Artists from 8 countries around the world sent in their submissions for the Religion News Service Pope Francis Art Contest. We received 24,156 votes for 45 entries. Voting is now closed, but you can still browse through the entries below. Winners will be announced tomorrow!
Click on any image below to view full images as a photo slideshow.
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- #1 – New Pope Praying by Ed Coletti, Santa Rosa, Calif. (Watercolor) – “This painting absolutely was inspired by Pope Francis at his election. I’m no longer a religious Catholic, but for some reason, capturing him from behind transitioning from cardinal red to papal white seemed to be a natural for my own quirkiness. I hope that you will enjoy it.”
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- #2 – Pope Francis by Debby Bird, Reston, Va. (Oil Paint on Canvas) – “I woke my two year old and my four year old up early from their nap on March 13th, 2013. We sat on the couch watching the news of white smoke and waiting. We snacked on lolly”Popes” and “Pope”corn. My son did not want me to step away from the TV. “Mom don’t miss it.” When the announcement came and Pope Francis humbly greeted the world, I knew what my next painting would be. Now my son walks past the 24″ x 36″ painting hanging at “St John Neuman” Church in Reston, Virginia and proudly announces ‘Mom that’s your painting of Pope Frances'”
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- #3 – A side of pope by Hamilton Cline, Daly City, Calif. (Digital) – “An illustration of the pope from the side.”
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- #4 – Peace and Blessings to you by Leslie Aguillard, Denver, Colo. (Pencil on watercolor paper, with blue conte crayon in eyes) – “9 inch x 12 inch pencil drawing from a photograph of Pope Francis. I liked this image because of the genuine smile and gesture of greeting and peace. Drawing on July 9, 2013.”
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- #5 – Go Francis Go by Michal Zak, Bratislava, Slovakia (Spray paint) – “Connection of free time during creative summer holiday, inspiration of joy of pope Francis, new spray cans in bookshelf and this art contest …”
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- #6 – Pope’s thinking cap by Joni Sheffield, Decatur, Ga. (Acrylic on wood) – “focus on forehead and pope cap painted on a piece of wood. painted on left front right and back sides of wood. 2x6x10”
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- #7 – Pope Francis as a doll by Zsuzsanna Benkene Jenoffy, Hungary (Handmade Doll) – “It’s not a drawing, but I thought, I’ll try to share with you.”
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- #8 – Pope by Menachem Wecker, Chicago, Ill. (Pen and ink on paper) – “The pope with a crucifix and column in the background.”
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- #9 – Pope Francis by John Keeling, Kansas City, Mo. (Watercolor) – “Brown ink and watercolor depiction of Pope Francis. He’s dressed in Mass attire. Reminds me of when the Bishop in the Episcopal church would come visit our home cathedral for special services. As an acolyte, I sometimes led the procession carrying one of those brass crosses. Man, were they heavy! Bet Francis has someone carry it for him.”
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- #10 – Pope Francis face by Vivien Kedves, Hungary (Digital) – “Created in Photoshop”
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- #11 – Pope Francis by ZoltĂĄn Marton, Transylvania, Romania (Lead Pencil) – “On the picture can be see Pope Francis. The drawing was made with lead pencil.”
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- #12 – Francis Pope outdoors by Violetta Bukodi, Hungary (Graphics) – “Support the presence of hope. Touching blessing exudes. Exudes peace and tranquility!”
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- #13 – Adelante by Pat Marrin, Kansas City, Mo. (Pen on paper) – “Pope Francis announces in Spanish the theme of his papacy: “Adelante” — Forward. He rides freely forward himself on this, his first and shortest encyclical.”
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- #14 – Francis Pope by Norbert KoppĂĄny SĂĄndor, Budapest, Hungary (Painting) – “I painted this picture because I heard of this competition and I wanted to test myself. In the picture there is the Vatican and the current Pope Francis.
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- #15 – Pope Francesco by KristĂłf KĂłczĂĄn, Hungary (Drawing) – “I tried to draw Pope Francesco, I hope it’s quite realistic. I drew a smile for him, because he is always smiling.”
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- #16 – Illustration by Neal Campbell, Vilonia, Ark. (Digital) – “I draw cartoon portraits in a kind of comic book style. I work in Photoshop and draw my portraits in high resolution so they can be extremely large format prints.”
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- #17 – Drawing by Pencil of Pope Francis by Kathryn Kirk, Chamblee, Ga. (Pencil) – “Drawing by pencils of Pope Francis”
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- #18 – Pope Francis by Erika Terezia, Romania (Pencil) – “This is a pencil drawing on A4 paper (21×30 cm), with HB, B3 and B5 graffit pencils.”
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- #19 – The Smiling Pope by Joe Sales, Ontario, Canada (Drawing by Pen) – “I know this drawing of the Pope may be different than what he actually looks like but this is my idea of what Pope Francis looks like. An image that has stuck in my mind is when he has smiled. I figured I would try to draw ‘The Smiling Pope’. The Pope seems to have won the hearts of many with his humility, simplicity, and love for the church and it’s people. It only seems fitting that I draw the Pope smiling.”
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- #20 – Santo by Rob Hatem, Kansas City, Mo. (Acrylic Paint) – “‘Santo’ is Spanish for “saintly” and this is a portrait of Pope Francis in the spirit of Saint Francis.”
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- #21 – Pope Francis in God’s Perspective by Sune Nielsen, Denmark (Tusch Drawing) – “I draw cartoons and satiric drawings. I wanted to make a humoristic portrait, not only because it is the way I prefer to draw, but also in the sense that I regard our present pope, as a humorous and down-to-earth, so to speak, person. At the same time, you often find serious angles along with humor. Of course, I do not know how God looks upon us, the pope.. but it might be interesting to think about it. How does God look upon the pope? Not like I draw it probably, so it should just make you think.”
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- #22 – Pope Francis by Olaf Tollefsen, Columbia, S.C. (Sumi Ink) – “This is a portrait of Pope Francis written in Arabic using the text from his speech on the balcony right after being elected Pope. Done in the style of Islamic calligraphy.”
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- #23 – The Revolutionary by Sierra Prinzbach, Brecksville, Ohio (Sharpie Pens & Acrylic Paint) – “As I was watching the opening ceremony to World Youth Day in Rio this past summer, I stumbled upon this website and decided to share my love of Pope Francis expressed in sharpie and acrylic. Pope Francis has asked the youth to “swim against the tide”, to “be revolutionaries”. As Christ is the True Revolutionary, Pope Francis leads us into a new era of hope and mission for the Church. Let us be bold!
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- #24 – Who Are We to Judge? by Michael McGrath, Camden, N.J. (iPad) – ” I draw the Holy Spirit as a dove in much of my work. Here, of course, she offers Pope Francis some Divine Inspiration which has caught the world’s attention.”
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- #25 – And with your Spirit by Clare Tabera, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Acrylic Paint) – “What can I say? Pope Francis and a dove.”
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- #26 – Peepal Conclave by Allan, Ashley, Alex, Margaret and Ken O’Mara, Baldwinsville, N.Y. (Peeps candy and assorted paper) – “In honor of the near-Easter election of Pope Francis. The Cardinals elect Peep Francis, who here makes an appearance on the peepal balcony to address God’s peeple.”
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- #27 – Gramma’s Pope by Meachan O’Leary, Helena, Mont. (Watercolor) – “My best friend’s grandmother Myrtle, who is not Catholic, asked for a picture of the Pope. She is of the opinion that he is a good man and since her cat died yesterday, she told me she had talked to the Pope and asked him to let the cat into Heaven right away. So this is Gramma’s picture of the Pope.”
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- #28 – Our Pope: Francis by Jered Klodt, Cavalier AFS, N.D. (Charcoal) – “A portrait of Pope Francis done in charcoal with white chalk highlights on 11″x14″ pastel paper.”
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- #29 – Pope Francis at the Installation Mass by Christina Van Hecke, Hartland, Wis. (Colored Pencil) – “Pope Francis smiles during his homily at his installation Mass.”
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- #30 – Pope Francis Waving by Matthew Van Hecke, Hartland, Wis. (Graphic Pencils) – “Pope Francis smiles, and waves to the crowds from the popemobile prior to his inauguration mass at St Peter’s Square on March 19, 2013.”
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- #31 – The blue smile by Marshall Childs, Rockville, Md. (Blue prismacolor pencil, Hb2 pencil, drawing paper, Photoshop) – “This is a blue and HB 2 pencil portrait drawing on drawing paper, with enhancements of Photoshop, of Pope Francis. This drawing represents how even though negative acts that the world presents affect him, he can still smile and give others a warm feeling of hope through his faith.”
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- #32 – Papa in Populo by Mary Van Buskirk, Kansas City, Mo. (Pen & Ink Drawing) – “Inspired by an Associated Press photograph published in The Telegraph, March 14, 2013. This image, designed as French Post-Impressionist poster art, shows the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio traveling by bus with everyday people going about their daily lives.”
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- #33 – Pope Francis by Angela Van Hecke, Hartland, Wis. (Pencil) – “Pope Francis waving to the crowds at his installation mass.”
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- #34 – Gentle Leader by Colleen Szczepanzki, Winter Park, Fla., (Computer Graphic) – “I used Sketchbook Pro to produce this image of Pope Francis.”
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- #35 – Pontifex Omnibus by Jason Bach, Gresham, Ore. (Ink and watercolor) – “Based on the portrait of Pope Innocent X by Diego Velazquez. Velazquez drew Innocent X looking very imperial and imperious on his papal throne. Francis, by contrast, sits not a throne but on a Roman public bus. By this I hoped to emphasize his humility and simplicity.”
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- #36 – Prayer by Stevan Kasih, Indonesia (Digital Painting) – The digital painting I submit is viewing pope while he is praying and at the same time light came in through the cathedral windows and shine over the Pope Francis as the Sign of Blessing from God. Thank you.”
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- #37 – Love One Another by Terry Ingram, Malibu, Calif. (Colored Pencil) – ” This child-like loving grin captured my interest while viewing internet pictures of Pope Francis. Adding the sign language hand gesture which means: ‘I love you’ seemed a healing and appropriate sign for a troubled Catholic church.”
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- #38 – Pope Francis – Off the Cuff by Barbara Weeks, Chicago, Ill. (Watercolor) – “A watercolor of Pope Francis that expresses his spontaneity, directness and a papacy gradually filling out.”
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- #39 – Smiling Upon Us by Diane Bitting, Elizabethtown, Pa. (Pencil) – “Drawing was done by me on Sept. 1, 2013, based on a news photo of Pope Francis.”
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- #40 – Pope Francis the Humble by Kristian Oliver, Finland (Mixed Medium) – “I am a hobby artist who loves drawing and painting people.”
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- #41 – Prayer Power, Pope Francis by Joy Baer, Overland Park, Kan. (Fresco on Marble) – “‘Prayer Power, Pope Francis’ is a fresco on marble, 18 x 18 inches. This fresco is made from fresh earth minerals, pigments and fresh water painted on Chiro Italian marble. The textures, small fissures and colors of the marble are seen subtley beneath the layers of fresco colors. The swirling patterns of the marble inspired the colorful energy of unseen prayer power.”
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- #42 – Pope Francis, St. Francis, and St. Ignatius by Alan Yost, SJ, Spokane, Wash. (Graphite and Charcoal) – “I wanted to depict the two saints that come together in the person of Pope Francis — St. Ignatius, found of the Jesuits, and St. Francis of Assisi, the pope’s namesake and universal symbol of care for the poor.”
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- #43 – Giola! by Kieran McCarty, San Francisco, Calif. (Pen & Ink art app on iPad, using ink, graphite and smudge tools) – “I drew this directly into an electronic file rather than on paper, using the Pen & Ink app for iOS, with the pen, graphite, and smudge tools. Scanning was therefore not necessary. Your rules don’t mention that as an option, but I enjoy working that way, and I wasn’t sure of the quality of my scanner.”
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- #44 – Meet Pope Francis by Ciaran Miller, Middleburg, Fla. (Pencil) – “I am 12 years old and I drew this picture of Pope Francis using a pencil on plain paper.”
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- #45 – Pontifex Franciscum by Paul E. Langsholt, Rockford, Ill. – “I plan on sending a drawing of Mary and Jesus to the pontiff as a gift and ask him to sign this one.”
