Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Religious Art & Spring Break




During spring break back in 1992 a friend and I were at a party near Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Someone at the party said we should drive to Daytona. I thought it sounded like a great idea so the three of us left right then and started our 9 hour drive. Once in Daytona, we didn't even think about what hotel we were going to stay at. Instead, we just went to the beach and started partying. That evening, some fellow partiers asked what hotel we were staying at. I said that we had just gotten in town and didn't know where we were going to stay. He then offered us the sleeper sofa in their time-share on the beach. So, two of us slept on the fold-out bed and one of us on the floor. If we had planned the vacation, it'd have not been as cheap nor as fun. The next evening, blotter acid was being passed around. After a rather interesting trip, we began the drive home.

We decided to stop in St. Augustine to eat and possibly rest. We were still feeling a bit trippy. Saint Augustine was a really cool town and for some particular reason many people were in period costumes wondering the streets. We found ourselves in a beautiful garden within the walls of an old Spanish building that is now a college. Then, we wondered into a small old church that I think might have once been some sort of Spanish missionary. On one wall was a beautiful mural. The image was etched into my brain. When I got home, I drew it in my sketchbook but of course I took creative liberties when drawing it... the result is the picture above.

In the picture note the following:
  1. Coyote Howling at the Moon
  2. Naked Pagans Gathered under the Full Moon
  3. Ghandi Sitting bottom left
  4. Budha in Front
  5. Pan Resting
  6. Marijuana Growing in the Crevice
  7. Angel throwing down blotter hits depicting golden keys (or musical notes?)
  8. Nativity in the Middle with Virgin Mary adoring New Born Child.
  9. Nativity Goat with inverted pentagram looming over the baby Jesus.

I'm not sure what I intended by the subjects that I added to the nativity. I can only assume that they depict various other religions. Perhaps it represents the chaotic mismatch of religious beliefs. Maybe the demonic goat is a threat looming over the blissful child... you tell me what you think.

No comments: