Man - symbol of St. Matthew

Christmas Kells are one of a kind ornaments lovingly hand painted by Mark O'Brien on hand made blown glass crafted by Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans - an empowering non-profit in the Holy Land. Christmas Kells are inspired by the masterpiece of medieval art "The Book of Kells "- brilliantly decorated manuscripts of the four Gospels with depictions of Christ, the Virgin and the Evangelists. When I first saw the Book of Kells at Trinity College in Dublin, I was amazed by the vibrant colors used to illustrate the 9th Century manuscript. Although only one page is displayed each day, the artistry made a lasting impression on my spirit.
I painted the very first Christmas Kell in 1991 but I never offered them to the public opting instead to give them as gifts to family and friends because of the amount of time it takes to paint them. This summer, while recovering from surgery, a dear friend from Australia suggested that reconnecting with art could be physically and emotionally therapeutic; I officially created "Christmas Kells" - for You!

Christmas Kells cannot be rushed. After receiving the hand blown glass from Palestine, I feel for the best side to paint on. Then I sketch an image using a felt tip marker. Then, using enamel paint, I outline the design. And many layers of color later, the Christmas Kell is born in all of its fine detail and human imperfections. Because of the time it takes to dry, Christmas Kells takes about 5 days to complete