Derrick Knutson is reporting in the East Minnesota Post Review:
The nearly finished frescoes that stand outside St. John’s Lutheran Church in Stacy are a sight to behold.
An image of the Transfiguration of Christ is portrayed across three towering arches that overlook a scenic section of Carlos Avery State Wildlife Refuge.
Jesus stands in the middle with the prophets Elijah and Moses at his side.
The outdoor frescoes – the first completed by anyone in over 700 years – are the works of world-renowned artist Mark Balma, who has family in the Stacy area.
The frescoes will be officially revealed to the public Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m.
And of particular interest to readers of this blog:
Balma’s rendering of Christ is unlike any image ever painted or sculpted of him, due to the process Balma went through to create what he seems to be the most accurate representation of Jesus ever made.
Balma worked with computer graphics artist Ray Downing of Studio Macbeth to design the image of Christ.
Those familiar with the Shroud of Turin might know of Downing.
In March of 2010, the History Channel released a two-hour documentary about the shroud, a 14-foot length of cloth believed to be the actual burial shroud of Jesus.
A face, believed to be that of Jesus, is imprinted on the shroud. Using the fabric and the aid of computer imaging, Downing produced a three-dimensional image that Balma used to create the “most historically accurate” rendering of Christ ever produced, Welty said.Welty added most people associate Moses with Charlton Heston’s portrayal of the prophet in The Ten Commandments, so Balma’s work is similar to that image, but Elijah is “an open book.”
Welty said Balma actually modeled Elijah after a man he met in a restaurant.
Well, not the parts about Moses and Elijah. But that is interesting.