Progression (2 panels 24' x 7' and 1 panel 17' x 7' ) (Autumn 2015)
Location: Lincoln Berean Church, Lincoln, NE
Created for: Mural Exhibit (Advent) in The Commons Coffee Shop Gallery at Lincoln Berean Church
I seek to lead the artists at Lincoln Berean Church into new challenges and ways of working inside the church and one of those was to create a three-walled mural for one of the rotating gallery spaces. The words below were included with the final mural which was displayed through Easter 2016.
Thoughts behind Progression
Intrigued by the coming Advent season celebrating Immanuel (God with us), ten artists created a tryptic (three panel) wall mural expressing the progression of how God has chosen to relate to man throughout history.
In the first panel, God is experienced by humanity as Creator of the world. Imagery of creation is accompanied with the pillar of fire signifying God delivering Israel from Egypt. The ribbon of fire stemming from the pillar winds the viewer through the painting. Look for the words “God” and “Creator” in the black lines dividing the image.
In the second panel, Jesus has come. Immanuel…With us. More realistic imagery is used to give the panel a concrete, down to earth feeling. Vignettes reveal highlights of Jesus’s life – His birth which we celebrate at Christmas, the Cross (Good Friday), that Jesus is alive and knowable because of His resurrection (Easter) and that He ascended to Heaven promising to one day return. Again the ribbon of fire winds through the panel to connect it with the rest of the mural. Look for the words “Jesus” and “With Us” in the black lines diving the image.
In the final panel, the Holy Spirit, our down payment and promise of inheritance, is now in us when we chose to let God be the Lord of our life. Symbols of the Holy Spirit include three representations of fire, wind, and the dove. There are also indications of God in us through the included images of a crowd of people and stained glass windows to indicate His people are called “the church.” Look for the words “Holy Spirit” and “In Us” in the black lines diving the image.
The overall color choices and style of bold and sketchy lines were inspired by stained glass windows specifically those created by Mark Chagall entitled “America Windows” located in The Chicago Institute of Art.
We hope the viewers will take time to ask themselves where they are in their own journey and relationship with God.
THE MAKING OF THE MURAL
In September, a team of four artists from Lincoln Berean Visual Voice Ministry began working on creating a mural that would be worked on in this space, be temporary, and completed in time for Christmas to help celebrate the coming of our Savior.
The first night of contemplating ideas began with an exercise in which artists purged their minds of what they imagine when hearing the word “Christmas.” From that, artists were challenged to use the words found on sticky notes on the wall to create new symbols and ideas to represent Christmas. From that exercise artists were given one topic to focus on and develop. The night ended with some interesting sketches and ideas which would be incorporated in the mural in the end. Some of those included the ribbon of fire which ties all three walls of the project together and two of the three vignettes on the “Jesus” wall.
After the first meeting, two artists worked to create working sketches of the mural and then presented them back to the team for comment, correction, and reworking. The sketches submitted to the team are here on display and show markings made to “revamp’ the ideas.
From there one artist took all ideas and corrections and came up with another set of sketches for the team to speak in to. Once all imagery was settled upon, the sketches were redrawn closer to scale and then scanned into the computer to be projected onto the prepared panels.
The final three wall murals were created from 16 – 4’ x 7’ panels and 1- 2’x7’ panel. These panels were made in house and a team of 10 artists then primed, projected, and painted the 17 panels over a span of two months finishing just a day before Christmas Eve.
Location: Lincoln Berean Church, Lincoln, NE
Created for: Mural Exhibit (Advent) in The Commons Coffee Shop Gallery at Lincoln Berean Church
I seek to lead the artists at Lincoln Berean Church into new challenges and ways of working inside the church and one of those was to create a three-walled mural for one of the rotating gallery spaces. The words below were included with the final mural which was displayed through Easter 2016.
Thoughts behind Progression
Intrigued by the coming Advent season celebrating Immanuel (God with us), ten artists created a tryptic (three panel) wall mural expressing the progression of how God has chosen to relate to man throughout history.
In the first panel, God is experienced by humanity as Creator of the world. Imagery of creation is accompanied with the pillar of fire signifying God delivering Israel from Egypt. The ribbon of fire stemming from the pillar winds the viewer through the painting. Look for the words “God” and “Creator” in the black lines dividing the image.
In the second panel, Jesus has come. Immanuel…With us. More realistic imagery is used to give the panel a concrete, down to earth feeling. Vignettes reveal highlights of Jesus’s life – His birth which we celebrate at Christmas, the Cross (Good Friday), that Jesus is alive and knowable because of His resurrection (Easter) and that He ascended to Heaven promising to one day return. Again the ribbon of fire winds through the panel to connect it with the rest of the mural. Look for the words “Jesus” and “With Us” in the black lines diving the image.
In the final panel, the Holy Spirit, our down payment and promise of inheritance, is now in us when we chose to let God be the Lord of our life. Symbols of the Holy Spirit include three representations of fire, wind, and the dove. There are also indications of God in us through the included images of a crowd of people and stained glass windows to indicate His people are called “the church.” Look for the words “Holy Spirit” and “In Us” in the black lines diving the image.
The overall color choices and style of bold and sketchy lines were inspired by stained glass windows specifically those created by Mark Chagall entitled “America Windows” located in The Chicago Institute of Art.
We hope the viewers will take time to ask themselves where they are in their own journey and relationship with God.
THE MAKING OF THE MURAL
In September, a team of four artists from Lincoln Berean Visual Voice Ministry began working on creating a mural that would be worked on in this space, be temporary, and completed in time for Christmas to help celebrate the coming of our Savior.
The first night of contemplating ideas began with an exercise in which artists purged their minds of what they imagine when hearing the word “Christmas.” From that, artists were challenged to use the words found on sticky notes on the wall to create new symbols and ideas to represent Christmas. From that exercise artists were given one topic to focus on and develop. The night ended with some interesting sketches and ideas which would be incorporated in the mural in the end. Some of those included the ribbon of fire which ties all three walls of the project together and two of the three vignettes on the “Jesus” wall.
After the first meeting, two artists worked to create working sketches of the mural and then presented them back to the team for comment, correction, and reworking. The sketches submitted to the team are here on display and show markings made to “revamp’ the ideas.
From there one artist took all ideas and corrections and came up with another set of sketches for the team to speak in to. Once all imagery was settled upon, the sketches were redrawn closer to scale and then scanned into the computer to be projected onto the prepared panels.
The final three wall murals were created from 16 – 4’ x 7’ panels and 1- 2’x7’ panel. These panels were made in house and a team of 10 artists then primed, projected, and painted the 17 panels over a span of two months finishing just a day before Christmas Eve.