Art

On February 15, 2026, Jill Berry was interviewed about a painting she created to celebrate our church’s centennial using the theme “We Preach Christ Crucified.” Here is a summary of what she said.

When I was asked to create a centennial piece around the theme “We Preach Christ Crucified,” I knew I didn’t want to start with a pristine canvas. I went hunting for something old, used, even a little hopeless—and I found it: a beat‑up thrift‑store canvas I had walked past many times because it was truly ugly. But that brokenness felt right. I wanted to make something new out of something discarded.

I began with a black abstract cross, using acrylics and charcoal to create a torn, veiled effect. Inside that darkness, I painted the face of Christ, emerging as though the veil itself had ripped open. Around Him, I sketched and layered Jesus carrying the lost sheep, using pencil, acrylic paint, and textured mediums. I added doves for the Holy Spirit and finished key areas—like the crown—with gold leaf, a nod to Renaissance sacred art and a symbol of endurance, divine light, and our 100 years as a church. Only later did I realize the piece had formed a Trinitarian image—Father, Son, and Spirit—without me ever planning it.