Five Faces of Christ #5
Painted in a matter of hours using my fingers and oil paints, as I wanted to be as close to Him as possible, this image of Christ remains one of the turning points in my belief and my work as a Christian artist. He once appeared to me and asked me to ‘Draw Him’ and I did not immediately obey but remained sceptical and waited and waited for more unfolding and realisation of the path I was being asked to take.
This painting was the result, two years later after the turn of the millenium which was a significant year for me spiritually. It was the year I crossed over what is called the ‘abyss’ and I have never spoken about it or elaborated on what happened and probably never will. The only indication I will give is that it was a place where I felt no presence of God at all even though I knew He was there.
Crossing over the abyss changes your soul. We can make this crossing because of Christ – because He allowed Himself to be crucified for us. He rises above and over all of mankind still nailed to the cross, still holding our suffering which is so great we would die in an instant if we ever had to truly face it.
Christ is the Son of Almighty God.
Christ is our Saviour.
Christ is our King.
Christ is the Prince of Peace.
Christ is our brother.
Christ is our friend.
Christ is our confidante.
Christ is our Beloved.
Christ is our comfort.
Christ is our defender.
Christ is our champion.
Christ is our redeemer.
Christ is loving kindness.
Christ is humility.
Christ is obedience.
Christ is gentleness.
Christ is truth.
Christ is compassion.
Christ is forgiveness.
Christ is love.
All love.
Every love.
Unconditional love.
Love.
Let Christ’s peace be upon you.
Let Christ’s peace be within you.
Let Christ become in you.
Let Christ be you.
We are one in Christ.
We are Love.
Unconditional love.
All love.
We are love.
We are forgiveness.
We are compassion.
We are truth.
We are gentleness.
We are obedience.
We are humility.
We are loving kindness.
We are redeemed.
We are champions.
We are defenders.
We are comfort.
We are Beloved.
We are confidantes.
We are friends.
We are brothers.
We are one with the Prince of Peace.
We are one with our King.
We are one with our Saviour.
We are one with the Son of Almighty God.
Praise God.
Five Faces of Christ – #3
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
I wrote this wonderful icon over a year ago for the Society of the Sacred mission at The Well at Willen, Milton Keynes. I cannot describe the joy I felt whilst working on it and I know that the people at The Well love this icon through and through.
I felt it was appropriate to put it here in the midst of my Five Faces of Christ as, after I had finished the icon I felt moved to write a meditation for it. This has now become a bit of a habit and I write them to go with all the icons I do for people whether for a church or a personal gift.
The serenity and interplay between Jesus and the Samaritan woman is central in this icon. I love the way He had such an open heart for everyone. May we all become like Him.
Meditation:
This very beautiful and intimate icon of Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman reminds us of his ability to talk to anyone no matter what the prevailing beliefs and prejudices of the day are.
The two figures are poised in the foreground almost as if what is behind them does not exist. Jesus reaches out his left hand towards the Samaritan woman and his hand is aligned with the highlight on her robe that is like a zig-zag – a very powerful symbol of light and energy often seen in robes in icons, especially of angels. It is as if his hand is sending his power to her as she points to the vessel she has brought to fill. Instead of ordinary water she wishes to have the water of life he speaks to her about; the water that lasts forever. She cradles the urn in her left arm, ready to receive this great gift. The Samaritan woman is long and willowy, fluid, like water herself, there is a graciousness about her despite her past and the many husbands Jesus reveals he knows about. None of this matters, it is what goes on between the two at this moment in time. Indeed, when gazing at the icon it is as if it is happening now- a continuous now occurring through the ages and the opportunity to receive from this Divine well he is offering us.
Her under garment is the colour green, representing serenity and the earth – the plants, the flowers the trees, that which gives us oxygen and earthly life. She has a waistband and cuffs of vibrant orange signifying the holy spirit, that which vivifies us and gives us eternal life. Finally she wears and over garment of red, like Our Saviour’s. This signifies her acceptance of Christ’s love and salvation as he bestows it upon her. Finally she wears a scarf of pure white, this covering of her head and is a symbol of her ultimate success at overcoming the passions in order to live a life in Christ. The towel carries two blue bands and is a representation of the Jewish faith. She stands at ease atop the labyrinth, a symbol of the mind of man and the path of contemplation and is at ease yet poised to receive more from Our King. Overall she is a dynamic yet peaceful receptacle for the holy spirit.
Christ sits lightly atop the rocks. The two groupings are representations of Mount Sinai and Mount Tabor where the Law and the Transfiguration were received respectively. His feet enlighten the grass and his manner is open yet vital. His right hand is set in the sign of peace and his left hand is open and stretched towards the woman. His red under garment is the symbol that he has come from Heaven and the orange sash, his authority as given through the holy spirit. The blue outer garment is symbolic of his willingness to become human and to be born on the earth, yet it is like flowing water and light. The two bend their heads towards each other in their willingness to listen and to communicate with one another. Both figures have faces of utter calm and peace but also of purpose.
The well sits between the two, the symbol of life for all the Old Testament tribes of Israel as they wandered through the land. Most significant mystical happenings were often sited near or at a well. Stars, zig-zags and scrolls adorn the well, representing the energy and vibration of all life throughout the cosmos. It contains a glimpse of water just as our own perception of the Truth is but a glimpse of the total reality of existence. The lid is ajar, inviting us to enter.
Behind Jesus is a small lake representing Willen, with a couple of white ducks swimming happily on the water that is choppy as if blown by a strong breeze, again another symbol of the coming of the Spirit that sounded like a loud rush of wind when the disciples received it at Pentecost. On the left at Christ’s shoulder is the Peace Pagoda guarded by golden lions in this instance. Not only a symbol for Milton Keynes but a symbol for the entrance to the Garden of Eden through the attainment of peace of one’s own soul in our own journey of the path to Zion. The church, traditionally set in this position on the icon is also based on Willen church with the little pineapples on the roof but also the vestibule is adorned with stars as an indication of the entrance into the greater cosmos when going into the church of our hearts. The four trees in front of the church are symbols for the four evangelists leading us to the entrance.
Drawing a line around the lake and through the well and then around the labyrinth will trace the symbol for eternity that underlies this whole icon. The perspective of an icon is often converse, we, the onlookers, are at the vanishing point, the smallest space, the icon draws us in to Heaven, wide and limitless. Figures and angles are drawn in particular ways not to convey the visible form but the invisible and the unknowable, that which is beyond our current perception.
The sky is gold leaf and the traditional symbol for heaven in an icon. The border, is red ochre and is a holy colour going back through all peoples to the earliest cave dwellers. It is a symbol of the old Testament and the foundation for what is to come. There are symbols of a number of faiths around the edge (Christianity, Taoism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Baha’i, Jainism and Shinto) as the Well at Willen is committed to openness and dialogue between all faiths, indeed all the wisdom and knowledge we need is contained in all the holy writings if we could overcome our passions and allow it to enter us. Take heed from the Samaritan woman who stepped lightly and was at first in awe and then most willing to allow the Truth to enter her life.
May all who stand before this icon and gaze at its beauty be filled with the closeness of a relationship with the Divine, the personal and simple surrender to a journey through the cosmos contained within the simple actions of conversing, listening, giving and receiving with openness and willingness.
Constantina Wood 24/02/11
Five Faces of Christ #2
Here is probably my most painted and most loved image of Christ in iconography. It is based on the original from St. Catherine’s monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai which was rendered in encaustic using glass rods. Many of the Faiyum paintings on mummies in Egypt used either egg tempera or encaustic; so these were the methods of the time. The skill of the artists was incredible and the realism stunning, heartfelt and filled with beauty.
What I love about my Sinai Christ, as I call him, is the combination of his searching gaze, his stillness and the sense of complete love. He is there. He is here. He is. One eye looks up to heaven the other right at you – these ‘errors’ were painted with purpose, not as a mistake.
Sometimes I can see him in my mind’s eye. He was there yesterday for me. A tiny postage stamp sized image imprinted on my consciousness but the word, the feeling, was one of solidarity, “I am with you!” He knew what I was experiencing and he knew the powerlessness of the situation for me. Something I cannot do anything about, the kind of situation I find myself in increasingly where the only option is to turn to him for help, guidance and comfort.
This particular image posted here was icon number five for me after learning the rudiments of the technique. It took me a month of almost full time work and a few instances when, not looking right, I washed off the tempera and began again. The layering became more and more delicate and subtle. He was so close throughout and the tiniest details emerged little by little and I wondered why I had not spotted them at the outset, like the stain of a tear on his left cheek.
Most of the icons I have still in my possession are from my earlier stages and I love them dearly as they have many mistakes but are all the more like the humanity that painted them. Flawed yet loved all the same.
He comes with me to as many places as possible and I show him and hand him around to be held. He never ceases to move those who have an affinity for him and he is a little battered and covered in candle wax. I call him my ‘working icon’ as he comes with me to work.
At present I am writing a life size half figure based on this image. Working life size is a new feeling and a powerful presence. The gentleness of his hands and the light from within are sublime. In iconography we call this inner light, uncreated light. The light from heaven. It is not reflected light but comes from inside. It is the light of the Transfiguration. Christ, in his purity, was transfigured spontaneously on Mount Tabor in the presence of Elijah and Moses and his three apostles who could not bear to look.
The Transfiguration
Our transfiguration takes place over a longer period, little by little. It works from the outside – the course physical body; healing through sickness and disease sometimes, to purify us. Then it goes deeper into the physical to each cell of the body; each atom is affected – we can feel it sometimes when we sense something beautiful such as music, or profound words of truth, or a wonderful painting. We shiver with this feeling but it reaches further than the superficial. This is why art and culture are so important for humanity, for the sake of humanity. Then the transfiguration moves into the emotional realm; then the intellectual, purifying, separating. Making us masters of our inner house rather than the servants taking control and causing us to lead lives that create discord and havoc for us and those around us. Often this can be seen in religious communities and churches where there seems to be discord and bad behaviour. It leads an outside observer to see those within as hypocrites. But one must look deeper and see with a wider eye. This discord and difficulty can be and often is, the purifying out of that which is unhelpful. It gets worse before it gets better. One needs patience and endurance and forgiveness. The maintenance of harmony is more important then being right and the wise will let go of certain issues for the sake of it- not fearing to lose face so that others who are as yet unable, can maintain some dignity for themselves for a while until they are able to finally let go of ego.
After this phase there is no ‘I’ but ‘we’ and ‘our’ and a sense of something universal; a sense of oneness and complete continuity of all living things. There is a flowing and an awareness of constriction and expansion in all things. A harmonic, a sound, the vibrational energy of all matter, yet set within something even greater but something we cannot even conceive of with minds and bodies that are still material. This is the life of the soul and all souls are beautiful to God. We see others then, as souls, and when we see them as souls we see their beauty no matter what the outward circumstances or form.
It is not always easy to maintain but once glimpsed a reference point is provided and this can be striven for with renewed practice through those devices which help us: prayer, stillness and love.
Five Faces of Christ #1 Immanuel
Over a decade ago now, I had a very strong indication about my work as an artist. It was to make painting or drawing Christ central to my work. I must admit to not doing much about this at that time, being distrustful of such things until more indications seem to back it up. Ever the scientist but as I have a vivid and precocious imagination and mind, it seems sensible to let directions of this nature unfold a little.
At this point in time I have the benefit of retrospect and indeed, it is no doubt a sound inner direction to have followed, albeit patchy at times. The concept of simply drawing or painting Christ is complex. The work is not just the images but the work of Christ being within oneself, wanting him to be within, trusting him to be within and allowing him to be within. And then listening to his gentle guidance. And then following it.
Not one part of this is straightforward to the convoluted and ever complicated human being. That said, once it becomes more manifest in our outer lives, I wonder at the simplicity and ease of it and why did it took me so long to gain realisation of the beautiful symbiosis of a Christ centred life?
Here is a little journey through Five Faces of Christ:
This dear fellow was my first experience using a Russian technique of writing an icon. There is a Buddha-like quality to him and the design is a modern one given to us by our teacher Nikita Andreyev. I have never forgotten this quiet young man and his patient clear teaching as he guided us through the method which I use to this day, having fallen for it’s simplicity and deeply spiritual content.
Christ Immanuel
Immanuel, or God With Us, was clear at the age of twelve what he was about and what his work was. “Did you not know I would be in my Father’s house?” he said to his anxious parents when they could not find him.
For me, Christ Immanuel, is the man-child and voice of clarity and wisdom. Many young people have this quality but they are paid scant heed or derided; patronised and squashed. My work with young teenagers, especially in disadvantaged areas recently, has made this even more evident. When they are wanting to turn a corner and make an effort to improve and make good their lives after bad times certain adults around them in positions of authority continue to see them as if they are specimens already tagged and labelled and ready for the reject pile. Or worse, they ignore them and do not see them. A little bit of encouragement and lots of guts and determination may help them through but may Christ Immanuel stand for all these fabulous and potentially incredible young people. There are so many of them.
