arte táctil

These examples are an ongoing series of what I call sermon paintings.  They are a collaborative effort that I share with my church’s minister. 

They often start with him giving me an idea and/or text that I interpret and sketch into an image.  After the sketch is OK-ed, I will paint several practice paintings on smaller canvases to see how the idea translates from sketch to painting. 

Then on painting day, I paint the design on approximately 6′ x 4′ canvas in front of an audience while the minister delivers a sermon.  Since sermons last a duration of 20 to 30 minutes, I have to go fast, making every mark and paint stroke count.  There is no time for mistakes or second guessing.  After the painting is completed, and the audience has left the auditorium, I usually spend about another hour doing touch-ups to the design. 

Though painting in this fashion is a little stressful, I see it as a personal challenge from which I can grow artistically. 

Here are the paintings that I have done so far for my church.  Please click on thumbnails for larger view.