Jan Neal

Sacrament of Baptism

Digital
2006
12 x  12 inches

Sacrament of Baptism was created as a two-fold gift.  In 2006 I was selected as one of the artists to provide symbols for use at the online Episcopal Church Image Shop.

Around the same time my goddaughter was being baptized.  I produced this image for the bulletin cover used for Claire's baptismal service and submitted the image to the Episcopal Church Image Shop where it may be downloaded at no charge and used in local parishes. 

To create this piece I used the symbols of baptism - fire, spirit, water, shells - and the form is made of two cubes overlaid at an angle.  While one sees stars, the underlying design is eight sides created by the two cubes. 

According to Elizabeth Clifford Neff in An Anglican Study of Christian Symbolism (1898), "Eight is the number of  regeneration, hence by far the greater number of the old fonts and baptistries are octagonal."  It is my hope that someday my goddaughter will want to know the symbols and traditions of our church. 

Each of my works of art is special to me in its own way, but art produced for a particular person is especially meaningful because, whether true or not, it feels like I am giving the best I have to give.