At the Cross I Stand

At the Cross I Stand 30x40 Oil 2019

There is a story behind most of the paintings I do. Often times, the paintings are the story but given I have this new blog platform, I can expand upon the narrative. I have never kept a regular journal even though I enjoy writing. I hope you enjoy the inspirational story behind this portrait and the stories to come.

This painting is a portrait of my cousin, Austin Casey Morris. At a family gathering a few minutes before his grandmother’s funeral(my materal aunt) in 2014, I was taking some snapshots of the family. I’m usually a little shy about taking pictures and was delighted that Austin reached out to me to take his picture. This is something an introvert like me would never do, but Austin had a soul that espoused happiness, love, and light; and he seemed to live in the moment. Imagine the family’s sadness, when we learned that he passed away after an accidental drowning in 2018. He was thirty-one years young.

It’s no wonder that he was deeply on my mind when I started to paint again. I convinced myself that Austin asked me to take his picture because he knew our paths might not cross again and that his portrayal might bring comfort to his mother. I know, that’s a romantic idea, but it’s often how I’m guided. It’s how I’ve come to know my purpose. I placed Austin in front of a stained glass image inspired by John Pett’s Black Jesus, a window gifted to the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham by the Welch people after the bombing of their church and murder of the four little girls. I hope this painting will bring some light and inspiration to Austin’s family and friends, and let all of us know that it’s great when we can truly see and appreciate one another while we are here on earth..