I wanted to paint a moment in which you could simply be with the Savior. No explanation prepared. No need to arrive as a more impressive version of yourself. Just the quiet relief of being known and welcomed.
The feeling began, unexpectedly, at a petting zoo. I was stroking a young deer when it looked into my eyes. Something about that encounter undid me: such gentleness, such complete absence of judgment. I wanted Christ’s expression to hold that same tenderness.
The arch frames an encounter that feels both intimate and open. Beyond it, stone, foliage, and sunlight ground the sacred in an ordinary, tangible world. The open gate offers passage; His steady gaze offers companionship. His hands rest gently on the deer, allowing touch to express what words might only complicate.
Warm light moves across the pale walls and clothing, while visible brushwork keeps the scene alive with the feeling of a human hand. For me, the deer carries both vulnerability and trust.
My hope is that the viewer might pause here and feel accepted before anything has been explained or resolved. There is room for weariness, uncertainty, even tears. You can bring yourself, exactly as you are, and stay.
