Triune facades … steeple project

Some churches/steeples are dramatic, graceful architectural up-thrusts … beautiful, regal and formal. Fancy filigree, crisp whitely-painted defined moldings, beautiful shingling. An architectural equivalent of putting on your Sunday best … pipe organ strains of Bach flowing thru the double-arched doors. Gloriously uplifting and beautiful.

Other churches/steeples can be prosaic and humble … dare I say, plain. Here, the architectural equivalent that hums “Just As I Am”. Simple, honest … yet powerful and beautiful.

I love them all. You see, it’s not necessarily a height thing … higher is not necessarily better. I think it’s more of intent.

The original intent is often multifaceted (as mentioned in the image’s letterpresses text). For me, the most important is the symbolic architectural gesture, that mortal hand lifted aloft to meet God’s outstretched hand down to us. And, since God has a long reach, the height difference between a cathedral’s soaring. spire and a bungalow’s modest, cross-topped pitch, isn’t decisive. If the intent is to look-up … to reach-up, then it’s sincerity to the Source that’s key.

As I said, I like the variety, probably because I like the intent – or at least, the implied intent. Know this, reader: not all churches that have inspired my little paintings are churches I would attend. Others: gladly. If I ever get into painting restaurant signs, the same will be true. I don’t particularly like bad food. 🙂

When I first began this piece, I was thinking of letting the text remain full-black – it looked good and contrasty. However, in reviewing my previous paintings, I decided to lighten the text. While the contrast is indeed attractive, lightening the text still pushes the image forward … and that seems particularly important with the subtle, delicate nature of watercolor.

Here is the beginning sketch.

This very simple country church has that same stature as a man who, though his suit of clothes is warn and threadbare, still is. pressed and clean. “Humble”…”dignity”… “respect” … are words that come to mind. Also, “sturdy” and “strong”.

And final matted piece: very happy with the color and rendering 🙂