The Witch of Endor

Last Desperate Measure (2010) (8" x 10" x 1.5")

I Samuel 28 tells the story of King Saul's attempt to find spiritual guidance after God has cut off all communication with him. This three-layered collage picturing the incident was created by gluing two wood-framed canvases front to back, cutting an oval out of the front canvas, cutting strips out of the second canvas, and gluing another collaged canvas sheet on the back of the second framed canvas.

The foremost layer pictures Saul's futile attempts to reach God by the way of dreams or use of the urim and thummin. The middle canvas shows the Witch of Endor who acts as a conduit for the spirit of the dead prophet Samuel, pictured on the third layer.

There is continuing controversy regarding the vision of Samuel and whether God or demonic forces conjured him up. However, the story does serve as a cautionary tale regarding mankind's desperate attempts to find meaning and guidance in the world apart from God.