About The Artist

BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT After graduating from Leeds Metropolitan University, England with a degree in Education and Art, I became a teacher. During my time at L’Abri in Switzerland I explored the basis for integrating my art more fully into my Christian faith. At the close of an extended hiatus from painting I heard a challenge from God: Was I just going to play around at painting, or was I going to get serious? Following my 1988 graduation from The School of the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, I continued as a professional artist even as I worked at many other jobs to help support this calling. Twelve years ago, whilst praying for guidance into a less fragmented and more unified ministry, I discerned a call to the vocational diaconate and after 3 years of training, was ordained in June 2007. The past seven years, owing to a generous gift, I have been able to fulfill a longstanding hope of forming a non-profit company: Travelling Tabernacles Inc. which installs interactive, flexible, and modular Judeo-Christian themed exhibitions of which The Way of Salvation is the first. This 2,500 square foot exhibition has been installed nine times in the last 5 years. The themes of my work continue to explore depth in spiritual growth, truth, and joy. Currently I am working on a series based on Psalms that will form another interactive installation. In the past year I have installed the Tabernacle of Women and the Tabernacle of the Incarnation as well as The Way of the Cross at a contemporary musiv Festival – Soul Fest. I have been fortunate to have shown my work in all kinds of venues from Schools to churches, galleries, gyms and restaurants. Artist’s Statement I always infuse my work with an active, vibrant, sensuous love of existence. The physical solidity of all real spirituality is central to everything I do. I find color particularly delicious and prefer to capture it “in motion.” Over time I have found inspiration in ancient icons and their mandate to “paint the glory of God.” I’ve also been inspired by the movement and evocative aspects of art and life on the heroic scale, even when it appears to be concerned with minutiae. My own artistic journey has propelled me through landscape, figure, face and abstraction; but always the form emerges, triumphant. My relationship with God remains at the core of every piece, informing and vitalizing the subject and its emergence. One way I evoke this interconnectedness is creating a series of pieces around a central theme such as Creation, Woman, Transformations, Mystery, and Song. In every work I seek to invite us deeper into the richness of life in God. Gay P. Cox 2015 www.gpcpaint.com www.travtabs.org gcoxpaint@verizon.net