St. Francis at the Point

Lyons Share Gallery in Fairhope called me recently for a mixed media commission of St. Francis at the Point.  It's located south of the Grand Hotel down beautiful Scenic Hwy 98.  I have painted many local churches, but not this particular one.  So, deciding to make a day of it, I drove over to Fairhope, AL and picked up my mom.  We stopped in Page & Palette for a quick cup of coffee (a must!) and stuck our heads in Lyons Share Gallery to say a quick hello before heading to see the church.  I was told that I should paint the "new" church, constructed in 2001.  It is beautiful, constructed in the "carpenter gothic" style.

The original chapel on the property (pictured below) was built in 1898 when the first Protestant Episcopal mission in the Fairhope/Point Clear area was formed.  This tiny chapel has served worshipers of several denominations through the years. Originally known as St. Luke’s Mission, the chapel is now a landmark structure in the Point Clear community.

Here is my artwork depicting the new church.  Using the reference photos I took, I hand-cut the church out of metal, painted the detail in oil and affixed it to an antique tin ceiling tile.  I hope the art collector that commissioned the work will treasure such a unique piece of art with a special meaning.