Behind the altar of St George’s church is a large painting.  Titled “A Last Supper”, it was painted by Lorna May Wadsworth as a commission for the church.  This is the story of the painting.

 

The Commission of A Last Supper

At the beginning of 2008 St George’s Church in Nailsworth, Glos., a market town of some 7000 people were advised that a church member, Mr Alan Denman  who had died in January, had left them a substantial sum:

“on condition that the monies are not used for the general maintainance and repair of the church but for a mural with a religious theme preferably “The Last Supper” on the East wall of the Church behind the high altar“.

The search began to see if such a condition could be fulfilled. Mr Denman’s son Nigel had a client, Vicky,  who painted and mentioned it to her -she did not think she could tackle such a task but had a friend who she knew from an Art College in Plymouth who was a portrait painter in London – Lorna May Wadsworth. Contact was made and Lorna was intrigued by the possibility of a commission to paint The Last Supper, having just been inspired by recent visits to Florence. She was visiting her friend in July and arranged to meet the Vicar, Reverend Stephen Earley, his Administrator, John Davis and Nigel at the church. Lorna liked the look of St George‘s Church , which is large, holding 4-500 people, and light and airy and we liked the look of her stunning portfolio – at the tender age of 28 she had already painted Archbishop Rowan, Lady Thatcher, umpteen Labour politicians and various other well-known folk. She was very enthusiastic about the painting and its eventual location and we measured a space 12×3 ½ feet.

Her two conditions before she accepted the commission were that she be given artistic freedom to create a painting to the best of her ability and that she be allowed to exhibit the painting in London before it came to Nailsworth -it was not feasible to paint a mural but it was agreed it could be on canvas so Lorna could paint in London. Two conditions to which she added a third – she had in mind a model for Jesus and he was black. The church PCC, on hearing of the meeting and seeing examples of her work were unanimous in agreeing to offer the commission. Lorna explained, as she painted from life she would have to locate a studio large enough to accommodate her 13 models! After several months searching, Lorna found a studio -heated by one gas fire and started drawing and planning her composition at the beginning of November 2008, when the weather was freezing. We were blown away by her first drawings and it was obvious she was going to create a very special painting.

We also applied to Diocesan Advisory committee for a faculty to hang the painting in the church – nothing can be installed or removed without a faculty and this was granted on the 12^th January on the basis of Lorna’s description of her painting and the charcoal drawings. Lorna was excellent at e-mailing updates of her progress, together with pictures of the work in progress. Things went a little quiet for a month or so – as Lorna battled with her last disciples and the tedious job of painting umpteen glasses and the tablecloth until a glorious e-mail was received by Stephen on the 3^rd April 2009, just before Easter headed “A Last Supper! It’s finished!” with lots of pictures.

Lorna was shattered and needed to recuperate. Then came the difficult task of finding the right place to exhibit until it was confirmed in October that St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar, Square were willing to host the exhibition – which could not be a better venue. They also agreed to exhibit other paintings by Lorna , under the title “Sacred or Profane” which consisted of contemporary studies of “hoodies” inspired by a painting of St Francis of Assisi in a hooded monks habit. The exhibitions were launched on the 4^th March 2010 at which personalities like Lord and Lady Howe, Sir Derek Jacobi, Rolf Harris, Jarvis Cocker, Timmy Mallet and a number of the “disciples” including Tafari Hinds, a fashion super-model who was Lorna’s “Jesus”, were present and it ran until 4^th April.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The painting was then delivered to St George’s and hung, with Lorna in attendance on the 8^th April. The painting was unveiled by Nick Denman and his family during a special service on the 23^rd April and dedicated by the Bishop of Gloucester, Rt Revd. Michael Perham. During the service a piece of music entitled “Haggadah” composed by Michael Castle, musical director at Beaudesert Park Preparatory School specially for the occasion was sung by an ecumenical choir. Both the painting and music were received with much acclaim by a congregation of some 200. Lorna had gone for a much needed holiday in Sorrento and was unable to return for the service due to the volcanic ash cloud. However Tafari Hinds was able to attend and talked about what it was like being painted by Lorna and other background details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been thrilled by the number of people who have been to see the painting and the number of appreciative comments that have been left in our visitors book.

Revd. Stephen Earley  21/09/10

 

The artist’s story

Prior to the start and during the painting of A Last Supper, Lorna sent regular e-mails and pictures charting the progress of her painting and giving a fascinating insight  of the creation of what we are now seeing:

22^nd July 2008. – (before the painting was started)

So far I envisage a painting in the region of 12 by 3 ½ feet, depicting the last supper. In the manner of Da Vinci’s painting the 13 figures would be seated on the same side of a long table. The composition would not be identical to Leonardo’s but would be formed of individual tableaux and interactions between the figures as in Da Vinci’s painting. It would be painted from life in loose vivid brush strokes, have a wonderful quality of light (I’m hoping) and be bright in colours without being garish. It would sit behind the altar and provide a focal point for the congregation.

10^th September – (Lorna needed to find a studio to accommodate 13 models!)

I’ve finally found a suitable studio! It’s available from the 27th October and I’m signing a 3 month contract for it (Hopefully will have it done in that time frame!)

The space has a lot of light, is in walking distance from my flat and is big enough for the 12 foot picture, and 13 models! So I shall spend the next weeks continuing to round up my disciples and flexing my painting arm in anticipation!

Heating is by calor cas and apparantly costs around 30 pounds for canister which lasts 1 1/2 to 2 weeks. Other costs are model fees if I can’t persuade my disciples to sit for free, paint, and a ginormous canvas

12^th November 2008. (In the beginning… Lorna started drawing on 1^st November)

Indeed I have been making progress. Saturday 1st was quite possibly the most stressful of my artistic career:- Waiting for Mister Blair or walking into a room to meet Lady Thatcher has nothing on trying to round 13 boys up in a cold corner of Hackney on a freezing Saturday the morning after Halloween…

But somehow 13 bodies arrived and I managed to make a start on getting a grip on this massive thing. I decided the best way to proceed was to give them lots of food and wine (as they weren’t getting any money!) and that this would get them relaxed, getting to know each other, and give the air of a real meal taking place.

I have been drawing from the many many photos and getting boys in all week to sit for me individually as I work out where everyone should be. Some bits are coming together nicely, others need a lots more work. I’ve been wearing lots of clothes as the studio is freezing! The one gas heater provided doesn’t quite hit the edges of the room, if you know what I mean, and I think it’s only fair to aim it at the boys when they come sit, seeing as I’ve made them part with their jumpers to drape a pashmina around them…

Sketch for A Last Supper

 

 

 

19^th December 2008

I had my bag stolen on Monday with my phone and camera in, which has made life very difficult. I’ve lost the numbers of some of my disciples! I was with one of the disciples, Lawrence who is John. I’d taken him out for a glass of wine to celebrate him being alive after he somehow managed to set himself on fire by standing too close with his trailing robe to the calor gas heater! Thank heavens he managed to whip off the robe and stamp out the flames with his winkle pickers!

4^th January 2009

I’m having a day off today as 7 days straight painting has left me exhausted. The studio is being freezing and I’m having a bit of an artistic block. I tried to paint Peter Saturday and Sunday, but ended up wiping it all off on Sunday night as I wasn’t convinced I’d got it right.

22^nd January 2009

I’ve been working like a trojan horse in a freezer all week. Here are some photos I took today after I put Judas’s head in.

24^th February 2009

I’ve been painting endless glasses of wine and plates. I have three of everything on the go – I paint one and then it get’s moved down the table to the other side, like when people cross a river stepping on the same two rocks… I’ve attached it so you can have a look…

Friday April 3^rd 2009 – “It is Finished”

Thanks for your timely email. You will be pleased to learn that the painting is finally completed. I went through a very difficult few weeks getting it finished – I was in a very black depression, It really taken a massive toll on me. But here we are, it’s finally finished and I can finally relax and smell the roses.

The Last Disciple was painted last weekend, the figure far left. He is a beautiful french model who I got over from Paris on the Eurostar called Adrien.

12^th May 2009 – (A planned article in the Tatler was shelved – Adrien’s story)
However, silver lining: I did my my last disciple, a beautiful French boy called Adrien Brunier, through the photographer on the shoot Ram Shergill who really loved the painting. He personally rang Adrien in Paris to ask him. Funnily enough, Adrien told me when he was sitting for me, that he lives in Monmartre near the Sacre Cour Cathedral. The day Ram and then I called him he’d gone into the building and stayed for a Mass. He said he wasn’t religious and it was very out of character that he would do that. He said that when I called and asked him to be in a Last Supper later, this was one factor that made him say yes, that if he hadn’t gone to that mass he wouldn’t have agreed to come to London to be my much sort for Last Disciple.

Months passed while the right location to exhibit the painting was found and St Martin-in -the -Fields is ideal and could not be a better venue in which to unveil this special painting.

Lorna May Wadsworth 2008 / 2009   www.lornamaywadsworth.com