When artists are coming to town, people in Columbus, Texas get prepared. The members of Milam Street Church of Christ noticed that the steeple on their church needed a good cleaning. But, with scheduling problems, the cleaning was delayed until the week of Paint Texas 2023. No problem. I painted the church before the cleaning and assured them I would just paint out the mold on top! (The photo on the bottom shows the pressure washer arrived the next day.)
Forgiveness. Maybe God’s forgiveness is like an artist who overlooks the parts that aren’t aesthetically pleasing and makes them right. Like a pressure washer blasting the steeple clean, Jesus can cleanse our unworthiness with his forgiveness.
I am attracted to church architecture. I usually end up painting a church in every plein air event. Spires and steeples in church architecture have been around since the Middle Ages and are used to lift our eyes heavenward, pointing us to heavenly realms, lifting our spirit to be touched by the Creator, God.
I titled this painting, Lifting Spirits. The steeple does that. The image of the pressure washer making things clean does that. And the people in this congregation do that with their hospitality! Thanks, Columbus, for a good week at Paint Texas 2023.
This 9×12 oil is available at Live Oak Art Center, Columbus, TX.