Eternal Shepherd

Ink & paint on canvas · 100 × 77 cm · Original painting

My father used to say that you are what you think about all day long. I have carried those words with me for a long time, and the older I get, the more I believe them to be true — particularly when it comes to the creative process. Whatever occupies your thoughts, your convictions, your deepest beliefs, will inevitably find its way into what you make. For me, that means my faith and my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will always influence my work — and quite literally so, often when I least expect it. Over the years, I have created several artworks inspired by this belief, each exploring a different aspect of that relationship through varied mixed-media and artistic approaches.

Two earlier works that form part of this exploration are INRI and Son of God. Both were created specifically for exhibitions held at our gallery, and each approaches the image of Christ in a very different way, yet both reflect an attempt to express reverence, symbolism, and the spiritual significance surrounding His life and message.

I used a mixed media transfer process to create "INRI" (Left). The initial image was transferred onto linen using a delicate technique, allowing the fabric's natural surface texture to become part of the piece's visual language. From there, I worked into the image using layers of paint and mixed media, gradually building atmosphere and depth. The softness of the transferred image, combined with the textured linen surface, gives the artwork a timeless, contemplative quality — almost as though the image has gently emerged over time rather than been sharply rendered. Interestingly, during the exhibition, a number of patrons who visited in person, remarked that the work bore a striking resemblance to the Shroud of Turin — a comparison I found deeply moving, one I had not set out to create but which felt entirely fitting.

In contrast, "Son of God" (Right) explores a more symbolic interpretation of Christ's identity. Here, I introduced gold leaf as a central element within the composition. Rather than depicting the traditional crown of thorns, the gold leaf replaces it with something far more radiant — a crown of glory. The result shifts the emphasis from suffering to divinity, allowing the work to suggest light, authority and transcendence. The gold leaf interacts beautifully with light, giving the artwork a luminous presence that subtly changes with the angle of view.

While in both artworks I portrayed Christ more directly, with the Eternal Shepherd, I took a slightly different approach. With this painting, I wanted to suggest His presence through narrative rather than through a direct portrayal. The shepherd is seen from behind, walking forward with his flock as they move together towards the light. At first glance, the figure could simply be a shepherd guiding his animals across a landscape. Yet almost everyone who has seen the painting immediately recognises the deeper symbolism — the Lord Jesus Christ as the shepherd who leads, protects and guides those who follow Him.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

— John 10:27

This sense of relationship became central to the composition. The flock moves naturally around and with the shepherd — some close, some a little further ahead, others trailing — in a way that reflects the reality of followers. What matters is not their precise position but rather the sense that they belong to him, that they remain under his influence and care, moving forward under his guidance towards the light. The painting, therefore, becomes less about a literal moment in a landscape and more about the quiet assurance of walking under the care and guidance of the Ultimate Shepherd.

The direction of the light also plays an important role in the work. The shepherd and his flock move towards a luminous horizon, introducing a powerful spiritual suggestion without needing to state it directly. The light becomes both destination and promise, carrying heavenly and eternal connections. The gentle rim of light that falls naturally around the shepherd's figure separates him from the landscape and reinforces the moment's symbolic stature.

In many ways, Eternal Shepherd is not simply a painting of a landscape, but a story about guidance, faith and the relationship between the shepherd and his flock.

Technically, I approached "Eternal Shepherd" quite differently from my earlier mixed media works. The painting measures 100 × 77 cm and was created predominantly using a palette knife. This technique allowed me to build thick layers of paint — what is known as impasto — creating texture and movement across the canvas. Much of the landscape and the flock emerge through these textured layers rather than through finely rendered brushwork.

While the palette knife established most of the atmosphere and structure, I later introduced a brush in selected areas to bring out certain details from the paint and guide the viewer's eye through the composition. The painting was then finished with a tonal wash, helping to unify the colours whilst further emphasising the texture of the impasto layers and allowing the light to move more naturally across the surface.

One of the artistic challenges I particularly enjoy in paintings like this is the relationship between abstraction and recognition. When standing close to the work, the forms become surprisingly abstract — at that distance, it can be difficult to fully recognise what the painting represents. And yet when you move back, the entire composition makes complete sense. The shepherd, the flock and their movement towards the light resolve themselves immediately and unmistakably. I find great satisfaction in that moment where abstraction and recognition meet — a balance between expressive freedom and visual clarity.

My journey into larger-scale painting was not without hesitation. In 2019, I presented my very first exhibition — Memoirs of Light, featuring a series called Yesterday. These were large works measuring approximately 1.5 metres in height, and at the time, I must admit, I felt somewhat intimidated by the scale and the commitment required to produce an entire exhibition of pure painting.

Although I had always considered myself something of a painter housed in a photographer's body — and had often incorporated painting into mixed-media works — stepping fully into painting at that scale felt like a significant step. Before I started working on this exhibition, I sat in prayer and asked the Lord to guide me — not only to help me with the hands of a painter, but also to reinforce the mind of a painter. Looking back now, I truly believe that prayer was honoured. Since then, I have found a growing confidence in my painting, particularly when it comes to colour, graduation and texture. There is now a point in the process where I instinctively know when something feels right — and when it does not.

Photography has been a solid foundation throughout this journey. As I moved from photography into mixed media — combining photographs with paint — and then into pure painting, I carried with me everything I had learnt through the lens. As a photographer, you develop a deep respect for the characteristics of light: its direction, its quality, the way it reveals texture and form, how it shapes composition and guides the eye. The graduation of light, the way it moves across a surface — these are things a photographer learns to read instinctively. Over time, those characteristics embed themselves into your thinking, into your way of seeing. And so when the brush is picked up and applied to canvas, that same ingrained respect for light, for composition, and for the characteristics that photography is so well known for, tends to flow naturally into the painting. It is not something you have to think about — it simply arrives with you at the easel.

That confidence and freedom continue to shape the way I approach my work today.

Ultimately, Ultimate Shepherd is not intended to provoke theological debate or religious argument. For me, it reflects something far simpler and far more personal — the idea of relationship rather than religion. It speaks about trust, guidance and the quiet confidence of walking towards the light under the care and guidance of the Ultimate Shepherd.