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ST MARYS CHURCH BATTERSEA
STATIONS
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ART COMMISSION
Lockdown 2021 had seen many people affected by the impact of Covid-19. People's lives took on a dimension that hadn't been seen since wartime. Normality was now a commodity that had been replaced with isolation and solitude for many. The arts industry was equally affected and creativity became a coping mechanism for artists. Reaching out to the community was one direction that I followed to help others with the healing process.
I approached the vicar of St Marys Church with my proposal to do a series of paintings of Stations of the Cross' for the church. Simon, the vicar was very supportive and took the idea to the PCC (church council) who agreed to let me do it and the congregation would sponsor me at one hundred and fifty pounds a painting. The individual sponsorships came in very quickly and I started work the next week baring in mind that I had nine weeks to do the fifteen paintings.
Much of my recent work had been done in a modern iconic style based on Byzantine Art, it was this approach I decided to take.he first two weeks proved challenging as it was very different from my usual style but I preserve and achieved the effect I thought was dramatic and compassionate. The vibrant colours on a stark black background keep the iconic feeling to the pictorial stations without bringing in an over detailed descriptive landscape.The simplicity of the scenes with the rich gems adorning Christ and the saints gave ihe work that iconic look I wanted.
My debt is to Simon the vicar, who was immensely supportive and the members of the congreation who sponsored the commissions. Without who this work could not have taken place. My eternal thanks.
I approached the vicar of St Marys Church with my proposal to do a series of paintings of Stations of the Cross' for the church. Simon, the vicar was very supportive and took the idea to the PCC (church council) who agreed to let me do it and the congregation would sponsor me at one hundred and fifty pounds a painting. The individual sponsorships came in very quickly and I started work the next week baring in mind that I had nine weeks to do the fifteen paintings.
Much of my recent work had been done in a modern iconic style based on Byzantine Art, it was this approach I decided to take.he first two weeks proved challenging as it was very different from my usual style but I preserve and achieved the effect I thought was dramatic and compassionate. The vibrant colours on a stark black background keep the iconic feeling to the pictorial stations without bringing in an over detailed descriptive landscape.The simplicity of the scenes with the rich gems adorning Christ and the saints gave ihe work that iconic look I wanted.
My debt is to Simon the vicar, who was immensely supportive and the members of the congreation who sponsored the commissions. Without who this work could not have taken place. My eternal thanks.
THE SERIES
STATION I
PILATE CONDEMNS JESUS TO DEATH
These two panels are designed to go into the recess of the wall as you walk up the stairs to the upper gallery of St Marys Church, Batteresea.
It is to emulate the feeling of the winding and steep road of the Via Delorosa. Pilate sits in his throne and washes his hands of the blood of Christ.
John 19:13. It states that Pontius Pilate: brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha.
The high priest stood back so that they did not become unclean and shouted 'Crucify him! Crucify him!"
The thirty pieces of silver lay discarded on the floor, they could not take it back and was used to buy a Potters Field . The price of a life.
Pilate washes his hands of Jesus's blood.
PILATE CONDEMNS JESUS TO DEATH
These two panels are designed to go into the recess of the wall as you walk up the stairs to the upper gallery of St Marys Church, Batteresea.
It is to emulate the feeling of the winding and steep road of the Via Delorosa. Pilate sits in his throne and washes his hands of the blood of Christ.
John 19:13. It states that Pontius Pilate: brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha.
The high priest stood back so that they did not become unclean and shouted 'Crucify him! Crucify him!"
The thirty pieces of silver lay discarded on the floor, they could not take it back and was used to buy a Potters Field . The price of a life.
Pilate washes his hands of Jesus's blood.
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- STATION II
- JESUS TAKES UP THE CROSS
Jesus is ready to take up the cross and the Praetorian Guard stands watch over him.
John 19:5
Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
I considered different weapons the Praetorian Guard might have in his hand to threaten Jesus with, I researched a dagger and spear but the most volatile of all weapons was the crown of thorns that they twisted together. here the guard clutches on to it before putting it on Jesus's head.
STATION III
JESUS FALLS FOR THE FIRST TIME
This is also a large piece 4' x 3'
It is placed next to the stairs as you go through the door that opens into the upper gallery. It is as if Jesus trips over the stairs as the praetorian guard unleashes his wrath swinging the cat-of-nine-tailsat him for losing his balance.
It is the first of three falls, each one the load bearing cross becomes more painful and enduring the torture becomes more evident to the point of exhaustion.
The roman soldier has become active in his role of forcing Jesus to walk the Via Delarosa as Jesus nears his death with each step getting closer to Calvary.
JESUS FALLS FOR THE FIRST TIME
This is also a large piece 4' x 3'
It is placed next to the stairs as you go through the door that opens into the upper gallery. It is as if Jesus trips over the stairs as the praetorian guard unleashes his wrath swinging the cat-of-nine-tailsat him for losing his balance.
It is the first of three falls, each one the load bearing cross becomes more painful and enduring the torture becomes more evident to the point of exhaustion.
The roman soldier has become active in his role of forcing Jesus to walk the Via Delarosa as Jesus nears his death with each step getting closer to Calvary.
STATION IV
JESUS MEETS MARY IN THE CROWD
In doing this scene I pondered how Jesus would meet his mother as he encounters her in the crowd. Would they embrace?
Mary knowing her son was going to die that day, would she let all reserve go and touch her son for the last time? Would the culture at the time only allow the most fleeting of meetings? Jesus takes his mother's hands to discharge her of any wrong-doing. He clings on to her tenderly knowing her heartache and pain.
The man standing next to Jesus nervously plays with the tzittzit strings. He is Simon of Cyrene who takes up the cross for Jesus. While next to Mary is Veronica still with her veil intact before she wipes Jesus's face.
STATION V
SIMON OF CYRENE TAKES UP THE CROSS FOR JESUS
Simon of Cyrene had been innocently standing in the crowd watching the mayhem unfold before him. Jesus is already exhausted from the many beatings he had endured under the Sanhedrin, the priest council and Pilate and the Praetorian Guards
The soldiers ordered Simon to take up the cross and carry it for Jesus. We do not know Simon's view of the whole affair but he too had no choice but to do what he was told. He carries it with pride in my adaption of the scene, Jesus walks ahead able to lift his head high.
Diversity and ethnicity were foremost in my interpretation of the cultural presentation of Jesus and the people he encounters along the Via Delarosa.
Simon stays with Jesus until the end and is seen taking him down from the cross after Jesus dies. In the first scene I have not added the halo, this comes in the fifth station when he fulfils the act that brings the saintly qualities.
STATIONS VI
VERONICA WIPES JESUS'S FACE
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The legend has it that Saint Veronica wiped Jesus's face with her veil and the image of Jesus's face stayed on the veil. It is reputedly in a church in Italy, rarely seen.
This account is not recorded anywhere in the Bible but is common to the Stations of the Cross
It is the act of kindness that we perhaps need to accept that someone in the crowd may have done this to wipe the sweat and blood from Jesus's face as he agonized his way along the route of the Way of the Cross.
I considered if a Jewish woman would take off her veil for this gesture, something that might b taboo in public. T o painterly describe the veil further I have added a fringe to the edges but have not put the indentation of the crown of thorns, leaving Jesus whole, without blemishs and a bloodstained face.
Veronica's hair is golden and her eyes as green as her dress. She has given Jesus a small retrieve on his torturous journey
STATION VII
JESUS FALLS A SECOND TIME
Jesus continues on his last journey that will take him to Mt Carvary or Gogotha (place of the skulls). The whole route is approximately 600 meters and we can assume Jesus is about half way on it. He falls for a second time, clinging to the cross that he will be nailed to.
The grain of the wood and the straighten outline of the cross was to bring it forward in the paintings, so it didn't feel pushed in the background.
The stark, black background give no other indication where on the route Jesus has reached. His death is eminent. He clutches on to the cross which becomes the symbol of Christianity.
I wanted to show Jesus humbled and determined. He is aware of his fate and knows it must be fulfilled. Composed with dignity he carries on.
Christ is always denoted with a cross on his halo in Byzantine Art.
His purple robe denotes royalty.
STATION VIII
JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM
From the Gospel according to Luke. 23:28-31
Jesus turning to them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us'; and to the hills, ‘Cover us'. For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
In this station there is a direct Bible scripture siting the
meeting. I wanted to include babies and young children with the women, mostly young who bear the responsibility of nurturing their families.
Jesus is compassionate, knowing the fall of Jerusalem is eminent.
The women would have been well dressed and from honourable households. I have adorned them with trinkets of jewelry and fine clothes. They were confident in approaching jesus. Jessus as shattered as he must have been along the way of sorrows still takes time to talk to them and value them.
STATION IX
JESUS FALLS FOR THE THIRD TIME
I was striving to show the pain and
suffering of Jesus at this third fall.
His body is crumpled and fragile, the weight of the cross hovers above him as he crouches down trying to grasp for breath and summon the strength to carry on.
The parallel is that we all fall, we all stumble and loose our way, Jesus was no different but he also knew that he had to carry on.
As Jesus approaches to Mount Calvary where he knows he will be crucified he knows his life is about to end and you can nearly imagine his whole life replaying in his mind. .
It is all over but for the nailing on the cross.
STATION X
JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS
John 19:23-24
New International Version23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
Psalm 22:18 They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”[a]
The purple robe, the outer undergarment, his sandals were divided, why? The undergarment, lots were cast for it. We can nearly not comprehend this. Yet it was foretold by David centuries before.
STATION XI
JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
Held down and pieced with nails. Stripped of his clothes and all humility,
The slaves are made to hammer the nails into Jesus's body,
I did the men shoeless because slaves were forbidden to own or wear shoes, they would have no choice in this cruel and inhumane murder of Jesus, left to die on the cross, they carry out their duties knowing their lives also have no value to the Jews or the Romans apart from the labour they preform.
Scripture Reading
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi Eloi lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" This is the only saying which appears in more than one Gospel, and is a quote from Psalm 22:1 (or probably Psalm 42:9).
STATION XII
JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS
In considering the composition for this very important station I wanted to create a dynamic that gave a dramatic tension to the dying on the cross scene.
Placing the cross at an angle and taking a slightly aerial view, I feel gave the effect I was looking for.
The two crucifixions either side are slightly angled to create the symmetry and the ravens swoop in to pick at the dead body.
Blood pours out of the side of Jesus that has been pieced by the holy spear. Blood also drips from Jesus's forehead and the nails are evident on Jesus's hands.
Luke 23:43
There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
STATION X111
JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS
Joseph of ArimatheaThe story of Joseph of Arimathea is told in all four gospels.
Joseph was a wealthy man who came from Arimathea in Judea.
He was a good and righteous man who managed to be both a member of the Council (the Sanhedrin) and a secret supporter of Jesus - which is why he did not join in the Council's actions against Jesus.After the death of Jesus, Joseph asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus' body and bury it properly.
Permission was granted and the body was taken down. Joseph, helped by Nicodemus, wrapped the body in cloth with the addition of myrrh and aloes.
They buried Jesus in an unused tomb that Joseph may have intended for himself, where it was protected by a heavy stone rolled against the opening.
In this station I have Joseph of Arimathea assisting in taking Jesus down from the cross. Also helping him is Simon of Cyrene and it could be Nicodemus also helping.
I initially started this painting with the cross in the center to give it more prominence. However, I soon realized that I would not be able to include the burial cloth in my original composition. A ladder was often shown in religious art in getting Jesus from the cross.
STATION XIV
JESUS'S BURIAL
The Entombment of Christ follows the Gospel of John: Joseph of Arimathea jointly embalm and place Jesus in a tomb, while Jesus' mother Mary, Mary Magdalene and Mary of Clopas look on.
I wanted to show the life had gone out of Jesus. His halo is muted colours. He is laid on the tomb, the burial sheet surrounding him and the perfumes and embalming ointments by his side..
Joseph Arimathea appears again in the tomb alsong side Mary the Mother of Jesus who has been seen in Station IV. She is accompanied by Mary Magdalene and Mary of Clopas. Their faces in anguish but the radiant colours of their halos emitting their love outpouring for Jesus.
STATION XV
THE RESURRECTION
I deliberated about the subject matter for this station for days. Did it need to be symbolic or was a literal scene more in keeping with the stations?
I decided to do Jesus leaving the tomb and the bread and wine as wheat and grapevine as the gifts that Jesus has given up. The Holy Spirit is represented as the dove appearing at dawn.
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
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The project took 9 weeks to complete. I painted daily Monday to Saturday during this time, 10am to 5pm.
There are over 280 hours of painting and many, many hours of preparation and research. My target was to do 2 paintings a week to reach the target of 15 paintings. However, one of the stations, station 1 Pilate condemns Jesus to death is in two panel and can be viewed as two paintings. Size 3.5' x 1.5'. Ten of the stations will go in the bay windows in the upper gallery Size 2' x 2'. And four of the stations are 4' x 3' that go up the stairwell to the upper gallery.
The paintings are done on plywood, painted with roof paint th. at gives the dark, black background. The paintings are done by layers and then the final fun bit is doing the gems.. I have also used craft gems for the halos
The project took 9 weeks to complete. I painted daily Monday to Saturday during this time, 10am to 5pm.
There are over 280 hours of painting and many, many hours of preparation and research. My target was to do 2 paintings a week to reach the target of 15 paintings. However, one of the stations, station 1 Pilate condemns Jesus to death is in two panel and can be viewed as two paintings. Size 3.5' x 1.5'. Ten of the stations will go in the bay windows in the upper gallery Size 2' x 2'. And four of the stations are 4' x 3' that go up the stairwell to the upper gallery.
The paintings are done on plywood, painted with roof paint th. at gives the dark, black background. The paintings are done by layers and then the final fun bit is doing the gems.. I have also used craft gems for the halos
FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF TURNER
The UPPER GALLERY an ideal place to do this project. It was through LENT and because of the LOCKDOWN restrictions Simon the Vicar had planned a retreat style of worship throughout the third lockdown. Prayers were said at mid-day, eucharist/communion was available every second day and people came to pray and spend time in the church. It was spiritual, peaceful, reflective and gave me the discipline to work steadily and consistently to complete the series. .
The privileges of working in the upper gallery was evocative in knowing that William Turner often painted from the vestry of the church. I wonder if he looked out on the riverside of the church from the bay windows of the upper gallery?
