The Bleeding Roses

I was horrified to see pictures of mutilated bodies of Christians killed because for their faith on television screen and online. It is even more sickening to see pictures of Christians literally nailed to crosses. Islamic State terrorist executed and crucified Christians in Iraq and Syria. Seen Churches being blowing up in Egypt, Kenya, Northern Nigeria and Christians being the victims of Pakistan abuse of blasphemy laws; Pastors and Church leaders are the target for kidnapping by South American guerrilla fighters and Church leaders jailed in Iran and China for their faith make me see Christians like roses growing in the mist of the thorns that is why this painting is titled The Bleeding Roses.
Unlike many of renaissance paintings of Crucifixion, I chose to paint the body of Christ (the Church) as roses. I painted Roses in rainbow colours as persecution of Christians cut across every race. St Paul’s Cathedral among the buildings in the background is most noticeably Christian building in London the city where the painting was made. Pope Francis was included in the painting as the head of the persecuted church. In the foreground right side of the painting is an African King representing part of Africa where Christians are being persecuted. On the left side are an Indonesian woman and a Syrian woman praying for freedom of worship for Christians in their countries.
This painting was done in oil paints. I love working with oil because it does not dry quickly and makes it easy for me to amend any error in the painting. I first sketched the image of the Christ on the cross on paper. I drew Christ head, hands and feet as roses; I drew rose stems and woven them together to form the human shape on the cross.