Burning Bush Gallery art show

When I registered to attend the CIVA conference, I also submitted my work to be included in their official organization art show. This was displayed during the conference week on the campus of Wheaton college. To my disappointment I was not accepted into that show but I did find myself very interested by a talk given by the curator of the collection. Maybe he would have included my work if he had a bit more wall space, it was a squeeze in the facility given.

I got my opportunity on the first day of the conference when I heard about another gallery space in Wheaton soliciting work from the conference go-ers. The Burning Bush Gallery is a space maintained by a local church, on Main Street in Wheaton. I brought this painting over and got it displayed quite nicely in the front room. The curator of that show was happy with the size of my work and how it complimented some of the smaller and less colorful pieces in the room.

The best part of this story happened as I hung around the gallery meeting people that weekend. Ed Knippers with whom I had spent the day in a life drawing class also had his work displayed in a room alone. These were oil paintings of Biblical passages, some of the Life of Christ. His work has such juicy paint handling, truthful reality and gutsy emotion. I had this time to talk, absorb, and ask him questions, I am still thinking about it, and have more questions to ask. Maybe, in this lifetime, I will get the chance to meet with him again. I would love to hang out and paint with him.  (Edward Knippers below)

I  had a golden moment when several people were standing in front of my painting and discussing it. They were not aware that I was nearby until I stepped in. To my surprise, they were saying such great things about my work! I was amazed. One of these kind folks introduced himself as Wayne Forte , an artist who lives in Santa Barbara, California. (His work blew my mind later when I got home and took a look.)
Part of the discussion and questioning that benefited the most resulted in a change in the title of this painting. I had titled it "Angel Wings". I thought of the petals of the white iris as fluttering, I have also seen the swirls as sea foam, but stuck with the angel idea since I thought it would make most sense to a viewer. Wayne Forte said the white shapes and composition made him think of a wedding, of a bridal gown. Then he said, it looked so deeply spiritual to him, how about if I call it "The Bride of Christ' as symbolic of the wedding of Christ and His Church. I loved the idea and immediately changed my little signage.
(I hope I will meet Wayne Forte again too.)