And a Child Shall Lead Them

This 36X36 inch oil painting on linen, still in progress, imagines Christ as a child moving through the city beside His mother, ascending toward light. Their upward path opens into brightness and life, while figures in shadow remain burdened below. A small butterfly appears near the threshold — a quiet symbol of transformation and invitation.

The scene is structured as a choice of direction: descent into weight and enclosure, or ascent toward illumination and renewal. The sacred is shown not as distant, but walking within ordinary streets, guiding gently rather than compelling.

The work invites viewers to see divine companionship not only at the end of a journey, but beside us within it — offering a hand, a path, and a patient upward call.