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The Black Jesus Collection
I started the Black Jesus Collection and studying Jesus after a friend of mine asked me to paint a portrait of Black Jesus for her living room. Painting the picture every day forced me to look at Jesus and confront my questions. At the time I was having major issues in my life and with Christianity. I was freshly divorced and starting my life over from scratch so, while working on the commission, I figured Jesus was a great place to start.
The people I care about and half of America is Christian. I was raised Pentecostal and have a huge Christian family. As a child, we went to church religiously. Jesus is at my roots and I respect my roots. So, I have no problem focusing on Jesus. I continued painting Jesus. I started reading the Bible and other books about Jesus, I prayed, I watched Joel Osteen and put the “blood of Jesus” on everything…
10. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
11. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
12. Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
(John 18:10-12 KJV)
45. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47. Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52. And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
(Matthew 27:45-52 KJV)
13. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire.
15. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
(Revelation 1:13-16)
11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
(Revelation 19:11-14 KJV)
