Yesterday the Church celebrated the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, physician, Gospel writer, and, according to ancient tradition, the first painter of an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He is the patron saint of artists. In Phoenix, Arizona, a young Catholic artist has placed his entire livelihood under that patronage, and the work coming out of his studio shows why the tradition of sacred art is very much alive.
What happens when a young artist decides that sacred beauty is not a relic of the past but something the Church needs right now, and stakes his career on it?
Meet Studio of Saint Luke
Studio of Saint Luke is the one-man creative studio of Rave A. Bandong, a Catholic artist based in Phoenix, Arizona. The studio works across four disciplines: hand-painted Paschal candles, graphic design for Catholic organizations, custom wedding stationery, and film photography.
Named for the patron saint of artists, the studio operates at the meeting point of fine art and faith. Its motto, Ad Maiorem Matris Gloriam, "for the greater glory of the Mother," signals where Rave's heart lies. He describes every piece as "a cognizant act of devotion to God in every detail."
You can find Studio of Saint Luke in the Discover Catholic Business directory, listed in the Catholic media category alongside other Catholic creative studios, designers, and producers.
How Studio of Saint Luke Began
The studio did not start with a business plan. It started with a parish assignment.
In April 2022, Rev. Fr. McFarland at Our Lady of Sorrows priory in Phoenix asked Rave to paint the parish's Paschal candle for the Easter Vigil. The Paschal candle is one of the most significant objects in the liturgical year: lit from the new fire at the Vigil, it represents the light of Christ conquering the darkness of sin and death, and it burns at every baptism and funeral in the year that follows.
Painting one by hand, transforming a plain column of wax into a work of devotion, revealed something Rave could not set aside. This was the work he was made for. He founded Studio of Saint Luke shortly afterward and dedicated himself fully to sacred art.
What Studio of Saint Luke Creates
Rave runs the studio as a sole proprietor. There are no employees and no outside investors. Everything comes from his hands and his faith, across four kinds of work.
| Service | What It Includes | |---------|------------------| | Hand-painted Paschal candles | Each candle is painted by hand, making every one a unique work of sacred art. The signature "Christus Regnat" candle starts at $350 and is available in 13 sizes, from 1.5 x 34 inches to 3 x 60 inches | | Graphic design | Visual identities, logos, and print materials for parishes, apostolates, and Catholic organizations, with a classical sensibility drawn from centuries of Catholic visual tradition | | Wedding stationery | Custom invitation suites, programs, and paper goods for Catholic weddings, designed by someone who understands sacramental marriage | | Film photography | Weddings and portraits shot on film, a deliberate choice that rewards patience and produces warmth and texture that digital editing can imitate but not replicate |
The Paschal candles are the studio's most distinctive offering. A hand-painted candle turns a functional liturgical object into a focal point of beauty at the Easter Vigil and at every baptism and funeral that follows. Parishes looking for something made with prayer and craft have very few places to find it, and Studio of Saint Luke is one of them.
The wedding work connects to a growing community of Catholic photographers, designers, and planners in the Catholic wedding category. For couples planning a Nuptial Mass, our guide to finding a Catholic wedding photographer explains what to look for and why it matters.
Why Sacred Art Matters
The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it plainly: "Genuine sacred art draws man to adoration, to prayer, and to the love of God, Creator and Savior, the Holy One and Sanctifier" (CCC 2502).
For most of the Church's history, that principle shaped ordinary Catholic life. Parishes commissioned painters and sculptors. Families hung devotional images in their homes. Vestments, candles, chalices, and chant were all understood as art oriented toward God. That tradition is still alive, and it is being renewed by artists who take it seriously.
There is real evidence that people are hungry for this. Online accounts that simply post images of cathedrals, statues, and sacred paintings draw enormous audiences. Beauty stops people mid-scroll and makes them feel something true. Studio of Saint Luke exists to bring that beauty back into the places where Catholics actually live and worship: the parish sanctuary, the wedding program, the family photograph.
As Rave puts it: "In a world that often feels disjointed, lost, and without faith nor beauty, the allure of true sacred art and images should be our pillar in distress. Sacred art symbolizes a bridge that connects Heaven and Earth."
Supporting the artists who do this work is how the tradition continues. Every commissioned candle, every wedding suite, every parish logo sustains a Catholic artist who might otherwise have to take secular work instead.
Catholic Creatives in Phoenix and Arizona
Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States, and its Catholic population has grown with it. The Diocese of Phoenix serves well over a million Catholics across a wide range of parishes, from historic downtown churches to new suburban communities, and it has a notably strong tradition of liturgical beauty and reverent worship.
That makes it a natural home for a studio like this one. Browse the Arizona Catholic business directory to find Catholic-owned businesses, artists, and services across the state, or explore the church supply category for liturgical goods, vestments, and sanctuary furnishings from Catholic makers nationwide.
How to Commission or Support Studio of Saint Luke
- Commission a Paschal candle. If your parish wants a hand-painted original for the Easter Vigil, contact the studio well ahead of Lent. Candles start at $350.
- Hire the studio for your wedding. Stationery, film photography, or both, from a Catholic artist who understands the sacrament.
- Refer Catholic organizations. Parishes, apostolates, and nonprofits that need a logo, branding, or print design can work directly with Rave.
- Share the work. Solo artists do not have marketing departments. Word of mouth within the Catholic community is how they grow.
- Follow the studio on Instagram and Facebook.
Studio of Saint Luke is one of the 46,000+ Catholic businesses and organizations in the Discover Catholic Business directory. If you are a Catholic artist, designer, or photographer, you can add your listing free and connect with parishes and families who are looking for exactly what you make.
Business Info:
- Name: Studio of Saint Luke
- Owner: Rave A. Bandong
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
- Website: studiosaintluke.com
- Instagram: @stlukestudio
- Founded: 2022
- Services: Hand-painted Paschal candles, graphic design, wedding stationery, film photography
- DCB Listing: View on Discover Catholic Business
Sources:
- Studio of Saint Luke official website (https://www.studiosaintluke.com/)
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2502 (https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P8D.HTM)
- Discover Catholic Business directory listing for Studio of Saint Luke