New Artwork at All Saints’, San Diego

The “Apostolic Succession” painting at All Saints’, San Diego has been a collaborative effort with the Rev. Rob Eaton. The imagery is built upon Ephesians 3:7-10. Father Eaton wanted Jesus sitting as on a grape vine with its branches symbolizing the blessing of the apostles and its roots resting on the head and shoulders of the bishop.

“Apostolic Succession” is painted on Baltic birch wood and created with multiple layers, each sanded and stained. I used acrylic paints for this reason and used salt because of it texturizing properties. It also happens to be an ingredient in Holy Water and I thought it was rather appropriate. The gold leaf was applied last. This painting has been an honor to paint and labor of love with considerable research and dedicated disciplines. It has been a prayerful experience.

On a personal note, creating the actual shape of this wood painting probably took the longest time to figure out and produce. It was actually daunting. The next difficulty would be figuring the angles and sizes of the painted stained glass pattern that rims the wood. I wanted this pattern reminiscent of our own Christ the King window at the back of our church. The painting colors were built to work with our own altar colors. And on the blank slate I started with Jesus’ face first and then began to craft the 12 apostles’ faces and then the tree. The words were really fun to paint. In the painting you can read Ephesians 3:7. On the backside of the wood Ephesians 3:7-10 is written out above the blessing.

It was blessed on Sunday, November 4, and hangs above the bishop’s chair in the sanctuary.