Mary of the Morning

It was a real privilege to be part of the Fred Luizzi Foundation charity event, where the first “Mary of the Morning” painting was auctioned for $8,000. The room was filled with warmth, legacy, and love—and it was a true honour to contribute through art, to speak, and to witness something meaningful unfold. That night changed everything. I was surprised by how deeply this image of Mary resonated—across age, gender, and background. There was something in her calm defiance… the rising strength in her silence. Inspired by the response, I’ve committed to creating a limited series of 12 Mary originals. Each one is painted from scratch. No two will be the same. One was auctioned. One I’ve kept for myself. One is already commissioned. Each piece is hand-painted in acrylic and some oil-pastels on canvas, with a top-grade archival varnish and shipped in a protective tube. On the back of every canvas, I handwrite this short poem—my tribute to the sacred, the grounded, the strong, and the rising: “Mary of the Morning She doesn't ask the sun to rise— she is the rising. Hands steady, heart open, poised between prayer and power. This is faith with spine, hope with hands, the quiet confidence of someone who knows their next breath is a gift worth receiving. In the silence before dawn, she aligns with what calls her forward— not waiting for permission to become who she already is. Legacy lives in this moment: the choice to be present, to expect goodness, to love without guarantee. Mary teaches us: divinity isn't distant— it's the decision to rise.”