Inspired
by the world's myths, fables and tales of imagination, James C. Christensen
wants his work to add up to more than a beautiful--if sometimes 'curious'
looking work of art. Having taught art professionally for over 20
years, he likes to think of the world as his classroom. ...more
“The best friendships can and will
endure,” explains James Christensen. “My wife has a life-long friend
that lives in California. We live in Utah. Their relationship is
more like that of sisters, although possibly even stronger. They
have been friends for decades. Over that period of time they have
had the chance to share all the joys life has presented them. They
have also looked to and supported each other through hardship,
distance and change. Separately, they have grown but never have they
grown apart. The physical distance between them is overcome by an
unseen connection.
“This painting is a diptych, each panel its
own character. Unlike my diptych Sisters, both of these women are
equals in their relationship as indicated by the similar style of
clothing between the two. Both women lightly grasp the tie that
binds them together. It is not a difficult thing to manage.
Additionally, each has an ample length of cord in reserve, ensuring
that no physical distance between them can severe their tie".
Limited Edition
Fine Art Giclée
on canvas Diptych
Image Size:
16" x 20"
Low
Inventory !New
Lower Price! $ 800 CDN $ 750 CDN US click here
Apollonia is the patron saint of dentists and
those suffering toothaches. When heathens in Alexandria revolted
against the Christians in 249, Apollonia was beaten and her teeth
were pulled because she would not recant her Christian beliefs.
This unassuming young woman has been endowed
with wings and grace with such force that even the invisible has
left its shadow on stone. And she's not sure what just happened .
.
"She remains modest and humble and is
probably unaware of what she has done. Her service and kindness just
seemed like the right thing to do," says artists James C.
Christensen.
“When I painted The Yellow Rose I had just
come back from a trip to Italy. Everywhere we went there seemed
to be another centuries-old building adorned with yet another
breath-taking fresco. There was such a lost and found quality to
discovering these works. Most carried a religious theme, but there
was also a sense of high romance in them as well. That is what I
tried to capture here,” says Christensen.
“The woman has a halo, but I’m not
quite sure that I meant her to be a saint. She definitely is
instilled with divine grace, however. The yellow rose is symbolic of
light and warmth, as opposed to a red rose which is more often
associated with love and lovers. I also focused on taking a much
more painterly approach to this piece. I wanted it to have the
built-up and layered textures like those frescos I had seen in
Italy. An astute observer will notice that this is the same
model that I used for The Beggar Princess and the Magic Rose, but
that painting was actually inspired by this one.”
Limited Edition
Fine Art Giclée Canvas
hand
signed by the artist
This hunchback
“Everyman” of James C. Christensen’s symbology is not only thinking
outside the box, he is outside of his box. He’s arrived, and if he
had any trouble getting here, it’s behind him now. It’s like getting
up very early in the morning, before everyone else, and taking that
quiet time to reflect. It’s a perfect moment, sitting on the
checkered game board of life, and contemplating a cloudless future.
In a couple of hours he may be joined by others, or maybe not, but
for now the sky’s the limit, the air smells great, and the
possibilities are endless.
Limited Edition
Fine Art Giclée Canvas
hand
signed by the artist
The parable of the
Widow’s Mite illustrates piety in its purest form. A widow, here depicted as a
young woman in tattered finery, the last vestiges of her privileged former life,
offers all that she has to the temple. Her contribution of two small coins may
seem small when compared to the lavish donations of the city fathers, but, said
Jesus, “…this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into
the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want
did cast in all that she had, even her living.” (Mark 12: 43-44)
Limited Edition Giclée Canvas
hand
signed by the artist
“Anyone who has
stood on the precipice of revealing their true emotions toward
another will find this scene familiar. This intrepid little
hunchback is declaring his love and saying, ‘Here I go, come what
may.’ The odds seem to be in his favor as he sails in the Love Boat
itself with the offspring of the Owl and the Pussycat for his
companion.”
Limited Edition Giclée Canvas
hand
signed by the artist
In the fantastic
world of James C. Christensen’s paintings, fish are a symbol of
magic and wisdom. “Their floating presence in the air reminds us
that anything is possible,” says Christensen, “and those touched or
surrounded by fish are considered truly blessed. When the fish don’t
arrive, however, sometimes a person will take matters into his own
hands, with compelling but less-than-convincing results. Non-magical
fish, as you can see, don’t really enjoy hanging in mid-air.”
" Lawrence Pretended Not to Notice
That a Bear
Had Become Attached to his Coattail"
“This is one of those paintings that most people can
relate to,” says James C. Christensen, “although
often for a different reason than you may expect. I
think everyone occasionally ignores problems in the
hope that they will fade away, but that’s not the
only interpretation for the image. When wildlife
painter Bonnie Marris saw this painting she cried,
‘That poor bear! This is the third guy he’s gotten
attached to this week and this isn’t even his
neighborhood! Did you ever think about that?’
“Personal experience has a major influence on
people’s interpretation of the painting’s
message. When I gave a talk to third graders about
trusting their ideas, I asked them what they thought
Lawrence …
was about. One little girl said, ‘You shouldn’t take
pets home without asking your mom.’”
Just before his triumphal entrance into
Jerusalem, Jesus passed through a town where a righteous young man asked
him what he could do to inherit eternal life. The young man told Jesus
how he followed the Commandments and obeyed the laws of his people, but
Jesus asked something more: “Go, sell everything you have and give to
the poor,” he said, “and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come,
follow me.” The home of The Rich Young Ruler is filled with symbols of
both his success and his dilemma. The laden camels in the frieze in the
foreground illustrate Jesus’ next words to his disciples, “It is easier
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God. ”The ruler himself is richly dressed in fine
fabrics and jewels and the room is filled with lush plants, which in a
desert setting would be quite costly to maintain. Sputtering beside the
entrance to the door is the ruler’s lamp that, like the flame of his
belief, wavers in the wind. These symbols, combined with Christensen’s
unique style, make The Rich Young Ruler an elegant story of difficult
decisions and of a Master who will always look back and offer another
chance.
Fine art limited edition
Giclée
canvas
hand signed by the artist
"To walk safely through
the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance
of virtue."
-Buddha
The graceful young woman
depicted may walk a dark path, but with determination and focus as her
guiding principles she will surely find her way. Incorporating one of
James C. Christensen’s most popular recurring themes, Virtue serves as a
classic and elegant reminder to stay true to your beliefs, that faith
and strength will see you through the dark times.
“The candle is a symbol of light in the spirit,” says Christensen. “The
candle is about being an example to others, but it’s also about keeping
that light shining for yourself. Be true to yourself and to the things
you know are important and don’t let the world taint you.”
“Did you ever feel the weight of the world on your
shoulders? When I painted The Burden of the Responsible Man I felt overwhelmed
by how much everybody expected from me. I felt as if life was taking everything
I had and not giving much back, just dangling a carrot to keep me going. Even
this man’s pet, a hedgehog, needs to be fed and taken for walks, but is too
prickly to offer warm ‘cuddlies’ in return. But the man’s a responsible person
and so he just keeps plodding along. That’s the point. I just kept plodding
along, too, and things got better. I discovered that my burdens were really
blessings and challenges necessary for my growth.”
Fine Art Anniversary
Giclée
Canvas
hand signed by the artist
Clothed in garb of cobwebs and moonlight, Fiona
catches your gaze. Like all of the sídhe (faeries) she is breathtakingly
beautiful, but Fiona is more than meets the eye. Celtic legends tell of men
and women who followed the unearthly music of the faeries deep into the
woods and were never seen again. Other folk tell a friendlier tale of the
leanan sídhe, the faerie muses who protect artists and poets in exchange for
their immortal love.
James Christensen’s Fiona shines in her natural adornments. If you look
closely, you’ll see the half-hidden subjects of her kingdom: flowers,
animals and insects, hidden amid her garments. If you look closer still, you
just might find exactly what you seek, but beware—the promises of faeries
are fleeting and nothing is ever quite what it seems.
In the midst of our hectic lives, it is easy
to forsake what is important in favor of what needs to be done. We
relinquish our quiet time, our communion with ourselves and a greater
universe, for the daily realities that (it seems) cannot wait. Once in a
while, however, if we would just be still and listen, we would hear
something wondrous. The earth—indeed, heaven itself—has music for those who
will listen.
How often do we find ourselves too
preoccupied within our own little worlds to realize when something
truly momentous is happening outside of them? Are we paying enough
attention to those around us to really hear what they are saying?
In this extreme example, a very self-important
individual, in all his pomp and finery, fails to realize the heavenly nature of
his visitor because he’s just not listening. In Latin, the angel says, “I am
dead.” The man’s response to his rather uncommon occurrence, “How do you like my
clothes?” underscores how little he is paying attention. The pear in the man’s
hand, one bite taken—bordering on the over-ripe, is a reminder that we may not
have all the time we think we do to amend these failures in communication.
Limited edition
Giclée
Canvas
hand signed by the artist
If Visitation/Preoccupation is the
warning, Smell the Roses is the answer. This fellow has managed to
layer on and pile up the responsibilities he carries about his life.
Indeed, he’s probably proud of being fairly buttoned-up, and
perhaps, working just a little too hard. Yet, something has suddenly
clicked. He’s stashed away his clock where he can’t see it and
loosened most of his buttons. He’s managed to pass that magic
threshold and realize that we all need to slow down and smell the
roses every now and then. Where in this process are you?
The character in Hold to the Rod finds
himself so burdened with the mundane objects he has collected that, while he
hopefully eyes the rod, he cannot reach up to hold it for fear of losing
something else. The man has become little more than a vehicle for his
adornments. He demonstrates that what is truly important is keeping sight of
our true belief and faith, that they alone will guide us through.
Christensen sees his blind men as
archetypal figures, embodying the different ways people deal with difficult
situations. All four men are lost, but their expressions reveal their
attitudes: one man is unhappy, one is content with his lot, one man is
confused and one has tumbled into the pit entirely. The Blind Leading the
Blind is a whimsical reminder to remain humble—and to give others the
benefit of the doubt.
Although the relationship between the
quartet of tough-looking fish and the determined cyclist in "Resistance
Training" may at first be unclear, the title offers some explanation:
athletes often train against a resisting force to build their strength. In
this particular case, however, as the fish tug stubbornly in the other
direction, we must wonder—who is training whom?
Limited
edition
Giclée
Canvas
hand signed by the artist
A beautiful young woman in tattered finery
stands in a dark castle hall, holding a wilting rose as its petals shed
flakes of gold. The elements of the story seem familiar enough—a princess, a
flower, a ruined castle—but the story itself is nowhere to be found in our
childhood memories of fairy tales. The reason? There is no story … yet. The Beggar Princess and the Magic
Rose exemplifies what artist James Christensen feels is “… so great about
art: the viewer can contribute to the magic by making up their own story.”
'' While traveling in Umbria this past
summer, artist James Christensen was inspired by the architecture of the
region, the "piled and stacked buildings" of the hill towns. He filled his
sketchbooks with Italian landscapes and cityscapes such as the one found in
his newest piece, Angels of My
Village. The illuminated landscape and hand-layered gold leaf of the
painting call to mind the angels found in medieval manuscripts. ''
A unique process combining
layers of metallic foil. opaque white ink, process inks and touch colors
onto fine art paper to reproduce the radiant halo effects of gold, silver,
and bronze in the original art.
Angel
with Epaulet
Limited
edition
Giclée
Canvas
hand signed by the artist
And now abideth faith, hope, charity,
these three; but the greatest of these is charity. - I CORINTHIANS 13:13
James C. Christensen’s beautiful
Holiday Angel series celebrates gifts worthy of angels—love, peace, life,
hope, music—as Christensen inspires us to live life to its full potential.
The Gift of Charity is the greatest of gifts, granting us the ability to
help others before ourselves; a gift as important during holiday time as it
is throughout the year.
If the name of the new addition to James
C. Christensen’s beloved Nativity sounds familiar, it’s probably because the
Christmas carol Silent Night is humming in your head. It was during a
Christmas past that one of the Christensen children misheard one of the
song’s lyrics and asked “Who’s round John?” Not missing this creative
opportunity, James developed a new character for the crèche, the portly soul
aptly named Round John Virgin. And who is this jolly fellow? He’s the
innkeeper, doing his best to accommodate this young family and provide them
with all the comfort he can on this most celebrated of nights.
Man, indeed, describes more than he
explains; while the angelic spirit sees and understands. Man judges nature
in relation to itself; the angelic spirit judges it in relation to heaven.
In short, to the spirits everything speaks.
—HONORÉ DE BALZAC
Artist James C. Christensen’s
portrayals of angels, including Cecelia, Sleeper Lost in Dreams and
throughout his Saints and Angels series, inspire us to reflect on the angels
among us. The high contrast in Men and Angels reminds the viewer that
sometimes our mortal world is dark compared to the world of angels. The
image also reveals how a visitor can bring a shining light, leading us out
of the darkness.
Limited
edition
Giclée
Canvas
hand signed by the artist
This painting is an homage to artist James
Christensen's wife, Carole. He began to contemplate all her roles in life
and the many weighty responsibilities she shouldered as a full-time wife and
mother of five young children. Women everywhere relate to the need to
confidently soar above life's troubles and challenges. In a given day she
may shuttle the children, prepare a gourmet feast, keep to hectic time
schedules and more, but she always keeps her head up and carries the light
of hope to those around her. A delightful gift to honor a wife, mother,
grandmother, sister or any heroic woman in your life.
Among the important women's roles portrayed in this painting are: Mother,
Pet caretaker, Chef, Housekeeper, Leader (Lighting the way with wisdom),
Scheduler. How many more can you find?
Anniversary edition
Giclée
Canvas
hand signed by the artist
"I have always used the floating fish to
symbolize the presence of life's magic," says Jim Christensen.
"Occasionally, I've wondered whether these little guys are bringing the
magic with them or are the result of it. Who is the recipient of the
benediction? Is the angel blessing the fish, or in another way, is the fish
blessing the angel … blessing her by its presence? The Latin on the ring,
Beatus est Pisciculus, translates as "Blessed is the Little Fish."
Regardless of which came first, the angel or the fish, it's important to
stop and take the time to be thankful for the magic in our lives." Edition
will not exceed 100 s/n
'' There are oodles of adages associated
with "when pig fly": events extremely unlikely to occur or just plain
nonsensical. In the world of artist James C. Christensen, a flying pig might
seem perfectly commonplace. But the hunchback holding a candle in If Pigs
Could Fly is oblivious to his winged counterpart. In Christensen's art, the
hunchback represents the imperfect "everyman" and the candle he carries
signifies his wisdom and faith (or the faith in his wisdom, as the case may
be). Our hero forges onward, walking ahead, not expecting the unexpected,
nor noticing what's happening just over his shoulder. If Pigs Could Fly
reminds us that anything and everything is possible, and not to eliminate
any possibility.''
The Listener is about having your own
sense of who you are. Centered, not only in the painting but as a person,
with all the "noise" going on around him, he hears only his own inner voice.
The colorful "noise" around him takes the form personal and artistic
history. Can you find lust, remorse, politicians, the military, Picasso...
and, of course, scary clowns? Every figure represents something and the
final image would be accompanied by a key.
Limited
edition
Giclée
Canvas
hand signed by the artist
The Gift
For Mrs. Clause
Anniversary Giclee Canvas
“One of my favorite
traditions of Christmas is making a gift for my wife,” says Christensen.
“Whether it is a drawing of one of our children, a fantasy painting, or a
stained glass fish to hang in the kitchen window, I know that it will have
special meaning for her because I have taken the time to make it. The
anticipation of that moment of surprise is as much a part of the joy and
excitement as the expression on her face when she actually opens her
present. In The Gift for Mrs. Claus, I tried to capture the sense of
delightful conspiracy as Father Christmas puts aside a little extra time to
prepare a special surprise for his wife.”
Fine Art
Anniversary edition
Giclée
Canvas
hand signed by the artist
When James C.
Christensen paints a portrait of a woman, the beauty of his subject never
ceases to lose the viewer in thought. . .
Inspirational and Confident . . . Sensitive
and Ambiguous . . .
The Pink Ribbon is Christensen's positive statement on
prevention and survival.
The Pink Ribbon by
James Christensen is available in an open edition fine art print on paper,
11" X 14" unsigned for only $40. There is also a signed, limited
edition Giclee on canvas for $315.
A portion of the proceeds will be
donated to the Breast Cancer Foundation.
Elegant and
captivating are the two hallmarks you should expect of any James Christensen
Hand-Tinted Original Stone Lithograph. Finding Fish is an excellent
companion to Christensen’s When Faeries Talk with Fishes (Sold Out at
Publisher). In James’ visual vocabulary, a floating fish connotes the
presence of “magic,” the type of which he leaves for you to define. Stone
lithography is considered an original art form because the image itself is
created on the stone before the lithograph is made. Each lithograph of
Finding Fish will be hand-colored by the ubiquitous Magic Fish Studio so
each will be slightly different and completely unique.
This stunning,
decorative piece, , explores the texture, surface and richness of paint –
and just happens to be named for the artist’s newest grandchild, Cecilia.
Following in the footsteps of Saint with White Sleeves, Isabella and
Sleeper, Lost in Dreams, this latest Limited Edition And what’s particularly
special about Cecilia is her exquisite gold enhancement. This Masterwork™
Canvas edition is hand-enhanced with 23-Karat Gold Leaf.
Limited
edition
Giclée
Canvas
hand signed by the artist
'' The
stage for this joyous vision in a pastel palate is set in a Christensen
fantasy world, as we join a maiden and her unusual wedding party sailing
into destiny. Richly layered nuptial symbolism awaits your discovery:
something old (the ruins in the background), something new (the egg on the
pillow), something borrowed (a tan girl from Baroque artist Diego
Velázquez), something blue (the flowing ribbon in the bride’s hair, a symbol
of purity from ancient Israel).''
The subject of
Madonna with Two Angels is Mary, mother of Jesus, flanked by angels. The
models for Mary and the angels might have been the Master’s patrons, as it
was customary at the time for the wealthy to request portraits that
incorporated characteristics of saints or angels. This devotional piece
would have hung in a private home to inspire prayer. Perhaps it was part of
a family’s altar. This limited edition is framed to match the stunning
beauty of the original framed art.
You are
witness to something few humans ever see. The sweet smell of incense carried
on the breeze has awoken you from your rest in the woods and you capture a
glimpse of the king and queen of the faeries passing by. "This is not the
May Day parade or a Coronation," James C. Christensen explains. "Simply,
this is The Royal Processional - just your regular, everyday king and queen
of the Faeries entourage."
Masterwork Giclée Canvas
hand signed by the artist
"This
painting is a love story," says James Christensen. "Love on a myriad of
levels, but most importantly, the power of love to endure. The painting is
infused with thoughts of things coming to an end; the final phase of the
moon, the leaves on a tree beginning to change, the road is coming to an
end. This couple even needs some assistance in getting around. Yet, they
seem unconcerned about all of this, because in spite of what is happening
all around them they have each other. The power of love is always
triumphant."
Nicholas flourished
in the 4th century as Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor and is universally
recognized as the model for our modern day Santa Claus. He is a figure about
which there are more legends than facts. Patron saint of sailors, one legend
tells of him appearing to storm-tossed mariners who invoked his aid and were
brought safely to port. In the Low Countries of Europe, stories of his
generosity were legendary and gave rise to the custom of exchanging gifts in
his name.
In the fantastic
world of James Christensen, a “poofy guy” is recognizable by the inordinate
layers of clothing he wears, symbolizing a touch of self-importance as well
as the accumulated baggage of a lifetime. This light and airy piece just may
suggest marriage, as James asks us to consider the luck we “poofy guys” have
in being cared for by a responsible woman." Thank heavens guys like us have
some one holding onto us, otherwise, we’d just spin off into the atmosphere
and pop!”
Elegant and
captivating are two of the measures we set for any James Christensen
Hand-Tinted Original Stone Lithograph, and with The Messenger, he’s
delivered. Is she an angel or is she human; is she from the past, present or
future; she has armor, but is she a warrior; how do the key and the rose
assist in unlocking the enigma of The Messenger?
Sold out at publisher . . . possible
availability
Call the Gallery for details
For over a year, artist James
C. Christensen painted “under the guise” of an obscure, 15th century Flemish
painter, best known for, and named after, a multi-paneled masterpiece called
The Enoch Altarpiece. Also known as Jehovah Teaches Enoch the Plan of
Salvation, what remains of The Enoch Altarpiece are the two sides that once
flanked the (missing) center panel. The two angels, who originally were
positioned to bless the center scene, incorporate symbols of God’s original
plan for man’s salvation. With the angel on the left are fruit and a
serpent, representing the Garden of Eden and the fall of man, while a skull
pierced by an Easter Lily appears with the angel on the right, suggesting
the triumph of Christ over death and the redemption of man.
St. Brendan’s fame rests on the mythical
adventure described in Brendan’s Voyage, a 10th century romance of Brendan
and a company of monks sailing the Atlantic Ocean to the Promised Land. One
of the stories of the voyage relates that Brendan, wishing to celebrate
Easter Mass, landed on a small island in the middle of the ocean. After
celebrating Mass, Brendan and his companions built a fire on which to cook a
meal and thus awakened the sleeping whale they had mistakenly identified as
a small island. Terrified, the voyagers rushed to their ship and fled. Since
then, St. Brendan has been associated with whales and large fish.
Sold out at publisher . . . possible availability
Call the Gallery for details
This striking portrait is the likeness of
Isabella Grimaldi, a patrician of the arts. The character of Isabella was
born from the world of Saints and Angels.
The sudden appearance of a new and brilliant
star set the kings of the East on one of the Bible’s better-known journeys.
Through the centuries, paintings have shown as many as eight kings. Some
debate whether the magi were actual kings or a group of scholars,
astronomers and priests. The Western tradition of three kings most likely
arose from the three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh that they brought
to “the newborn King.”
Sold out at publisher . . . possible availability
Call the Gallery for details
"By divine accident, this splendid impression
of beauty, fleeting and frail, shall forever remain the embodiment of
grace."
–Anonymous
There are times when a brief passing moment
can hold a special place in our subconscious. Seeing someone for the first
time can be such an occasion. And although the view may have lasted only an
instant, our mind has a way of filling in what the eye didn’t see, creating
an impression that can linger forever...
Sold out at publisher . . . possible availability
Call the Gallery for details
From the Magic Fish Studio, the home of James
Christensen, comes this sophisticated yet whimsical piece of fine art. It
sprang to life as an unfinished verse in the artist’s sketchbook:
"When Faeries talk with Fishes, both express
their wishes
When Fishes talk to Faeries, the conversation
varies..."
Soon a drawing appeared above the unfinished
lines of the poem.
The magic of the initial muse carried over
into the decision to create the work as an original stone lithograph. It is
a stone lithograph because James actually drew the image on a 300 lb.
limestone. This is all the more impressive considering the image is created
in reverse onto the stone. The image is transferred from the stone onto a
sheet of fine watercolor paper by hand on a lithographic press. The final
stone lithograph is considered original because this image does not exist as
we see it until the lithograph is produced.
Hand-tinting original stone lithographs predates color printing. That the
color work on each is added by hand enhances the concept of each being an
original; no two are exactly alike. Further, we are able to offer the
lithograph tinted with either amber or pastel hues.
In dreams, it is said that
wings represent a release of creative forces, that they give us the ability
to understand and transcend the human condition. In religion, wings appear
on angels, fairies, spirits and demons. In mythology, winged creatures are
often messengers of the gods; they are a symbol of freedom and spirituality
and a character having one wing is said to be lost in dreams.
"This piece is a little bit of a departure. But these
gifts of the spirit are important qualities for us to remind each other
about. The words in gold leaf identify the three as their names appear in
the original Greek Biblical text. "
- James C. Christensen
This king has
placed himself in a position of power, surrounded by his symbols of pride
and puffery, but perhaps he should be more self-aware to see that his
kingdom" is precariously balanced and it wouldn't take much to upset it.
Across the sea of
imagination, in the land of “Once Upon a Time,” there exists the island home
of Faery Tales. James Christensen gives us a glimpse into the daily life of
twenty-four of the world’s most popular stories. The Emperor is resplendent
in his new clothes, Cinderella dances with her Prince, the Three Bears
return home to find an unexpected guest and Rapunzel lets her hair down. How
many others do you recognize?
All generations of any family can find common ground in this bright and
cheery ode to the ever fascinating, fantasy world of our youth. Teach your
children or grandchildren your favorites and learn some new ones at the same
time! Included with each print or canvas is a key to all the faery tales in
the image.
The playwright Shakespeare
and the poet Shelley fell under her spell. Countless lovers dream of
her, waking to a happy bewitchment. Yet of all mortal men only one
artist—James C. Christensen—has ever been admitted to the royal circle,
privileged to meet the legendary Faerie Queen Mab and her attendants in
all their enchanting glory
For 2,400 years, physicians have honored
Hippocrates' sacred vow to treat a patient with empirical, scientific wisdom and
ethical consideration. However, as James C. Christensen wittily reveals in The
Oath, not all aspects of medical antiquity have stood the test of time and
Hippocrates could never have imagined some others. Just as attorneys everywhere
warmly responded to the self-deprecating humor of Christensen’s image A Lawyer
More Than Adequately Attired in Fine Print, we think members of the medical
profession will appreciate a healthy dose of The Oath. Accompanied by a
decorative Hippocratic Oath suitable for framing and a key of over 60 medical
references.
Life is a balance between fun and work,
spiritual qualities, education, nutrition … our lives are
continuously balancing acts. Of course, some of us make it a little
more complex by putting our only balancing foot on the back of a
moving turtle. Why are there three clocks in the image? Because
we’re always balancing time.
There are many specific symbols in
the image. Most of them are far from obscure, but the little neat
secrets include a king statue, the symbol of the omnipresence of
politics and government. The skull is a spring hare skull, with a
little label that reads “spring hare – lost race.” It’s a joke, but
it also symbolizes mortality. The owl and the pussycat represent
marriage, which is a major balancing act. The Latin in the image
means “Equilibrium (balance) is to be desired.” In other words, as
long as you remain upright, you’re okay.
The Pink Ribbon 
