GIRARD — Growing up at St. Patrick Church, Gigi Mayernick remembers admiring the statue of Our Lady in the outdoor grotto. Family pictures show her at the foot of the statue, smiling at first holy Communion and as a young woman of 18. However, looking back Mayernick says, "As a little girl, I thought Mary needed a little bit of color."

Now, thanks to prayers being answered, the sponsorship of a parishioner and the encouragement of others, Mayernick has painted that Mary statue in Girard. Also this year she has restored and painted the outdoor statue of Mary at St. Benedict Church in Auburn as well as that church's Stations of the Cross. Because her work has been so well-received, she will soon be "freshening up the paint" of the outdoor Mary statue at Sacred Heart Church in Virden. All three churches are in a tri-parish community.

A single mom of 4-year-old Beau, Mayernick she says she chose life for her son and then chose to make art her livelihood so she could spend as much time with him as possible. Because she believes in being a good steward, she gives a portion of her earnings back to the church.

Becoming a full-time artist took a real leap of faith, says Mayernick who is well aware that people talk a lot about "starving artists." That's why the 34-year-old spent hours in prayer — often in adoration at Sacred Heart Church in Virden — asking for guidance in her career.

"I chose life (for Beau) and I made a pact with God to better my life every day," Mayernick says. "I had to reevaluate my life. At the beginning I just started painting in my free time and I spent time in adoration and I prayed."

Mayernick says she sometimes takes her son with her when she is working on projects, or she brings the portable projects home to work on them there. "When I was working on the Stations of the Cross our wonderful pastor, Father James (Palakudy, SAC), told me to bring Beau along. He played soccer with Beau and he also helped me take down the Stations so I could load them in my vehicle and take them home." She hopes to someday have a "real" stand-alone art studio.

When working with weathered statues, there is a lot of work involved, she says. "There is a process besides just adding paint and there are many factors to consider. I do research — for example the Mary in Girard is Our Lady of Lourdes, so she is different from what another Mary might be. Paint is the easy part. When an old statue is weathered with chips, cracks, dents and missing

parts, I spend a lot of time getting the surface to a clean place before I can work on the cosmetic exterior."

The weather plays a big part in her work as well. "You have to look at the humidity in the air and of course, this year it has been raining a lot," she says. "But I painted the Mary in Girard in April. As long as it above 30 degrees, it works out OK. I've had so many people tell me that the painted statues and Stations look brand new."

Mayernick says she is thrilled with her career but is most proud of her son, who she calls "the most beautiful boy in the world." "I've come from an insecure place and I've learned to trust God. And as Catholics we know to honor Mary as the woman God chose to be the Mother of Jesus. My little boy is my life. He has also come to love Mary. He loves to see the statues and he loves to pray the Hail Mary. Mary has been working in my life and I hope that my work will bring life back into her statues."

Although Mayernick finds real joy in painting religious statues and Nativity scenes, she is known for other work as well. She has painted murals in her home town on buildings, large flower pots and even propane tanks. Her business card shows before and after pictures of a previously worn-out looking Wise Man, a propane tank featuring an American flag and an eagle, a taxidermy shop painted with a buck in the fields, an Elvis postage stamp on a large town square flower pot and colorful birdhouses made of painted gourds.

Mayernick hopes her talent, perseverance and the back-up of the people will keep her in business for a very long time, especially in her work with religious art. "I know that some places have been sending statues off to St. Louis to be painted and that is very expensive. I can do a good job right on the spot and save them money," she says. "I'm well equipped to do the work and I am willing to do the best that I can. I'm doing this God's way.

"The past is the past and the future's bright," she concludes with a smile. "I know that I will be all right as long as the towns and the communities and the churches continue to support me."

Note: To contact Gigi Mayernick to complete art projects, email .