A Journey of Faith
By Anne Marie Paul
Issue Il 2009
When Dr.Luis Varela and his wife, Alicia,embarked on a search for an artist to paint large scale murals in their new home, they had no idea of the journey they had begun. Know- ing they wanted a mural of an archangel inspired by Psalm 34 at their front door to protect and bless their home and all who entered it, they interviewed many artists. Their quest was completed when their interior designer, Michelle McManus of By Design Interiors, introduced them to Jamie and Jeremy Wells of Imago Dei. According to Dr. and Mrs.Varela, “The artistic knowledge, as well as the faith of the artists, was a deciding factor in selecting Jamie and Jeremy. They seemed to understand us and were able to draw out the inspiration in our thoughts.”
“From the beginning, the Varelas wanted to give thanks to God for the many blessings they have received over the years and to dedicate their new home in recognition of this fact. They had a vision of large scale art that would inspire awe and faith in those who viewed it.” (D. Comstock, Brushstrokes, 2009) The owners gave their feedback at every turn as the art evolved. A true partnership developed as the homeowners and artists from Imago Dei found themselves on the same page throughout the evolution of the works. The 20-foot archangel that greets you at the front entrance to theVarela home was only the beginning of their journey of faith. As the homeowners and artists worked together, the project soon evolved to include a trompe l’oeil mural in the dome towering 60 feet over the foyer as well as a massive living room ceiling mural.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam—which means “In all things, give God the glory”—was the inspiration for the murals. The foyer dome was de- signed to look like an architectural portal reveal- ing angels who are glorifying God. Much like an icon, the effect is that the focus of the piece is directing the viewers’ attention to God, not to an element of the art. For theVarelas, even planning the mural became an act of praise to God who is their strength.
Jeremy Wells explained that good trompe l’oeil, which is French for “trick the eye,” is all about the geometry to create effective realism. Wells said the design phase took about 30 days, and scale models were made to help get the correct perspective. He went on to say that the perspective changes when you get down from the scaffolding and look back up at your work from below. Jeremy told the story of how he came home one evening to find one of their friends standing on the couple’s kitchen counter with arms raised in an angelic pose and Jamie taking photos on her cell phone. Jamie said she would view the poses on her cell phone when she got back up on the scaffolding to get just the right foreshortening for the figures.
The mural in the foyer dome was painted completely on site by a team of ten Imago Dei artists over a period several months. One cannot help but reflect on Michelangelo painting the Sis- tine Chapel when you hear Jamie tell of her experiences up on the scaffolding painting the mural. She said she hadn’t considered how the blood would drain from her hand and arm from holding them up over her head for eight hours a day, causing her hands to become so numb that she had trouble holding onto the paintbrushes. She and other Imago Dei artists had to tie the brushes to their wrists to prevent the brushes from falling down three stories from atop the scaffolding. Additionally, when other artists climbed the scaffolding to help her, they would all feel the scaffold sway beneath them. “It’s hard to paint when you are moving to and fro,” Jamie commented. “We had to use tiny brushes the width of our fingernails and paint to the rhythm of the swaying platform.” Jamie felt fortunate to have had electricity to light and cool their endeavor, unlike Michelangelo, who
is said to have taped a candle to his forehead for illumination.
The creative journey continued with plans for a 15’ x 30’ mural of The Coronation of the Virgin Mary to adorn the living room ceiling. Mrs.Varela remarked that “It was as if Jamie and Jeremy were reading our minds. They were able to bring the ideas in our heads to the canvas. When we had trouble ex- pressing exactly what we wanted, they worked patiently with us until our inspirations became realities.” One session to select angels, that the homeowners thought would last about an hour, took the entire afternoon. Jeremy digitally inserted over eighty different angels into various design versions of the art before the owners found just the right ones for their mural which was painted in the studio and then installed after completion. This method of installing completed art “has proven to be a highly effective method for Imago Dei, accomplishing in just under one year what would have taken over five years for Renaissance artists to complete.There was minimal disruption to the client’s household for the few days of installation.” (D. Comstock, Brush- strokes, 2009)
When the The Coronation of the Virgin Mary was almost complete, the Varelas saw a painting in Alaska that they liked and took a picture of it. They then worked with the artists to determine what it was they liked so much and incorporated the inspiration they got from the work into the mural for their own ceiling. The artists were patient and persistent in achieving the effects they were commissioned to create. “The composition has a center point perspective wherein all lines and attention converge on the figures in the middle of the ceiling. The Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son Christ Jesus, and Holy Spirit in form of a dove gather to place a coronet on the figure of Mary. No fewer than 19 angels and cherubim hover nearby in anticipation and adoration. All this heavenly drama takes place in a blue sky with billowing clouds that conceal and reveal their arrival. Included in the facades are monuments that declare the names of God in Latin, English, Italian, Hebrew and Aramaic. Twenty-four more sculptured cherubs appear to support architectural features. Lush foliage and flowering blooms complete the vision.” (D. Comstock, Brushstrokes, 2009). Mrs.Varela said that wisteria and bougainvillea are included in the living room mural to reflect the plants in the garden outside the living room.
TheVarelas even consulted with their parish priest to make certain nothing they were incorporating into the murals would com- promise their faith. They are convinced that a Higher Power guided the creation of their murals and helped to bring life and truth into existence. They explained how their builder, Chris Rhodes, of Rhodes Custom Homes, had to have been touched by God’s grace to be so understanding and cooperative. He had to relocate heat vents and lighting fixtures already in place in the ceiling to leave a clean surface for the mural. He was willing to work with theVarelas to help set the scene for their dream. Even the workmen on the job were moved and touched by the paintings.
As D. Comstock noted in Brushstrokes, “The compositions and figures were based on historical High Italian Baroque as well as Neo-Classical early Renaissance styles—a la Michelangelo. All pieces were hand-painted in all non-toxic materials using acrylic paints sealed with an acrylic varnish to ensure that they will last for generations, literally centuries, to come.”
TheVarelas wanted the murals in their home to be a testament to God’s goodness and greatness and express their love of God. With the help and talents of Jeremy and Jamie Wells, and their team of artists at Imago Dei, their inspiration has become reality, and their journey has brought them home.
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