Creating mural at St. Mark’s a challenge

Painting large public murals is always challenging. The artist has to continuously create and edit, keeping the big picture in mind at all times.

Spokane artist Kay O’Rourke was recently commissioned to paint a mural for St. Mark’s Lutheran Church at East 24th Avenue and South Grand Boulevard. She was excited and a little bit nervous, but she likes working large.

“I think large work is my best work,” said O’Rourke.

O’Rourke has been described as a narrative realist. Her work generally tends to be edgy, but she does traditional work as well. She paints in vibrant, rich colors.

The mural, made possible by memorial funds, was done in the shape of a cross and has a sculptural feel.

She began working on the 14-by-15 foot piece in January and finished at the end of May, just in time for the artwork’s dedication on Pentecost Sunday.

Because of its size, the mural had to be painted in four panels.

“Not being able to see it together made it difficult to get the colors just right,” said O’Rourke. She had to visualize how the pieces would flow and fit together, things she couldn’t see until it was installed.

The panels are framed on a wall in the church’s fellowship hall. Cracks and imperfections made it impossible to paint directly on the wall.

It was important to O’Rourke that the work would be pleasing to the entire congregation. According to O’Rourke, this was one of the most challenging projects she has ever done.

“They didn’t tell me what to do. I made a list of 13 questions for the three pastors to answer, asking for their self-image in the church, community and world. I asked for visual answers, visual support to represent what God looks like to them,” she said.

” I also asked them what they didn’t want to see. They didn’t want a blue-eyed Christ. Only two of them answered, barely,” she said with a laugh. This gave her a lot of creative freedom.

The mural is full of meaningful religious symbols and tells the story of baptism and Pentecost.

“I decided to use hands, baptismal waters, creatures, birds and angels. I wanted it to be joyful and to reflect all cultures,” said O’Rourke.

The trunk of a tree becomes a vase filled with flowers, reflecting nature and O’Rourke’s love of gardening. A bunny on the hands is used for scale, making the hands look larger.

An eagle represents St John’s gospel, arriving on eagle’s wings.

O’Rourke used animals and birds native to the Northwest. She also used the crane, a symbol of marital fidelity, which added to the flow and provided transition.

At the top section of the cross there’s a lamb, representing the Lamb of God. There’s also a red dove, which represents the Holy Spirit.

“The dove is painted red, rather than white, because that is the color of Pentecost. Red also represents passion—in a good sense,” said O’Rourke.

O’Rourke said that she wanted to present something that was simple enough for children to understand and enjoy, especially since the artwork is in the activity room where children spend a lot of time.

Thinking that the children would be attracted to the many animals in the painting, O’Rourke was surprised when one little girl said she liked the large, welcoming hands the best. She thought they were beautiful and real-looking, like God’s hands would be.

At the same time, O’Rourke provides deeper levels for adults to contemplate.

O’Rourke’s artwork joins other impressive pieces at the church.

The pastor of St. Mark’s, Rev. Dick Finch, has a true appreciation for the visual arts and is a collector himself.

In 1997, at the beginning of the church’s 50th year, the sanctuary was remodeled.

Spokane artist Harold Balazs designed the metal works for the cross, pulpit, altar and other chancel furnishings.

The church’s contemporary stained-glass windows, created by Mark Gulsrud, use color and light to reflect nature and creation.

Another mural, painted by artist Stephen Rue in bright lively colors, fills the back gable wall of the A-frame church and depicts Christ’s Resurrection.

O’Rourke’s has also done a smaller painting for the church. A lion, the symbol of St. Mark, greets visitors as they enter the church.

Art historian Barbara Filo writes, “St. Mark’s people are most fortunate to have this rich program of artworks with their profound visual messages of faith and promise available for our meditation and study. Through the extraordinary talents of these artists, we, like our medieval ancestors, can worship in an environment filled with visual reminders of the loving grace of God.”