This is my latest painting, entitled ‘Love’ in my series of Spiritual Art for the Twenty First Century, its in acrylics on a chunky canvas. I believe love features in many religions. I first did a watercolour sketch, the pink symbolising the kindness and empathy of love, the green showing the love that’s at the heart of nature, of creation, and the circle showing the globe of earth with its networks of love. Then I copied the picture in a series of washes and opaque paint.
‘Love’ Copyright Julia Wilkinson.
Acrylic on chunky canvas.
91cmx61cm (36″x24″).
I changed the names of a few of my other paintings to widen their appeal, as can be seen on my website.
www.juliawilkinson.net
I have been trying to paint spiritual paintings for the twenty-first century. In the Bible it says ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:16) so painting love is another way of painting God. I chose what I thought was a trendy, acidic yellow, then added clouds in a lighter cream. It’s not one of my main series of spiritual art paintings, just a little extra work that I did while I was too unwell to work on big paintings.
‘Love II’ is only small, a forerunner to a bigger painting I am intending to do, to be called ‘Love’.
Image: ‘Love II’. Acrylic on canvas. 2015.
25cmx25cm (10″x10″).
www.juliawilkinson.net
It seems to me that the great painters of religion of the past can never be equalled, so awe-inspiring were their works. And it also seems to me that these paintings were for all time, but are not the only thing possible for this time, and that new art of religion would be different.
I have tried to create original works that speak to twenty-first century people, of something of the Bible and God. I have tried to make them meditative works, so that people can put preconceived ideas behind them and come afresh to these ideas. When I did the paintings, I put on gentle music and worked relatively peacefully. The Jesus Christ and Eden paintings were made up mainly from loads and loads of my finger prints, like sorts of children’s paintings (which is a contemporary trend). I suppose an abstract picture of Jesus could be said to be cold, but I think that Jesus is above such things – an abstract could show some aspects of Him.
People look for truth through visual art, through people, through community. I would be very glad if my art helps anyone find the truth.
Image: ‘Jesus Christ’ Copyright Julia Wilkinson
Oil on chunky canvas. 2014-15.
76cmx1m22cm (2’6″x4′)
I finally finished a painting on ‘Paradise’ that I had been working on for ages. It wouldn’t be paradise if one doesn’t like pink, obviously!
I suppose they are evangelistic works, trying to engage people with spiritual issues, in answer to my faith in Christ, though I don’t want to be dictatorial.
I attended an exhibition opening on Valentine’s Day at Ninevah Gallery in Havant, which I really enjoyed – ‘A sense of space and place’ particularly memories. For part of the exhibition, Jules Simmons has created other art on similar themes, based on memories of cathedrals and churches, which I found uplifting and evocative.
Image: ‘Paradise’ Copyright Julia Wilkinson.
76cmx1m22cm (2’6″x4′). Acrylic on chunky canvas. 2015-16.
