16 December 2007

Bethlehem Final Print

BethlehemFinal

"To my mind, there is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly and compassionately with one another and to preserve and cherish that pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."
Carl Sagan, 1996, on a photo taken from deep space.

This afternoon, tucked inside my studio with snow swirling outside the window, I finished the Bethlehem print. Just in time for Christmas.

I tried to write about my complicated relationship with Christianity, the religion of my childhood and of my ancestors, but I think I'll just let these pieces (Bethlehem, Mecca, Lumbini) speak for themselves. Like Carl Sagan said, looking at our world from a distance brings human follies down to their actual size. In this turbulent time, with religious extremists all claiming to speak God's truth, I like remembering that Jesus, Mohammed, and Buddha, all of whom must have been great beings to have legacies so enduring, were once babies. They had mothers. They were human beings who lived in real places on this planet. That much is indisputable.

I used blues for this print because I associate the color blue with Jesus' mother Mary. The blue and white also looks wintery, the season I correlate with celebrating Jesus' birth. The image is 11" x 28 1/2" and the edition will be somewhere around 25 (I used 30 sheets of 13" x 30" Rives heavyweight).

9 comments:

BZ said...

The blues also bring to mind the distant view of our little blue ball, this earth, as Carl Sagan mentions. The framework provides the concept of Christian perspective as an overlay to our world, but beneath and beyond it is still the same precious blue sphere teeming with life and the dynamics of the multitude of systems.

Well done.

Celia Hart said...

I love the colours and textures! And the border gives it frame and meaning.

I'm sure you'll enjoy exploring the patterns for the Islamic border - there are so many possibilities!

Celia

Sharri said...

Annie, You have done yourself proud. What a very intensely interesting image - it provokes much thought. Can't wait to see the next one!

Bette Norcross Wappner -- said...

I love everything about it -- design, color, concept, and uniqueness. Splendid!

Annie B said...

Thanks much for the thoughtful comments. This one was a long haul! Happy holidays to all.

Anita Thomhave Simonsen said...

It´has been a very good picture...like the background very much...and the colours a lot...very interesting to follow the proces....

Anita

Anita Thomhave Simonsen said...

sorry, I mean it has become a very good picture....
anita

Annie B said...

Anita,
Don't worry too much about your English grammar; you're doing great! Thanks for your kind words.

Anonymous said...

Terrific image; I love the colours and textures!