I grew up in a country town in Connecticut, within the confines of a Christian home. The churches that my family attended during my youth seemed problematic and completely unpalatable to me.   I fortunately maintained some affection for the Lord but little for His church.   I moved to Pennsylvania where I began my art studies at the Art Institute of Philadelphia and later continued my schooling at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.   I found myself as disillusioned with art school as I was with organized religion, so I quit and moved to Los Angeles where I set out making a living by working in a broad array of mini-careers. I created illustrated designs for lines of apparel for the U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marines. I also generated designs for most major professional sports leagues in as well as college sportswear. 

I transitioned into working as a storyboard artist for film, television and advertising, as well as doing animation for a few Saturday morning TV shows. Later, I worked as a composition artist, creating presentations to sell concepts to film directors and producers. Then, after fifteen years of assorted commercial art jobs, I began to paint fervently as a fine artist, painting people, places and objects - mostly standard romantic subject matter.  I had ceased, by this point, practicing any kind of Christianity.

 A friend of mine touted a book called “The Jesus I Never Knew” by Phil Yancey.  The reading of that book opened my eyes - I saw Jesus’ character portrayed in a manner that I had never seen before.  I subsequently became obsessed with writing a screenplay called “His Only Son” and creating art work for a pitching presentation for an animated film about Jesus.  This massive endeavor had me pouring over the gospels.  I found myself walking with, and wanting to learn more about, this Jesus with renewed understanding and appetite. I began attending Times Square Church in New York City.  Having completed the screenplay (with help from friends) and much biblical art for a pitching presentation, I then moved back to the West coast to try to sell the project to the studios in Hollywood.  I’ve yet to garner success with that project, and don’t know what will become of it, but what matters is the fact that the Lord used it to draw me back to Himself. It has also been the impetuous for the desire to visualize and graphically render biblical concepts.

 In the past year, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to create near life-sized depictions of Biblical heroes for Reality Carpinteria Church.  The paintings were designed to accompany two of Pastor Britt Merrick’s sermon series - Hebrews 10 “Hall of Faith” and “Missio Christi.”  Personally, this latest series, Missio Christi, has generated a love for Christ’s church, while offering valuable biblical perspectives on our role and mission as the Body of Christ, both individually and corporately. 

 I have found myself being challenged to seek God in earnest as I study His Scriptures for insight and accuracy as I attempt to render the truths of the Bible’s histories and spiritual realities.  This is the challenge for all of us where living is concerned, isn’t it?  “How am I ‘rendering’ God’s truths in my life?”

-Neal Parrow

http://www.faithbookart.com/

 After the completion of the series of paintings for Britt’s sermon series on Hebrews 11,  the “Life of Faith”, I encountered an immediate desire to paint a series of Jesus’ ministry. At that time I had no idea that I would have the honor of painting for another of Britt’s sermon series. I began to focus on the New Testament in my reading, and listen to Pastor Britt’s terrific sermon series on the Gospel of Mark. A few months went by and Britt had then asked if I would be interested in painting another series for “Missio Christi” which of course consists of vignettes of Jesus Christ’s ministry. I felt prepared by The Spirit to do so.

-Neal

 Upon hearing that the first painting was of the Trinity, some nervousness, but excitement set in. “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.” John 6:46, never mind the Holy Spirit, and even Moses was not allowed to see God’s face upon asking: “And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” Exd 33:20.  So, how could one ever execute this???

 The moment portrayed was to be a conversation within the Trinity, where Jesus was to be sent for his Earthly mission, having a body of flesh prepared ultimately for; the cross.

 Hbr 10:5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;  

 Hbr 10:9 Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." 

 One night, before sleeping, I prayed that I might get a small glimpse, even a vague image to help me envision the Trinity. Fully expecting to see something, I fell asleep, and dreamt the entire night that I was reading the bible, searching for clues as to how to piece this together. No vision was given. I found that mildly humorous. After all, I’m certainly no John on the Island of Patmos, or Ezekiel, but I did feel that perhaps I had divine permission to read their accounts and assemble pieces together: 

Rev 4:3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. (crystal) A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.  

Rev 4:5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. 

Rev 4:6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. 

Eze 1:26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.

 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?  Mark 6:3

 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.  Philippians 2:7

 Britt wanted a portrait of Jesus before his ministry, as a carpenter and a young adult with whom we could relate. He envisioned a bustling sea of humanity in the picture as well. The pitiful, sick beggar was to depict the depraved state of society as Jesus’ heart goes out to her.  Incidentally, carpenters of Jesus’ time also worked with stone and masonry. Here he’s is shaping the keystone for an archway. 

The scene is the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, first century Israel (Mark 14-15). Men are gathering the catch from fishing boats, going about their business when Jesus appears suddenly, now as King. He delivers that same message, from when he first began his Ministry, “The Kingdom of God is at hand: Repent! still with kindness and love in his expression.

 Luk 19:2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich. When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today."