How A Self-Taught Artist Became A Hit In Christian Indian Circles

OPINION) As a young 19-year-old teacher at Delhi's Mater Dei Convent, Coreen Angelica Luther picked up the crayons her little toddlers were using to scribble with.  As the teacher and her young students drew for fun, her love for art began... and at age 76, the grandmother of two, was drawing and painting, up until she became seriously ill.

Her other great interest was sport. One of five children, the young Coreen was an active athlete and the daughter of sporting champions.  Creating national records in different disciplines, she was on the cards for a berth in the Indian team for the Rome Olympics.  But an appendicitis attack, and subsequent operation, laid to rest those dreams for good. But her underlying passion for the visual arts was as strong as ever and she continued with her crayons and paints, using both oils and water colors.

Never having had any formal training in drawing and painting, Coreen was entirely self-taught.  Over the years, she developed her skill to the point where her works found acceptance in many parts of the country.  Her first love was depicting flowers, believing that God has created this colorful tapestry for us to enjoy and so in the early years she focused on nature and landscapes.

Her husband, Allan Luther, was a prominent advertising guru in India and very active in church circles.  Every year he produced and distributed a Bible Text Calendar with beautiful biblical art on each page.  But then the renowned artist Wilkins creating the biblical paintings passed away.  So 25 years ago, Coreen stepped in and to create the biblical art.  Her religious depictions of the Psalms and stories from the Bible were an instant hit. 

Her eldest son, Alfred, fondly recalls the speed with which his mum would churn out her oils and water colors. "Mother always found the greatest fulfillment as an artist when she set out on religious art... it was a journey she enjoyed."

Encouraged by her family members, the artist held some art exhibitions, but Coreen hardly ever sold her artwork, preferring instead to gift her pieces away to her friends and art lovers.  

Since her husband's passing away in 2018, Coreen's three sons have continued to produce the calendar as their father had done so zealously for the past 35 years. Coreen's exquisite paintings are still the hallmark of the calendar, including the 2020 one.  The visuals are stunning, bringing to life the Bible text. Each one tells its own story:

'He cares for you' 1 Peter 5:7

'For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go' Joshua 1:9

Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love' Jeremiah 31:3

And that's not all...every day and date has a Bible text against it.  For this 76-year-old, her calendar is not just about art. She firmly believes that art can be a magical tool to remind us of Our Creator!

Sadly, Coreen passed away in New Delhi recently. But her family is determined to keep her memory alive. In her honor they have produced the 2021 edition of her calendar, using art work she had done and kept aside during the final years of her life.

Jennifer Arul is one of Chennai, India’s best-known faces on television. She has 30 years of experience as a broadcast journalist and executive in Asia, many of them as Managing Editor and COO in NDTV Hindu, where she has worked for 20 years since it started after freelance interviewing for Doordarshan and All India Radio. She is also a board member of The Media Project.