Four Churches
Churches by design are special places. They are places where we try to connect or relate to that which is greater than us. Some churches wrap us in a warm embrace, like a hug from a parent. Others fill us with awe and inspiration. Others are severe, reminding us of the judgment of the all mighty. I am drawn to these places. They are usually the first place I head to when I find myself in a new location. This year I worked in many different types of sacred places. Here are four of my favorites.
Mission San Jose Tumacacori
In February I was in Tucson for a workshop with Mary Virginia Swanson. We arrived a few days early and drove south to Tumacacori National Historic Park. Mission San Jose Tumacacori was built sometime after 1751 and was abandoned by 1848. Teddy Roosevelt named it as a National Historic Monument in 1908. In 1990 it became part of Tumacacori National Historic Park. I spent a couple of hours photographing in and around the site. I set up to make an overall image with the sun striking the white roof and the lady walked into the doorway. The way the light was hitting the building she was rendered as a shadow, almost ghostly image. I knew that was the image of the day.
Old German Meeting House
I have driven by the Old German Meeting House for nearly thirty years and often wondered what it looked like on the inside. Last July I saw that the Waldoboro Historical Society was going to open it up on a few weekday afternoons. It turned out that it was going to be open that afternoon. I jumped in my car and drove to Waldoboro. It is a classic 18th century (built in 1772) church interior with box pews and a wrap around balcony. It remains mostly untouched by renovations in the last 200 years. I fell in love with the place. So much so that I arranged for my class Spirit of Structure at Maine Media Workshops to visit and photograph it in September. The base of the pulpit is unusual style called a tulip pulpit. I had never seen one like it. When I finally set my camera up in the right location there was the beautiful form of the base of the pulpit. It is clean, clear visual statement about form and function, the definition of the Spirit of Structure.
Tuscan Church
During the Spirit of Structure Workshop with Il Chiostro based at the Tuscan Renaissance Center we travel around the Tuscan country side. We visited and photographed in several small local churches. This images comes from a rarely used but still maintained church somewhere in the Tuscan hill country.
The shadows are created by candles hanging on a column of an 800 year old church in Tuscany. The interior was quiet and beautiful. Used only once or twice a year as a church, it was inspiring and beautiful.
Cades Cove Missionary Baptist Church
The last image is the interior of Cades Cove Missionary Baptist. It is a small austere church with wooden pews and an a small pulpit . But behind the pulpit is a wonderful apse created by three windows. Even on a cold wet rainy day the apse windows illuminated the Bible on the pulpit. To me the severity of the church speaks about the judgment of God. Or so the space seems to say.
Tillman