Christian Art Photograph and Activity Pack

This pack uses paintings by Christian artist, Chris Higham, to give pupils the opportunity to explore the biblical account of Jesus’ life through an artist’s eyes.

The pack contains 10 images that can be either downloaded and printed off or used in an electronic format. To accompany the images there is a table of ideas and discussion questions. The combination of the images and the activity ideas are designed as a tool for pupils, individually or in groups, to engage at a deeper level with the art and the stories they represent.

A good lesson will always delve deeper into the issues being explored. At the same time, however, there needs to be an acknowledgement that none of us know all the answers. It is therefore important for the pupils, when engaging with these activities, to realise that in many cases there are no right or wrong answers.

Bible references are included within the activity ideas. Wherever possible using the biblical script adds vibrancy and depth to the lesson as well as giving authenticity to the work you are doing.

We hope you enjoy using this pack and please do contact us and share with us the great work you are doing. We want to help celebrate the success stories.

There is a short biography about Chris below.

Short Biography of Chris Higham

Chris Higham is an established Christian artist and lives in Devon with his wife Jennie; they have 6 children.

As a child, Chris found that he was very good at drawing and painting people and went on to train as an illustrator. Now in his seventies, Chris has always felt that his artistic gifting was given to him by God to help to explain about his faith. Chris likes to keep his artwork as realistic as possible because he believes that the Bible is all about real people and their interactions with God.

Being an artist hasn’t always been easy for Chris. For a long time he worked as a commercial artist but found that he was limited by the work on offer and he began to loose his enjoyment in painting. One evening he attended a service at his church to hear a guest speaker. The guest speaker a lady called, Jennifer, prayed for Chris that he would want to paint again and reassured him that God had given him a gift and that his work would be shared with others. Chris claims that from this time onwards his art really improved and he has gone on to paint even better pictures than before.

Chris wants to help people who learn best through visual images and feels that painting is a direct way of telling a story. All his paintings are important to Chris and each has a story behind them. Today he shares his artwork with people through a small studio and his local church. Chris has given kind permission for RE:quest to share his work with a wider audience.

Image Activity Ideas Questions to consider about the picture: • What do you see in the picture? • Where do you think the picture is set? • What do you think is happening? • Which characters do you think are central to the picture? • What do you think is the mood in the picture? The Baptism of • How would you feel if you were one of the Jesus onlookers?

Additional activities: • Read the account of Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:13-17 • To find out more about a Christian view of baptism visit RE:quest. Questions to consider about the picture: • Take a few moments to look at the picture what do you think is happening? • Who do you think the woman standing is? • Why do you think she is hiding behind a pillar listening? • What do you think the woman sitting with

Jesus is thinking? Why is Jesus talking to Jesus visits Mary her? and Martha • The other men are sitting separately from

the women, what does this show?

Additional activities: • Read the account of Jesus’ visit to Mary and Martha’s house Luke 10:38-42 • Jesus and Mary are both breaking with cultural tradition. It was usually seen to be the women’s role to look after the men and stay at home. Men did the serious learning. When Mary sits at Jesus’ feet she is adopting the posture of a disciple learning from a Rabbi (Teacher). Why do you think Mary did this? Why did Jesus let her? • Find out more about women and the Bible at RE:quest. What do you think Jesus’ attitude towards women was?

Image Activity Ideas Questions to consider about the picture: • Consider the picture for a few moments. • What is the mood of the picture? • Why do you think there are stones at the woman’s feet? • What do you think has just happened?

• How do you think the woman is feeling? Woman caught • Why are people walking away from her? in adultery Additional activities: • Read the story of the woman John 8:2-11 • Why do you think the woman was brought before Jesus? Was it to punish the woman or to trick Jesus? • At this time women were seen in many ways as second-class citizens. What evidence is there of this in the story? • Why do you think Jesus responded as he did? • What impact might this have had on the woman?

Questions to consider about the picture. • What do you notice most about the painting? What do you think it is about? • Do you think that the artist is trying to say something by using the contrast between darkness and light? • Why do you think that the artist has shown

the girl’s face but chosen not to show Jesus’ Jesus prays for face? Jairus’ daughter • The artist has chosen to keep the picture very simple. Why do you think that may be

Additional activities: • Read the story in Mark 5:21-43 • How do you feel that we don’t know the name of the girl herself? Why do you think Mark didn’t record it? Do you wonder why Jesus didn’t use it? • Watch Jairus' daughter on RE:quest. How does the drama differ from the artwork? Does it change the way you see the picture?

Image Activity Ideas Questions to consider about the picture. • What do you think this picture is about? • What do you think is important about this picture? • During Jesus’ time it is unlikely that someone as important as Jesus would have

spent time with young children. So, why do Jesus and the you think Jesus took the time to teach these children children?

• How would you describe the atmosphere of the picture? What do you think the artist is trying to say about the scene? • The children appear to be listening to Jesus, what do you think he is talking to them about? • If you were sitting with Jesus, how would you be feeling? What would you ask him?

Additional Activities: • Read Luke 18:15-17 • Jesus said that in order to inherit the Kingdom of God a person must become like a child. People often discuss what Jesus meant. What do you think Jesus meant? Questions to consider about the picture: • Take a look at the picture what elements do you notice most about it? • What do you think is most important in the picture? • What is the man doing?

• Why do you think the artist decided not to The parable of paint the sower’s face? the sower Additional Activities:

• Read Luke 8:4-8 • This story is a parable. Jesus used parables to teach important lessons. What do you think Jesus was teaching in this parable? • What do you think the different elements of the story mean? • What impacts which seeds grow? • Read verses 9-15 • What does each element represent in the parable represent?

Image Activity Ideas Questions to consider about the picture • What do you think is happening in the picture? • What do you think the relationship between the two characters is? • What do you think each of the men is

thinking?

The prodigal son • What do you think may have happened just and waiting before this picture? father Additional Activities: • Read Luke 15:11-32 – what do you think Jesus’ main teaching point within the parable was? • Watch the Parable of the Lost Son on RE:quest – what further insight do you get after watching the film? • What was the father’s motivation to meet the son on the road? • How would you have felt if you were the son in this picture? Questions to consider about the picture: • What are your first thoughts when you look at the picture? What aspect of the picture stands out to you most? • What do you think the picture is of? • What is happening? • Where is the light in the picture coming The Last Supper from? Why do you think the artist chooses to contrast light with dark? • Which characters are most central to the painting and why? • What do you think the mood in the picture is?

Additional Activities: • Read Matthew 26. Was there anything about the story that stood out to you? Did it change the way you see the picture? • Watch these films to find out more about The Last Supper, Communion and The Passover on RE:quest. • Do these films give you a deeper insight into the picture?

Image Activity Ideas Questions to consider about the picture • Who or what is the subject of the picture? • What emotions would you associate with the picture? • Why might the artist have left the background so simple? • What impression does the simplicity of the

background give? The Passion of

Jesus Additional Activities:

• Read John 19:1-27. Does this give you a deeper insight into the subject of the picture? • How do you think Jesus was feeling as he carried his cross? As well as the physical pain what else would he be feeling?

Questions to consider about the picture: • Look at the picture– what do you notice most about it and what do you think it is about? • Where is the light in the picture coming from? What do you think has happened or is happening in the tomb and what is going on outside? The Third • Why do you think the artist has chosen to Morning show the scene from the guard’s point of view?

Additional Activities: • Read Matthew 28:1-15. Does reading through the story change your perception of the picture? • In light of this passage how do you think the guards are feeling? • Watch the film 'What happened to the body?' on RE:quest. Why do Christians consider the resurrection so important?