They Called His Name Jesus

This is my latest painting.  It's called "They Called His Name Jesus".  A good friend of mine (Shelly Murphy) actually came up with the idea for this.  She suggested that I do a painting where Joseph is playing a more active role in the nativity scene.  As I thought about it I really liked the idea.  Joseph would have had to be very much in love with Mary and very supportive in this very miraculous event.  So I show him here with a protective arm around Mary and giving her a break by holding the baby Jesus himself.  Mary is then able to rest on him and enjoy her new son together with her husband.  When I was doing the model set up we tried several "wraps" for the baby.  At first we used the traditionally portrayed wrap of white or natural earthy colors.  Something wasn't quite right.  Then I found this dark red shawl in our pile of props.  When we wrapped the baby in it, a light went on in my head.  IT WAS PERFECT!  It dawned on me that the red was perfect because it symbolized the "blood sacrifice of the Lamb of God" that Christ's life truly was!  The lambs wool that is under the babe helps to represent this as well.  He was the lamb....  Anyway, I love the way this one turned out.  I hope that you too can feel the intended feeling of this painting.