The Madonna Nurse was painted by Michael Felix Gilfedder and was commissioned for Our Lady and Saint Mun’s church. The painting is based on an image of a person wearing a protective coronavirus mask.  Tears streaming down the face. The tears fall onto the desert sand and water the desert. These tears cause beautiful flowers to spring up from the barren earth. In times of crisis, God and the natural world are great sources of joy, strength and comfort.

The Madonna is nurse and healer. Throughout Christian history she has been a true mother especially in times of crisis, inspiring us to have the hope and courage to perservere through all our tears as she herself did at the crucifixion of her Son just before new life burst forth from the tomb at the Resurrection. Coming through the image of the Madonna we see the face of a nurse wearing a nurse’s cap. On the lower part of her face is the suggestion of a mask which is in fact made by the reflection of the primroses, blossoming and watered into life by her tears. For a fuller description of this painting , see more of Michael’s work on his blog mfgilfedder. blogspot.com

Michael taught as an itinerant art teacher in the Uists and is now working full time as an artist.