The Chapel Paintings: “The Peaceable Kingdom Come”
In the summer of 2024, I painted with my assistant Alissa Hrushka, two 5’x17’ tall paintings for the new chapel at George Fox University.
The bottom portions of the paintings were inspired by the “Peaceable Kingdom” that is spoken about in the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 11 that proclaims that under the coming Messiah, animals of all kinds will live in harmony with one another. A child leading the charge, this is a call that seems desperately needed in our day and age. The Quaker minister Edward Hicks painted in the 1800’s over 60 version of this scripture when his own divided. In my rendering, native Northwest animals and Biblical ones abide in peace together, with GFU Alumni. In the top portion of the paintings a heavenly host pours forth inspired by parts in the book of Revelation (specifically chapter 22). The figures in the painting were inspired by faculty, alumni, and staff past and present at GFU.
Click here for an article on the paintings. Click here for more about the chapel at GFU.
The finished 5'x17' paintings installed.
A side view right after we installed the paintings.
The two paintings along with a number of the stained glass windows added by the artist Bryant Stanton.
The panels on the right side being lifted into place.
After the first painting was put in place I just sat in wonder at the front of the chapel, and I'll admit, started to cry. My friend who built all the panels Jeff Cameron took this picture.
Once the paintings were up there were still adjustments with paint that needed to happen on where the connections were between panels.
In the studio we had all the paintings laid out. Each side consisted of two 5'4"x6' panels, and the top panel was 5'4"x5'.
Alissa my assistant and I sitting with the panels working on connections between them, with my friend Miriam paying a visit.
Alissa doing touch up on the left hand panels.
Working on the connection between the two panels where an angels arm and wing come down (Caitlin Corning - an amazing history professor was my model here).
The right hand bottom two panels connected. I'm a big fan of objects with symbolic meaning so in both panels angels are throwing down flowers that land in the bottom. This one has daffodils (which represent divine love after death) and cornflowers (which represent Christ in heaven).
As you can tell here there was a red underpainting below the surface of all the panels. Multiple panels were worked on at one time as well, in part to keep the continuity of color.
The middle left panel that has a tree that refers to the one in Rev 22;2 where the river of life flows, and on either side of it is a tree of life that yields 12 kinds of fruit, and the leaves of the tree are the healing of the nation. Healing is what we need between nations indeed. The swallow is a traditional symbol of Christ.
The top right panel including the traditional gospel symbol of St. Luke (ox) and St. John (eagle). Seven lamp stands from the book of Revelation can be found scattered among the top two panels, this panel having four. Faculty past and present were models for the angels as well as two alumni are in this one, one as the bride of Christ.
The top left panel. Gospel symbols of Matthew (the winged man) and Mark (lion) can be found in this one. There is an angel coming down with tissues for God will wipe every tear from their eyes. (Rev 21;4) Something I'm looking forward to. My Scottie dog Bonny who passed about seven years ago can be found in this as well.
The city of new Jerusalem stands with the river of life flowing from it. Trees from all seasons abide in God's kingdom. My assistant Alissa and I joked as we went along as to how many trees we had to paint. It was many....
Bottom left panel. Kadija our alumni holds a West Coast Marten. They are endangered, so I thought I better put in two. The box turtle and the giant pacific salamander are having a conversation. Flowers in this one are the violet (the flower of paradise) and carnation (symbolizing a pledge of love).
Bottom right hand panel. In the actual scripture in Isaiah it is the wolf who lies with the lamb, not a lion (he gets a fatling - or baby cow). In the original draft of the painting I rendered it with the lion and lamb and the president and I liked the layout and kept it. The wolf behind the lion does have a bit of a dejected look because he knows it's supposed to be him with the lamb.
Paintings in process. We had the smaller version of the paintings with us, that I used as my model for the big ones. Alissa had photos of the work she was using off her i-pad.
You can see here the large paint by numbers of sorts that Alissa laid out on the panels. Adam Long our photo professor took quality photos of the smaller paintings that we then projected onto the panels and Alissa patiently outlined all that she saw.
When I did the math I believe all told these paintings and the small ones took me about 345 hours. Alissa spent around 275 hours working for me. Art take time my friend. (-:
Here is the smaller version of the left hand panel, along with a number of things I was using for inspiration.
The right hand side with inspiration. These smaller paintings were what got approved of first.
Yours truly in the studio with the smaller version of the right hand panel.
These are the original water colors that I painted that were a part of the initial proposal I gave to president Robin Baker. Every project has a humble little beginning and this was this ones. (-: