Can We Talk AI?

 When AI Doesn't cut it?

I know my readers and my readers know me. And I know how much they like AI...with that said let me show you my newest piece. This was done using three mediums: Charcoal, Oil Pastel, and Watercolor Paint.

You know those moments when someone means really well, but then technology swoops in and quietly misses the mark? That’s kind of how this story went — and yes, it involves artificial art.

My sister-in-law wanted to give a wedding gift that was more than just thoughtful — she wanted it to be sacred, beautiful, and personal. So naturally, she turned to an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. But not just any image — she found one that looked serene and luminous, full of grace and heavenly peace. It was perfect.

Except… it was AI-generated.

Now, don’t get me wrong — AI can do some interesting things these days. It can “paint” in milliseconds, crank out digital imitations of Renaissance masters, and even get the folds of a veil almost right. But as my sister-in-law quickly realized, something about AI-generated religious art just doesn’t sit right. It’s not bad, exactly — just... off. A little too smooth, a little too hollow. Almost like it skipped prayer and went straight for the pixels.

So she turned to me.

With the original AI image in hand— a concept. An idea. She said, “Could you draw this — by hand?” And I knew exactly what she meant.

Because some images — especially ones of Mary, our divine and earthly Mother — deserve reverence. And reverence doesn’t come from a prompt or a codebase. It comes from quiet hours at a desk, from prayerful intention, from sketching and erasing and sketching again until the expression feels just right. It comes from the heart — not a machine.

So I sat down with my tools and got to work.

What you see here is the result: a hand-drawn image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I drew it with the kind of love and devotion that can’t be faked — certainly not by an algorithm. Every stroke, every shadow, every detail was intentional. Human. Real.

And when my sister-in-law saw the finished piece, she smiled and said what every artist longs to hear: “This is exactly what I was hoping for.”

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Why It Matters

There’s a reason why sacred art has been made by hand for centuries. Religious images aren’t just decoration — they’re invitations to prayer. They reflect divine mysteries, stir up devotion, and help lift our eyes toward heaven. And while AI might be able to mimic beauty, it can’t replicate love.

Art is incarnation. It’s flesh meeting form. And as Catholics, we believe deeply in that — in the union of spirit and matter, in the touch of the Creator through creation.

So no shade to the machines, but when it comes to Our Lady?

Let’s keep it personal.

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Want Something Like This?

I create original, hand-drawn Catholic artwork — icons, illustrations, and devotional pieces — all crafted with prayerful intention and traditional technique. If you're looking for a custom piece for your home, a gift, or a wedding present that won’t be mistaken for a soulless robot rendering, [reach out in the comments / or drop a message in the contact form]!

Our Mother deserves more than digital guesses. She deserves art made with love.