For the past few years, a Catholic missionary organization has commissioned me to paint a version of the Nativity for their annual Christmas appeal. Due to the length of time it takes to paint, design, print and put together the materials in order to send the stuff out in time to get a good response, the painting actually has to take place in the middle of the summer. Which, if you live in southern California like I do, is the least inspirational time to think about Christmas.However, this organization gives me some guidance and I do some research (both re-reading the scripture and looking at various depictions of the nativity) and I am generally pleased with the result that happens.
For this year's appeal, the organization wanted a colorful, close-up depiction of the nativity with animals. I looked around at various depictions and saw that it's very common to have baby Jesus facing the viewer. I was thinking about it, and I thought a much more intimate depiction would be if Jesus was facing his parents. I also hoped that the different perspective would help the viewer to remember the amazing point: God chose to be incarnate in this world not in a grown, powerful man, but in a helpless baby.
Thinking year after year about the Nativity and finding new and interesting ways to depict it is definitely challenging. How on earth can you do this year after year and still keep people on their toes, inspirationally-speaking? I try my best and am honored that this organization thinks that I do a good job, year after year!
For this year's appeal, the organization wanted a colorful, close-up depiction of the nativity with animals. I looked around at various depictions and saw that it's very common to have baby Jesus facing the viewer. I was thinking about it, and I thought a much more intimate depiction would be if Jesus was facing his parents. I also hoped that the different perspective would help the viewer to remember the amazing point: God chose to be incarnate in this world not in a grown, powerful man, but in a helpless baby.
Thinking year after year about the Nativity and finding new and interesting ways to depict it is definitely challenging. How on earth can you do this year after year and still keep people on their toes, inspirationally-speaking? I try my best and am honored that this organization thinks that I do a good job, year after year!
2 comments:
I absolutly LOVE your painting of the Nativity. Having 5 children I always look at the treatment of the Baby. You captured Our Lord as a real baby. Do you have any prints of this for sale? Keep up the fantastic work-Vicki Moo-Allen, Tx
Dear Vicki,
Thank you for your terribly kind comment! I am sorry for the slow response, but I have been swamped this month, and am happy to be working myself out of it (on to 2011!). I don't have any prints of this piece for sale yet -- my contract with the mission organization is that they get exclusive rights to the painting for one year. But, next year I think I might want to do some prints or some cards of several of the Christmas scenes I have painted, including this one!
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