By Cindy Washburn
Concourses of angels press forward, each vying for their place within the limits on the 17 by 7 foot canvas, pushing for their chance to see the quiet scene: Mary and Joseph with their newborn son, Jesus Christ - the redeemer of the world.
Brian Kershisnik''s 'Nativity,' a dynamic painting of the scene following Christ''s birth, was part of the Museum of Art 'Beholding Salvation' exhibit last year. The painting is back on display for the Christmas season at the museum through Jan. 12.
Dawn Pheysey, religious curator at the museum, said when the painting was in the 'Beholding Salvation' exhibit, there was a lot of positive feedback.
'For one thing, it''s rather commanding because of its size,' she said. 'One thing people love to do is imagine where they might have been in the throng of angels.'
The painting depicts a traditional nativity scene in many respects, but Kershisnik took his own angle on a few things -- just as an artist normally does.
For example, many people tend to think of the angels witnessing Christ''s descent to the earth as completely joyful, but Kershisnik''s painting doesn''t conform to that.
'There is certainly a range of emotions among the angels,' Pheysey said.
Kershisnik, in describing the scene, explained that range of emotion.
'The angels are thrilled,' he said. 'But some of them are very upset. They know the stature of that being who has been shoved into that little body.'
But no matter their reaction, Kershisnik said the angels in his painting were anxious to glimpse the baby.
'It was the beginning of the life that was our only chance, so everybody would have been there,' he said.
Kershisnik is presenting a free lecture and question and answer session about the work today at noon on the main floor of the museum in the gallery where the painting is hung.
In his lecture, Kershisnik said he will share stories about the process of painting and handling this exuberant piece, but the main focus will be a question and answer session.
'People will have comments, questions,' he said. 'Many will be comments, what happened to them when they saw it. People will read their own story into it.'
He said he mainly followed his intuition while painting, and a lot of things people notice as significant are part of their experience of viewing it, not necessarily things he did on purpose.
'One person wrote a letter ... saying they appreciated that I had observed proper Jewish etiquette with Joseph''s placement next to Mary and the child,' Kershisnik said. 'I had no idea I had done that.'