Erin McAtee, GIVEN ’19

Please share a little about yourself – feel free to include a fun fact!

My name is Erin McAtee, I am a visual artist and co-founder & executive director of Arthouse2B, a multidisciplinary Catholic arts collective and nonprofit based in New York City. Ever since I can remember, my heart has been drawn to the arts. In my work as an artist and in directing Arthouse2B I have the privilege of expressing my artistry in ways I never dreamed were possible, due to the collaborative spirit and desire for cultural renewal that is the driving force of our community of artists. I find so much joy in my studio practice as a painter and printmaker, and in collaborating with other artists to create and share new works of art and performance with our local community. Since our founding in 2020, we have spanned the gamut: immersive art installations, gallery exhibitions, theater, dance, music, film, writing – you name it, we have probably done it!

Describe your professional work. How were you led to this? What are you passionate about?

At the heart of Arthouse2B is the mission to restore the culture through restoration of the heart of the artist. The seedling for this vision started with my own experiences in my adolescent years and early 20s, as I sought to reconcile my Catholic faith and my artistic vocation. It always seemed impossible to merge the two, like they were at odds. I began to realize that I wasn’t alone in this as I met other artists of faith along the way who were striving for growth in holiness and cultivating serious artistic practices, without having to compromise in either direction. I learned that finding community with other like-minded artists and encouraging each other in our faith and our artwork unlocked so many doors for me creatively and spiritually that I had constricted for so long, and also led to a greater openness and desire to evangelize through my artwork.

When Arthouse2B first began, I held these experiences in my heart and sought to build up a community for which the arts and our Catholic faith could be integrated. It is my belief that artists are essential for addressing the brokenness found in the culture around them, but the heart of the artist must first be addressed through communal, spiritual, and artistic formation and development. The relationships and programming that form out of Arthouse2B are born from this guiding principle.

What are the personal strengths that you’ve been given and how do you utilize them?

I think that my drive for mission has been a central strength for me in many ways. The call in my heart feels very strong for the place and the work that I have been given, and I feel that this call is a complete gift from God. I also love to be a connector for others, finding ways to meaningfully connect individuals or groups to each other who could benefit from working together on a creative project, or simply connecting two people who seem like they could be a good fit for friendship and support during a tough season of life. Often I find that when I offer these strengths to God and allow the Holy Spirit to guide my actions, the results lead to unexpected and beautiful fruits with a life beyond what I initially anticipated. He wants to do great things with our littleness and openness to Him!

What women inspire you, and why?

There are many women who inspire me: Servant of God Dorothy Day, St. Gianna Molla, Flannery O’Connor, Caryll Houselander… just to name a few. But one woman who I have recently found a deeper appreciation for in relation to my work is the Blessed Mother; in particular Our Lady of Guadalupe. In writing a talk recently on the subject of “Contemporary Art and Goodness”, a revelation struck me – Mary is the ultimate contemporary artist. In her numerous apparitions throughout history, she always presents herself in a way that is contemporary to the culture, and reaches them. We clearly see this in the example of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in which she presents herself as an Aztec princess with signs and symbols that the culture would have understood. This image led to the conversion of Mexico, and an end to the devastation of human sacrifice at the time.

I believe that Mary is also an inspiration for artists in her collaboration with God. In her “yes” to Him in open, humble surrender, she allows God’s Word to become flesh. What a perfect model for artists, who are tasked to give flesh to Christ in the world through their artwork in ways that speak to the heart of man at a given moment in history. Amazing!

Are there friends and mentors that you depend upon? How do they support you?

I am so grateful for the mentorship and support system in my life. I give thanks to GIVEN for offering a network of experienced and deeply caring women who give generously of their time as mentors, and I feel blessed to have found two mentors through GIVEN who have helped, and continue to help, shape the mission of Arthouse2B. I know that I can pick up the phone and call my mentors and close friends if I need advice related to professional or work/life balance questions, or if I just need a movie night or a walk. It is so crucial to have a network of women that you can count on in various areas of life.

Prayer is essential for everyone, but especially for women who are active in the life and mission of the Church. Do you have any favorite devotions or prayers?

I have found that maintaining a consistent daily prayer life has been crucial for me. I love the phrase Mother Teresa coined for her Missionaries of Charity: “We are contemplatives living in the heart of the world” – I feel strongly that men and women living active lives in the world (whether you’re in a formal ministerial mission field, or working in a corporate office, or building up the domestic church at home, etc.) are all called to dedicate some amount of time to contemplative prayer each day. For me, sometimes this is 20 minutes, other times for a longer stretch up to an hour. Guarding this time of silence to be with the Lord in prayer each day sustains and grounds me, because my day becomes grounded in Him. I become nourished by the Divine Intimacy that is generated through prayer, and can more readily draw from the well within myself to give to others.

Usually I will either meditate on the daily readings, or pray with the morning, daytime, or evening prayer in the Divine Office, or read from a spiritual book such as St. Faustina’s diary or Adrienne von Speyr’s “The World of Prayer”, and allow some time for silence, for God to speak to me.

Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

“The day is short, and the work is plentiful, and the laborers are indolent, and the reward is great, and the master of the house is insistent… It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.” – Rabbi Taron, Ethics of the Fathers 2

“We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community. It is people who are important, not the masses. We cannot love God unless we love each other, and to love we must know each other.” – Dorothy Day

What were your key takeaways from the GIVEN Forum?

One major takeaway from GIVEN 2019 is this: When the Holy Spirit is moving and doing a new thing, it seems to begin in darkness. This is where creation begins. I remember Sr. Mary Gabriel, S.V., illuminating this so beautifully in her opening talk. She shared that often God does remarkable things through unremarkable people throughout history. He whispers in the hidden depths: “Behold, I am doing a new thing. Do you perceive it?” I remember how sister invited us to contemplate the GIVEN slogan through the framework of Mary’s fiat at the Annunciation:

“The Lord is with you” – Receive the gift you are.

“You have found favor with the Lord” – Realize the gifts you have been given.

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to your word” – Respond with the gift only you can give.

What a needed word for my heart and soul, in the year before Arthouse2B was conceived and the mission of my life was not yet clearly defined. This inspiration and encouragement to live out of a Marian posture, ready to respond in the circumstances of my life to God’s call through the gifts I had been given, has remained with me and brought about graces that I am still receiving today.

What was your GIVEN action plan? Describe its mission, audience, and impact.

The action plan I came to GIVEN with in 2019 was to begin an artist residency program for Catholic women in a metropolitan area. The overall vision for the program was to create a home where artists would be provided the formation and support necessary for sharing their gifts with the world. The purpose of the house is two-fold: the formation of the community members and the transformation of the culture. My three goals for the formation of the women living in this house would be that they receive faith, human, and artistic formation. Each member of the household would contribute to the transformation of the culture by taking part in an evangelical opportunity, which may include: art workshops, art-based Bible studies/ teaching others how to meditate with art, parish talks, or bringing together artists in their communities to curate local exhibitions and art events. This action plan intended to serve three demographics: 1) the artists themselves – single Catholic artists, 2) the artists’ spheres of influence – families, friends, work/study places, and 3) the artists’ outreach while living in community – local parishes or young adult groups, as well as under-served communities, such as homeless, elderly, mentally ill in the community.

Could you tell us a bit about what motivated or led you to develop this action plan? Was this something that you had on your heart prior to this past year or was it something you developed through the GIVEN program?

As I look back at my GIVEN forum application from so long ago, I am realizing how connected my initial action plan was to what would later become Arthouse2B. At the time I was applying for GIVEN, I was wrapping up my time serving as a FOCUS missionary (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). I remember desiring more opportunities for friendship and encouragement with other artists in a particular way during this season of life, and longing for more opportunities to share my artwork and put on informal, underground shows with other artists. Around this time I was also beginning to finally see some of the fruits from my years serving at a campus with a very little developed Catholic community upon arrival, and learned that God can work with even the most difficult and dry environments with willing servants (often the places where the Gospel is needed the most in our world). All of this was churning in my prayer as an action plan, and ultimately a call, began to form in my heart.

How did you grow throughout this year as you worked with a mentor on your action plan? Were there any moments where you had doubts or felt like you had taken on too much of a challenge? If so, how did you overcome them?

Once I discerned that Arthouse2B’s growth was such that we needed to become a nonprofit, I reached out to Cynthia and the GIVEN team to ask for connections to mentors who could advise me in this realm. Everything was so new to me– I went to school for art, not nonprofit management. I remember feeling overwhelmed and nervous about the new challenges and learning curves this transition would bring. Thankfully, I was quickly connected to someone in the GIVEN mentor network who was able to advise me not only from a logistical perspective in the areas I needed help with, but also at times from a vocational perspective with regards to establishing a work/life balance that would allow time for vocational discernment and personal flourishing as a woman of God in the world. Striking this balance can be a challenge in a leadership role, especially if you are building something from the ground up, however having a strong mentor can make such a difference.

What were some of the fruits you saw from your action plan? What did you find most fulfilling in this process?

Since the founding of Arthouse2B, I have witnessed so many artists bring their dream projects to life, while making friendships and deepening connections to their faith along the way. From 2020 to present, we have featured the work of approximately 225 artists and performers through our public-facing programming, and have gathered approximately 500 artists for formation events such as our annual artist retreat, community meals, and group excursions to shows or museums in the city. The audiences that attend our events continue to diversify and grow each year, and we are increasingly finding more connections with individuals who wouldn’t identify as Catholic yet find an interest in our community and in the work we present. Many of the artists in our community have expressed the impact of the unique nourishment they feel from being a part of the life, activity, and relationships generated from Arthouse2B, and the support they receive to go out and share the joy of the Gospel through their artistic vocations.

There is a renewal of Catholic arts and the culture happening in New York City– it is alive and pulsating with the fire and heartbeat of Christ’s Sacred Heart. I cannot believe that I get to be enmeshed in it as an artist and leader and witness this movement evolve and expand, and I give thanks to God for His plans and dreams for my life as they continue to overshadow my own. Please pray for our apostolate, and we hope you will join us to experience an event with Arthouse2B if you find yourself in NYC!