Up Your Street

A Christmas Card

2011-12-05T09:18:00.000-08:00

Monastery Christmas - Terry Nelson, 2011

Acrylic on canvas, 8 x 8

I painted this last Christmas after a photo posted by the former Br. Stephen of the now disbanded Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Springbank, Wisconsin. It features the hog's head prepped for their final Christmas feast, 2010.

The Holy Face

2011-12-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

The Holy Face - T. Nelson

The corrections are finished - I wonder if anyone will notice?

"Blognic in an Egg" - T. Nelson

2011-11-24T12:18:00.000-08:00

"Blognic in an Egg" after the Bosch Concert in an Egg: the Lille copy.
Terrance J. Nelson, 2011
Acrylic on convas. 18 x 24

Presented is my copy after the Hieronymous Bosch "Concert in an Egg" - in homage to the Lille copy. I retitled the composition, "Blognic in an Egg", featuring a selection of American parochial bloggers, complimented by an assortment of attributes and symbols forming a sort of commentary on the phenomenon that is the Catholic blogosphere.

Once again, my apologies for the poor photography. The panel still needs to be varnished, and then perhaps, I can provide a clearer, crisper image. The copy shown offers a good preview nevertheless.

As I mentioned, I used an assortment of medieval symbols as a commentary on the 'new media' as it is celebrated and extolled today - the curious may have fun trying to decifer my narrative.

Sacred Heart of Jesus after Pompeo Batoni

2011-09-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

Sacred Heart of Jesus after Pompeo Batoni, Terry Nelson, 2011

Acrylic on panel. 11 x 14

I worked on this painting very slowly, spending only an hour or two a day, a few days a week. I didn't want to finish it. I still have a few more glazes to apply and blend. The painting is for a large, tabernacle type, retablo frame.

New frame filler.

2011-08-15T18:50:00.000-07:00

This is the base drawing for the Sacred Heart image I want to paint - sort of a Spanish rendition of the Pompeo Batoni image I like so much. This is how I paint: I do a quick sketch or cartoon to guide me and then paint.
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The panel is made to fit a Mexican tin nicho frame I have. - if it turns out, that is.

Cat

2011-08-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

"Cat" Terry Nelson, 2011

To my suprise "Cat" was accepted by the judges of the Fine Arts Exhibition at the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul, Minnesota. The show is considered to be the largest and best juried art show in the area and usually receives a couple thousand entries or more. Believe me - it is an honor just to be accepted. The past couple of years I entered and the work was rejected. Awards are announced on August 23.

Franciscan Immaculada

2011-07-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

Retablo for Peruvian frame: Franciscan Immaculada, T. Nelson 2011
Acrylic on gesso board.

Frame Fillers.

2011-07-04T12:23:00.000-07:00

So here is a look at some of what I've been doing lately - painting panels to fill a few antique 'tabernacle' frames I've owned for years. Click on photos to enlarge.

St, Sergius of Radonez; Madonna, after Daddi; St. James, after Veneziano; with the legs of a Spanish Colonial corpus.

Corpus; OL of Mt. Carmel, after Neapolitan Carmine Madonna; St. Peter Martyr, after Angelico.

St. Peter Martyr, after Fra Angelico

Nude Beach - Terry Nelson

2011-03-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

What a pig!

The Cardinal - Terry Nelson

2011-03-28T07:43:00.001-07:00

The Child Jesus

2011-02-28T07:50:00.000-08:00

Jesus of St. Teresa - Terry Nelson, 2011
acrylic on canvas, 9x12

I found a photo of a little Hispanic boy whose facial expression seemed rather intense - reminding me of the Child Jesus. I decided to paint him holding his Sacred Heart. The Child Jesus is said to have appeared as an ordinary young boy to some saints, who at first did not recognize him. I concluded that he most likely appeared disguised as an ordinary boy dressed in the clothes of the period, until he revealed that he was indeed the Christ. Teresa of Avila and Lucia of Fatima had such experiences. When the Child Jesus appeared to Teresa he asked her, "Who are you?" She replied she was Teresa of Jesus, and asked the boy who he was, and he replied, "I am Jesus of Teresa." Hence the title of the painting.

Cat

2011-02-07T09:16:00.000-08:00

Cat - Terry Nelson 2011
acrylic on canvas, 12" x 16"

In memory of a cat who died last year.

St. Sebastian - finished.

2011-02-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

St. Sebastian - Terry Nelson 2011
acrylic on clayboard.

I finished the retouches to the panel, although it may not be noticeable to many. I detailed the entire composition. It is the best I can do.

A reader asked me why I paint Sebastian.

Years ago a very good priest whom I admire very much, told me in confession to choose a martyr patron to help me live chastely, explaining the martyrs are such powerful intercessors and protectors when it comes to freeing souls from bondage to sin. Since my youth I admired St. Sebastian since he seemed the perfect model for boys to emulate, a soldier with the appearance of an athlete, faithful to Christ amidst persecution and so on. I was intrigued that the saint endured two martyrdoms, as it were, almost killed by arrows, the saint survived to be bludgeoned to death.

If memory serves me, Sebastian was regarded as one of the Holy Helpers, as such his cult was popular throughout Europe. During the baroque period his image decorated just about every church. His cult spread throughout the New World and in modern times he continues to be venerated by many.

Sebastian drawing.

2011-01-27T09:08:00.000-08:00

I haven't been able to re-shoot my former image of St. Sebastian. I detailed it quite a bit more after studying the photos, and it is pretty much finished, save for varnish and framing. I'll post the new photos when they are finished. I like the panel very much as it reminds me of a scene from an old film, The Garden of the Finzi Contini. There was an execution scene in the film which took place in a wood in the middle of winter. I left out the snow.
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I thought of doing another smaller image for a retablo frame. I began the drawing on paper, shown above, but will most likely leave it at that for now. The sketch reminded me of the January Magnificat cover depicting a study for the Adoration of the Magi by Rembrandt. So I thought I'd post this sketch, as if I'm a great painter. LOL!
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I rarely, if ever do finished drawings - unless I'm using pastels or crayons, and when it comes to painting, I more or less draw everything with my brush - as the above scan demonstrates. I have done paintings on paper, but I'm not sure I should invest that much time on this piece. I'm trying to beat Guido Reni's record for painting works depicting St. Sebastian. No - I do not compare myself to Reni.

The latest "Sebastian"

2011-01-23T08:36:00.000-08:00

"St. Sebastian 2011" by Terry Nelson
Acrylic on cradled clayboard. 9"x12"
Natural light photo w/Canon Power Shot A540
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Christmas Cards?

2011-01-18T08:11:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Rabitowitz

2011-01-04T07:59:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Rabitowitz, A Portrait - Terry Nelson, 2010.

Acrylic on canvas.

Christmas 2010

2011-01-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

Saint in Gothic Frame, Terry Nelson, Acrylic on wood panel (3" x 1.5"). 2010

Years ago I found these wonderful resin frames which enclosed a small mirror. I removed the mirror and used the frames for reliquaries and small panels with painted copies of images of the saints from famous Florentine altar pieces. In this case I embellished the frame with crystals.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-28T09:56:00.000-08:00

"Giotto Madonna" Terry Nelson, Acrylic and gold on wood. 2010

I finished the plate just in time for Christmas.

Nativity Angels

2010-12-10T08:46:00.000-08:00

I painted these angel panels for a Nativity presepio last year. Looking back on the photos of the panels this year, they don't seem as bad as I thought they were. I almost could have made them into Christmas cards or something. At the time of installation I was somewhat embarrassed about the paintings - thinking they were too schmaltzy. I never was asked back to paint more panels, so I wondered if the work I did wasn't quite right - it may not fit in with the display as it evolves from year to year now. I wasn't at all insulted about not being asked back mind you - I was more than content to do the work and move on.

Giotto: Madonna and Child (Detail, Scrovegni Chapel)

2010-12-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

What I am working on now...

About 25 years ago I bought many wooden objects to paint for a Christmas shop in a chic little store. Among the items I purchased was a blank wooden plate. I gessoed and sanded it and laid out a design based upon the Giotto frescoes in the Scrovegni in Padua. I got as far as laying the cartoon (drawing) for the painting, and painting in the lapis background. I lost interest in the panel after I was unable to meet my deadline for the design firms Christmas cocktail opening. Everything else was ready save for this. Long story short - I began work on it once again about 3 weeks ago. I'm painting with a very small brush and the work is quite detailed - and it is taking awhile to finish.

St. Catherine of Alexandria Carried By Angels To Sinai

2010-12-04T08:16:00.000-08:00

More of what I have been working on...

I of course believe many pious legends - one being the story that angels carried the relics of St. Catherine to Sinai. That said - I'm not sure many people witnessed the miracle - in fact God loves to reveal himself in a cloud of unknowing - hence my depiction of the Saint transported in a mysterious cloud, which, as one might imagine, not only concealed the relics of the holy virgin, but the angels as well. Some like to say monks did the work, but I say never attribute to men, much less monks, the good only to be found in God.

St. Xenia of Petersburg

2010-12-04T08:09:00.000-08:00

What I have been working on.

I recently finished this little icon of St. Xenia, a Russian Pilgrim/Fool for Christ Saint. It is a 5 x 7 panel which fits nicely in a hand carved wooden architectural frame. I wish I could say I carved the frame, but I didn't. I bought it about 25 years ago.

Xenia is depicted in her husband's old military coat, which she is said to have always worn. She made her home in a cemetery in St. Petersburg - a true desert saint - hence one may understand my prejudice when it comes to modern hermits.

Descent Into Hell

2010-11-12T13:21:00.000-08:00

Descent Into Hell, Terry Nelson 1990

Acrylic, gold leaf on canvas (36"x48")

I finally re-photographed this piece after so many years. (The photography is not done well - I shot it outside on a cloudy day and the canvas appears warped - or the problem may be the mount on the surface supporting the panel - either way, it's off.) I painted it in the style of an 'altar-piece' or a classical icon with scenes from the life of, which is why I sometimes like to subtitle it "A day in the life of..." Most people ask why I used the lyrics and titles from the Beatles' Abbey Road album throughout the piece. Aside from the fact I found the medley and lyrics of some of the songs on the album to fit whatever I was documenting at the time, I also listened to the album obsessively while painting. (If you click on the photos you may be able to read the titles on the close-up.) Abbey Road has been important to me since its release, and the painting was an intense project for me - that's all I can say.

The panel documents a difficult life and the subjects attempt to understand it. The two allegorical figures in the niche on either side of the title panel - The Descent - Sebastian and Samson respectively, represent two related curses: abuse and addiction. I used classical anatomical figures for the 'statuary'. St. Sebastian was first martyred by being shot with arrows - left for dead - he subsequently revived to face a martyr's death later. It is with that understanding Sebastian was chosen to represent the effects of abuse, and specifically sexual abuse, which can be likened to a sort of death of the spirit in those who experience it. Samson has often been referred to by spiritual writers and in allegory as an example of the soul enslaved by sin, or as secular culture describes in modern psychological terms, addiction.

Without going into much more detail, let me just say the panel isn't meant to be described in total for the viewer, except to point out that each scene represents/documents an aspect of abuse, molestation, seduction, temptation, rape, sin, isolation, alienation, dying, conversion, confession, and finally reconciliation .

Note: The painting was in the collection of a former gallery owner who is now deceased. His estate returned the panel at my request. The panel is currently scheduled to become a part of the private collection of a collector of outsider art.

My apologies to those offended by the subject matter.

Landscape with figure.

2010-07-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

"Priest" Terry Nelson 2010
Acrylic on canvas.

Cappa Magna Americano

2010-06-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

Cappa Magna Americano - Terrance Nelson, 2010
8 x 8 acrylic on canvas.

An American Archbishop who enjoys his job.

Memento Mori

2010-06-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

The Life I live Now - Terrance Nelson, 2010
8 x 8 acrylic on canvas.

Adapted from an Owe Zerge memento mori, I interpreted his composition to suit my concept. I replaced the Franciscan habit with a pair of my blue jeans, used Zerge's skull and book of hours, and added my rosary. The quote from the poetry of John of the Cross reads: "The life I live now is no life at all".

Untitled

2010-05-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

Untitled - Terry Nelson 2010
Acrylic on 8 x 8 canvas.
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My apologies that the colors are so washed out - it was difficult to capture the panel with my little camera.

(After Simon Marmion.)

St. Simeon Stylite

2010-05-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Simeon Stylite - Terry Nelson 2010
6 x 12 acrylic on canvas

Another painting of an icon depicting a type of early ascetic. A type of stylite monks descended from this saint, the first recorded to have lived an ascetic life atop a pillar. According to early accounts the reason Simeon adopted the life of a pillar ascetic was to avoid the crush of people who sought his prayers and advice. Since he couldn't flee to a more remote spot, he ascended. The pillar was raised over time to sixty feet, holding a twelve foot square platform, surrounded by a balustrade. The saint's meager ration of food was raised by basket, while the needs of nature were said to have been relieved off the side as needed. The saint is said to have lived thirty-six years atop the column.
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Luis Bunuel made a film based upon the saint's life. An atheist, Bunuel was impressed with the authentic, albeit radical faith of the early desert saints. In his film he pulls together much of the wisdom expressed by the writings of the early desert fathers, creating a remarkably accurate depiction of the spiritual combat engaged in by the early ascetics. Interestingly enough, the film ends with the saint transported into modern society amidst a noisy disco. It is a scene at once evocative of some of the temptations of the early desert fathers, as well reminiscent early prophecies regarding monastic life in the later times, not to mention the secular intellectualism which seemed to dominate institutionalized monasticism after the Council.

The Skipper

2010-05-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

"Untitled" - Terry Nelson
8 x 8 acrylic on canvas 2010
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Sort of a homage to Magritte.

Terry Nelson: Self-Portrait

2010-05-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

"The Fool" - Terry Nelson
6 x 12 acrylic on canvas 2010

An exercise in daily painting, I spent less than 3 hours on this - preliminary sketch included. I painted it after an icon of St. Basil the Fool for Christ. The backdrop is a stylized view of Minneapolis from the St. Paul side of the Mississippi river. The burned bridges are an obvious metaphor.
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Actually, the painting is meant to be something of a 'spiritual' self-portrait, as such, the entire composition is metaphor.

Levitating Pear

2010-05-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

Still Life Levitating, Terry Nelson
Oil stick on paper.
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I did this in 2008 - so you see how long I've been thinking about painting things levitating.

St. Benedict Joseph Labre

2010-04-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

Saint Levitating, Terry Nelson, 2010
6" x 12" Acrylic on canvas.

Man Levitating

2010-04-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

Or is he?
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Man Levitating, Terry Nelson, 2010
6" x 12" Acrylic on canvas.

St. Francis of Assisi

2010-04-28T00:08:00.000-07:00

St. Francis Levitating - Terry Nelson, 2010
6" x 12" Acrylic on canvas
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I adapted the figure of St. Francis from an old master painter, whose name I can't recall - I'll update this when I come across the origins. I wanted to show St. Francis in a habit similar to that of the Friars of the Immaculata.

Levitating Celebrity Fundraiser

2010-04-28T00:03:00.000-07:00

"Celebrity Fund Raiser" - Terry Nelson, 2008
16" x 20" Crayon and oil stick on paper.

I once titled this the "Apotheosis of Fr. X" - although a couple of people some how assumed I was making fun of Fr. Z. I hate it when that happens. In reality it is a story about an unfortunate Brazilian parish priest who made a balloon trip to raise funds for his parish and became lost at sea. Sadly his remains washed up on the coast line several days (or weeks) later. I can't recall the exact details of the story now. I recently refined the cloud cover with oil stick glazes. The photo of the painting was shot with hand-held camera outdoors. I know nothing about photography.

Notice the Detail

2010-04-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

Notice the Detail, Terry Nelson, 2010
8' x 8" acrylic on canvas

I just painted this yesterday.

Out For A Ride

2010-04-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

Pope John XXIII
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Out For A Ride, Terry Nelson, 2010
8" x 8" Acrylic on canvas.

Inspired by a photograph I came across online, I found the composition humorous enough to document. Imagine the soundtrack from La Dolce Vita as you view this.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel of Haiti

2010-03-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine had the icon photographed professionally. I'm really pleased the way it turned out.

Interior Castle I

2010-03-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

Interior Castle I - Terry Nelson, 2010
acrylic on clay-board panel 8" x 8"
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Based upon Teresian Carmelite spirituality, the allegory comprises aspects of St. Teresa's Interior Castle; the soul in mortal sin, entry into the first mansions, as well as the poetry of John of the Cross; "One dark night... I went out unseen..."
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Narrative:
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In her book, The Interior Castle St. Teresa speaks of her vision of the soul as "a most beautiful crystal globe, like a castle in which she saw seven dwelling places, and in the seventh, which was in the center, the King of Glory dwelt in the greatest splendor... Outside of the castle all was darkness, with toads and vipers and other poisonous vermin. While she was admiring this beauty which the grace of God communicates to souls, the light suddenly disappeared and, although the King of Glory did not leave the castle, the crystal was covered with darkness and was left as ugly as coal and with an unbearable stench, and the poisonous creatures outside the wall were able to get into the castle, such was the state of a soul in sin." - Fr. Diego de Yepes
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The description by de Yepes is what I attempted to illustrate in this painting. The fly and the creatures are shown outside the globe, while inside it is dark and moody, perhaps hiding the creatures who remain in the inner first rooms of the castle. I couldn't very well show the soul in mortal sin as Teresa described it since in Chapter 2 she discusses how the globe is covered as if in pitch - while the Blessed Trinity remains at it's deepest center - no light is emitted to the soul. I suggest the presence of the Trinity by the three fires at the base of the mount. The three flames and the mount in turn suggest the coat of arms of Carmel, hence the mount surmounted by the cross, albeit barely visible. The mount encircled by clouds also suggests Mt. Sinai, and the giving of the Law to Moses. The murky waters surrounding the mount suggest the moat Teresa describes around the Interior Castle. The reflected window represents God's grace enlightening the soul.
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I think that covers it - it's a fairly literal illustration of Teresa's vision and subsequent development in the first chapters of her book. With the toads and the vipers I included an owl, the medieval symbol of evil, as opposed to the modern interpretation of the owl as a symbol of wisdom - this is meant to suggest not only erroneous opinion and teaching which infect the soul, but serve to warn against one's personal attachment and vain exultation over one's intellectual prowess. In sum, the vile creatures represent sin, and the worldly affairs which distract and ensnare the soul and keep it from penetrating further into the inner chambers of the castle, close to the King of Glory.

St. Jospeh and the Child Jesus

2010-03-03T09:06:00.000-08:00

Retablo: St. Joseph Refuge of Sinners - T. Nelson 2010
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9.5" x 5" Acrylic on canvas in Cuzco style carved mahogany and gilded frame.
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Several years ago I acquired this tabernacle-style frame with a painted image of the Divine Mercy, the image was so badly painted I gessoed over it and decided to paint another. In the meantime I framed a holy card image of the Divine Mercy in a small tin nicho, and this suited me more than this elaborate frame. I then decided to paint a Spanish Colonial style retablo for the frame instead, although I never returned to do it until last week. As March was approaching I decided to paint my patron, St. Joseph of the Child Jesus.
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Though I am not Carmelite, I wear the scapular of Our Lady of Mt Carmel, and venerate St. Joseph under the title of Protector of Carmel*, which is a sort of subtitle for this image which is officially titled, "Refuge of Sinners". The prototype for the retablo was an image I once saw in a magazine with the same title, although in the case of this painting, I worked from my imagination. The style of the composition mirrors the images of Our Lady under the same title, "Refuge of Sinners".
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The image is Cuzco-school inspired, although I used no gold assiste (painted gold lining and hi lights) for the patterns on the clothing, and my brush work is not nearly as fine as Latin American works.
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*On St. Joseph's mantle one can notice an abbreviated coat of arms for Carmel as well as the monograms of Jesus and Mary. And yes - the image is rather "Royalist" or "Monarchist" - ah, what does that reveal about my true self, huh?

Carmine Madonna della Bruna for Haiti

2010-02-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

Our Lady of Mount Carmel of Haiti, Terry Nelson
Acrylic on 11" x 18" clay panel.
2010
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I painted the image after a 17th century Sicilian 'icon' from the Vatican Museum. The original prototype is known as Madonna Siciliana painted in Italo-Greco style; the Byzantine influence due to Albanian immigrants in Sicily fleeing the invasion of the Ottoman at the end of the 15th century. The dark attributes of the Virgin is not an uncommon characteristic in Sicilian art. The "black" Madonnas also refer to the verse from the Song of Songs, usually attributed to Our Lady, "I am black but beautiful..."
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I adapted the image in memory of the victims of the Haitian earthquake. I chose an antique ornamental Mexican clay plaque I found at a tag sale to carry the image. The clay tablet held a tin Mexican retablo I later removed and re-framed - it had not been original to the piece. Much of the gold leaf, bole, and gesso was removed as well. I left the deterioration as is, applied a thin gesso coating in the exact shape of the figures, and painted the image as seen here - leaving the deterioration as a sort of testament to the poverty and destruction Haitians have experienced through time. The traditional figures of souls in the flames of purgatory suggest the ongoing suffering Haitians are enduring in the aftermath of the quake. The holy Virgin being their refuge and hope.
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It is one of the rare paintings I have done wherein the Blessed Virgin communicated something to me. Something I cannot express but is revealed in her smile amidst adversity. Our Lady did this to me in only one other icon I attempted to make of her, and that was the Mother of Perpetual Help icon I made several years ago for a church near St. Cloud, Minnesota.
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Note: Click on the image for greater detail.

Acrylic skin

2010-02-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

"Acrylic skin: Untitled" Acrylic and medium impression, dry mounted on velum paper outlined in conte crayon.

Baroque: Acrylic skin.

2010-02-15T07:05:00.000-08:00

"Baroque: Acrylic Skin" - T. Nelson
Acrylic impression on paper napkin.
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Narrative: While painting I often use the back of my left hand as a palette, mixing colours, thinning the brush load, and so on. The layers make an exact impression of my skin texture and can be peeled off to form thin veils, or paintings without canvas or structure. In this case we see the skin tones of my "Black Madonna" painting, randomly formed into a leaf impression. By clicking on the image you may see the actual texture of my skin. Notice as well an eyebrow hair on the napkin.

St. Roch

2010-02-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

"St. Roch" - Terry Nelson
11" x 14" acrylic on clay board.

For more information on the saint, go to Life and iconography of St. Roch.

Ex-voto

2010-02-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

"When Jim died" - Terry Nelson
11 x 14 acrylic on clay board in tin Mexican nicho.
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I did this retablo/ex-voto quickly, in memorial of my friend Jim, who had died suddenly several years ago. I was asked for another piece to exhibit in a gallery show I was participating in. The panel had been started awhile back and set aside, so I decided to finish it in a hurry the night before installation.
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Jim was part of my "group" - several friends who have remained friends since high school. Jim was the first of us to die, and it was very hard to take since he was still in his 30's. He always seemed like an angel to me. Friends told me he died from an asthma attack during the night. I had lost close contact with him after I returned to the Church in 1972 - he had become involved with Mid-Eastern spirituality and rejected Catholic teaching - and me for awhile. Later on when we did see one another we continued to have great fun - he was very funny, an accomplished classical musician as well as an artist, and a huge fan of the Beatles and The Who. Jim was going to marry a friend of ours until he realized another attraction in his life.
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The painting is crude and a part of my retablo/ex-voto collection... rotting in the basement. The plumber seems to enjoy them.

The Animal's Christmas - Terry Nelson

2010-01-23T10:03:00.000-08:00

"The Animal's Christmas" - 7" x 9" acrylic and gold on paper.

I started out this painting to be a sort of naive, medieval style illumination to be used as a greeting card. I didn't like it at all so I set it aside after doing the drawing just before Christmas of 2008. I took it up again last year shortly after Christmas and forced myself to finish it. I intended to add more animals but I didn't. I put Our Lady in a burqa, and St. Joseph is dressed as a Franciscan. The dog is my dog Herman, from when I was really little - which explains why he is so big. The rabbit is Mrs. Rabitowitz, the cats are mine - Agnes and Celine, and the lamb is every little kid - the figures represent these, I should say. The ox and the ass are classic, albeit the three mice above Our Lady are not.

Overall, I'm disappointed with the piece. One excuse I have is that my eyesight is getting worse and sometimes I had to guess where to lay in a detail. That is true. Notice the pupil in Our Lady's eye and the smudge beneath Joseph's lower lip - you have to click on the image to see detail. At least I can fix that stuff.

Presepio background: Views from the stable windows.

2009-12-21T11:16:00.001-08:00

Large background: Shepherds - 30" x 40" acrylic on canvas.

Large background: Bethlehem - 30" x 40" acrylic on canvas.

Small background: Shepherds - 20" x 20" acrylic on canvas.

Small background: Medieval Bethlehem scene. 20" x 20" acrylic on canvas.

Not great art - just naive background paintings - views out the stable window - which will hardly be noticed. Very fun project!

Presepio backgrounds: Angels in the stable loft.

2009-12-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

1st loft grouping

2nd smaller loft grouping
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The top panel is 18" x 18" and the lower panel is 12" x 12" - the actual size of the window to the loft in the stable. I suppose the panels could be titled "Rejoicing Angels I and II" - acrylic on canvas.

Male figure

2009-10-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

"Untitled" Terry Nelson 2000
Acrylic on canvas.
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"The two men robbed him, pistol whipped, tortured, and tied him to a fence in a remote, rural area, and left him to die."

End of season...

2009-10-04T20:30:00.000-07:00

"The Last Tomatoes" - Terry Nelson
6" x 6" acrylic on canvas

Eyes

2009-10-04T20:22:00.000-07:00

Eyes - Terry Nelson
6" x 6" Acrylic on canvas

Still Life

2009-09-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

"Bosc pear on Siena marble"
T. Nelson 2009
Acrylic on 6" x 6" canvas.

New project

2009-09-20T19:17:00.000-07:00

Until I decide on my next project I'll be exercising myself in the daily painting thing. As my inspiration I'll use Theology of the Body...

"Garlic Cloves"
T. Nelson 2009
Acrylic on 6" x 6" canvas

(My apologies for the photography.)

The Secret of Fatima

2009-09-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

Decoded.

I promised a narrative for the painting, so I hope the following helps.

Like apparitions in general (to outsiders that is), the composition of the panel is all over the place - events and images and messages are dissected and examined individually and yet still pose questions for interpreters. Children and the simple usually seem to grasp the content and meaning of an apparition much better than scholars and theologians, and of course, the full meaning of the events and images is only more clearly understood after the passing of time. Therefore my composition is pazzi - crazy - it almost looks like a poster illustrating feature events while promoting something.

Top to bottom.

The mystical, the heavenly and the prophetic revolve in suspension at the top of the panel. The Holy Trinity, God, is at the center of things, the source of light as well as the author-ity for the message. The mandorla presages the miracle of the sun as well.

The globe at the right of the panel is taken from the outer doors of a triptych by Hieronymus Bosh, only the contents of the object have been re-constructed to convey one aspect of the secret revealed in 2000: "the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins and half trembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met on his way..." (Sr. Lucy) Even within the secret there are layers of scenes - I separated this within a globe of light, which is repeated elsewhere on the panel, since Lucy and others spoke of seeing Our Lady approach as in a globe of light before the apparitions. In her memoirs, she quotes Francisco as seeing everything "in the light that is God". In the text concerning the third part of the secret, Lucy writes, "And we saw in an immense light that is God, something similar to what people see in a mirror when they pass in front of it..."

I can't help but think that if these things happened today, the seers would compare the visions to what it is like to view something on an LED screen or computer screen rather than a mirror. Therefore I tried to show another part of the secret in a more surreal manner at the center of the panel - as if on a digital screen.

The bishop dressed in white "going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big cross of roughhewn trunks, etc.." The Holy Father is seen walking towards the mountain, the cabeco, or Golgotha, topped by the cross which is only partially shown. Above the 'screen' is the Crucified Christ of Dali, looming from the cosmos, who sanctifies all the martyrs, who, dressed in white as well, are shown entering and leaving, ascending and descending, the scene. Their sacrifice indicated by the blood dripping from the summit of the mountain. I do not show the Pope shot or dead, the blood hints at all of that. Instead I show a Pope walking placidly towards the mountain... As Cardinal Ratzinger said; "We must affirm with Cardinal Sodanno: '...the events to which the third part of the secret refers now seem part of the past'. In so far as individual events are described, they belong to the past."

Seem. That leaves the interpretation somewhat open. Though I agree with what the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith taught, I painted Benedict XVI as the Pope who walks toward the mountain. Unless this is as good as it gets regarding Our Lady's promise of peace if her wishes are met, it seems to me the prophecy at Fatima may yet be playing out. (My personal speculation of course.)

To the right of the screen, we see an angel, disintegrating, holding an aspersorium dripping with the blood of the martyrs, this corresponds to that part of the secret which says, "Beneath the cross were two angels each with a crystal aspersorium in his hand, in which they gathered the blood of the martyrs and sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God." Cardinal Ratzinger suggested the imagery used by Lucy may have been inspired by "images she may have seen in devotional books..." therefore I employed traditional iconography to illustrate this aspect, hinting at multiple angels by showing the Eucharist in the angel's other hand. Although not part of the secret, prior to the apparitions of Our Lady, the children experienced preparatory visitations by an angel who also distributed Communion to the seers. To the right of the angel is another apparition from 1915, which simply appeared as a cloud above a group of trees in the form of an unknown figure.

The upper left of the panel images that part of the secret which describes Our Lady's intervention in time; "At the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an angel with flaming sword - flashing it gave out flames that looked as if they would set the world on fire, but they died out in contact with the splendor Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand the Angel cried in a loud voice: 'Penance, penance, penance!'"

As stated many times, the Secret of Fatima is comprised of three parts - what I've described is my imaging of the third part. The other parts include the revelation of devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, shown on the panel in a luminous globe between the earth and Our Lady. To the right of Our Lady is an indication of the sign she promised which would precede the next war (WWII) if her requests went unheeded. Sr. Lucy said it was an unusual aurora borealis that most of Europe witnessed.

In the lower corner is the vision of hell - which Our Lady explained thus, "You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart." This remains the most important part of the secret. (Of all the horrors of war, genocide, and immorality (abortion) of the 20th century, including the disruption in the Church, Our Lady presents hell as a much greater evil than anything else.) As Sr. Lucy insisted in a letter to John Paul II in 1982: "The third part refers to Our Lady's words: 'If not (Russia) will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated'.

The third part is a symbolic revelation... and if we have not yet seen the complete fulfillment of the final part of this prophecy, we are going towards it little by little with great strides." Letter of May 12, 1982.

Very quickly then, I show the children experiencing the vision, the envelope containing all we ever knew of the third part of the secret (until the year 2000) suspended above them. In a globe of light I show the original Basilica at Fatima with the Holy Father and his entourage entering - Our Lady specifically asked for a chapel to built, and is therefore part of her requests. In the lowest left corner is a penitent contemplating the mystery, standing on the shore of the sea, which also forms a subtle question mark (partially cropped off in the photo) - leaving room for doubt. Not as to the veracity of the revelations, but rather as to whether or not they are simply 'a part of the past'.

I think not.

[I forgot to mention the nuclear explosion at the upper right - representing what happened in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, as well as the continued threat of nuclear war. In the upper left is the crescent moon and star, suggesting a connection to Islam and the threat to Christian culture.]

The Third Secret of Fatima

2009-09-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

Title: "The Secret"
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Terrance Nelson, 2009
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24" x 36" acrylic on canvas.
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(Narrative will be added later. I apologize for the photography and cropping.)

St. Sebastian

2009-04-16T15:03:00.000-07:00

The image is actually titled: "Holy Card: St. Sebastian, Martyr"
Painted by Terrance Nelson, 2009
10 x 20, acrylic on canvas.

(Click image to enlarge. Unfortunately, photographing the painting outdoors caused the image to appear brighter than it is.)

SOLD

A story about an icon...

2009-04-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

When you get old enough to see your work take on a life of its own.
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I painted the Baptism of Christ (shown above) around 1989-'90. It was my first "hollowed" out panel, although I always regretted I painted curved corners. An art and antiques dealer purchased it from me. He died about 10 years ago. A year or so after his death I found the panel in an antique shop, the dealer, with whom I had been acquainted told me he bought it at a fine arts auction. I told him it wasn't really old, that Larry had purchased it from me for his icon collection, and that I had painted it - explaining that icons are never signed.
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I wonder what will happen to my work after I am dead?

Solitude

2009-04-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

Retablo: The Solitude of Christ. T. Nelson. Acrylic on copper, gilded, carved-wood frame.

The Deep (detail)

2009-03-20T21:26:00.000-07:00

The eye has religious and metaphorical meanings that go beyond the physical dynamics of seeing...

The Study

2009-03-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

View

2009-03-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

Clairvoyant

2009-03-20T21:21:00.000-07:00

The Deep

2009-03-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

The Novice

2009-03-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

Card: Angel

2009-03-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

Card: Putti

2009-03-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Card: Putti

2009-03-20T20:57:00.000-07:00

Blessed Miguel Pro, Martyr

2009-03-04T13:31:00.000-08:00

A studio snapshot of my retablo/icon version of the saint. Private collection.

UNSUITABLE FOR FRAMING: The 2008-2009 Winter Collection

2009-03-02T11:51:00.001-08:00

"Watchmen" (Or - "Looking For Larry") Terry Nelson 2009

12"x12" Acrylic on canvas

"The Apotheosis of Fr. X" T. Nelson

16" x 20" Crayon, pencil, pastel on paper.

"Dark At the Top of the Stairs" T. Nelson

16" x 12" Crayon, pencil, pastel on paper.

"The Apotheosis of the Emperor Trajan" T. Nelson

16" x 20" Crayon, pencil, pastel, gold and silver leaf on paper.

"The Sin of Ham" T. Nelson

12" x 12' Acrylic on panel.

Apostolic Visitation

2009-02-21T08:38:00.000-08:00

I painted this in the flat, naive style of an ex-voto taking my 'inspiration' from the seminary scandals in Austria as well as related sex scandals in U.S. seminaries - which required at least two apostolic visitations over the years. The painting is meant as a rather 'screwball comedy' interpretation of a subject otherwise offensive and scandalous.

The Smoke of Satan

2009-02-21T08:37:00.000-08:00

Study for a mural...

2008-05-05T09:58:00.001-07:00

This painting was a study for a ceiling that was rejected by the client. I titled it, "The Riddle" - because of the Etruscan roundel in the middle of the composition - Oedipus questioning the sphinx. It was meant as a folly after the Sistine, as if half the ceiling caved in.

Detail: The Descent

2008-04-30T09:39:00.001-07:00

Though the photo is rather blurry and the resolution dark, the photo isolates an incident of molestation of a child in a theater. The scene, along with the others in the panel, was later embellished with gold leaf, and a title banner was added from the Abbey Road album. In this case, "I want you (she's so heavy)". The verse, "1-2-3-4 all good children go to heaven" repeats throughout the panel in the margins of the scenes.

Have no fear...

2008-04-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

This painting is entitled, "The Dream" - Sorry, I do not have a better photo of it and it is in a private collection. I painted it several years ago. The seraph holds a banner which reads, "Have no fear..." in Spanish.

The Holy Face

2008-04-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

I painted this around the time the Passion of the Christ came out. I had been working at the time and felt I had enough of an income, so I decided I didn't need to sell all of my paintings. I gave it away. The person who received it also gave it away. I learned two things from this. First, do not imagine people will appreciate a particular work or even want it. Secondly, people really do have a greater appreciation for an object if it cost them something. (It is a rather grizzly image - the photo doesn't help either.)

(Acrylic on canvas, with moustache hair and human blood.)

St. Sebastian

2008-04-25T13:58:00.000-07:00

St. Sebastian, 1991, Acrylic on canvas. (This was a commission, and the photo is my only documentation of the panel.)

Iconostasis

2008-04-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

I painted these panels in 1991 for an eccentric antique dealer who had them mounted on his kitchen cabinet doors.

Iconostasis

2008-04-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

Detail of central suite.

Iconostasis

2008-04-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

Detail. 1991

Iconostasis

2008-04-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

The panels of the Evangelists completes the iconostasis.

Funerary

2008-04-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

The Death of Fr. Richard.

Our Lady of Contrition

2008-04-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

Icon for a hermitage.