I have seen many “portraits” of Jesus Christ and most of them leave me cold. Some are dark and emphasize his suffering. Some are too “fluffy” and depict a very effeminate person. The most famous and best selling one is by Warner Sallman, which shows a masculine but compassionate face, in partial profile. That one most people recognize immediately. Definitely not Blackbeard the Pirate!

I wanted to portray a man who is awakened to his Divine Nature, who is in a blissful state of union with the Godhead. I thought it would be interesting to incorporate both a modern and ancient style in the painting. The illuminated background and the gold colors give it a medieval look, while the bold line around the face provides a contemporary graphic element. The eyes are the focal point here and I wanted to capture a feeling of joy and wonder, a transcendent rapture.

This work is not yet posted for sale on my website but if you send me an e-mail via the site’s contact page I can send you a giclee print, custom sized to your specifications. See blog roll for web link.

Jesus Christ Illuminated

Christ Illuminated