THE POTTER’S HOUSE

Safari Guide (1987)

Artis Murphy Jr.'s journey has been a rocky round trip from a kid on the streets of Le Droit Park, a stint at Shenandoah's Hainesville Correctional Center, now middle aged and back in D.C. Art has been a constant comfort throughout.

Growing up on Saturday afternoons while friends were playing ball, Murphy was alone recreating comic book panels, sketching National Geographic photos, or wandering about the National Gallery of Art. He was particularly drawn to the masters-to Rembrandt's depiction of light, Monet's use of pastels.

The dream of becoming a commercial artist was shattered in 1982 at age 25. Convicted of a crime for which he still maintains his innocence, a year after release, the tall slim introspective man reveals no bitterness-just resigned acceptance at having spent half his life in prison. "the system is not infallible," he says. "I was like most young people, wanting a good life, a family, material things.

After the Bath

Looking for work I'd show employers my drawings. They would say, 'that's great, but where'd you go to school.' I said, I didn't, and that didn't fly. I got frustrated and turned to the streets--just a follower."

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History of the Gallery

Our Mission

Young Mary Cosby,
speaking

Honoring the co-founder of The Church of the Saviour, whose vision, forty years ago, was to include exhibitions of art work in a faith context as part of the mission of hospitality to the community, the gallery's mission is to nurture the capacity to experience meaning and beauty through the visual arts, and to be drawn to a deeper appreciation of beauty in all that is and of the depth of mystery in all that has been given.

Seeing As Believing

Quilts made by a fabric Arts class
taught be artist Lee Porter, in the
Seeing As Believing mission group.

The "Seeing As Believing" mission group of Friends of Jesus Church currently supervises the exhibitions at the gallery, presenting artwork which is an expression of and response to the artist's relationship to God. By exhibiting faith-sourced artwork, the Gallery hopes to invite viewers to dialogue visually with, and to be nurtured by images of a God-penetrated world.

Religious Art

John Booty writes "At its best, religious art represents a way of knowing which is different from mere verbal communication ... The finest examples of art are revelatory, opening a window to eternity, engaging the spectator in a kind of communication which is holy communion, in which the spectator becomes a participant not only in the work of art, but in the meaning, the essence the work reveals, so that as a consequence the spectator—now participant—experiences some further understanding, previously unknown."

Other Community Art Presentations

The Servant Christ

The Servant Christ
created by Jimilu Mason
Located in front of Christ's House
1717 Columbia Road NW, Washington D.C., 20009

The Parable

The Parable
(shown here with children from Good Shepherd Ministries)
created by Jimilu Mason
Located at The Festival Center
1640 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009

The Potter’s House

A portrait of The Potter’s House
by David Wear

Detail from
Celestial Travelers

Detail from Celestial Travelers
by Gregory Cary & Bentley Roton

Mi Puelbo

3 watercolors by one of our favorite artists, Mary Lee Barker

To exhibit, please contact Susan Bell at 703.751.2814.