Jonah

Walking Man, Jonah, and The Ancient Ocean

Walking Man, Jonah, and the Ancient Ocean, oil painting on a poplar panel by Jack Baumgartner, 14.5″ x 22″, 2017

Upper panel, Walking Man striding through the arch

Lower panel, Jonah, swimming, yields to the sea monster

detail of the upper panel, with barn owl, Burr oak and cliffs.

Upper panel detail with symbolic structures

Lower panel detail of Jonah

The completion of a painting generally means a decision to stop working on it, otherwise the cycle would never end. This painting, which was begun in October of 2009 reached that generally unheralded milestone of “completion” this fall, 6 years later. Technically, the work is not entirely done, as I have yet to build the frame for it, which, especially for my panel paintings, represent a significant part of the presentation and outer composition. I hope share some of the meaning behind this painting at some future date.

The Book of Jonah

The following is a preliminary in a series of thumbnail sketches attempting to outline the story of Jonah. These drawings, working out various ways to represent the various parts of the story, are a trial towards making an illustrated book of the story of Jonah. The book may be a handmade one, possibly of linoleum-block or woodblock prints, or alternatively one which is printed with reproduced ink drawings.

Below is a larger format and more detailed, though unfinished, ink drawing illustrating Jonah building his shelter, as the gourd-vine appointed to grow by God begins to grow behind.

Jonah and the Cave of the Erth

Jonah has been coming up a lot lately. I thought I would share a photo of this big painting which I have been working on over the past 5 years.

Jonah and the Cave of the Erth

Everything, Everything

The Sign of Jonah, guitar and voice

The ocean of images from the deluge of early February

If you like Jonah, check out my friend Robbie Pruitt’s opus.

Beasts of the Waters

…So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded… NKJV

Visions of Jonah

Walking Man and Jonah of the Ancient Ocean (detail askew)

Medium #2

Cobalt

Tiny, there on the easel after the huge canvas that preceded it.

Luminous Earth

Those of you who are regular visitors know I have been slowly overhauling the pages here at The School of the Transfer of Energy. If you are new, know you know too. There are still some pages to rebuild, but for the latest, please take a few moments to visit the new Painting page. This has been perhaps the most personally interesting page to remake. Seeing so many of my paintings re ordered and in a fresh context has been revealing. Below are a few samples. I hope you enjoy them, and thank you for visiting. -Jack