The Last Supper

“That they all may be one…”

My purpose...?  ”To create in physical form, that which inspires others to find Divinity within themselves.”

This piece has been in the making since I began sculpting, back in 1990. I have always been drawn to creating ‘multi-figured’ pieces (poker games, barroom brawls, lynch mobs, open casket funeral wakes, six men carrying a coffin to boot hill, 19th century anatomy classes, and three times I’ve sculpted 12 men in a jury etc.). Even though, for 20 years, my focus has been depicting ‘The Old West’, I knew the ultimate ‘multi-figured’ piece would be an original composition of: ‘The Last Supper’. I attempted to begin this sculpture on several occasions…only to tear it up…as I found I did not have the knowledge to pull it off. After gathering research for about 10 years (i.e. archeological, historical, spiritual, increasing my sculpting ability, and finding a good amount of time to set aside to work on it) I began this piece again in August of 2008 and finished it December of 2009.

It has been an incredible journey of creation. I thank all of my family, artists, patrons, passers by, friends and influences both seen and unseen, who offered input and encouragement that I found ‘invaluable’. Truly, I recognize the creation of this sculpture to have been a ‘group effort’.

Here are some things I learned about while sculpting this piece:

• Meals were served at low tables and people would have sat on mats and cushions. They would not have sat at a table with chairs.
• The tableware (archaeologically) dates back to the first century A.D.. Most of the plates, glasses and platters would have been made of blown glass.
• The brass wine flask on the left of the table is set in a brass holder (traditional for that era). The water flask on the right would have been made of brass also.
• The food on the table consists of flat unleavened bread in front of Christ. Also, grapes, figs, fish, dates and potatoes adorn the table.
• I once saw a small oil lamp (that was purported to have come from the tomb of John the Baptist), I put that in this sculpture. There are four oil lamps on the table.
• I placed two wooden bowls (one of each side), along with a water cask. This represents the water, bowls and towels Jesus used to wash the disciples feet with.
• I depict Jesus with a linen cloth covering his head. I learned that Rabbis would often teach with a linen cloth adorning their heads just so.
• I show, to Jesus’ left, Judas Iscariot. He is the only one ‘naked’ before Christ. He is also holding a money satchel – clutched in his arms.
• On the front side of the piece…I leave an open cushion in the middle for the viewer to join.
• On the backside of the piece there are a pair of sandals. I sculpted them after an amazing set of sandals that were found in the hills of Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered). The sandals date back two-thousand years.
• One of the most important things I did when creating this sculpture was to have as many things ‘pointing to Christ’ as possible. Look how the napkins, wine flask handles, hands of the disciples, arrangement of clothing, oil lamps etc. all point towards Jesus.
• The arrangement of the twelve disciples and tableware form an infinity symbol.
• Christ (with his two hands extended) forms a triangle….representing the Trinity.