He Paints Paschal Candles by Hand and Photographs Weddings on Film. Meet the Catholic Artist Behind Studio of Saint Luke.
What happens when a young artist decides that sacred beauty isn't a relic of the past — but something the Church desperately needs right now?
Meet Studio of Saint Luke — the one-man creative studio of Rave A. Bandong, a young Traditional Catholic artist based in Phoenix, Arizona, who hand-paints Paschal candles, designs wedding stationery, shoots film photography, and builds visual identities for Catholic apostolates. Named for the patron saint of artists, Studio of Saint Luke operates at the intersection of fine art and faith — producing work that isn't just beautiful, but prayerful.
In an era when most graphic designers optimize for clicks and most photographers chase trends, Rave has staked his livelihood on something radically different: making Jesus and Mary known, loved, and served — one brushstroke, one frame, one design at a time.
The Hunger for Sacred Beauty
There's a reason accounts like Culture Critic on X amass enormous followings by simply posting photos of cathedrals, statues, and sacred artwork. People are starving for beauty.
Not the curated, algorithmic kind. Real beauty — the kind that stops you mid-scroll and makes you feel something ancient and true. The kind the Catechism describes when it says:
"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
Sacred art once saturated Catholic life. Churches commissioned painters and sculptors. Families hung devotional images in their homes. The Mass itself was understood as the highest art form on earth — every vestment, every candle, every note of chant oriented toward the transcendent.
Somewhere along the way, much of that was lost. Not the theology — the practice. The lived experience of encountering God through beauty in ordinary Catholic life.
That's the gap Rave Bandong is working to fill.
From Parish Assignment to Sacred Vocation
Rave's journey into sacred art didn't start with a business plan. It started with a priest.
In April 2022, Rev. Fr. McFarland at Our Lady of Sorrows priory in Phoenix, Arizona assigned Rave to paint the parish's Paschal Candle. What began as a single assignment ignited a passion that would become his life's work. The experience of applying paint to wax — transforming a liturgical object into a hand-crafted work of devotion — revealed something Rave couldn't ignore: this was what he was made for.
He founded Studio of Saint Luke shortly after, dedicating himself fully to sacred art. His motto — Ad Maiorem Matris Gloriam ("For the greater glory of the Mother") — signals where his heart lies. Every piece is, as he describes it, "a cognizant act of devotion to God in every detail."
The Artist and His Craft
Rave runs Studio of Saint Luke as a sole proprietor — no employees, no investors, no corporate clients subsidizing the work. Everything comes from his hands and his faith.
His services span four distinct disciplines:
Hand-Painted Paschal Candles — These aren't mass-produced wax cylinders with printed decals. Each candle is painted by hand, making every one a unique work of sacred art. His signature "Christus Regnat" candle starts at $350 and is available in 13 sizes — from a modest 1-1/2" x 34" to a commanding 3" x 60". Paschal candles hold deep liturgical significance — lit at the Easter Vigil, they represent the light of Christ conquering the darkness of sin and death. A hand-painted candle elevates that symbolism from functional to transcendent.
Graphic Design — Rave creates visual identities, logos, and print materials for Catholic organizations and apostolates. His design sensibility leans classical — think gold leaf textures, traditional iconographic influences, and typography that evokes centuries of Catholic visual tradition rather than Silicon Valley minimalism.
Wedding Stationery — Custom invitation suites, programs, and paper goods for Catholic weddings. In a market flooded with Canva templates, his work stands apart through craftsmanship and an understanding of sacramental marriage that secular designers simply don't have.
Film Photography — Rave shoots weddings and portraits on film — a deliberate choice in a digital world. Film forces patience, intentionality, and trust in the process. The results have a warmth and texture that digital editing can imitate but never truly replicate. His portfolio speaks for itself: natural light, unhurried compositions, and an eye for the sacred in everyday moments.
A Patron Worth Knowing
The studio's name is no accident.
Saint Luke the Evangelist — physician, writer of a Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles — is also the patron saint of artists. According to ancient tradition, Luke painted the first icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, making him the original sacred artist. Every painter of icons, every sculptor of saints, every designer of vestments and chalices works in a lineage that traces back to Luke.
By naming his studio after this saint, Rave places his work squarely within that tradition. This isn't a side hustle with Catholic branding. It's a vocation — an answer to the call to use God-given talent in service of the Church.
As Rave himself 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."
Sancte Luca, Ora Pro Nobis. Saint Luke, pray for us.
Why This Matters
The Catholic Church built Western civilization's artistic tradition — and then, in many places, quietly abandoned it. Parish bulletins look like they were designed in Microsoft Word circa 2003. Wedding programs come from generic templates. Paschal candles arrive from a factory. The visual language of Catholic life has been hollowed out by convenience and cost-cutting. Studio of Saint Luke represents a small but meaningful counter-movement: one young artist in Phoenix insisting that the things of God deserve the best of human craft. If Catholics who care about sacred beauty don't support the artists actually producing it, those artists will be forced to take secular work instead — and the Church will have one fewer person making visible the invisible realities of the faith.
How You Can Support
- Commission a Paschal candle — If your parish is looking for something more beautiful than a factory-made candle, connect with Rave for a hand-painted original starting at $350
- Hire Studio of Saint Luke for your wedding — Stationery, photography, or both. Catholic weddings deserve a Catholic artist behind the lens and the design
- Refer Catholic organizations — Know a parish, apostolate, or Catholic nonprofit that needs a logo, branding, or print design? Send them Rave's way
- Share this article — Sacred artists don't have marketing departments. Word of mouth within the Catholic community is how they survive
- Follow the studio on Instagram and Facebook — visibility matters for solo artists
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Do you believe the Catholic Church needs more sacred artists? Have you ever commissioned a piece of sacred art — a painting, a candle, an icon — for your home or parish? Tell us about it in the comments.
Studio of Saint Luke
- Website: studiosaintluke.com
- Owner: Rave A. Bandong
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
- Services: Hand-Painted Paschal Candles, Graphic Design, Wedding Stationery, Film Photography
- Instagram: @stlukestudio
- Facebook: Studio of Saint Luke
- Category: Media
- DCB Listing: Find Studio of Saint Luke on Discover Catholic Business
Sources: Studio of Saint Luke, Catechism of the Catholic Church, Discover Catholic Business