Museum of Biblical Art, Dallas

Last month was the grand opening of the completely refurbished Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas, Texas.  Two of my works have been accepted by the museum as part of their permanent collection and are now on display there for the remainder of the year.

Artitst Eileen Downes has photos of the opening on her blog.  You can see my pieces in the gallery on the third photo from the top.

The first piece, entitled Dreamers, is a 35" x 23" paper collage with metal grating mounted on hardboard with a collaged frame.

This piece is based on Genesis 39-41, and the grated section depicts Joseph and his two fellow prisoners in the foreground with Pharoah in the background. Their stark quarters are in contrast to the paired images of Egyptian and modern culture outside their prison. The sometime hopeful, sometime ominous dreams of the four personages are pictured in the four corners of the work. Each vision will come true as foretold by God: Joseph's family will bow down to him, Pharoah will see famine in his land, the Baker will be executed, and the Cupbearer will once again serve his master.

Dreamers (2008)

The second piece is a mixed media (collage, plaster, acrylic, gilding and wax) triptych constructed from a modified wooden cigar mold. Overall dimensions are about 44" wide and 8 1/2" high. It is entitled "Come" (Mark).

"Come" (Mark)  (2008)

This piece reflects my great interest in the symmetrical literary patterns present throughout the Scriptures. The visual symmetry shown in the two side panels and the split oval in the center panel demonstrates the twenty-four chiastically arranged occurrences of the Greek word aperchoma ("come") found in the Gospel of Mark. Thus, for example, the first picture in the left panel and the last picture in the right panel illustrate the first and last appearances of "come", each involving stories of two believers.  The second and next to last pictures (and appearances in Mark of "come") both involve Jesus praying alone, etc., etc.  The oval in the center panel illustrates the miraculous events accompanying the central occurrences of "come". The literary artistry of the inspired Word is thus mirrored visually.