He's Got The Whole World In His Hands

I was hoping that, despite my limitations, this painting would still convey the hope, the bonding, the strength, and the support these men gained from singing spirituals about their Lord together, despite the desperate and demeaning situation they lived in.

I don't know enough black men to have painted this one by setting up live models. I really don't even know one. So, I had to compile this painting using a campfire and a few people sitting around it from the internet. I checked out books about black people from the internet and connected them to the bodies I had, and added a few more around the campfire, then changed their clothing and lighting to match the scene. It had to be a looser style to accommodate all the changes and imprecise scrap, plus, I wanted to have it a little looser to show the energy of the men singing the spirituals. I didn't feel it was my best work, yet I've received compliments on this piece, some saying that this is a "notch above" my other paintings. Wow, thanks! I was hoping that, despite my limitations, it would still convey the hope, the bonding, the strength, and the support these men gained from singing spirituals about their Lord together, despite the desparate and demeaning situation they lived in.