Wall Saints Day: designer creates wallpaper themed to saints

It’s subtle, and it’s also eye-catching.  Would you guess that the design below is for St. Francis de Sales, patron of writers and journalists?

That’s just for starters.

More, from Tampa Bay Online:

St. Francis of Assisi tends to hang out in gardens. If you see a medal dangling from a car dashboard, it’s likely St. Christopher.

Images of Catholic patron saints end up in a lot of different media, including jewelry, books, statues and paintings, just to name a few.

But here’s a new one: wallpaper.

That’s right. Tampa artist Given Campbell, who launched a wall covering business in 2005, came up with a line last year she calls “Divine” as an alternative to traditional religious art.

It includes multiple patterns honoring 19 saints, each symbolizing what the saint stood for based on Campbell’s artistic conception. Many of the designs are very subtle. She also included a series of crosses within the line.

“I didn’t want it to be overly religious,” she explains. “It’s something that can be your little secret or, if you choose to, you can share its meaning with people. Or it can just be a great pattern on the wall.”

Among them: planes for St. Christopher, patron saint of travelers; bars for St. Leonard, patron saint of prisoners, captives and slaves; snails for St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and the environment; badges for St. Michael, patron saint of police officers; pencils for St. Catherine of Alexandria, patron saint of students; and musical notes for St. Catharine of Bologna, patron saint of artists. To see other patterns, go to www.givencampbell.com

And in the spirit of the saints, Campbell is sharing some of her profits from the Divine line. She’s chosen St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic charity that assists the needy with clothes and other necessities, as the recipient. So far, she’s donated $110 to the nonprofit.

Though Campbell, 39, isn’t Catholic, she’s always been intrigued by the mysteries and customs of the denomination. Last year, she married commercial artist Miguel Insignares – who is a Catholic – and commited to convert to the faith. She plans to take the Rite of Catholic Initiation classes at their church, Christ the King in south Tampa, to fully embrace her new religion.

Read more. And while you’re at the TBO link, you can check out other designs.