“Colors fade, temples crumble, empires fall, but wise words endure,” said American psychologist Edward Thorndike. Of all things in society that disintegrate, one thing doesn’t: the power of words. Stories, fables, and parables persevere. So do mottos and life lessons.

We find these everywhere, but perhaps most notably, we’ve sourced most of them from religious and spiritual traditions. Most of us have heard — and lived by — words of faith passed down through centuries of religious culture. And regardless of one’s belief, most of these can be applied to the human condition.

That’s why we curated our category of contemporary scripture art: “Scriptura,” which serves as fresh visual reminders of faith, or perhaps even as a simple motivation for one to keep moving forward.

Scriptura: Resonant and Contemporary Scripture Art

The Latin word scriptura is derived from scriptum, meaning “text.” In the Protestant Christian tradition, there exists a theological doctrine that emphasizes the significance of scripture: Sola Scriptura, meaning “By scripture alone.” 

Sola Scriptura poses that, for believers, Christian scripture is the only ultimate source of truth. While the tenet has been questioned and refuted by other Christians and theologians, there’s still no denying the importance of holy text in the life of believers (Christian or not). From the Bible to the Quran to the Torah, there’s no doubt that all kinds of belief systems are a rich vault of words of wisdom.

But of course, these are not limited to religion. Words of wisdom are everywhere: Confucian teachings, modern philosophy, even his holiness the Dalai Lama. “My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness,” he once said. The words resonate with just about anyone, whether they’re a follower or not.

Perhaps these can even go deeper and more personal. For instance, some people find comfort in the words of a grandmother, and some live by the lines of a poem that stuck with them in their teenage years. Such words aren’t even “religious” per se, but their je ne sais quoi can’t be denied — these sources are inherently spiritual.

These are the kinds of art we collect in Scriptura. These words are more than just maxims in religious faith: They aim to inspire, guide, and resonate.

Consecrea Artists Who Inspire Through Words

Edward Sun

Edward Sun, a graphic designer and musician based in Atlanta, finds that the Bible is a reservoir of moving, creative ideas. “In substance, my personal designs focus almost exclusively on Bible verses,” he said.

“As Sure As The Sunrise” is one of the many demonstrations of his creative philosophy. The piece is radiant and hopeful, reflective of the passage it was inspired by (Lamentations 3:22-24).

“I really view my work as a tool [not just] to express my affection and faith in God, but also to foster a whole myriad of positive influence on other people and my relationships with them,” he told us.

Steffen Wagner

Graphic designer and typography artist Steffen Wagner loves shapes, forms, colors, and contrasts. Primarily, though, he’s been “fascinated by letters” since he was a child. “I wanted to use them, change them, and create new ones,” he said.

When he creates artworks, verbal inspiration comes to him naturally. It either comes at the beginning or the end of the process. “Sometimes, the word comes first and I try to interpret it visually. [Other times], I get inspiration and try to visualize a word that would fit,” said Wagner.

“Let There Be Light,” his Consecrea Original, was taken from the iconic verse of the Christian creation story. Genesis 1:3 narrates: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and then there was light.”

Wagner also looks into his life mottos for inspiration. “Usually there are some certain philosophies I think about and live by, which most people can identify with,” he said. “My artworks often reflect my attitude to these different things.”

Catherine Thieffry (Rubbish Cartoon)

Catherine Thieffry is the mind and talent behind Rubbish Cartoon, a fun and breezy art project that explores — quite ironically — “the subconscious and the absurdities of life.” 

She does this through a masterful technique of colorful Pop Art: A smart way to counter the profoundness and depth of existentialism. “I’m quite inspired by the writings of existentialist philosophers and I try to express some of their concepts into my art,” she told us.

In her Consecrea Original, “The Way Is Not In The Sky,” Thieffry was inspired by Buddhist culture, which helped shape her identity growing up. “I wanted to pay homage to the part of me I inherited from my mom. She is a Buddhist, and Thai culture is deeply anchored in Buddhist mythology,” she said.

Incorporate the Power of Words Into Your Life (and Your Home)

We grew up hearing, reading, and remembering the wisdom of parables and maxims. We carry within ourselves personal mottos that help us get through difficult times. We live and shape our lives around words that inspire us, and we’ll continue to pass them on to posterity.

As people, we’ll always find a need to be anchored in values — and we’ll always find a way to express them and make them come true. “Love, and its expressions in compassion, generosity and joy, is innate to us,” wrote Tara Brach, Ph.D., in Psychology Today. “We can either stay in our habitual conditioning and have these qualities be latent, only partially expressed, or as we wake up, we can become more intentional about having them flourish.”

Thorndike was right: When everything else crumbles, words remain. And what better way to contribute to their preservation than incorporating them in moving works of art?

Get your daily dose of inspiration from our Scriptura pieces, available at Consecrea as beautifully framed wall art. Check them out here.