Road to Emmaus

I wonder what it was like to walk with Jesus on that occasion after His resurrection? In the scriptures there is the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. As the disciples walked they were joined by a man who enquired why they were sad. One of the men Cleopas answered by explaining some of the events which had recently occurred regarding Jesus of Nazareth who had been crucified and was said to have risen on the third day. The mysterious man began to expound the scriptures and explain the meaning of the great events which had just occurred. They invited the man to eat with them and as he broke bread it says, “their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” 

Click image to enlarge.

As I prepared to create this painting I drew on my memories from a recent trip to Israel. I could see in my mind the Savior walking with these two disciples along the dirt road with the sunlight behind Him somehow cloaking his identity from them. The story says that as he expounded unto them the scriptures their hearts burned within them. I have felt this as I have read the scriptures and have felt the Spirit of the Lord tell me these things are true. On occasion I have felt in a sense that I have walked with Him along the dusty Road to Emmaus.

McNaughton Teaches Classes!

One of my great loves besides painting is teaching.  For six years now I have taught students what I know about creating inspiring art.  It has been more than satisfying to watch the incredible talent that has come out of my workshops.  I believe that I have created a method for teaching that will take a student from a complete novice to a competent professional. 

Some people feel that you are either born with talent or not.  I don’t believe that for a second!  I truly believe that your passion to learn and your love of the craft will determine how good you become.  Remember, there is always going to be someone better than you and also someone less skilled.  This is your personal journey.  My passion for teaching is to see your development as an artist!

To learn more about my classes go to www.mcnaughtonart.com and click on Workshops.

What is a True Christian?

In today’s world, Christianity has become diverse with over 20,000 different Christian denominations; many of which profess completely different interpretations of the Bible.  The Apostle Paul taught, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” (Ephesians 4:5) So here we are, many of us trying our best to come to Jesus and be saved.  How are we to know what “truth” is and where to go to find it?

In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus spoke of how the shepherd left the flock to find the one.  Each of us is important to our Lord.  If we will call out to Him, He will find us.  We should not put our trust in man, but in our Father who is in Heaven.  If we will do our best in this life to embrace what we believe to be true based on the words of the Master, I believe much of the misunderstandings on points of doctrine will be resolved in the world to come.  God is merciful to those who love Him. 

In my experience I have met with many groups of people as I have traveled.  I have come to know the Catholics, the Baptists, the Presbyterians, the Evangelicals, the Jehovah Witnesses, the Mormons (this is my faith), the Mennonites, and many more.  One common feature I have seen in every denomination that professes Christ is that there are truly good people who love Jesus and wish to emulate Him in there lives.  But there are also those who are filled with hypocrisy and find fault in everyone else but themselves.  I’m not mentioning this to point fingers…it is simply a fact of the world we live in.

Anyone can call themselves a Christian.  But when has the acceptance of others ever been a prerequisite to entering the Lord’s Kingdom?  I believe the only thing that matters is how we stand in the Lord’s eyes.  In my painting, the suffering Jesus looks back as if to say, “What will you do?  Will you stand as a witness of me?”

I believe God will judge us based on what is in our heart and our actions.  It is true that we are saved by the grace of Jesus if we come to Him and repent.  But to be numbered among the true Disciples of Christ we must truly love Him.  “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)   And then He said, “Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self.” (Matt 19:37-39) As humans, we often fall short, but if we strive to be more like Him and express that love through our service to others, we will be good Christians.

There is one more element that I believe qualifies one as a “true Christian.”  I like the scripture, “perfect love casteth out fear.” (1 John 4:18)  As a Christian, we must not fear.  Even if it means that we must stand alone.  And after we have done all that we can do, we must continue to stand.  “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”  (Matt 10:22)  A true Christian’s love for Jesus Christ will motivate him to stand up for his beliefs, to love others unconditionally, and to be an advocate for truth and righteousness…regardless of the consequences.  That we may find the strength do so is my reason for painting this picture.

To learn all about the Via Dolorosa painting click on the image.

Are You Mean-Spirited?

A few days ago I was at an art show where tens of thousands had the opportunity to see my paintings.  I saw two cute grandmothers which looked to be in their late seventies.  I greeted them with a smile, but I was surprised when they lashed out that I was “mean-spirited.”  As I tried to discuss the issues they simply couldn’t get past their own perceptions. They really feel that Obama wants to help us and anyone who is against him simply must not have a heart.  I know that many of these people mean well, but how can anyone be so blind?

I suppose they see Conservatives as “mean-spirited” because we don’t believe in the redistribution of wealth.  We believe that in order to have freedom we must have the freedom to succeed… or the freedom to fail; that the federal government has a limited role in our life.  We don’t believe in heavy taxes and spending our way out of a financial crisis.

It seems to me that part of the problem is that many in America suffer from apathy.  At a time in our history when we are so comfortable, even the poorest among us have more than the middle class enjoyed in the early part of the 20^th Century.  Some see the federal government as the answer to all their problems.  I think the federal government is the problem! 

What if your family was on the verge of bankruptcy?  Would you go out and buy a new luxury car and live like you won the lottery?  Would you write checks to all your favorite charitable organizations?  Would you think it appropriate to simply reduce your monthly credit card purchases, even though you had already maxed out the limit!  Would you be “mean-spirited” if you said “no” to such behavior? 

I don’t know how to get my message out in any other way than I am doing.  I hope Americans will wake up…get off your bench!  Let’s make the hard decisions that will truly save us as a nation.

Click on image to learn more about

"The Forgotten Man"

Beneath Golgotha

There truly is a face of a skull in the side of the hill just as I painted it. When on a research trip to the Holy Land I visited a place believed to be where Christ was crucified. It was called Golgotha or Calvary, which when translated means “place of the skull.” There is no geological formation around Jerusalem which resembles this spot. It is just North of the city a short distance from the Damascus Gate. Currently there is an Arab bus station beneath the hill. On the opposite side of the hill is the Garden Tomb.

Click on image to enlarge

This painting is very different from other Crucifixion scenes I have seen. Traditionally it would be painted on top of a hill and the cross would be straight and well crafted. I endeavored in every way to paint this scene as archeologically accurate as possible. The Savior’s body has just been pulled down from the cross and is being wrapped while the Roman guards gather together on the right side. The crosses are made from olive trees which would have been the common wood used for crucifixion. This image is both haunting and provocative to me as I consider the reality of my Lord’s final hours in mortality.

 Here is a picture of how it appears today from a different angle. 

Via Dolorosa is Almost Here!

We are just about to release the Via Dolorosa painting!  Currently, we are finishing up the video and I'm putting final touches on the interactive website to help explain the painting.  The main idea of this painting is to get people thinking about what it means to be a "true Christian."  What do you think is a true Christian?  This painting has over one hundred figures from history that left their footprint on Christianity.  The video will give a good idea of the point I'm trying to make.  I think it will certainly cause people to think.

 

To view the preview video click here.

Original Drawing GIVEAWAY!

This is the drawing that I used for the painting, “I Will Always Love You.” If you watch the video “The Face of Christ,” it is featured at about 30 seconds into the video. I figured those who take the time to enter this contest are deserving of the prize. Good Luck!  (Contest Rules Below)

Click on image to enlarge.

ONE PRIZE WILL BE AWARDED:
…the original drawing, “I Will Always Love You” accompanied by a written note authenticating the drawing and a few personal comments from myself.

TO ENTER:
* First, simply Facebook about this giveaway. Comment on the Facebook post that you went to http://www.youtube.com/user/McNaughtonArt and your favorite video was (name a video)

*Second, Sign up as a subscriber on my Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/McNaughtonArt and pick your favorite video and leave a comment of why you chose that particular video. Be sure to tell me your name so I can find you on Facebook to give you your prize.

*Giveaway will be closed by February 2, (Wednesday) and the winner will be announced on Thursday, February 3, 2011.

NOTE: We will use a computerized random number picker to choose the winner. I will do similar contests in the future to give away more original drawings. I don’t expect huge numbers of people to enter…so your chances may be better than average. Good luck!