My Journey Painting

St. James The Greater

by Kevin Pawlowski, Paradise Found Studio

Late 2023, I was commisioned to paint the portrait of St. James The Greater, which (I’m proud to say) will adorn your northex of St. James The Greater Catholic Church in sunny Glendale, AZ.

In preparation for a project like this, I do a great deal of research to fully understand the subject, how he is traditionally represented, and other symbols and themes that I’d like to include.

Since St. James The Greater is the patron saint of pilgrims, its hard not to reflect on the creative process as a journey. And as is my way, I took this to the extreme as I went on a virtual pilgrimage through the Camino de Santiago, for a total of 481 miles.

So strap on your hiking boots, grab your walking stick, and let’s go through my adventure with St. James The Greater.

Saint James The Greater oil painting portrait by Kevin Pawlowski

Who Is St. James The Greater?

Saint James the Greater was one of the twelve apostles and a key figure in early Christianity. He was the brother of the apostle John and a fisherman by trade. What truly sets him apart, however, is his role as a close companion to Jesus Christ. Along with Peter and John, James witnessed many pivotal moments, including the Transfiguration and the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Traditionally depicted with a scallop shell and a staff, Saint James embodies the spirit of pilgrimage. The scallop shell serves as a metaphor for the endless journey of faith, and also symbolizes baptism and rebirth. His staff, reminiscent of a pilgrim's walking stick, speaks to his role as a guide for those seeking spiritual enlightenment. I chose this last point as a central theme of the painting.

Saint James earned the moniker "the Greater" to distinguish him from another apostle with the same name, James the Lesser. The title doesn't imply a ranking of importance but rather serves as a practical way to avoid confusion.

There has been some disagreement whether “greater” denotes his more advanced age, height, or even portliness. For this painting, I chose to portray James as tall and in his early to mid-40’s. He is thought to have died around 44AD in his upper 40’s, the second apostle to die (after Judas Iscariot), and first to be martyred, as documented in the Acts Of The Apostles (12:1-2).

James and John earned the dynamic nickname "Boanerges," or “sons of thunder” by Jesus himself. The title likely stemmed from their fervent and zealous personalities, symbolizing their fiery and passionate commitment to the teachings of Christ. James and John were known for their boldness, as seen in their request for positions of honor in Jesus' kingdom and their eagerness to call down fire upon a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus. I allude to this nickname with a thunderbolt scratched into James’ walking stick. If I had a nickname from Jesus himself, I’d wear it with pride!

A large man with a fiery temper could have been very imposing, but remember that he was touched by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Because of that, I took care to show him as strong, but also gentle, friendly, and welcoming.

Scallop shell symbol for St. James from painting and a marker from Camino de Santiago.

Sons of Thunder symbol

What Is The Camino De Santiago?

James' significance extends beyond the biblical narratives, as he is also recognized as the patron saint of Spain.

Legend has it that his relics were miraculously transported to the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, leading to the establishment of the famed pilgrimage site, Santiago de Compostela. Pilgrims from all corners of the globe undertake the Camino de Santiago, a journey that symbolizes both physical and spiritual endurance. Saint James The Greater, with his enduring symbols and timeless legacy, continues to inspire believers on their own pilgrimages of faith.

For the painting of St. James, I used reference photos from Camino de Santiago to establish the trail and background.

As I mentioned previously, I decided to take the journey myself to get into the spirit of the painting. The company Conqueror Challenges offers a virtual Camino de Santiago virtual tour. You download an app on your phone, and log miles from your daily workouts. The total distance is 481 miles, which is more than I thought I could handle (in terms of time) actually walking or hiking, so I did most of this on an exercise bicycle.

The app charts your progress along the trail, and actually emails you postcards from various waypoints, with photos and geographical or historical information. I started this journey Oct. 5th, and finished December 17th, about a week before I completed the final painted pass.

A few weeks later I received a medal, which included the scallop symbol on the top and back. Very cool program that I recommend highly!

Google map of Camino De Santiago, from France to the Western shore of Spain.

Virtual finish line for my pilgrimage on the Canino de Santiago. My avatar was from my initial sketch for this painting.

conqueror challenge medal of camino de santiago

My medal from Conqueror Challenges Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage.

What Is This Painting Trying To Tell You?

When painting St. James The Greater, I referenced classic portraits and tried to stay within traditions set by the masters. I was heavily influenced by a portrait by Guido Renin, and especially the gesture painted by Carlo Maratta.

In addition to all of that, I wanted to offer the parishioners of St. James The Greater something unique and representative of their church community. The patron saint of pilgrims should have special resonance for such a diverse community. Saint James is motioning for us all, together, to follow the path marked by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

What this ultimately means to your life and how you live it should come from personal reflection, of course. In this painting, I don’t intend to spell it all out. Consider my painting of Saint James The Greater an invitation to delve deeper in your own journey of faith.