Final Days of the Residency

Last Sunday we installed the painting to its permanent home in The Factory, Dundonald Church. This marks the end of my residency with the Co-Mission which has been an all round stimulating experience. Here's the blurb we put on the placard next to the painting.


"People Come to the Son for Life was painted for the Factory in response to John 3.36 quoted to the left of the painting.

A brilliant light shines over Raynes Park in the fading evening light. As some people walk towards the light they are transformed from the muted colours of the background into clarity and colour. Others ignore the light or walk away, remaining in the shadow where dripping paint and human forms appear to dissolve into a broken world. Still others appear on the fringes of the light or in shadow yet attracted to the luminosity.

This is a painting about colour, life and vivacity in contrast to shadow, brokenness and death. The artist paints two distinct realities that intersect with one another. On face value the two realities appear the same but the more we look the more we see that coming to the Son brings colour and life whilst those who ignore him remain in the darkness and death.

The central woman looks out and makes eye contact with us as if to ask, “Where do you place yourself in this painting?”