Three Wooden Crosses, acrylic on canvas, 90" x 24"
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One of the joys of making Christian art is that I get to help people bring the message of Jesus into their homes to contemplate every day. Thus, when one of my dear friends and neighbors asked me to paint a landscape of Mount Calvary, I rejoiced at the opportunity.
Our first step together was to talk it over and really articulate what he was looking for. This can be tough to do if you've never created art on your own before, so I started by making a few quick sketches. Did he want something dramatic, or something mellow and serene? What kind of colors did he like? Where was he thinking of hanging the piece?
In the end, he decided that he'd like a painting of the view from his window, as if Mount Calvary had been set down right across the river from him.
I really liked this idea. It's like it will bring the Cross home.
We also talked a lot about color. He lives in a log home with a lot of yellow-orange wood, so we decided to make the setting in late summer or early fall, when the leaves turn golden and the tobacco is staked out in the fields.
And as he thought it over, he seemed to get a more detailed picture in his mind. We had several phone calls about it (super fun, he loves to talk about Jesus) and came up with a list. Here are just a few of the things we included:
- A view of the French Broad River and the mountains beyond
- A bald eagle flying over the river (they're native to this region)
- An old-time field of Burley tobacco (which is grown locally)
- A hint of the Buncombe Turnpike trail which used to go along the riverside
- A small grazing deer
I took that and ran with it. First I created a few ultra-small sketches so he could preview my larger composition. This is a great way to make sure we're all on the same page right from the beginning.
We had decided that the painting would be in 3 panels, with the mountain standing up boldly in the middle, and a pine tree on either side of the painting to "frame" it. I love the local pines; they have such wonderful shapes.
Once the general composition was laid out, I made a detailed drawing of the composition so my friend could verify that I was including every part of his vision.
This was actually a fairly large drawing, and it shows a sunny morning with the cloud shadows streaming across the mountain. In the left panel is the eagle he requested, while the right-hand panel shows the fields of tobacco. The Turnpike will be a simple path in the central panel, alongside the Canadian geese that live on our local riverbanks.
Then it was time for some mini color studies. I painted six of these little guys before I settled on a good color scheme. But I've learned that especially with a large commissioned work, it's worth taking a little extra time to establish a good foundation.
We both loved the first one, at the top, the best because it gave such a nice sense of contrast. That will be important, because the wall this is going on is slightly backlit in the afternoon, and we want the painting to stand out.
Then there was one more preparatory step before I started the final painting: a larger color study. I executed this very loosely, just to confirm where we were headed. And while I say this was "small," it's actually three feet wide!
Then it was time to get to work on the big piece! I started by setting up an extra-wide easel and pinning up my studies so I could refer back to them as I painted.
Then I painted all three canvases a terra-cotta tone and began laying in the foundational colors over it.
Paintings go in stages... you start by blocking in a color, and then you step back and see if you like it.
Sometimes I'll even mark up the canvas with a piece of charcoal to show any changes I want to make.
As the color built up, the painting began to take on a sparkling quality which I r
really enjoyed.
Here's a better look at the finished panels.
It's hard to see some of the little symbolic details on these... so now let's zoom in! Here are the three crosses which give the piece its name. They're caught in an unfurling cloud.
How about a better look at the river birches in the first panel? Look how the reflection shines off the water.
In the original drawing, I had included Canada geese, but we'd also talked about adding turkey instead. In the end, I preferred the turkey, and my patron was thrilled with them.
Also hidden in the right-hand pine tree are two little mourning doves. These symbolize the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and they tie in well with the theme of the whole painting.
I thoroughly enjoyed making this picture, and I'm thrilled to be able to bring it to you as a print. Since most people don't have room for a piece that's seven feet wide, I've made it available in smaller prints that work well over a sofa or bed.
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Individual prints of each panel are available, too!
