'In the end, Mother Theresa brought joy to my studio' - Mother Teresa's canonization portrait revealed

'There's a theme that came about from a mentor I had as a boy in high school.'

Artist Chas Fagan painted a beautiful portrait of Mother Teresa, a copy of which will be on display at St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Fagan is known for his sculptures, portraits, landscapes and still lifes.

For his portrait of Mother Teresa, he told CNA he wanted to reflect her joy and selflessness, which he successfully portrays.

The painting shows Mother Teresa holding a rosary and smiling at something out of sight.

Her expression is one of sheer joy and the background color gives the viewer a sense of her humble lifestyle.

Though the piece is certainly gorgeous, Fagan admitted, "The credit lies more with the subject of the painting than with the painter."

Sister Tana, M.C., the superior at the Missionaries of Charity Gift of Peace house in Washington, D.C., shared, "That picture will bring lots of people closer to God... The person who looks at her would be focusing on God."

A copy of the portrait will be exhibited during the canonization of Mother Teresa on Sunday, September 4.

Fagan shared Mother Teresa's quote "joy is strength" is what helped him create the piece.

He said she was a "diminutive, yet somehow earth-shaking figure" and many who met her told him, "Somehow, when she looked at you she was glowing, she was radiant."

He attempted to bring that radiance to the portrait and explained the reasons he chose a muted background:

"If you want to make something glow, you have to surround it with darkness...There's a theme that came about from a mentor I had as a boy in high school.

"If you just start helping someone else, whatever your problems are will start to disappear. And so learning of her life, and seeing how she lived it every single day, that's just so humbling. And we can all aspire to it, but it's a big leap."

The artist admitted he felt Mother Teresa's presence as he painted and explained a portrait in your studio is like living with someone.

The painting begins to come to life as it nears completion "and having to say goodbye is the worst," he shared. "In the end, Mother Theresa brought joy to my studio, to my home, and now I will miss her company."

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