Skip to main content

Why hast thou forsaken me?


I just recently completed this large (about 46" x 48") oil painting entitled "Why hast thou forsaken me?" I am pleased with it because it brings together a number of stylistic elements that I have been fooling with for the last few years. It combines representation with abstraction; a sense of space with flatness; and smooth glazing with rough brush strokes. The large, dark, form behind the cross signifies that moment when Our Lord uttered "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

Comments

Judge373 said…
It's not often that I see modern sacred art that is tasteful, reverent, and beautiful. I am duly impressed.
Thank you so much for your kind words. It is all for the glory of God!

JGA+
Anonymous said…
Father --

Are your images intended to serve as icons in private or public worship?

Lou.
Lou,

Either. Though as I have mentioned elsewhere my egg tempera icons are not "canonically written" icons in that Eastern Orthodox sense, and that may disqualify them from use in that area. I do not know enough about that whole process to address that. But there is nothing that would preclude these images from being used publicly or privately as other organizations or individuals see fit.

Thanks for stopping by.

J. Gordon Anderson, SSM

Popular posts from this blog

Some Observations About Light in Landscape Painting

As I slowly begin returning to painting landscapes the question of light arises. For most of my artistic career I have not been that interested in light in paintings, though I enjoy it in the works of other artists. However in landscape painting light is very important, so lately I've been examining the use of light by various landscapes painters, all of whom would be called "realists." What I found in closely studying their paintings is that they are not strict and mathematical, if you will, about where the light hits. In fact in many realist paintings – those of Andrew Wyeth come to mind – the light is very natural looking at a glance, but then upon closer examination is highly invented. I find nothing wrong with artists taking this liberty. The key to light in landscape painting seems to be to make an effort to simply include it in the work, and not obsess over where everything lines up and how it strikes each object in a uniform way... almost like a Bob Ross paintin

A Tale of Two Cathedrals

My wife and I just returned from vacation. While away, we got to visit the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore, which had recently undergone a huge renovation. The last time I was there was to see the famous "Timla Relic" a few years ago. Unlike some horrific church renovations that have gone on in recent years that were supposedly meant to "update" the church, this restoration was meant to "return" the interior of the building to its original Federal-period design. And I must say that it a very tasteful renovation. They did a really good job. It looks almost like an old early Episcopal church - white washed interior, minimal designs, etc. The interior is now very bright because they removed the stained glass (dark blue Willet windows), and uncovered the original skylights in the dome. They kept all of the good stuff (the high altar, altar rails, etc.), and brought some cool old stuff back (e.g. the nation's first RC epi