Of the Angels

The Church of the Angels was built in 1889, which makes it older than just about anything around here. God himself and the dirt are older. I drive past the Church of the Angels on my favorite shortcut from downtown L.A. to Pasadena. The church is imposing and beautiful. I have yet to see the inside, but I've painted it twice now and feel well acquainted with the outside.

The church is faced in sandstone and the roof I think is slate. The morning sun shone on the roof and just touched the high points on the sandstone. I tried to paint that. Something that stands as strong and beautiful as this church, and has been so perfectly preserved and maintained through so many years of use is inspiring. Sometimes it's hard just to keep my house up and keep the computer running. In all our efforts, perhaps God is pleased and glorified.

In my favorite and perhaps most blasphemous religious meditation, I ask myself what I would want if I were God and I had created the universe and humanity. I would want people to notice how lovely and intricate it is. I would want people to take good good care of the world - to use it and enjoy it, but never muck it up. I'd want people to appreciate humanity and be joyful and kind, and to love and never harm each other. Really, that's all.