architecture. Beauty is so emphasized in Catholicism, because Catholicism appreciates the beauty and importance of the senses. Commissioning Catholic artists, especially small business artists, would help a lot!
Where in Fairfax, VA do you regularly find spiritual fulfillment?
I find spiritual fulfillment in my local parish of St. Timothy. They have (almost) perpetual adoration on weekdays, and so to have Jesus so accessible during the day is such a need and a gift. I also like attending my local Anglican Ordinariate and Melkite Catholic parish. In both those communities I’ve found immediate welcome and care. I also love visiting different parishes and seeking out beauty in their architecture and liturgy. The Diocese of Arlington has a rich liturgical life, whether that be through the Latin Rite, Novus Ordo, Ordinariate, or Byzantine Rites.
Where in the Virginia area do you regularly find artistic fulfillment?
The first interaction I had with the artistic community in DC was when I participated in a St. Joseph’s Art Festival. There I met a lot of artists and made some connections. My friend Myranda helps run Called to Create, which is another Catholic art community, and so I’ve enjoyed building a friendship with her. I’ve participated in local theater companies as well, and even though that’s taken a backseat, I’m hoping to start again. I want to get connected more, since this is still a new space for me, but I’m also hoping to start my own little tradition of art nights at my house.
What is your daily spiritual practice?
Currently I’m attempting to read the Bible every day, using Meg Hunter-Kilmer’s bible plan. I did the BIY podcast last year, but really want to delve into meditating with scripture daily. Other than that, practicing the presence of God is very helpful to me. I like praying the Jesus Prayer with my breath and replacing the words with whatever comes to me in the moment, or what I am petitioning God for. For example, I’ll start off with the Jesus prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” And then I’ll transition to “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God (inhale), love me into Your arms” (exhale), or “give me patience right now” or “help me trust in You.” I have found that this spiritual practice helps break me out rote prayer and helps me express what’s deep in my heart.
What is your daily artistic practice?
I know that I can be a bit perfectionistic with my art and rely on old techniques to continue in my artistic habits. I’ve found that forcing myself to draw or paint in a “meh” fashion is helpful for creativity, because it forces me out of the box and makes me become okay with not having everything I draw be perfect. It’s similar to a writer who wants to write the final draft before allowing themselves to outline or write a first draft.
Describe a recent day in which you were most completely living out your vocation as an artist.
When I was between jobs, I had two weeks of downtime before I started my new job. It was so glorious. I had just moved into my beautiful new home, and when I tell you it’s beautiful… It’s stunning. I spent a couple days just basking in that house. I really enjoyed creating a beautiful living space in my room, and adding art to different rooms of the house. Plants, sunlight, bedspreads, books, and paintings all help me live in art all day.
How do you afford housing as an artist?
I’m blessed with a full-time job, so I haven’t had to rely on my artist income for housing. I am in love with my current housing situation. I live in an old farmhouse in Fairfax with a yard, garden, and beautiful bay window. I like being semi-close to DC, but I also crave quiet neighborhoods and green spaces, and so it can be difficult to get that balance. Luckily, I found an opening at a house in a quiet neighborhood with a few other Catholic girls. It’s not in the “DC scene,” but it’s close enough that I could commute to events, or just stay and relax in a nice little home sanctuary amid the busyness of NoVa. If anybody is a Catholic looking for roommates in the DC/NOVA area, I'd definitely recommend DC Catholics Looking for Roommates group on Facebook.
How do you financially support yourself as an artist?
I have a day job as a Data Analyst and Designer. I worked in Data Analytics for some time until I found my current job, which is as my company’s analytics team’s designer. I love that I can apply my artistry and eye for design to a tech job. It may surprise people that there’s room for art and creativity in the data world, but there’s nothing more I love than working on color theory, fonts, visualizations, and charts to provide the best experience to users of data.
How do you market your art?
I must admit, I know nothing about marketing. I don’t know the SEOs, or hashtags, or marketing hacks. I mainly rely on social media and word of mouth to get exposure for my art. Because this is still just a hobby for me, I haven’t yet wanted to make it a more intensive job. Of course I like getting money for my artwork, but because I’m privileged to have a full time job, I have the opportunity to just enjoy the process of creating art and having people enjoy it as they come along.
I started using TikTok (as I am Gen-Z) to promote my art, and started an Instagram later. Those two forms of social media are where I get all my exposure, and I love being able to connect with other artists on those platforms. Interestingly enough, TikTok is where I’ve gotten the most sales, but Instagram is where I’ve gotten the most connections. I don’t use TikTok exclusively for art promotion, whereas I solely use Instagram for my art.
What are your top 3 pieces of advice for Catholic artists post-graduation?
Take a break and relax. Rest in the arms of the Father. Then go forth and be not afraid! Pursue Truth, Beauty, and Goodness always. (And go to Italy. You can't go wrong going to Italy.)