report on road trip to see Jamieson paintings

[Gay Gellhorn]

Dear Arts Collaborators -- and Rev. McJilton --

 

Carolyn and Gay went today to see the Jamieson paintings at St. Philip's Laurel, and we are glad for it.  Nevertheless, we do not recommend bringing the three panels to St. Stephen's, for all the nuts & bolts reasons we have already discussed, as well as what we add below.

 

Frank -- Rev. McJilton said you'd be at St. Phlip's this evening and we asked to leave the paintings out for you to see, also, before they get moved back into their storage room.

 

Below are the photos Frank sent around.  What we saw is something much much darker -- both in pigment and in spirit. 

 

As Carolyn writes, "Wonderful art work

even if we could put it on reredos and or side chapel and had a place for it afterward (for sale or for shared art stored at cathedral) the work is emotionally too dark for us at this time in our communal life together."

 

Carolyn and Rev. McJilton have had this exchange since our visit:: 

Carolyn: Thank you for the meeting and the chance to see the artwork

You had thought about the hand that appears in the nativity upper right corner (because it looks clawed you thought it might be the devil)

from this photo with all three panels together it is clearly the hand of christ on the cross

often in icons the hand of god is there with the light of the holy spirit

i thought of hand of god when i saw it.. and now in a new way... a hand of suffering god

interesting that it appears in the resurrection panel but not in the same place

thought you would be interested ."

 

Rev. McJilton responded:  Wow. You are right.
And when seen this way, one can see the outline of a butterfly in the three panels.

After looking again at the Mary panel, it could either be the devil or death. Either way, it's a graphic image.

Thank you for coming out to look at it. I'll make sure Frank has a chance to see if tonight when he comes for the MMR.

I pray we can find this splendid piece of artwork a home that is suitable for it. Sheila+

We have been told these are the last paintings Jamieson completed after his return from Vietnam and before his suicide. 

we hope the cathedral will take it

best would be a cathedral lending library.. who to talk with about this? Bill? Episcopal Cafe?

second perhaps they could sell it and share proceeds with St Margaret's .. and us too?

or give it to a museum.. the center panel is damaged.

 

Now, dear Arts Collaborators,  you know everything we know!

 

Carolyn & Gay