"Brotherhood in the world through Christ" The outer globe is opening up to reveal the central core symbolizing the four races of man
It all started in 1973, my sophomore year in high school. I was taking an Art course for the second year. I decided to do something different for the Scholastic Art Show. Going back to my bench in my father's workshop, I selected a piece of bass wood and began to carve. I remember not having any plan at the time as to the subject or composition of the final piece. I let the tools and the creative process flow and soon the idea of a joyous Christ with arms outstretched formed. What happened next is not so clear to me now after all these years. I am left with the certain feeling of divine guidance in the project. Soon I was carving the two round spheres that comprise the world and the symbol of brotherhood. The completed work was submitted to the Art awards later that month. When my art instructor Bro. Wanda returned from the judging, he said to me, " Do you want the good news or the bad news? Good news is that you won an honorable mention. Bad news is that the judges believe you had adult help on this project." This was a shock to me. As an artist, I am always pushing the envelope with my work. It is therefore expected that others might doubt my abilities. I still keep this first piece in my shop; it reminds me not to doubt God's gift. Josef Otmar V
