'The Celebration of the Birth of Jesus'

Student Reflection

I chose the scripture passage ‘The Birth of Jesus and the Visit of the Magi’ (Matthew 1:18-24, 2:9-12) because it demonstrates the courage and bravery that Mary showed during her pilgrimage to the special place where she gave birth to our Saviour.

The artwork I selected is an image of the birth of baby Jesus, filled with symbols that carry deep meaning. The three crowns represent the royalty of the Magi and the star that guided them to bring gifts to the newborn child. The donkey is a reminder of the faithful companion that carried Mary safely on her long journey and now watches over the Holy Family. The people in the buildings represent all those who were moved by the joyful news of Jesus’ birth—ordinary people going about their everyday business who were suddenly touched by the wonder of God’s love. Mary and Joseph are shown without facial features, reminding us that each one of us is invited to place ourselves within this scene and share in the mystery of Christ’s birth.

I used watercolours for the bright buildings to capture the viewer’s attention and the technique of blending to create a shadowing effect. A red sharpie was used for the building that the family was in to highlight their significance. Lights were added to the building using smudging to light the way for Mary and Joseph on their journey.