A Jerusalem Imagined
A Colourful Landscape of the Jerusalem Hills This new painting depicting the Jerusalem hills emerged quite quickly and spontaneously. I think the energy comes across in the brushwork. I really enjoyed doing this painting because of just that flowing feeling. It’s far less technical than a lot of my work recently, and that’s definitely liberating. […]
Elijah Ascending to Heaven – a commissioned painting
2 Kings 2: As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen! יא וַיְהִי, […]
Beit El: Heaven and Earth
A new visual presentation at the visitor’s centre at Beit El in Samaria will be using my Jacob’s Ladder painting, among works by many other artists, including several very famous ones, I think. I’ll post pictures, and maybe video, of the actual thing when they have the opening (not sure when that’ll be)! Beit El […]
Jacob’s Ladder
Between Heaven and Earth I made this painting a couple of years ago, shortly after finishing the Daniel painting. Inspired by the angel from that project, I wanted to experiment a bit more with angels, which is a difficult subject. The story of Jacob’s Ladder is about the bridge between heaven and earth so in […]
Painting the Bible: Approaches to Biblical art that inspire me
Artists have for centuries painted their visions of the Bible. Adorning churches and manuscripts across the world, Biblical artists have created powerful visual embodiments of the Scriptures, and in so doing have represented the collective consciousness of mankind. Biblical art has mostly been the preserve of Christendom, while Jewish lore forbade figurative art. Judaic religious […]
New Promised Land
After 40 years of wandering in the desert, the people of Israel are finally entering the Promised Land! This is a newly-commissioned painting based on an earlier version of this scene. I’ve just finished varnishing it and am soon to send it to its new home. The Judaean hills, covered in ancient goat-trails, provided the […]
New Children’s Bible
The new Children’s Bible from Westminster John Knox Press (WJK) is now out. A beautifully designed, new children’s Bible, featuring several of my illustrations (with lots of great work by other artists). It’s a truly engaging and thought-provoking introduction to the Bible and issues of faith for Christian children everywhere. Highly recommended! From the publisher’s website: […]
New Black Moses
I’ve just completed a new ancient Biblical sculpture. My New Black Moses stands 31.5cm high and is made of black fired clay with touches of a dark metallic underglaze. The inspiration for this type of formal, standing figure comes from the ancient sculpture of Mesopotamia. The (linked) article from the Metropolitan Museum’s website describes this […]
Finding new life in an old painting – a Biblical scene.
The subject is an undefined Biblical scene, in the Land of Israel. Since it is made up of different layers which have accumulated over a few years of painting and re-painting, the canvas itself has started to take on something of an archaeological character. It’s an unresolved picture. I’m aiming to bring it alive now […]
Rediscovered High Priest Painting
Recently I rediscovered this, rolled up and covered in dust, in my store-room: A painting of a High Priest. Based on an etching of a turbaned gentleman in Egypt, by the wonderful Mexican artist Francisco Zuniga (1912 – 1998), I abandoned it several years ago – possibly because I didn’t know how to deal with […]