Lipgloss Crisis Photos

Left: “The Patron Saint of Punk Moms” has “the strength to cook, clean, work, battle tantrums, watch Spongebob marathons and change diapers all day — and still rock out all night.” Right: Scranton’s self-portrait as “The Patron Saint of False Idols."

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Patron Saints of New Haven

Art exhibit by Lipgloss Crisis. Mar. 27–May 3. Channel 1 Skate Shop Gallery, 220 State St., New Haven. Opening reception Mar. 27 6–9 p.m. at Channel 1. Afterparty 9 p.m.–2 a.m. Cafe Nine, 250 State St., New Haven, featuring Atrina, Broken and Kings.

Who says it's hard to be a saint in the city? The path to sainthood seems a little easier in New Haven than in, say, Rome. Main criteria: "These are people who are important to me," explains Sara Scranton, better known among the area's visual arts, local rock and roller derby scenes by her nom-de-camera, Lipgloss Crisis.

The shutterbug/designer/canonizer is busily erecting shrines, consisting of elaborate portraits and prayer cards, to such exemplars of Elm City culture as Todd Lyon and Nancy Shea (of the Fashionista vintage clothing emporium), Leslie Blatteau (of oodles of local bands, honored here as "The Patron Saint of Contraception," for her day job working with pregnant teens) and the New Haven Advocate's own staff photographer Kathleen Cei ("The Patron Saint of Photojournalism"), and some 40 others. "They're part of the community," says Scranton.

The sanctimony is sincere. A self-described "humble waitress," Lipgloss Crisis — whose fondness for corporeal and spiritual artistic themes previously imbued a memorable meat-based display at New Haven Open Studios — is personally acquainted with all the people she's sanctifying. She also shares their purported transcendent values of openness and generosity. Proceeds from both the Channel 1 exhibit (where the 8x10 prints and smaller prayer cards can be purchased separately) and the Cafe Nine opening night party will be donated to Connecticut Challenge Survivorship at Yale.

As beautiful evidence of that organization's good works, cancer survivor Kelly L'Heureux (aka "The Patron Saint of Electricity") will perform at the show with her band Atrina (see more of Kelly's story in this week's "Stuck in a Corner" feature). Also on the bill are diehard New Haven hardcore heroes Broken and cutting-edge and psychedelic beat-happy dungeon masters Kings.

The artist says her mother, a more traditional adherent of Catholicism, suggests she may be playing with hellfire, but Lipgloss Crisis' will to illuminate her favorite "artists, activists and causes of New Haven" is strong. In the wake of the saint show, she hopes to chart her own non-profit charity organization. Meanwhile, she continues to plug away at a more commercial form of religious art — wedding photography.

The sacred images, which Lipgloss Crisis was still putting the final angelic touches on a few days ago (with divine assistance from the Photo Shop computer program, Good Samaritan–like independent businesses such as Milford Photo, Tyco Printing and New Haven punk icon Jeff Terranova), debut Friday at the skateboard-shop-cum-local-art-gallery Channel 1 on State Street.

"I've always been attuned to religious art," Lipgloss Crisis says unnecessarily: her natural feel for this tricky, populist, but lush medium is instantly apparent. "I grew up Catholic, so that's part of it." She describes her style as "renaissancey," but purposefully modernized so she can "try to fit the portraits to each person." There's also scant religious precedent for saintly skills such as fashion consciousness, roller derby skills or Lipgloss Crisis' own self-portrait designation: "The Patron Saint of False Idols."

Saints be praised! And patronized. "It's a really awesome charity show," its creator proclaims with devout majesty. Shopping at Channel 1 and rocking out at Cafe Nine has seldom seemed so devotional.

editor@newhavenadvocate.com