Austin Chapel Murals

Religious Arts Award

John Patrick Cobb

Austin, Texas

The artist of this traveling mural exhibition sought to express God’s ideals through the depiction of ordinary, modern people, including children and the unhoused, in biblical scenes. He based the subjects on his own life experiences—people he worked with, situations in which he recognized God in others, people he could see and relate to—to depict seemingly unremarkable people as saints and prophets. Using traditional religious iconography techniques, the murals offer viewers an opportunity to meditate on the mysterious holiness of everyday people or even put themselves in the scenes.

Jury Comments:

The artwork uses some of the traditional materials and tropes of religious art but includes individuals who would never appear in such works. This helps make us attuned to their humanity.

Project Team Members:

William Penn / co-author of John Cobb’s Chapel Icons / Biblical Meditations on Living the Spiritual Life
Richard Chalambaga / Preparator
Ginger Geyer / Facilitator for Exhibits
Cynthia Stone / Publisher, Treaty Oak Publishers