Telling the Story

I'm familiar with the way the ascension is told in the Bible; who was there and when and where it took place. It was an upper room of a house that belonged to one of the apostles where they most likely took to hiding after the crucifixion. The apostles were called to their great commission to spread the gospel and build the first church across all the empires and then there was wind and bright light as Jesus rose up to the heavens as two angels stood by welcoming him home to the Father. Then flames from the Holy Spirit descended upon them and they began to speak in different tongues. Truly the Trinity must have been a supernatural spectacle – never one like it to happen again. That is a fact. But I believe there was more going on while this was happening. We have the eleven apostles, the Holy Mother and Mary of Magdalene. Each has they're own little story to tell. How did they take to the event? Were they in shock? Did they cry out to Jesus to stay? Did they rejoice? Or hide from the light and wind? Try to picture these young men and a mother who's about to lose her son for a second time. They were human with real thoughts and fears. If the project has a story to tell it would be this one.

So, as I begin to put ideas together for the composition I'm cognizant of human behavior and the stories worth telling. Who better to look to than Norman Rockwell – America's most celebrated illustrator (and my favorite!). For more than 4 decades Rockwell painted the covers of the Saturday Evening Post capturing the everyday scenarios of American life. His work told stories of innocence, hardship, sacrifice, unity and pride. When I look at one of his paintings I find myself reading the expressions of his faces and placement of his figures like they were words in a book. Rockwell had a lot to say and he did it with not a single word – amazing!