The shepherds were the poorest of workers. An angel tells them to go to a small shed in the fields. There, they find a new born baby and his homeless, refugee parents in the winter night.

I first painted the Shepherds in 1969. In 2017, I decided to revisit the painting to see how I would reimagine it, enhancing and reworking the image, with the experience and techniques I have gained over the years, while preserving the freshness and simplicity of the original.

The artwork is filled with an overflowing cornucopia of brightly colored patterns, the sky is lit with numerous dazzling stars, and the central image is surrounded by a border of rainbow colors.

Growing up, I remember the beautiful tradition of families making creches (or Nacimiento) with many figures and animals in miniature, to celebrate the holiday. Combining this powerful image with the words from St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:27-28), moved me to understand a more socially relevant context for the Christmas story. It showed me a way to bring the story into our every day lives.

 

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