GREATER THAN
HEBREWS
As artist Jon Tello reflected on the book of Hebrews in the Bible, he noted that the author used many comparative statements: before and after, old and new, problem and solution, etc. Accordingly, he made four pairs of paintings, images that say more in dialogue with each other than they would as standalone pieces.
​
Hope you enjoy these pieces as much as I did making them.
​
Jon
​
Layers
2022
​
Acrylic on canvases
20" x 16" each canvas
​
Stacked like geological strata, this diptych* shows millennia of history dating back to Genesis. The bottom canvas, with darker hues and inverted shadows, represents the Old Testament (OT). It foreshadows what comes later, with the fulfilled prophecies of the New Testament (NT) populating the upper canvas. The story of one is not complete without the complementary nature of the other.
*diptych: a single piece of art split across two separate canvases
Their Blood
2022
Acrylic and gold leaf* on canvas
24" x 24"
The dark color palette and repetition of the circular form represent centuries of Jewish tradition. Annual sacrifices of animals were required for cleansing the people, yet their blood was insufficient as a long-term solution. The matted texture of the paint recalls the entangled blood and fur.
​
*gold leaf: thin sheets of gold used to decorate paintings, manuscripts, sculptures, etc.
​
Lacerations / Scars
Lacerations (Left)
2022
Acrylic and gold leaf* on canvas
18" x 24"
​
Scars (Right)
2022
Acrylic on canvas
18" x 24"
While creating Lacerations, the artist reflected on different traumas we face in this life: pain, illness, loss, injustice, death. The layers of paint, from red to gold to metallic, represent how complex our lives become and the cuts in the paint show how deep the wound can be.
However, the gold leaf shows the touch of Christ, a presence that meets us in our darkest nights.
In Scars, the flesh has healed but the marks remain. They no longer cause pain, but serve as markers, or altars, where we remember how God ministered to us and abides with us now. In both the fresh wound and the later scar, Christ is present.
​
*gold leaf: thin sheets of gold used to decorate paintings, manuscripts, sculptures, etc.
His Blood
2022
Acrylic and gold leaf on canvas
24" x 24"
Where the sacrifice of animals was only ever a temporary solution, Christ's death was sufficient to atone fully. The ring of light and use of gold leaf* recall the saintly haloes in art from the Renaissance. It also refers to the gold ornaments in the tabernacle.
​
*gold leaf: thin sheets of gold used to decorate paintings, manuscripts, sculptures, etc.
​
Abide (Then)
2022
Acrylic on canvas
40" x 16"
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Heb. 13:8
In the past and in the present, God has always been there. He is represented across the past and present, the dark and light paintings, as a golden circle. As you walk from left to right, you'll observe that the circles only come into focus from certain angles.
Just as we tend to forget about God's presence when our lives are content and full, so we cannot see all the circles from one vantage point. We must persevere to see Him in every season of our lives. and rely on others' testimonies to see Him from their perspectives!
​
Abide (Now)
2022
Acrylic on canvas
40" x 16"
​
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Heb. 13:8
In the past and in the present, God has always been there. He is represented across the past and present, the dark and light paintings, as a golden circle. As you walk from left to right, you'll observe that the circles only come into focus from certain angles.
Just as we tend to forget about God's presence when our lives are content and full, so we cannot see all the circles from one vantage point. We must persevere to see Him in every season of our lives. and rely on others' testimonies to see Him from their perspectives!
​