Artwork

This is the prototype for a banner I made for Park Church in downtown Grand Rapids which was used for the first time in 2008. When they invited me to design a new Easter banner for their space, I knew it had to be something that would complement the ‘poems in stone and glass’ that are the church building of Park. A rich history of art and faith needed to be considered. Through conversations with the committee and research into Easter imagery, I developed some sketches and a vision for this banner which I hope visually sing the Easter Hallelujahs. I incorporated elements from the icons above into the Park Church Easter banner. In the early Christian church, icons were considered sacred doorways into the divine. The two above are titled literally and they tell the resurrection story. This Easter banner includes the entire story of salvation, not just the reanimation of Christ but the complete package of the salvation story. The cross is there, but instead of a symbol of torture, humiliation and death, it has become a symbol of triumph. The critical element is the open, empty tomb and the stone rolled away . Through it Christ conquered death and so shall we! Also, here, as in the ancient icons of the story, there are witnesses. They could be disciples, or saints who have gone before or they could be a choir of angels. Whoever they are, they are a cloud of witnesses to the story. The sun on the left rises and sheds light on the scene, but the light also emanates from Christ- the Light of the world- who is our source of light. The Greek letters in his halo say, “I AM WHO I AM.” There is a shine and glimmer in many of the fabrics which catch and reflect the light. Christ is robed in white and gold. This speaks to his purity and holiness. His hands and feet bear the scars of the crucifixion. His face is aglow. His arms are lifted in proclamation and welcome, standing firmly and stepping toward us. The backdrop of white and beige fields of flowers celebrates the cycle of life, the three lilies allude to the Trinity. From early times, lilies were symbols of purity used in depictions of the annunciation. They suggest the plan of God from the beginning and the start of the salvation story in Jesus birth from the Virgin Mary. I was honored to have been chosen to create this banner and making it enriched my faith journey and my art skills. I’m delighted to share the prototype here. I hope that it will add a visual hallelujah to our Easter worship and bless the celebrants of this great salvation. Virginia Wieringa

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