Granda does East Asian sacred art

In my room was a copy of the Fall 2009 newsletter for Granda Liturgical Arts (European website). The newsletter featured art done for the Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity at Thomas Aquinas College (the altar, tabernacle, and baldacchino), as well as the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Seton Hall University (a new Gothics reredos, tabernacle, and altar, along with two shrines dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph and a new confessional, a wodden frieze aroudn the nave of the church, and new exterior doors). But what was of interest to me was the work they did for St. Thomas Korean Catholic Center in Anaheim, California. From the newsletter:

This new church in Anaheim, CA was built to serve the growing Korean-American population of northern Orange County. The interior decoration of the church, entrusted to Granda Liturgical Arts, presented a singular challenge: the artwork needed to uphold Catholic tradition, match the style of the modern building, and recall the art of Korea.

The altar, crucifix and tabernacle were designed using simple but elegant architectural settings, with patterns inspired by Korean art brought out by the contrast between the wood, marble and silver elements. Four statues - Mary and the Child Jesus, St. Joseph, St. Andrew Kim and St. Peter Chanel - were designed in clay, then carved by hand from wood and painted. Jesus, Mary and Joseph are depicted as Koreans.

The center was dedicated on 22 August 2009 by the Bishop of Orange.

The accompanying photos:





The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange
From 2009: New Korean Catholic Center to open in Anaheim