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Parables In Painting

by

Linda L. Walker

There is an artist who is quietly achieving a body of works worthy of note.  His paintings could stand on their own merit based on technical mastery alone. They could (and do) commend awards with their imagery, which is compelling. But what makes this artist truly noteworthy is the way he presents his message...for he paints in parables. 

"What is a parable?" A parable is a short story that illustrates a timeless truth. Jesus used them all the time to illustrate the different facets of God. He told a parable about a prodigal son to illustrate God as a loving, forgiving and welcoming Father. He told a parable about seeds on the ground to illustrate why some people’s faith takes deep root and grows into a healthy, fruit-bearing vine when other people’s faith wilts and fades away. Jesus used parables to tell timeless truth in a way in which people could relate...hoping it would lead to an epiphany.

One might say that parables are a linguistic artform, like poetry.  And that would be right.  However, in one artist at least, it appears to have taken on a visual artform, for it seems to be showing itself in the paintings of William Russell Walker.

Walker, a young artist residing in north Georgia, trained at Columbus College of Art and Design.  Since graduating in 1994, he has concentrated his efforts toward mastering his technique in oil painting. He is a narrative figurative painter whose style is a blend of Realism and Romanticism. He uses minimal backgrounds, choosing to focus his paintings on the pivotal message he is portraying. In his painting of Daniel in the Lion’s Den¹, for example, Walker did not place the central focus of the painting on Daniel, as it is traditionally. Rather, what draws the eye is a majestic lion who is facing the viewer. He stands with ears pricked as if he has just heard or seen something. This is a timeless moment. Daniel has just been tossed into the den. These lions are hungry. They’ve been starved for just such an occasion. Ordinarily, they would have pounced on Daniel the second he was tossed in. Before he could even hit the floor, he would have been torn to shreds.  But what really happened? Daniel landed on the ground with his breath knocked out of him. As he began to come to his senses, he sensed he was surrounded by growling beasts. They knocked up against him, breathing their fetid breath over him. “Oh-God-oh-God -- help!?” he might have chanted.  But, while Daniel is still trying to rise to his feet in his befuddled state, something remarkable is happening in the den. A bright light begins to shine in the darkness. The lions sense a presence. They begin to shy away from the man. The pride leader, a massive shaggy lion, lifts his head and stares toward the source of light.…

Just so, Walker captured the moment when God appeared in the lion’s den to rescue Daniel. The message of this painting isn’t about what Daniel did in there.  It’s about what God did. 

In another of his paintings called “Beloved,” Walker painted a crucifixion scene in which the focal point is Mary Magdalene.  Mary Magdalene had been a faithful follower of Jesus throughout his ministry.  She loved Him with her whole heart and soul. Unlike others who fled, she followed Him right to the cross and stayed through the final brutal hours. She watched every indignity, every agony. Had she been allowed to approach, so might she have been captured on canvas --  holding fast to the foot of the cross with one arm, while the other is defiantly outflung to ward off the jeering crowds, her face a mask of grief. To stand in front of this painting is to feel as though one is standing on that holy ground. You can feel the dirt beneath your feet. Hear the heckling crowds.   

As you walk away, you might ask yourself, who is the Beloved captured so poignantly on canvas?  Is it Mary?  Or, is it Jesus?  Or… are we the beloved? In “Beloved,” we see a parable illustrating the eternal truth of God’s love reaching out in a very personal way.

Walker is fascinated with the experience of the human journey. "The people in the Bible were people like us," Walker says. "They were not exempt from human fear or frailties. I capture moments on canvas that are pivotal in a person's life. A moment when, with one decision, a life is changed...and perhaps history as well. I painted Pilate at the moment he was pondering a fateful decision, one that that all of us face. He asked himself, 'What then shall I do with this man, Jesus?' I want people who see my work to pause and consider their journey. Is it taking them where they want to go?" 

Take a closer look at these paintings. Perhaps one will speak just to you.

·        Winter – when life is more than you can bear, hold on.

·        Renaissance  -  means rebirth. Have you ever come through the battle and found yourself amazed that you survived? If so, this painting may speak to you.

·        Inward – do you sometimes hide yourself away?

·        Wishful – to see this painting is to experience again the yearnings of the heart.

·        Freely Given – no army could have taken from Him what He freely gave.

·        Pilate and Christ -  as Christ lies unconscious, Pilate ponders the question every man faces…. 

·        Battle Between Good and Evil - In this raging battle, "Good" may be bloody...but he's winning. See a parallel in your life?

·      Joy – a joyous angel with face upturned to the Father, bearded to remind us angels may be all around us... and may look just like us.

·        Listen To Me – an angel hovers in the air with fluttering wings. He's been sent with an urgent message. Is it for you?

 ·       Woman Bathing – captures a private moment in a hidden grotto. A woman inches out into the water. Her head is downcast, but her motion is forward. What is the message here?

William Russell Walker speaks to the heart.  He intuitively knows the message he is to paint. To produce these paintings is what he is designed to do, he says. It is his calling. 

¹Daniel in the Lion's Den is an 8' x 10' painting on permanent display at The Bosendorfer Lounge in The Grand Bohemian Hotel in Orlando FL (part of the Kessler Corporate Collection). To see more of this artist's work, go to www.williamrussellwalker.com.

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